Conceal carry help and safety

dgall317 · May 10, 2017

I was not sure which forum to post this in so please excuse me if I am in the wrong one.

I recently got a Ruger LCP strictly for conceal carry. I bought a VersaCarry holster to use inside the waist at the small of my back because I wanted something as small as possible.

I have been wearing this combination for a few weeks and at first it felt pretty good. Lately I started having an issue with the gun sliding up the dowel some when I was getting in and out of my chair. This was a minor issue, so I thought, as I would just make sure everytime I got up I would slide it back down.

Last night this problem became huge. I was sitting in a waiting area of a business on a couch for maybe 30 minutes, when I went to get up the gun had come completely off the dowel and was laying under me on the couch. Luckily I was aware instantly and was able to recover before anyone became aware. Needless to say I will no longer be using the VersaCarry.

With all this said, I am looking for some recommendations for a new holster. I want to carry inside waist band for concealment and I would like it to be in the small of my back. For the most part I do not tuck my shirts, but it does happen on occasion so to be a tuckable holster would be beneficial at times. Based on my horrible experience with the VersaCarry I need something with better retention to ease my mind.

Any help and recommendations is appreciated.

vgplayer · May 10, 2017

First destroy the Versacarry and throw it away. You are lucky it only fell out.

I have on of these on order for my LCP II https://gallowayprecision.com/ruger/lcp/compact-holster-for-ruger-lcp-pistols/
I am familiar with the Ulticlip it uses and it is a good design for tucking in a shirt because it attaches to the pants and the belt goes over top and conceals the attachment mechanism.
Has adjustable retention an it does one major task the Versacarry doesn't, a task all holsters should do....PROTECT THE TRIGGER

dgall317 · May 10, 2017

It looks nice. Any idea on how the tension settings are? I am now unfortunately very paranoid.

vgplayer · May 10, 2017

Haven't received yet but with other adjustable kydex holsters of similar design they can tightened so that you can turn it upside down and shake it and it won't come out.

Name Taken · May 10, 2017

Toss the small of back idea.

Pocket Carry or get a Alien Gear type holster. It's small enough that the all kydex holster like Bravo Concealment or Veddar.

hogarth · May 10, 2017

Name Taken said:
Toss the small of back idea.

Pocket Carry or get a Alien Gear type holster. It's small enough that the all kydex holster like Bravo Concealment or Veddar.

Agreed on the small of back concept. A terrible idea. Prints a lot, especially when bending, slow to access, all but impossible to prevent someone else from accessing, and if you fall on your back could damage your spine.

An LCP is so tiny, I'd recommend pocket, ankle, or smart carry. I shy away from Alien Gear and all hybrid holsters.

travistheone · May 10, 2017

pocket carry for something so small.

if you don't tuck, your options are pretty wide open. check out crossbreed supertuck for a 3:00 to 4:00 holster. this is probably the most common carry position.

appendix in waist band is becoming very popular as well. I would recommend a larger gun for this, at least a glock 43 if not 19. you can conceal a 19 in a Raven Concealment Eidolon very easily.

small of the back is asking for trouble. I like to be able to keep an eye on my gun at all times.

doublins · May 10, 2017

Pocket carry that thing in a Desantis Nemesis and never look back. The LCP is so small and concealable that carrying front right pocket is almost a no-brainer. It also works extremely well Appendix with a hybrid like a Stealthgear Ventcore at 1 o'clock, but ability to appendix varies with body type and how much of a belly you're lugging.

Worst case, I'd do 4:30 in a hybrid like the Black Arch ACE-1 gen2, but i'd toss the small of the back carry right out.

doublins · May 10, 2017

travistheone said:
pocket carry for something so small.

if you don't tuck, your options are pretty wide open. check out crossbreed supertuck for a 3:00 to 4:00 holster. this is probably the most common carry position.

appendix in waist band is becoming very popular as well. I would recommend a larger gun for this, at least a glock 43 if not 19. you can conceal a 19 in a Raven Concealment Eidolon very easily.

small of the back is asking for trouble. I like to be able to keep an eye on my gun at all times.

Agree whole-heartedly- once you get comfortable wih appendix carry (I actually lost 20 lbs JUST so I could start appendix carrying comfortably, so it has added health benefits), you will recognize just how great it is to carry there, in terms of concealment, accessibility, and the fact that you can carry a slightly larger gun than you would elsewhere. That said, I stick to a single-stack 9mm at 1 o'clock and it's perfect. It perfectly conceals 100% of the time and I've stopped even thinking about it, ever. I love it.

Blaster229 · May 10, 2017

dgall317 said:
I was not sure which forum to post this in so please excuse me if I am in the wrong one.

I recently got a Ruger LCP strictly for conceal carry. I bought a VersaCarry holster to use inside the waist at the small of my back because I wanted something as small as possible.

I have been wearing this combination for a few weeks and at first it felt pretty good. Lately I started having an issue with the gun sliding up the dowel some when I was getting in and out of my chair. This was a minor issue, so I thought, as I would just make sure everytime I got up I would slide it back down.

Last night this problem became huge. I was sitting in a waiting area of a business on a couch for maybe 30 minutes, when I went to get up the gun had come completely off the dowel and was laying under me on the couch. Luckily I was aware instantly and was able to recover before anyone became aware. Needless to say I will no longer be using the VersaCarry.

With all this said, I am looking for some recommendations for a new holster. I want to carry inside waist band for concealment and I would like it to be in the small of my back. For the most part I do not tuck my shirts, but it does happen on occasion so to be a tuckable holster would be beneficial at times. Based on my horrible experience with the VersaCarry I need something with better retention to ease my mind.

