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Seasons Change... so do CCW Wardrobes

Getting warmer, even up here in the mountains. The big Carhartt parka is getting put up; short sleeves are becoming more common. In consideration, time to change out the firearm wardrobe.
The shoulder rigs are going into storage. The very few (3) IWB holsters I have are ready for deployment. The larger firearms will see much less work. The 1911s, Hi Power, SIG P220R, P229, FN FNP....all will go into semi-retirement until next Autumn.
Much more will be seen of the S&W Shields, 442, and (to a lesser extent) 640.
Indeed the SIG P365 and HK P2000 SK will headline. The Glock 26 and Colt Cobra also will be in the mix.
The Andrews, R. Grizzle, and Ritchie Bros. leather gear will remain in the forefront.
Milt Sparks will get the call for open-carry treks in the woods (S&W 629 and Ruger GP100 still get the wilderness duty year round).
Gonna replace a couple holsters.
Going to a crossdraw for the SIG P365, the GA Snap will be up for grabs.
The S&W 629 is getting a straight drop Nelson-Avenger rig from Grizzle.
SIG P220R is still waiting on a Horseshoe Leather rig from England. Been over 9 months. Not sure how much longer I’ll stay in the queue. Children are birthed in less time....

Not unlike swapping out your closet; replacing the heavy flannels and sweatshirts with shorts and polo shirts.

Now just as long as the rain quits for a while......
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
You can wear a vest three seasons, and even then there's creativity. Carry full size with a pack, gear, murse etc.

One biker I know caries a NAA Mini .22 mag. all four seasons. He just doesn't like carrying a gun! If you can imagine that. I mean, if you're in a bathing suit, maybe the NAA. Just saying.

AA
 
Here in Tampa, my wardrobe changes very little, season to season, though I will wear a light jacket a couple of days in the winter. Some evenings, I will need to dress for “nice early spring weather” as it exists in WI (where I’m from), but the rest of my carry attire doesn’t change. I’m fortunate, I know.


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jar_

Too Fugly For Free.
About time for the long pants to get put away for the season with the long sleeve shirts.
 
I don't change much. Milt Sparks IWB holsters, winter 5in 1911, warm weather 1911 Officers model. Occasionally I'll throw a 442 in my pocket.
 

OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
Off duty warmer weather, it most Likely will be my old, reliable, never failed me go to. Glock 19 in a Uncle Mike’s inside the waistband holster. It’s soft, comfortable, light, very low profile and easily carried for long extended periods. And has all the tactical advantage of presenting the firearm quickly.

I have never been in the camp of needing to prove my professionalism and skill and expertise, or the lack there of, by needing to reholster my firearm without looking, while I am concealed carrying and in civilian clothing.

The soft collapsible design of the Uncle Mike’s has always worked for me and re-holstering it by simply pulling the thin holster from my pants and belt by the clip, sticking my G19 back in and sticking it back in my pants after all is said and done, has never been a detriment to me.

Your miles may vary. :)
 

nortac

"Can't Raise an Eyebrow"
Huh, I guess I never really thought about pulling the soft holster out from inside the waist band to re-holster. Makes sense. But do you switch hands to do it? Still seems awkward to me.
 
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I can see the process of pulling back on the holster clip working if it’s a weak side carry. Strong side I perceive as a tad awkward..kind of a “reach around your butt to scratch your elbow” scenario. Regardless, if it works, it works. For me....well you know that already.
 

OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
When I carry in the Uncle Mike’s, it’s in the 4:30 to 5:00 position. Basically over my right back pocket. It’s never been an issue for me, to reach behind my back with my left hand and hook the flexible, polymer plastic clip with my fingers and simply and quickly pull up and out. The holster is flat and collapsed which aids in pulling out fast and easy.

I put the G19 back in the holster and then reach around my front and back and easily shove it back in between my side and waistband, then just push it back where it belongs.

What about keeping your eyes down range while continuously scanning for other threats? Really? If the scene is still active, you need to be scanning with your pistol still out! I’ll put my gun up after I know for a fact the threat is over! How do I know when that is? Because the police and/or ambulance is on scene or the police and/or Coroner is on scene.

Then I will take my time and look back and down and watch when putting up my gun. I won’t worry one bit what is still going on around me. :)
 
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Off duty warmer weather, it most Likely will be my old, reliable, never failed me go to. Glock 19 in a Uncle Mike’s inside the waistband holster. It’s soft, comfortable, light, very low profile and easily carried for long extended periods. And has all the tactical advantage of presenting the firearm quickly.

