About to taste freedom, need advice

[Beekeeping1341]

So I am one of the millions of Californians who have moved up here. I just so happen to be a firm believer in the constitution and bill of rights though, unlike the rest of my kin.

I enlisted to leave the state and find freedom, and much to my dismay was stationed in HI where the .gov doesn't even know what a CHL is.

So needless to say I've been yearning for a CHL. I went ahead and by the grace of Mattis himself got an appointment for sep 29 for a CHL at the sherrifs office in Washington County. I have also got a chl class scheduled the 12th in Saint helens.

Went ahead and took advantage of glocks salute to veterans and bought a glock 48 as well.

So the gat and process is covered, I think.

My question to you guys is what holsters do you recommend? Lucas at trex arms has the side car which seems cool, but he has the body of an anorexic teenaged girl. So I don't know if it would work for me.

I am currently 220 (vet/dad bod baby) but am losing weight (screw this over politicized civilian life) to re enlist though so will be around 180 fairly soon.

So with me being 220, and losing weight would my carry options changed based on weight, or will I need to buy another holster when I lose the weight? What holsters do you guys recommend?

I am just going for the oregon CHL now because the states that have reciprocity is where I will probably be. Prior service business rules are great right now so I'll be selecting either Alaska (elmendorf) or Missouri (ft leonardwood) and those states accept oregon chl.

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[aksu747]

I'd say it varies from person to person.
When I first started carrying I was carrying tiny guns(Ruger LCP gen 1, Beretta Nano, Sig P938).
Now that I've had my CHL for 2 years I find myself carrying much larger guns than when I first started out.(fullsize pistols 1911's with 5" barrels, Glock 17, FNX 45, ect...) I find most of the time I'm plenty comfortable with a Blackhawk Nylon IWB holster for fullsize pistols. Galco Also makes good IWB and OWB holsters, I've had the Kingtuk and it worked great with my Glock.

I do not wear anything form fitting I'm about 155-165 and 5'9" I maker sure to get pants atleast 1-2 waist sizes larger for more comfortable concealment and because it makes carrying fullsize handguns easier. Shirts fit me well but are not tight but do provide enough length to cover anything I carry whether IWB or OWB.
I've even carried my FNX 45 a few times, a bit bulky but do able, make sure you have a decent leather belt.

Took me awhile to find my preferences for carry, your experience may very good luck in your search.

 

[cigars]

Holsters are very personal. Like the rest of us, you will soon enough have that famous "drawer full of holsters".
Aliengear makes some nice stuff for IWB and they're reasonably priced. Personally, I like the Versacarry, but I'm "one of those" people. If you happen to know someone who has your same gun and already has that big drawer of holsters, ask if you can try some of them out. It may save you a lot of time. If you buy through Amazon, delivery is quick and returns are easy.
Only advice I would give is that sidecar holsters that incorporate the spare mag carrier are a bit counter intuitive. If you need to reload quickly, then you have to switch hands to grab the spare mag because it's on the draw side. Sure, it's tacticool but impractical. I always opt for a separate mag carrier that I access without changing my grip. Good luck with your search.

 

[chukar]

I do not wear anything form fitting I'm about 155-165 and 5'9" I maker sure to get pants atleast 1-2 waist sizes larger for more comfortable concealment and because it makes carrying fullsize handguns easier. Shirts fit me well but are not tight but do provide enough length to cover anything I carry whether IWB or OWB.

Certainly not a lot of experience here, but this makes sense. Find a holster that you are comfortable with and a carry that you are comfortable with and then use your apparel to cover it.

For flocks sake, if you are going to Elmendork you are going to be wearing a Nanook of the North outfit six months out of the year and you could probably conceal an MP5 effectively.

As an aside, Elmendork and Ft. Leonard Wood? Wow. I think that you would only do worse if you selected 29 Palms, Ft. Irwin or Adak, Alaska if it were still open. Of your options I would go to Leonard Wood.

As a serious, good for you on loosing weight, something my old fat a$$ needs to do.

Best of luck brother!

 

[Beekeeping1341]

Certainly not a lot of experience here, but this makes sense. Find a holster that you are comfortable with and a carry that you are comfortable with and then use your apparel to cover it.

For flocks sake, if you are going to Elmendork you are going to be wearing a Nanook of the North outfit six months out of the year and you could probably conceal an MP5 effectively.

As an aside, Elmendork and Ft. Leonard Wood? Wow. I think that you would only do worse if you selected 29 Palms, Ft. Irwin or Adak, Alaska if it were still open. Of your options I would go to Leonard Wood.

As a serious, good for you on loosing weight, something my old fat a$$ needs to do.

Best of luck brother!

I promise there's a reason behind the desire to go to those places lol. Ft leonardwood allows me to buy a house, and be able to afford the mortgage if I don't have a renter all while owning a 2nd home elsewhere.

