UTMC

I don't carry all the time

I mostly carry when I am going into an area where Crime is rampant.

With the purchase of a new 1911 style handgun, it required a new holster. I decided to buy a REAL holster for concealed carry. Before, I carried "Open" with the gun visible on my belt.

Now, I am trying to carry concealed, and though I do not HAVE to have a CCW in Arizona, having one allows me to carry into Banks and Bars. Since I don't drink, being able to carry in a bar is just a Bonus to being sober. It also means I don't have to have a concealed lock box on my bike that I have to worry about.

Since I am just getting this holster broke in, I thought I would start a thread to be updated as often as I remember as to what changes as I carry concealed...

Firearm:
Rock Island Armory 1911 (with Rail) in 10mm*


Holster:
Crossbreed Inside the Waistband King Tuck



*For those interested: 10mm 180gr Hollowpoint loaded to 1250fps

I know another Ootmic with a RIA 1911 (.45) and he's very happy. They seem like really solid guns. A 1911 wouldn't personally be my choice for a CCW, but for a full-size pistol they do work reasonably well (gotta love single-stack magazines and nice flat guns).

I mean, shit, as a civilian, if 8+1 rounds of full-house 10mm doesn't settle the argument I doubt more ammunition would help.

I dont' see a thumbstrap on that holster, though. You going Condition 3 or Condition 1? If the latter I'd recommend a thumbstrap in case the hammer sear slips.

--Jaeger

Condition 2 actually, but currently condition 3 until I get used to the new holster and drawing from it. There is no thumb strap, the Kydex makes a very solid hold inside the trigger guard.

I have enough body mass that the Full Size 1911 is easy to hide. For instance, today, I have had it on and only had a t-shirt to hide it. Not a single reaction from anyone. Even my son didn't realise I had it on. It is very comfortable, and very easy to ignore that you have a full size 3lb 2.5oz gun with 8 rounds in the mag tucked into the waistband of your pants.

Congrats on the new shooter!

I had a High Standard 1911 GI that I used to carry, it was cheap and ate all the ammo I tried, unlike some high dollar 1911s.
I used a leather OWB until I bought the ClipDraw.

I open carried a RIA 1911 in almost the same rig when I lived in Vegas. Funny thing- even carrying open, if I wore a black shirt, almost no-one noticed the pistol. More people seemed to spot the extra mag in my left hip pocket.

RIA makes a great builder. With just a bit of massaging, I had mine shooting identical groups to my Dad's $1500 Springfield TRP.

Merlyn

I love mine. It is the smoothest shooting handgun I have ever owned. Many people don't realize that RIA used to supply a lot of the parts to the Brand Name manufacturers. Frames, trigger assemblies, slides etc.


So in recap of yesterday, with the fact I have not carried concealed in a couple of decades, with AZ being an Open Carry state. I never worried about it. But with the change in law that allows Concealed Carry without a permit, I felt it would be a good experiment. So, since I am not used to CC, I know that I am telegraphing, just because I am out of practice. Having said that however, the only people that noticed, and gave indication they noticed were either Carrying themselves, Cops or Security. Everyone else were oblivious. It is like they think "If I don't look for it, it won't exist"

When I get a chance, I will do a video with me in different cloths showing the Concealability of the Crossbreed and 1911. As mentioned, my 1911 is a full size, 5" barrel and 8 round magazine. With my build, it conceals easily. I also have some Kydex on order, along with some Chicago Screws. I am going to add a holster to the "Kidney" belt padding in my Alpinestars jacket. I will include a thumb strap to help keep it locked in as it will be free floating as I am riding. Pics of that to come once it is done as well.

I had a CCW permit in PA and carried a Glock mod. 22, the cop gun. Didn't like it, made me paranoid, certainly didn't feel any safer, decided it was bullshit and stopped carrying. Now I just carry a knife.

Yesterday was interesting, wore cargo shorts with an ample waistband. Spare mag at the bottom of each cargo pocket, and a thick T-Shirt. Nothing, nada. That Crossbreed holster is forming to where I have it very well.

