[~ferrarius]

Greetings. First, let me thank all of you for the tons of info you've provided, which helped me choose the XD-9 SC. I've been lurking about the forum for some time, trying to read as many posts as possible before throwing out a question, but now I need some advice.

I've had a Carry Permit for about 6 years now. My new XD replaced a previous Ruger P95, which I did not carry religiously. When I did carry, I basically used the "mexican carry" method, and it worked fairly well. Well, this time, since I chose a more compact gun, I thought I would carry it on a regular basis, and do so in a holster.

Well, said holster arrived. It is a IWB by High Noon Holsters. It's their "Closing Argument" model, which is tuckable, and made of cow hide. The problem is this: when I stuck only the XD in my pants at 2 o'clock or 4 o'clock...it fit just fine. It was reasonably comfortable, and not detectable with an untucked Tshirt, or even with a loosely tucked Tshirt. But, when used in the holster, it creates a bulge that I cannot hide. It's almost rediculous. Wherever the holster is, my waistline is noticably out of proportion...and tucking it would be a joke.

I'm 6' @195lb...and I do wear a belt because I keep my pants a bit loose for comfort. I thought I had room for the holster, because the gun itself fit so well. But now I'm thinking that I don't have the room I need? Before I send back this fine holster, I thought I'd ask opinions about just HOW loose your pants should be, and whether or not ALL IWB options are really a compromise, and I just expected too much. The Holster is great...high quality...and fits the gun like a glove. It would be perfect if it were outside my pants.

:lol:

So, do I need to lose a few pounds, or is cramming a 2" wide holster in your pants always going to make you look weird? Please tell me I don't have to exercise or give up Oreo's.

Thanks again...

 

[DigMe]

Does this jumpsuit make me look fat?

brad cook

 

[kris926]

For IWB carry I use the Hidden Ally from High Noon Holsters. It appears to be a little more narrow than your Closing Argument. It does not have the additional reinforcement for one handed holstering but that should not be a big concern for most people. I'm able to conceal this well. I've tucked it just to see how it carries and it still conceals well. It would work if you needed deep cover. It's pretty comfy for an IWB holster. If your holster is new, maybe High Noon would let you trade it in.

http://www.highnoonholsters.com/Product_Line/Hidden_Ally/hidden_ally.html

Hope this helps.

Kris

 

[c22m22c]

profoundly disturbing.








:shock:

 

[tank69]

I've never seen a guy sporting a camel toe before. :shock:

 

[Lumberjack98]

I've never seen a guy sporting a camel toe before. :shock:

LMFAO.....awesome!!!

 

[tec]

FOR SALE: One slightly used xd v10 9mm w/case, 1 15 round & 2 10 round mags and all cleaning supplies.

selling due to becoming INSTANTLY BLIND after viewing a fellow XD talk forum member in his :shock: elvis outfit :shock: . Said member was showing his member and his family jewels just a little TOOO much in said outfit. The Blindness I am suffering from I advise you not to duplicate on yourself. Do not view the elvis picture.

I dont need a gun if I cant see.


Note: this is a joke, this is only a joke. Had this story been real, it would have appeared in the trading forum. Again, this story is only a joke. If it had been real, you would have been instructed to goto the tradiing forum to view / buy / scoff at the auction.

 

[mpholic]

Personally I think the SC is a little thick for tucking. Its a great size for IWB with a cover garment though.

Tucking in my opinion takes the right holster and the right gun and there are very few of those.

I dress casually 95% of the time and do not tuck, this allows me to carry pretty much whatever I want. On the rare occasions I do have to dress up and tuck I either wear a sport coat and do not take it off (this again allows me to carry IWB untucked) or I wear a belly band and carry a Kahr MK9. I have been unsuccesful tucking and carrying anythin larger.

 

[DigMe]

Personally I think the SC is a little thick for tucking. Its a great size for IWB with a cover garment though.