I have never been in the camp of needing to prove my professionalism and skill and expertise, or the lack there of, by needing to reholster my firearm without looking, while I am concealed carrying and in civilian clothing.

The soft collapsible design of the Uncle Mike’s has always worked for me and re-holstering it by simply pulling the thin holster from my pants and belt by the clip, sticking my G19 back in and sticking it back in my pants after all is said and done, has never been a detriment to me.

Your miles may vary. :)
That’s how I do it with my cw9 in a Clinger Stingray iwb at 4:00 as well. I hate reholsering iwb. I’m always afraid my shirt or something will catch on the trigger and I’ll end up shooting myself in the butt cheek. Very embarrassing trip to the e room!
 

OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
That’s how I do it with my cw9 in a Clinger Stingray iwb at 4:00 as well. I hate reholsering iwb. I’m always afraid my shirt or something will catch on the trigger and I’ll end up shooting myself in the butt cheek. Very embarrassing trip to the e room!


It's a bad day when you can't feel the man made hole in your arse, because you are too busy feeling embarrassed. :)
 

OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
Huh, I guess I never really thought about pulling the soft holster out from inside the waist band to re-holster. Makes sense. But do you switch hands to do it? Still seems awkward to me.

I remember when you first suggested to me the Fenix E12. I also remember PM,ing you and complaining about it not having a last mode memory switch, which seemed really awkward to me, before I ever once tried it. Then I decided to walk a week or so in your shoes, by constantly carrying it while off duty and in civilian clothes.

Didn't take long, before I was PMing you back to tell you, that you were right and I was wrong. That little light won me over because it is an absolutely awesome little light for the money. Now, my wife has an E12 and I have two; and I won't ever be without it. :)
 
Okie I hear you on the one handed re-holstering. Nearly every class I've been to they've kinda harped on it but i carry mostly IWB and between love handles and loose clothes it's near impossible. The way I see it if law enforcement is arriving on scene NOW I need to put it on the ground and step away and if not I've got all the time in the world to reholster. I can see why it would be NICE, just hard to achieve in my book.

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OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
Okie I hear you on the one handed re-holstering. Nearly every class I've been to they've kinda harped on it but i carry mostly IWB and between love handles and loose clothes it's near impossible. The way I see it if law enforcement is arriving on scene NOW I need to put it on the ground and step away and if not I've got all the time in the world to reholster. I can see why it would be NICE, just hard to achieve in my book.

You are 100% correct Randy.

I can see the tactical advantage for SWAT or Military, who have to quickly transition from different weapon systems in an active environment. I can even see why a uniformed officer would want to holster his weapon without looking, while keeping his eye on a felony arrest and while attempting to handcuff the suspect. But they are all wearing gear and holsters that are "designed" for "not looking" and for the jobs they do. :)

I cannot see the advantage, for a civilian concealed carry, with civilian clothing that is covering and or draping over their "main weapons system" which is in a OWB holster, or especially in a IWB holster. Regardless of the design of the holster or the "tactical skill" of it's user. :) If you are a civilian carry; and are involved in any incident that would get you to draw your gun,

1.You should not or need to put your gun up too early.

2. There just isn't a need, to re-holster your weapon, which holster resides that close to your body, without looking. There just will never be a "tactical reason" for it. Plain & simple.

3. In today's day and age, there is no excuse, for the police to show up and not already know, what's going on. You have a cell phone, witnesses have a cell phone and they are all calling. Hell, I responded to a burglary where the home owner held the perpetrator at gun point and made that burglar call and tell on himself! :) True story.

As a long time LEO in my state, I like to try and stay away from trying to tell colorful stories and/or experiences of the job. IMO, Telling "war stories" of one's employment to attempt to put them in some type of 'special light' or view in other people's minds, is counter productive and not based in reality of who we are and what we represent in LE.
Because we really are, just regular folk like everyone else and that's exactly how we should be treated. Don't get me wrong, It's very nice to have what we do appreciated, but we shouldn't ever be put on a pedestal. Leave that to the guys where it belongs, like those who fight for our freedoms half a world away from their families and to those who run into burning buildings engulfed in fire to save others, without even thinking of their own for a second.

