carry concealed

[HobbyMan]

Just wondering if anyone here carries concealed while riding. If so, what type of holster do you use?

[HobbyMan]

Sorry, I am an idiot. Would a mod mind moving this thread to the members lounge?

[CatatonicBug]

My neighbor rides packin', and his holster is a hard plastic one that "clips" the gun in from the side. I have no idea if that style has a name or not, but that's what I've seen.

[natemoen]

What do you usually carry and how do you carry it (shoulder, hip, thigh, ankle etc.)?

[MrOzz]

I do when I go to the range. I wear a pancake holster, on the small of my back.

[HobbyMan]

I have a S&W 686 .357 with a 4" barrel and a series 70 colt .45. I was thinking about a shoulder harness because it would be the most protected should I take a spill. I am waiting on my tx chl license to come in the mail

[XS1100 Newbie]

Good news for all those who don't carry concealed. Today the Supreme Court ruled that our 2nd amendment means what it says. We can keep and bear arms in any state, or city. It will take a while for all the laws to get changed over, but at least now we could ride coast to coast with an exposed side arm, and they can't do anything. The guy that won this case is an older person in Chicago. He wanted to own a gun to protect himself, and his home. Chicago i guess doesn't allow side arms in town, except of course for the crooks. Finally the Supreme Court the land learned to read the Constitution.

[dbeardslee]

I was thinking about a shoulder harness because it would be the most protected should I take a spill.

I'm not sure putting a 2 pound chunk of steel under your arm is going to do you a lot of good if you go down. DGXSER put his down a couple months ago, and managed to break 8 ribs - 6 in two places IIRC - and that was without a big lump to fall on. Might be a safer position for the pistol, but you can always buy more pistols. Just sayin'. If you had it in the FBI carry position, and you found yourself sans-a-bike sliding down the asphalt, you might even be able to use it to soak up some of the punishment. I'm thinkin' it's potential to do damage to you would be less if it's over softer tissue that can absorb a blow, rather than bone.

Fobus makes some decent plastic paddle holsters that secure a weapon well, are very light weight, and allow for easy extraction. They're custom molded to a particular weapon, and the pistol itself is held in place by the trigger guard, so you don't have a thumb strap to negotiate if you need your hog leg. Things I like about the paddle holsters is that they're very comfortable, and you can take them off easily without removing your belt.

[HobbyMan]

The main reason I want to protect my piece is in case of accidental discharge. A loaded firearm bouncing down the road is probably not a good idea

[Geezer]

Before I became self employed, I used to carry a M1911a1 in a belt pack. I've been thinking about getting another belt pack holster because it made it way easier to keep all my pocket stuff together. Also digging out my wallet or cell phone when sitting down was a snap...

Geezer

[natemoen]

So I would agree that the shoulder holster would be the best for the gun if you were to take a spill (never thought about the gun breaking the ribs though good point) but where ever you are going are you always going to be wearing a jacket to keep it covered (or maybe you do not care if it is covered, personal experience says that if people see a gun and there is not a badge next to it then the people with badges are going to be showing up reasonably soon).

I would also suggest that however you choose to wear it get a molded leather holster. Yes the composite holsters are abrasion resistant but they cannot take the slide down the asphalt like a leather holster can. You can get a molded leather holster for pretty much any gun that is available. Get a holster that has at least a thumb break on it. All the other ways that holster are set up now days for gun retention are great for duty use and everyday wear in normal situations but for keeping a gun secure on a motorcycle and in the event of a fall from a motorcycle a thumb break is going to do the best at holding it in the holster.A lot of people will try and tell you that a thumb break is going to slow you down when you draw but it wont. The only time a thumb break will slow you down is when you are putting your gun back in the holster and at that point it does not matter.

Personally if I were to tell you a holster to get I would say to get either a Don Hume or a Safariland holster. For carry style I would suggest either an inside or outside the waistband holster. DO NOT get a holster that sits in the small of your back, I know three cops myself that have broken their backs because they fell on their backup gun.

Biggest suggestion. Whatever holster you choose find a range that will allow you to practice with the holster. Get used to drawing it and re holstering it with out looking at the holster itself.

Good luck

[Toolmaker Tim]

Ccw

Do you carry the Colt," cocked and locked." Were it I , it would be a pancake holster with a retention snap. One that covers the firing pin on the Colt, or one that holds behind the hammer on the .357. If you went down the strap would keep things where they belonged and safe. Just my .02 worth.

[Geezer]

Do you carry the Colt," cocked and locked." Were it I , it would be a pancake holster with a retention snap. One that covers the firing pin on the Colt, or one that holds behind the hammer on the .357. If you went down the strap would keep things where they belonged and safe. Just my .02 worth.

I did carry it cocked and locked just like J. M. Browning designed it to be. I did enhance the detent on the safety to take a little more effort to release. It's not hard but it's takes an obvious effort. I would only worry about having a hammer strap if I were carrying it in a way that it could be dropped. It couldn't have been more secure in a belt pack.

Also if you're going to carry, go to the range regularly and practice shooting your carry piece. Also practice drawing it UNLOADED... In a pinch we tend to refer to what we have practiced and a smooth draw is better than a fast one...

Geezer

[Toolmaker Tim]

Cocked & Locked

Geezer, forgot about that little detail. Deeper detent on mine also.Also Ed Brown grip safety, extended mag release, extended slide release, Fusion 2 piece recoil spring guide, and Wilson Combat sights. Use to deliver pizza's once upon a time and also carried in a fanny pack. I agree, very handy and safe. I believe it kept me from being robbed on night. Only problem is, at least around here, is about every off duty cop carries the sidearm that way. It sticks out like a sore thumb, however it my be different in other places. Mitch Rosen makes a holster that allows you to carry with your shirt tucked.

J.M. Browning absolutely got it right with the 1911. Haven't found anything better. Slow and steady definitely beats fast and shakey. I do a LOT of practice drawing and gripping with a chamber safety indicator at home. Got to keep the muscle memory built up.

[b.walker5]

Not meant to be an inflamatory question....

...but will probably be recieved that way. Why do you feel the need to carry a weapon in the first place??? Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti gun. I'm a hunter and have firearms, but I cant imagine why I would find it nessecary to carry a pistol, concealed or otherwise, everywhere I go.