Hi All

I just purchased my first gun (SA XDm 9) -- going to Bill's North to shoot it for the first time today <hurray>.

Anyhow, I'm hoping to carry it IWB and am looking for advice. I have several questions which seem basic but have been the source of much analyzing by me over the past few weeks.

1. Advice on makes / styles of IWB holsters. I would like to avoid what some of you call the "holster drawer" so I would appreciate any and all input. I guess part of it comes down to personal preference. I don't know how much body type has to do with it. I am what some would charitably characterize as a "big guy" with most of my size carried right at the belt-line Does holster material matter for comfort / concealability?

2. Thoughts around transferring weapon or adding / removing holster during day. My workplace restricts the possession of weapons. Therefore, I need the flexibility to remove holster and / or gun and secure in a locked container in vehicle during day and transfer back for carry after work. How do those of you with similar restrictions deal with this? Have any of you worn holster empty while in office and transferred weapon to and from vehicle holster? That seems easier and safer than removing and adding holster repeatedly in a "semi-public" area or parking lot. I suppose I'm concerned about comfort with the empty holster but that seems a paradox when considering that comfort and carry don't always align well, right?

3. One challenge I have is that my attire rarely lends itself to untucked garments. I regularly wear suits at work (jacket is good for conceal) but don't always wear the jacket after work (not so good). I am often in khakis and open collar dress shirt on weekends. I've read that some holsters are "tuckable" but don't know how that works in practice.

4. How many of you carry multiple-style for multiple situations? I was okay with the holster (Kydex?) that came with the gun for carry when I can cover with a coat or outside shirt except that it seems to push the butt of the gun way out from my waist. It also only covers the center and trigger area and it seemed odd (to me) that the barrel was just sticking out from the holster. I did a dry run to Target the other day and my only issue was that the barrel kept peeking from below the jacket and was very obviously a gun. I kept reminding myself that I've read here that people aren't paying attention and that indeed appeared to be the case but I kept my arms "close to my body" and was quite self conscious.

I've got a stiff belt for casual wear (with khakis, jeans and the like) but need to find an appropriate dress belt. That is proving to be a challenge.

Anyhow, I know these are basic and personal preference questions and apologies in advance for sounding like I've made this into a fashion forum in addition to the practical carry considerations.

I'm grateful for any and all input. Please challenge any of my assumptions as well if you see something that is "not a good idea".

DaddyBooks

My carry gun is a 4" XD...very similar in size to your XDm. I don't have an IWB holster (yet), but I'm probably going to order one from Srigs in the not too distant future. What I found with the holster that came with my XD is that the holster has a slight tilt away from the body built into it to make it easier to get a grip on the gun during a draw. That's great for at the range, but lousy for concealed carry. I'm currently carrying my XD in a Blackhawk SERPA. It's still OWB, but the gun disappears nicely under a sweatshirt or jacket. You might want to give them a look while you're at Bill's today.



BTW, I'll be there (Bill's North) this morning right after they open. If you see me, come introduce yourself...I'll be the one with a very blonde 8yo girl in tow.

If you're a big guy and IWB holster might not work. The thing is, they have to be flat. Consider the shape of the part of your waist where the holster will be. If it's reasonably flat, it might work. If your body shape involves somewhat of a bulge both above and below your waistline on your side where the holster will be, an IWB holster might not be comfortable.

I personally am a fan of the MTAC holster from Comp-tac. It's tuckable, easy on and off, thin, secure, and comfortable for me. It is one of the few hybrid leather and kydex designs and I believe this makes it a superior product.



You want to develop a system that allows you to keep the weapon holstered when you take it off. IWBs are good for this because they generally attach with clips, and with practice, you can do it discreetly in the car.

Reholstering a loaded weapon poses a risk of accidental discharge if not done deliberately and with care. The XDm is internal hammer and I myself would not attempt reholstering in an IWB in a car while worn. If you're convinced you can do it safely, well, OK. I would do it with a Sig where I could put my thumb on the hammer, maybe, but my preference is still to remove the holster.



The "tuckable" feature means that the holster attaches to the belt clips two or three inches below the waistline, so you can stuff your shirt tail between the clips and the holster. It works fine in practice. The bigger problem you will have is that the XDm in an IWB will make a noticeable bulge, and knowledgeable people will see the clips and know what they are unless you wear a coat or sweater.

I do not use an IWB without a sweater or coat unless I'm in a situation where it doesn't matter if a few people notice.



If the barrel extends below your coat, you need an IWB, a longer coat, a shorter gun, or a different mode of carry.

I carry a Glock 27 IWB occasionally, though I also have a pocket holster and a OWB holster for it. My every day carry is a Kel Tec P3AT in a pocket holster.



Get a gun belt from Streichers or someplace similar. They have kydex-reinforced leather belts, which is the only way you can carry field artillery like that with slacks.



There are relatively few people who carry a duty-sized weapon all day, every day. After you get used to the XDM, you might want to consider something smaller. There are plenty of good choices.

Welcome to the forum, enjoy the company.

There are a ton of options available for IWB. First off a good purpose built GUN belt is of primary importance (about as important as the holster itself). Do a search of the forum and you should find some good info.