Alaska because well its Alaska. I bet the hunting opportunities are fantastic. Plus the frontier life is attractive to my wife and I, at least temporarily.

Did you spend time at elmendorf?

 

[Beekeeping1341]

Holsters are very personal. Like the rest of us, you will soon enough have that famous "drawer full of holsters".
Aliengear makes some nice stuff for IWB and they're reasonably priced. Personally, I like the Versacarry, but I'm "one of those" people. If you happen to know someone who has your same gun and already has that big drawer of holsters, ask if you can try some of them out. It may save you a lot of time. If you buy through Amazon, delivery is quick and returns are easy.
Only advice I would give is that sidecar holsters that incorporate the spare mag carrier are a bit counter intuitive. If you're you need to reload quickly, then you have to switch hands to grab the spare mag because it's on the draw side. Sure, it's tacticool but impractical. I always opt for a separate mag carrier that I access without changing my grip. Good luck with your search.

Hopefully I can avoid that eith your guys sound advice! I'll pass on the side car then

 

[No_Regerts]

I promise there's a reason behind the desire to go to those places lol. Ft leonardwood allows me to buy a house, and be able to afford the mortgage if I don't have a renter all while owning a 2nd home elsewhere.

Alaska because well its Alaska. I bet the hunting opportunities are fantastic. Plus the frontier life is attractive to my wife and I, at least temporarily.

Did you spend time at elmendorf?

Alaska isn't as romantic as it seems on TV. Especially in Anchorage. It looks like any meth ravaged spot in the NW.

 

[2thdrglock]

Get a good, stiff belt. I have the inexpensive "riggers" type from Warrior Poet Society, I think it was about $35. It is stiff, light weight and thin, very versatile, and works great with shorts and light pants. I also have a thick leather gun belt for jeans, but my new favorite is from KORE Essentials Gun Belts.
Oh, and I love OTW for comfort with an untucked shirt for concealment. Check out L.A.G. Tactical holsters...

 

[Bushman]

Alaska, much more free than Misery....look at what happened to those two attorneys...

 

[P7M13]

Holsters are surprising -- you might find one that you don't think will work but buy it because it's so cheap, and it becomes your favorite.
I have a "storage" ottoman full of holsters.
Congrats on your CHL. Good luck in your re-enlistment.
Hopefully your fishing will improve.

 

[chukar]

I promise there's a reason behind the desire to go to those places lol. Ft leonardwood allows me to buy a house, and be able to afford the mortgage if I don't have a renter all while owning a 2nd home elsewhere.

Alaska because well its Alaska. I bet the hunting opportunities are fantastic. Plus the frontier life is attractive to my wife and I, at least temporarily.

Did you spend time at elmendorf?

No, no time at Elmendorf.. Vallejo, Ca. 29 Palms Ca. and Okinawa.

Only second hand stories of Elmendorf with ice forming inside the windows during winter.

They have/had a TV series about the Alaska state troopers. If there wasn't plenty of drama involved in Alaska, why wouldn't they film in Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming?

Anchorage was surprisingly a crap hole in my travels through there. Drug and alcohol drones were all over. How do they survive the winter up there? It was cool to see moose on the medians along major roads in town however!

Have friends stationed at Leonard Wood currently. They are doing OK there.

Given those choices, I would go with LW. Lower property values compared to the PNW and the occasional tornado to deal with...

 

[Stomper]

So I am one of the millions of Californians who have moved up here. I just so happen to be a firm believer in the constitution and bill of rights though, unlike the rest of my kin.

I enlisted to leave the state and find freedom, and much to my dismay was stationed in HI where the .gov doesn't even know what a CHL is.

So needless to say I've been yearning for a CHL. I went ahead and by the grace of Mattis himself got an appointment for sep 29 for a CHL at the sherrifs office in Washington County. I have also got a chl class scheduled the 12th in Saint helens.

Went ahead and took advantage of glocks salute to veterans and bought a glock 48 as well.

So the gat and process is covered, I think.

My question to you guys is what holsters do you recommend? Lucas at trex arms has the side car which seems cool, but he has the body of an anorexic teenaged girl. So I don't know if it would work for me.

I am currently 220 (vet/dad bod baby) but am losing weight (screw this over politicized civilian life) to re enlist though so will be around 180 fairly soon.

So with me being 220, and losing weight would my carry options changed based on weight, or will I need to buy another holster when I lose the weight? What holsters do you guys recommend?

I am just going for the oregon CHL now because the states that have reciprocity is where I will probably be. Prior service business rules are great right now so I'll be selecting either Alaska (elmendorf) or Missouri (ft leonardwood) and those states accept oregon chl.

If your prior service DDForm214 shows pistol quals in the weapons/awards box you don't have to take a training class for Oregon, just show 'em a copy of it at your appointment.... just sayin'.