As long as I am careful, when I get hugs, I can keep the other person from hugging the gun butt

Sisyphus wrote:I had a CCW permit in PA and carried a Glock mod. 22, the cop gun. Didn't like it, made me paranoid, certainly didn't feel any safer, decided it was bullshit and stopped carrying. Now I just carry a knife.

Good gods, you carried a G22 concealed? That's a big fuckin' gun and you're not a very big guy... I just know there's no way I could do that without printing like hell.

--Jaeger

wyckedsin wrote:Yesterday was interesting, wore cargo shorts with an ample waistband. Spare mag at the bottom of each cargo pocket, and a thick T-Shirt. Nothing, nada. That Crossbreed holster is forming to where I have it very well.

As long as I am careful, when I get hugs, I can keep the other person from hugging the gun butt

Your gun is sticking into my hip!

I open carry a SIG SAUER XO 1911 (Full size) for work every day.
I use a De Santis Speed Scabbard, it's the most comfortable OWB holster I've ever worn. I own one for every gun I own.
For CCW it works well too, I can just untuck my shirt and it covers well.
I don't have much opportunity for IWB, but I'll be checking that holster of yours out when I do.
I've also heard good things about the Alienwear stuff.

Thanks for the review.

SidVicious wrote:

wyckedsin wrote:Yesterday was interesting, wore cargo shorts with an ample waistband. Spare mag at the bottom of each cargo pocket, and a thick T-Shirt. Nothing, nada. That Crossbreed holster is forming to where I have it very well.

As long as I am careful, when I get hugs, I can keep the other person from hugging the gun butt

Your gun is sticking into my hip!

That's not my gun...

JustNate, my only issue with Alienwear is that it is not a leather backer. I prefer the strength and long wear of leather.

I need a new belt. My Dickies Work Belt is not heavy enough LOL.

Been laid up. Severely screwed up my neck. Spend most of my days zonked out on pain killers right now.

Just had a second epidural today. After the third, they will evaluate again for surgery.

Not wise to carry concealed into a Pain Management office with narcotics supplies and a very large "No Weapons" sticker

The other day could have gotten very ugly.

We have had contractors in and out of the house making final repairs after a severe water damage loss in August. (Drain pans for AC units in homes should not be 16 gallons in capacity btw)

well, the day in question, there was a crew member who was insulting from the moment he walked in the door. his actions and mannerisms spoke of Latino Banger fresh out of Jail. Only he had Zero visible ink. The bed my wife and i sleep on was actually the first bed her Mother and Father had. It is very sentimental to her, and is roughly 60-80 years old as they bought is used in the 60's. I had to put it together in a way that we will not be able to reassemble it without major repair work. We had arranged with the owner of the flooring company to put the bed up on skates and move it around as needed, but that the bed would not be disassembled.

This person decided that was too much hassle, and I come in to find him about to start taking the frame apart. Conversation went down hill very rapidly. I maintained an angry professionalism, while he devolved into gutter trash talking.

His manner went to puffed up chest and roostering. Then he made a HUGE mistake, he called my wife a Cunt. The house went silent around me. The other workers were not sure what to do. The Lead was actually outside the house trying to get ahold of his boss at the moment.

What I was told is that I stepped up literally nose to nose with him. My posture, and the amount of sheer menace coming off me was enough that the other workers took about 10 steps back, my wife started dialing 911, and this guy watched his life flash before his eyes. I can't tell you what I said, all I was doing was waiting for the punch I knew was inevitable. It had devolved so horribly wrong I Knew I was going to jail, and I was okay with that. I was expecting to get jumped from behind by the other workers, and I knew this guy was going to fight. I was okay with it, I had accepted that I was going to die.

Again, what I was told is that he visibly shrank back from me, and started softly appologizing as he back to the door.

It was bad, I,lost control of the situation. i could have simply told him to leave the site. All the things I did wrong I can armchair look at now.

I had become so comfortable with the holster and weight of my 1911, it completely slipped my mind it was there. I WANTED to beat him into submission.