Any help and recommendations is appreciated.

So, here goes.
First of all, small of the back carry is WORTHLESS.

A little anatomy lesson. The small of your back has a natural curve in it. It's concave.
IWB holsters of any type require some sort of "pressure", either provided by a belt or simply by the tightness of the waistband of the pants you are wearing.
In the 1, all the way around to the 5 o clock position of your waistline has pressure from the pants/belt provided by your gut and hips.
When you get to the 5.1/2 O'clock to the 6.1/2 O'clock position of the small of your back, there is barely pressure because of that concave gap of the small of your back.

This would not be nary a problem if you had a fuller size gun back there to "take up the space. You have a teeny, tiny LCP. You have a belt as tight as you can get wrapped around there, but the part of your back under your kidneys would never "smash in" enough from the belt to get the pants/belt putting pressure on that gun.

Put a marble between your pants waistband top and right hip, the pressure will hold it up.
Now, take a marble and place it in the small of your back along the waistband, it'll fall right down the back of your ass. This is why your tiny gun slipped out.

Don't blame the holster carrier. The Versacarry doesn't claim to be a retention holster of any sort.

Blaster229 · May 10, 2017

vgplayer said:
Haven't received yet but with other adjustable kydex holsters of similar design they can tightened so that you can turn it upside down and shake it and it won't come out.

Unless you are walking on your hands, there is no need for a kydex IWB holster to have that kind of tension. They have those tension screws because being hard "plastic", a belt or waistband cannot put even the least little bit of pressure on the pistol to keep it from sliding sloppily up and down.

Hybrid kydex/leather iwb holsters rely on the pressure and curve of the body and belt for tension, because they bend with the body and belt and use the force provided them.

Just a side note, if you know how to draw out of a kydex holster properly, it requires a quick snap. I guarantee if you held that holster upside down and gave it that quick snap, that pistol will come out like it should.

You don't draw out of kydex with a "shake". Give me your combo. I'll shake it out.

Biggfoot44 · May 10, 2017

Versa Carry is intended to be an improvement over Mexican Carry, and it indeed is . But that's a really freaking low bar .

vgplayer · May 10, 2017

Blaster229 said:
Unless you are walking on your hands, there is no need for a kydex IWB holster to have that kind of tension. They have those tension screws because being hard "plastic", a belt or waistband cannot put even the least little bit of pressure on the pistol to keep it from sliding sloppily up and down.

Hybrid kydex/leather iwb holsters rely on the pressure and curve of the body and belt for tension, because they bend with the body and belt and use the force provided them.

Just a side note, if you know how to draw out of a kydex holster properly, it requires a quick snap. I guarantee if you held that holster upside down and gave it that quick snap, that pistol will come out like it should.

You don't draw out of kydex with a "shake". Give me your combo. I'll shake it out.

I was answering their question about tension not stating how one should set the proper tension, nor explaining how to draw.

StantonCree · May 10, 2017

Clip draw..............it's ambi so you can make it LH draw for the small of your back or 2 mins later make it RH draw for your side. It does sit pretty low so draw isn't very easy on a LCP (I had one) but all in all it will get the job done. It's how I carry my 43.

Due to how low it sits in the pants you'll often honestly forget you have it, but again you are sacrificing a little draw time because of this. No offense but if your small of the back carrying then draw time is not a 'huge" concern so I would look into the above product.

Blaster229 · May 10, 2017

mpdc4511 said:
Clip draw..............it's ambi so you can make it LH draw for the small of your back or 2 mins later make it RH draw for your side. It does sit pretty low so draw isn't very easy on a LCP (I had one) but all in all it will get the job done. It's how I carry my 43.

Due to how low it sits in the pants you'll often honestly forget you have it, but again you are sacrificing a little draw time because of this. No offense but if your small of the back carrying then draw time is not a 'huge" concern so I would look into the above product.

How in God's name does it not interfere with the extractor?

alucard0822 · May 10, 2017

SOB carry has numerous problems, and has fallen out of favor as others have pointed out. The problem I have with tiny pistols is the draw can be really slowed down if it rotates or shifts out of position, making it harder to get a good grip quickly. A pocket holster is as comfortable as carrying a wallet, conceals well, and allows you to get a firing grip quickly with most pants, and have the advantage that you can place your hand on the pistol, and prepare to draw it while concealed, pretty much the best that tiny pistols have going for them. If IWB is what you want, a hybrid holster adds bulk where it's not needed, negating much of the advantage of the pistol, but a thin leather or kydex "taco" style holster, like the Vedder Light-tuck can carry the pistol nice and high to conceal well, keep it in place, and give good access to the grip without adding much bulk.

Biggfoot44 · May 10, 2017

I probably knoe them by another name, but what's a Taco Holster ?

Blaster229 · May 10, 2017

Biggfoot44 said:
I probably knoe them by another name, but what's a Taco Holster ?

Not a brand, but taco style.
Many kydex holsters are one piece, folded in front at the sight rail and secured by the tension screws. Like a taco shell. Instead of two pieces of kydex mated together by attachments.

StantonCree · May 10, 2017

Blaster229 said:
How in God's name does it not interfere with the extractor?

Sits lower......clears below the ejection port considerably

Blaster229 · May 10, 2017

mpdc4511 said:
Sits lower......clears below the ejection port considerably

I'll have to try again. Maybe I put it on my 42. It was totally covered.

Conceal carry help and safety

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