 

[TTSX]

What you need to do is carry a tikka in 6.5cm appendix style if you really want to fit in here

 

[BrandonQuixote]

Ive had three Trex holsters. Broke two while bending over during drills with no pistol and my gut busted the pistol side claw that pushes it into your abdomen for better concealment. They replaced both of them, no questions asked. The pros from carrying appendix are immense. 220 and what though? 5'7 or 6'2?

Good belt makes a difference. I hated this Ferro Concepts belt in the following pictures- got a blue alpha gear and it's a night and day difference.

Im 5'10 and "180" and conceal a G17 and a 19 round spare mag no problem.

 

[JohnnyMac]

I moved down from Alaska a couple years ago after living up there for about 25 years. My last 9ish were in Wasilla outside of Anchorage (I was also in Ketchikan, Juneau and Kodiak). I ran in and out of Anchorage quite a bit and actually still do as I work out of Dutch Harbor now. When in Wasilla, we did most of our shopping on Elmendorf (as a retiree) and as a contractor for the CG I maintained at the CG's Sector ComCen on base. If you're stationed there, you'll probably live on base which isn't bad. If you don't live on base, I would suggest Eagle River or into Wasilla. You can get a lot more bang for your buck out there (although Eagle River is pretty expensive), but it also puts you closer to local hunting areas. There is some hunting on base too. With only one road in and out of ANC from the valley, commuting is always a consideration. When the roads are icy and slicker than snot, it's not fun being bumper to bumper so living on base would prevent that.

Anchorage itself is a good town. Like any city, it has it's good places, bad places, it's homeless population and it's uppity areas. Plenty of good restaurants and shopping. Lots of gun shops. Permitless conceal carry in AK and the state is very 2A friendly. Shoveling snow gets old, but was a form of excercise for us during the winter. Snow machining and 4-wheeling is fun in the winter. Lots of lakes in the area for ice fishing so it's easy to stay busy in the cold dark months. 20+ hours of sun in the summer, gives lots of time before and after work to enjoy the outdoors. I like it up there and would have stayed, just my current job puts me away from home a lot, so we moved down closer to friends and family so my wife wouldn't be by herself up there.

My back yard when I was there:


**Edit** Sorry I strayed off topic.

 

[L84Cabo]

Some things about "sidecar" holsters...

The only meaningful plus of a sidecar holster...and it may not be a plus to some folks...is that it's a single item to put on. So far I have yet to hear from anyone what else a sidecar holster does or does better that can't be achieved with a regular holster and separate mag carrier positioned in the same locations. In fact you have far more versatility with regards to positioning with a separate mag carrier. Or if anyone has any other pluses of a sidecar rig, please educate me.

Secondly, a sidecar may actually hinder the performance of the holster. At least the design of the TRex rig might. It's a solid unit. And the attached mag carrier may actually hinder the holster from pivoting in along the body line to help prevent printing. Tier One Concealed solved this issue buy using a flexible means of attaching the mag carrier to the holster so the the holster can still tuck in along the body line. If I was going to go with a sidecar rig, I think the Tier One rig is a better design.

I'm stating the obvious here but a sidecar rig forces you to carry your mag IWB. I personally find OWB much more comfortable. YMMV on this of course.

If you're looking for a straight appendix rig, check out the JM Custom AIWB-WC rig and it's variants. Or if you do want a sidecar rig at least look at Tier One Concealed. They are very highly regarded but I don't have any direct experience with their holsters.

 

[BrandonQuixote]

Pluses:

+Makes your gun actually accessible when sitting. Less likely to take it off while driving and leave it in the car where its useless.
+Solid unit creates consistent placement of gun and magazine when dry firing/training and god forbid you actually need it- you're not fumbling.
+Solid unit has no moving parts, squeeky hinges or elastic that will wear out to allow some novel amount of flexiblity.
+Easier to conceal- especially when bending. No more grip of your Kimber Custom Fudd Edition peeking when you bend over at Home Depot. Bend at the knees a like a man and the appendix rig will actually hold your gut back!
+No one actually cares about printing. Ultra Boomer cell phone belt pouches have pretty much numbed everyone to a waist line blob/mass. The only ones looking are other guys carrying. They're also more likely scanning for bubblegum than looking for your Hi Point.

 

[JohnnyMac]

Just don't get one like the second guy in this video...

 

[Beekeeping1341]

My back yard when I was there:
View attachment 741505

Your backyard looks amazing man. Just hop in the boat and go....thats amazing. Alaska sounds great. My wife is from Mexico so she used to be hesitant to go but since moving here to the PNW she likes it. Alaska kind of seems like the PNW on steroids, just without the liberal bull. Thats what I'm telling her anyways!

 

[PaulB47]

The older you get, the more "invisible" you get, the less you give a damn about printing. Comfort becomes more important. Don't forget that "flat butt" syndrome.