For the holster several thoughts come immediately to mind. Get in touch with Srigs (Sideguard Holsters), he's a holster maker and a respected member of this forum.

Or another option is the Milt Sparks Summer Special II holster (a very high-end product). They can be ordered from Milt Sparks directly (can take quite a while to get), or it's quite possible that they are in stock at Brownells, try their website.

Or, you can look at Sportsmans Wharehouse, or one of the other sporting goods stores.

Good Luck, the fun is just beginning.

Consder the following:

Beltman belt: http://www.thebeltman.net/index.htm
Excellent quality and fast delivery time for custom product.

AKJ Concealco holster: http://www.concealco.com/miva/merchant. ... ode=051IWB
Again, excellent quality and fast turn around. I have been using one of these for years for my commander and it is a very secure holster, and well made too. The ready line is available for XDs.

BigErnst.

Best of luck on this one...unbelievable the collection that I have amassed. If I was smart I would just let SRIGS make me a couple of nice ones...

Prediction is only difficult when it's about the future.

Btw, I second the observations about the importance of the belt.

Sometime the holster drawer is just inevitable. It's good that you're getting recommendations (good quality gun belt: +1), but understand that body type will make a difference in how comfortable a holster is. What works for one person simply may not work for you. Thus, you buy a holster, try it out and discover it really isn't all that comfortable and it goes in a drawer. Or, you sell it as used and take slight loss.

Either way, it is a bit of a discovery process. I too have an XDm in 9mm... though I don't think I could carry it IWB even in a Milt Sparks VM-II. Too thick for me. I prefer my 1911.

I have the small -- very small -- comfort of using unworkable holsters as teaching tools.

My word of caution on the empty IWB without a gun all day is that you may end up smashing the mouth band of the holster that way and lose your ability to reholster one handed or at all. I had a Tucker Answer which is an incredible holster but wearing it empty all day under a tight belt left it too crushed to reholster in the car.

re: gun barrel sticking out. With a dark pair of slacks and a dark holster, it blends in a bit more. Sure, the holster end might stick out slightly on occasion under a sweater but it looks nothing like the barrel of a gun. The open bottom XD holster is good as a spare or for something to use until you find a permanent solution or two but it has its drawbacks.

I'd give sideguardholsters.com a try. Srigs is a good guy, local, and his stuff all has reasonable prices. It still hurts to have multiple unused holsters but at his prices, it hurts a little less. For your purposes with a sport coat, you could go with the Snap. Holster and gun on and off the belt relatively painlessly and discretely.

I have a J-Frame I occasionally carry. I have a LCP I almost always Carry. I have a 1911 I quite often carry, even all day when not at work. It can be done. It's all in deciding to do it and dressing around the gun / setting yourself up for success.

Fleece vests are GREAT cover garments. open front, not too warm but not out of place in spring/fall/winter ...

Remember, the gun is supposed to be comforting, not comfortable. Balance that with the fact that the more uncomfortable it is, the bigger the chance you'll just leave it at home and then Mr. Murphy gets involved. I don't care what the tool is, It seems I never need that tool unless that's the one I left at home or loaned out

An additional thought might be a belly band. Access is slower but possible, It';s a bit uncomfortable (more for some than others) and hot but it can be done. More convenient with a J-Frame or LCP but I've worn mine under a dress shirt with a M&P 40Compact which is ~.5" shorter than the XDM and no one was the wiser. I put my wallet in the shirt pocket to make a small bulge to break up the straight line of the shirt.

Best of luck.

Google Alessi Holsters. Drop an email to Lou and tell him what you need. Prepare to wait. When it arrives you'll be happy to have the best.

Comp-Tac MTAC:

Mine is very comfortable and the Kydex prevents it from collapsing:

http://www.comp-tac.com/product_info.php?products_id=95

I see pocket carry in your future and/or smart carry. I use a pocket holster daily and smartcarry when a larger gun is needed for dress cloths.

A good belt is very very important. The best holster and crappy belt is much worse than a great belt and cheap holster.

Of my line... Check The Snap, Double Snap, Tuck Clip/Snap and Rough Out pocket holster. Note: I'm planning to get a XDm form very soon.

Speaking just as a customer: you're unlikely to go wrong with a Srigs holster. If you do, the problem won't be lack of craftmanship.

I've been happy with my IWB for my XD40 sub-compact from Don Hume (took about 2 months to get it). It's far better than that plastic thing that comes with the XD's (but that's OWB...I usually only use that at the range). I've worn the Don Hume with tucked-in shirts. That can be a little tricky....if the shirt can be a little baggy above the waistline whilst tucked in, you'll achieve better concealement. Also, matching the belt color with the loops for the IWB is a good idea if you will be wearing it with a tucked-in shirt.

Regardless of what option you go with, keep in mind that the XD's have that little loaded-chamber-indicator on the top of the slide. Lots of holsters will interfere with that (assuming you will carry with one in the chamber). I had to run my XD in and out of the holster several times to wear in a little channel for the chamber indicator.

Best of luck and welcome to the forum!