This is not the proper way to carry. This my friends is exactly what I am supposed to avoid.

I am better than this, it was an ego shoving match that crossed that line and I should never have gone for it.

Not doing the above is what being able to carry responsibly is all about, and I was irresponsible.

Time to get a holster that is a little less comfortable to help remind me that I can't let myself get goaded into situations like that.

The only people that knew I was armed, was me and my wife.

After he went outside, I pulled my gun, and cleared it before the Lead crew member. He about shit his pants.

That pretty much describes why I don't have a gun. I grew up hunting, and have been around guns pretty much my whole life. My whole family hunted at one point or another, and I brought in a few deer and elk myself. When I transferred from the rural east side of the cascades to the urban Seattle scene, I thought about keeping up with shooting, but didn't really have the money for a gun. No more than a year after landing here we came home one afternoon, and after entering the house from the back door, found the chain still swinging on the front door and a bunch of stuff missing. I likely would've headed right out that door had I been armed. I was young and impulsive, but knew enough to realize a gun might not be the best decision for me.

I've matured out of that sort of impulsiveness, but I don't miss having a firearm around. I still get to go make loud noises and knock things over now and again with friends and family, and I've never felt less safe without one. Seattle's pretty nice that way, no really sketchy areas. Skeet shooting looks like a lot of fun. I never got a lot of time in with a shotgun, and I'd like to give it a go sometime.

I'm a docile passive fellow. I have my permit to carry, but don't for a couple of reasons. One, I'd need a carry piece. Two, I don't feel the need. I respect the dickens out of anyone that makes their carry decision based on logic and wisdom.

Life in an Concealed Carry State is just that. Thankfully, the Sheeples are oblivious, and those who carry acknowledge each other if it is warranted. Be smart and no one is the wiser.

So Kansas just signed in a a new "no permit needed" CCW law. No permit, no training no nothing.
All the gun nuts are wetting themselves about it.
I'm not sure if it is a good or bad thing. It'll be interesting to see what drama happens in July when they are trying to get it to start.

That was one advantage to AZ being an Open Carry state for so long, when the ruling to be a CC free state, not many people really changed their habits.

wyckedsin wrote:That was one advantage to AZ being an Open Carry state for so long, when the ruling to be a CC free state, not many people really changed their habits.

AFAIK Kansas has been an Open Carry State for almost ever. Just that nobody ever does it.

Bo_9 wrote:

wyckedsin wrote:That was one advantage to AZ being an Open Carry state for so long, when the ruling to be a CC free state, not many people really changed their habits.

AFAIK Kansas has been an Open Carry State for almost ever. Just that nobody ever does it.

Bah! At a local diner, I've seen this one guy a few times come in open carry. Oddly enough, there's a picture of him on the wall with a deer he bagged.

Sounds like Texas is now an open carry state (handgun license still required).

Interesting thread to follow, considering that Maine has just decided to allow concealed carry w/o a permit. All one has to do is be legally permitted to own a gun, and whammo, you can carry it around concealed. To me, living here as I do, this seems like a stupid idea. WHy? Because there are only a million people in the entire state, and crime is not rampant here (contrary to what the idiot that wrote the bill would have you think).
Maine is a fairly rural state, also a very poor state. I don't see any need to allow people to just carry a gun around here just because of someone's literal interpretation of the 2nd. I've always been against fundamentalism of any flavor.
This shit will get out of hand if they get this bill through. There are a lot of stupid and hot-blooded people out there that are, under the terms of the law, legally in possession of firearms.

If they were so concerned about protecting people, they'd close the gunshow loophole. That's where the bad guys are getting their guns.

As of July 1st in Kansas will allow concealed carry of whatever, no permit at all.
Should be interesting.
Work already put up the "no guns allowed" state mandated signage on every door.
I've been in exactly zero situations in the last twenty years that I think the availability of a handgun would have improved, so it really doesn't matter to me but now that every other idiot you meet on the street might be carrying it might be more valid after the first.