Tucking in my opinion takes the right holster and the right gun and there are very few of those.

I tuck my SC sometimes. I just have to know what shirts work best. If the shirt is too small it doesn't look right but it blends in well with a slightly roomier shirt and the right holster. I use a C-TAC holster.

brad cook

 

[quixdraw]

I dont need a gun if I cant see.

 

[~ferrarius]

Glad it's not just me...

Digme: Your piece is definitely "printing" with your current setup...and why two pistols?

mpholic: I think you nailed it. The SC is a stocky little gun, a trait which I admire for durability and good looks...but it takes up quite a bit of room once holstered. I had debated the tucking idea from the start...especially because of the extra width taken up by the holster's tucking flap. I love the holster, and was thinking that the non-tucking version would eliminate that rather thick extra flap of leather, thus making it a bit more concealable. What type of holster do you use with your SC?

kris926: I looked at the Hidden Ally, and almost went with it. But, I think I fell victim to the "bells and whistles" trap, and wanted the body flap, sight guide, and ReHolstering options. Those are nice features to have, but not if I cannot use the holster. Is the leather on your Hidden Ally noticably thinner? You sound pleased with your holster...and since High Noon does offer a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, I plan on trading it in for a different model, since the quality of the holster is outstanding.

Any one else out there have a High Noon IWB?[/b]

 

[kris926]

~ferrarius

I can only compare the thickness from the pictures but it is thin. I switch between the Hidden Ally and a belt holster depending on my dress and situation. I have not used any other IWB holster so I can only say that the Hidden Ally is comfortable for me.

Hope this helps a little. :shock:

Kris

 

[~ferrarius]

well, based on these replies, and some more fidgeting around with this holster, I've decided that this rig is too fat for IWB...at least for my tastes. The XD is a chubby little gun, and although I love the High Noon Closing Argument's features, I'm sending it back.

They stand behind their holsters with a 30 day "try it and see" guarantee. That , coupled with their great customer service and the obvious quality of their work, has led me to order two other holsters from them.

Thanks to everyone, for their input. kris926, I'm going your route, except I'm going with the non-tucking version of your Hidden Ally...sadly named the "MR. Softy". I figure that I need the thinnest thing going, and I believe the lack of the tucking flap can put me that much closer to my goal. I had originally bypassed those glove leather holsters, because I wanted all the fancy features...but now I see that was a mistake. Thanks for helping me see the light.

I'm also going with an Outside the Waistband holster of theirs, called the "Slide Guard". It's got alot of what I liked about my first holster, but without having to cram it all in my pants, like Elvis there.

If anyone is still reading this, any thoughts on outside the waistband carry? I've never even entertained it, for fear it would be too easy to spot...but it really is my preferred carrying location. How difficult have you folks found it to conceal OWB...and what pitfalls in concealment should I watch for?

I'll go back to lurking after this post...I promise.

 

[mpholic]

I have two Slide Guards (one for my 1911 and one for my XD Tactical) but they are pretty much range and gaming holsters.

For IWB I use the Milt Sparks Watch Six. It is made from horsehide which is marginally thinner than cowhide. It also does not have reinforcement band at the top making it thinner. The connection points are outboard to the gun once again amking its profile thinner. Take a look at their website and see if you like it. You can order directly from Milt Sparks or try Lightning Arms (they are a dealer).

OWB concealment requires a cover garment that is long enough to extend below the muzzle of the gun. You also have to be careful when you raise your arms above your head that this doesn't expose the muzzle end of the gun.

 

[ichy_trigger]

I have a Fist #1 and I at first thought it was too thick, after it was broken in, its not bad at all, very comfortable accually. You have to dress around the gun. If you have a reinforced holster mouth I would think it would add too much bulk for my liking. The worst part about buying holsters is that you cant try them out before you buy them. You CAN carry OWB with a good pankake style holster and conceal very well. I think Fist makes some ultra thin kydex IWB holsters but I dont like kydex rubbing against me.