Appendix Carry Questions

:rofl:
But that is the Vedder’s version.

I set it up first, than clean, put threadlocker, tighten and wait 24hr. I hate moving clips :angry:

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Thanks @Scotty and @Jerzees, just put the loctite on and cranked down on that sucker. I think the first time I did it I was worried about tightening too much, wasn’t worried about it this time :joy:!

I don’t like the clip moving either. I want my draw to stay the same regardless. I am very happy it hasn’t been the retention screw giving me issues though. I think the loctite and the elbow grease fixed it.

I did email vedder just to see what they say. If this problem is fixed I’ll probably get a light tuck for my M&P9 4.25”. I’ll keep playing with the my muddy river tactical, but I’ve been very pleased with the light tuck so far.

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Now that you mention it… I have needed to tighten the retaining screw now and then. It’s usually after a few months that I notice the retention is a little looser than I prefer. I do prefer a relatively tight lockup. I haven’t loctited anything, but might in the future.

That being said, it might be a good idea to order a few replacement washers, just in case.

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I’ve had other holsters get a tad too loose on me. I check my retention pretty often just to be safe. I like to get the holster as loose as I can without a fully loaded gun falling out (I usually tighten it a tad bit further than that to be safe.) The problem here if it does budge it could be too loose. I do use loctite their though, but if it works it’s way out I’ll just lock it up again.

I’ll have to pick up some washers. I didn’t get their claw, but if I end up carrying AIWB more often, I might.

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JB weld Ultimate Black RTV 100% silicone Gasket Maker & Sealant works well for a hold if you may want to adjust again later. This is 'like" what we use at GE on jet engines assembly. For more "permanent hold use E6000 black flexible it is Hi Strstr

Brilliant!!!

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Not Bad! Going to carry this way until my JM custom comes in for my M&P9.

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(Springfield XDM-3.8, XDS 3.3)
Growing tired of being the “odd man out” when is comes to IWB vs AIWB. Effective AIWB is extremely dependent on your physique, and most people posting do not mention their body type. I am a 5’5" man with an athletic build. That means I have a waist, hips, and no belly fat. My proportions are more like a woman’s in that I have a shorter torso, so coupled with my bicyclists hips, my waistline is higher than that of most guys. Carrying IWB from 3-5 o’clock (XDS, Crossbreed Hybrid MT-2) is comfortable and I can draw and re-holster even seated in a vehicle. The grip rides just at the low point of my ribs and so printing is not an issue with most shirts, tucked or not.

My problem with AIWB is that with a higher waistband, I cannot find a gun/holster/position combo that does not have the grip digging into my ribs. Any suggestions are appreciated

5’6" “former soccer player” here. I’m having trouble envisioning a waistline high enough where the firearm grip goes into your ribs…

What holster are you using for AIWB?

What firearm are you trying to conceal in AIWB?

Can you position your pants beltline lower?

5’09" former soccer player. Not the same “six pack” anymore😎, but cannot complain. So I’m in typical good body shape.
First attempt: 3.6" barrel CZ cross draw IWB at 1 o’clock (left handed). Worked pretty well. No printing, didn’t bother leg or ribs.
I found it little heavy and switched to M&P.
Couldn’t find good AIWB for M&P9 so carried it OWB. I’m waiting for Tier1 AIWB to test it.
So far M&P22C in AIWB holster from Muddy River Tactical works perfectly fine. My guess is that everything is about barrel length and grip width…
Perhaps Shield Plus will be perfect fit. :thinking:

Harvey,

Thanks for the quick reply! Former futbol player and wrestler as well. I believe I answered most of your questions in my previous email.

Belt cannot go lower and my rib cage is deep. The XDS 3.0 is the smallest I have. If I tuck it behind my belt with the grip laying along the top edge of my belt in either 11 or 1 position, I have one finger width between the grip or slide. Barely enough room to breathe and also not bruise my ribs. I have not seen any AIWB holster that will set that low.

Check out the Urban Carry G3 AIWB. Will not be the fastest draw but I find it very functional.

I recommend to watch couple video posted by actual G3 users, to see if this will work.
The holster doesn’t work exactly the way it is advertised…
How I can see this holster - doesn’t give reliable draw stroke.

I’m not telling it’s bad… but it’s different idea of concealed holster and drawing technique.

Hmmm.

So I was asking about the holster to see if you’ve tried a dedicated AIWB or were just using a regular IWB in the appendix position. Your post says a Crossbreed Hybrid MT-2, so it sounds like you were using that in appendix position.

I have both Tier1 and JM Custom AIWB holsters and the ride height of the pistol leaves about 1 finger gap between the grip and my pants. You can set a higher ride height (bigger gap btw pants/grip), but not lower. You wouldn’t want lower anyway because then you couldn’t grasp the grip as your pants are in the way. The only one I’ve tried that starts out higher is T.Rex Arms (its a very fast draw) but I found them to be not very comfortable.

But from your description that doesn’t sound like it would help? Or maybe i’m misunderstanding a bit… When standing the top of the pistol frame is several inches from my ribs. When I sit, the top of the pistol frame comes near my ribs and if i squish myself down then the frame just goes “over” my rib, not into it or under it (which would be painful).

Is that… helpful? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yes, that’s helpful. In my case, leaving a one finger gap above the belt places the grip against the inner end of the third rib from the bottom when seated, so unless the holster somehow gives an outward cant, I do not see AIWB working. I did try my crossbreed in AIWB, and as expected, it did not work.

I have a couple of minimalist holsters that let me try out variations. Sounds like you have a more average male torso length, whereas mine is shorter than average. There may be room with the pistol at 12 o’clock, but I have to figure out how to try out several holsters without spending a ton on shipping charges and restocking fees…

I carry my Glock 26 AIWB as follows (I’m right handed):

-Stiff leather belt with buckle way past center on the left.
-Bulldog holster (minimalist, no trigger guard)
-No round in the chamber. So I never have to worry about accidental discharge.

“…But aren’t you worried that you can’t draw and just shoot?” No, I’m not. I’ll take the chance that the half second it takes me to rack the slide won’t have life-altering consequences.

I ask this because I’ve never really been given a solid answer and I’m truly curious. What’s your draw process if you don’t have both hands available (having to use a hand to hold, or control, a kid or another person, someone actually got up to you and you have to defend and draw at the same time, an arm is hurt, etc)? I agree it’s only a fraction of a second difference when standing and practicing under controlled situations, but I can’t see how someone would overcome anything like the examples I gave with any efficiency?

I also have recently shifted from the 4’oclock to appendix carry. Took a little adjustment to be in the sweet spot where it is comfortable while sitting, especially while driving. A solid holster with the trigger guard completely covered is an absolute must. T1 Concealed has been my go to. One of the best advantages to appendix carry is the ability to see your firearm all the way into the holster. I also believe that there was most likely something that got in the way of the trigger guard while holstering when the accidental discharge occurred in said video. Definitely easy to draw and conceal in this position. There is never any reason to be fast reholstering. Be sure the holster is completely clear and look it all the way in.

Hi Justin, I definitely take your point regarding potential complications associated with not having two hands available to rack the slide. I don’t have a good answer yet, as I’m new to concealed carry (6 months). As I become more adept my approach may change.

No worries at all. After reading my post again, I hope I didn’t come off as critical . We’re all learning and modifying our techniques all the time (or should be at least). Precisely why I asked the question. If someone has a good process for it, I want to know what it is so I have that available in my toolbox as well. Glad to have another responsible person out there carrying. Take care and stay safe