I don't think it's wise to do that in person and even more so, with the anonymity of the internet. I just don't personally like when officers tell wild stories of their "brushes with death encounters." Just seems silly and immature to me, not heroic or necessary. However, In saying this and without trying to fall head first into hypocrisy, I will mention one time, where doing exactly as you described Randy, made all the sense in the world.

Many years ago, I was off duty one night and in civilian clothing; and was filling up my car with gas at a 7-11 on a rough side of town around 11PM. As I was standing at the gas pump, I could hear and see a commotion coming from the front of the store. People were running out of the store and one woman was yelling "oh my God! Oh my God!" I ran over to the front of the store and peaked thru the glass door and looked in and could see two men behind the counter.

One was the clerk, who didn't look a day over 25 and some other dude tearing thru the cash register. The store was empty of people except for them two, as everyone else had got the hell out and were all standing in the parking lot. this was in 99' so there still, wasn't too many cell phones walking around on people at that time. I yelled at a few people in the parking lot to call 911 as I made entry into the store.

Upon contact, I immediately noticed the young clerk, leaning over the counter holding his neck with one hand and the other dude, taking money out of the register with one hand while holding an ice pick in his other hand. My gun was already out when I went in. It was truly and honestly, pretty uneventful after that. I simply identified who I was, ordered the suspect with voice commands to the floor which he, believe it or not, actually complied with. I then asked the clerk, if he was capable of jumping the counter towards my side and he did without hesitation.
I then, jumped the counter myself and held the suspect at gun point until uniformed officers arrived. That was pretty much it.

I only tell this story, to let you know, as other officers showed up and made entry into the store, everyone in the parking lot told them I was a police officer. And while I don't think I had to, because LE's are a pretty tight bunch in my neck of the woods and everyone knows everyone, I had only been on two years at the time, so I already had my wallet badge displayed on the counter and I immediately set my Glock 19 (Gen2 at that time :) ) On the counter and raised my hands. I did that more to make it easier on them to secure the scene, then I did because I feared my safety or thought they would shoot me. Never even crossed my mind to be honest with you.
 
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I view it as a respect thing. I want LE's job to be easy. They've got enough reason to be on edge.

Not so easy I'm talking past bare minimum. I'd like a lawyer please. I trust LE mostly but the court system not so much.

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OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
I view it as a respect thing. I want LE's job to be easy. They've got enough reason to be on edge.

Not so easy I'm talking past bare minimum. I'd like a lawyer please. I trust LE mostly but the court system not so much.

Sent from my LG-LS998 using Tapatalk

:)
 

OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
Here are a couple of video's of people who appreciate the simple and comfortable and reasonably priced attributes of the Uncle Mike's holsters.




The Uncle Mike's soft holster's were never meant to "tactically train" with, by holstering and reholstering on an active range. It is only meant for discreet, comfortable concealed carry. Leather and Kydex concealed holsters are not purposed, for "tactical training" on an active range either, regardless if the top of their holsters stay open.

Does that mean, a concealed person, shouldn't practice and train with their mode of carry, in order to efficiently clear their clothing and draw from their type of holster smoothly, fast and efficiently? Most certainly we should do that. I train clearing my concealed clothing and drawing my Glock 19 from my Uncle Mike's every year when warm weather approaches. I also practice, reaching behind my back, with my left hand, hooking my fingers on the plastic polymer clip, pulling the soft collapsed holster from my pants and reinserting my Glock 19 back into the Uncle Mike's and putting both back into my waistband.

And I can do this easily, in under 5 seconds. Even though I know, if in "real time" I wouldn't re-holster until it's all over and the scene is secure and support has arrived and I have all the time in the world, to re-holster. Remember, if a civilian, the police are going to take your gun anyway.

I'm pretty sure, I am the only one in this forum, who would promote an Uncle Mike's soft holster. I understand it's pro's and don't see the tactical necessity or con, of it collapsing during a civilian concealed carry self defense scenario. I think they get a bad rap, because of misunderstandings of their simple terms of usage and wrong perceptions of the what, when, where and why's of needing to be "tactical" and not needing to be "tactical." Uncle Mike's works for me in civilian clothing, because I completely understand and accept it's design and have no problem using it, by staying within it's design parameters. :)
 
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nortac

"Can't Raise an Eyebrow"
@OkieStubble , although I'm coming around somewhat to your way of thinking, I still have concerns about retention with an Uncle Mikes. Of course I don't expect to be doing gymnastic moves while CCW, nor do I rely on retention to thwart a gun grab, but it still concerns me.
 
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