# IWB Carry preference



## falchunt (May 8, 2009)

:watching:

So I recently got my CCW class taken care of, and I have my pistol that I will be using to conceal. I am a little split on the holster that I want to buy. I am going to carry IWB, at about 5 O'Clock. I originally thought that I would carry with the handle pointing to my right side. It seems to be a much more _natural_ position for my hand to be in when grabbing it from the holster. I would assume most of the responses I get are going to say "carry however you feel comfortable", and I know that, I really do. My question is this: How do most of you carry IWB, and is there a reason I should not carry at 5 o' clock with the handle pointing to the right?

tumbleweed


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

falchunt said:


> :watching:
> 
> So I recently got my CCW class taken care of, and I have my pistol that I will be using to conceal. I am a little split on the holster that I want to buy. I am going to carry IWB, at about 5 O'Clock. I originally thought that I would carry with the handle pointing to my right side. It seems to be a much more _natural_ position for my hand to be in when grabbing it from the holster. I would assume most of the responses I get are going to say "carry however you feel comfortable", and I know that, I really do. My question is this: How do most of you carry IWB, and is there a reason I should not carry at 5 o' clock with the handle pointing to the right?
> 
> tumbleweed


That drawstroke (hand pointing to the right) is what is referred to as the "Cavalry Draw"

I don't like it for a couple of reasons:

1: If done wrong you're sweeping yourself or others with the muzzle.

2:_*For me*_ it's not as smooth a draw stroke as having the handle the other way. Having to rotate the gun hand during the draw is wasted motion and keeping it further behind the hip means the gun has to travel a longer distance to get on target.

If you're going to carry that way, practice drawing A LOT (with the gun empty of course) and watch the muzzle in the mirror or have someone else watch the muzzle and where it gets point.

Whatever I'm carrying I try to stay as close to 3 o'clock as possible, with 3:30-4 o'clock being about the most I will compromise on position.


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## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

VAMarine said:


> That drawstroke (hand pointing to the right) is what is referred to as the "Calvary Draw"
> 1: If done wrong you're sweeping yourself or others with the muzzle.


+1. Even if you practice, add in the stress of a real-life situation, your finger happens to grab the trigger on the draw or while you're bringing the gun around, and you stand a good chance of shooting yourself or other on the draw. Same reason my range only allows you to draw and fire strong side. Too many accidents waiting to happen otherwise.

I'll stick to 3:30, strong side, with a forward cant.


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## falchunt (May 8, 2009)

I never thought about sweeping with the muzzle because of my holster position. I have practiced a few times drawing from both the traditional and the "Calvary Draw" positions. The latter feels much more natural to me, and I don't *think* the direction of the muzzle varied too much between the two styles. I will have to do some further testing and see if I notice such a danger. Thanks to both of you for the good tips.


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## Old Padawan (Mar 16, 2007)

I don’t think there is any real advantage to the cavalry draw (aka “palm out”). It is just perception. A standard hip carry is just as fast or faster. There is a much broader selection of holster choices available.

IMHO people who carry small of back palm out do it because they are lazy or think its cool.


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## bruce333 (Sep 1, 2006)

Did you see this thread?

http://www.handgunforum.net/showthread.php?p=187276


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## falchunt (May 8, 2009)

Old Padawan said:


> I don't think there is any real advantage to the cavalry draw (aka "palm out"). It is just perception. A standard hip carry is just as fast or faster. There is a much broader selection of holster choices available.
> 
> IMHO people who carry small of back palm out do it because they are lazy or think its cool.


I don't care what is cool, and I don't consider myself to be lazy whatsoever. I just feel that reaching for the gun at 5:00 is more natural with the palm out.


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## falchunt (May 8, 2009)

bruce333 said:


> Did you see this thread?
> 
> http://www.handgunforum.net/showthread.php?p=187276


My issue is not so much with finding a holster, as much as ordering a left or right hand version. I think a left hand holster at 5:00 feels more natural, and I was wondering if there were any drawbacks/negatives to carrying this way, as it appears to be unorthodox.


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## plentyofpaws (Nov 7, 2008)

The problem with ordering a left hand holster to wear on the right side is the cant.

The left hand holster will have the cant forward, so if you wear it on the rightside, the heal of the slide will be further leaning towards the small of the back. Which, I think would make drawing palm out even more difficult.

If you plan to wear and draw like that, IMHO, you need to find a custom maker to make a holster in that design for a right hand draw. I'm just saying!


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

plentyofpaws said:


> The problem with ordering a left hand holster to wear on the right side is the cant.
> 
> The left hand holster will have the cant forward, so if you wear it on the rightside, the heal of the slide will be further leaning towards the small of the back. Which, I think would make drawing palm out even more difficult.
> 
> If you plan to wear and draw like that, IMHO, you need to find a custom maker to make a holster in that design for a right hand draw. I'm just saying!


That all depends on the holster. There are a few makers that offer zero can holsters that would fit the bill. Most of you "generic" clip on IWBs don't have any cant.

Galco makes a rig that accommodates the Cavalry draw, but it's not available for the Beretta PX4, it's the Middle of the Back Holster (MOB)
Otherwise any "custom" maker in theory should be able to make an IWB holster with no cant to facilitate the OP, but OTOH I know some that won't.



> My issue is not so much with finding a holster, as much as ordering a left or right hand version. I think a left hand holster at 5:00 feels more natural, and I was wondering if there were any drawbacks/negatives to carrying this way, as it appears to be unorthodox.


The drawbacks and negatives have pretty much all been listed, but to add a few more:


A slip and fall on icy ground could be much more painful if you land on your back
Sitting becomes uncomfortable
Accessibility while seated/driving is decreased
Most higher end training schools won't allow that mode of deployment during their classes
Holster selection is limited
If you end up on your back in a fight, accessibility is limited
If you're cover garment gets compromised, everyone will see it but you
_Most_ holsters that will allow for that method of carry will have single mounting points and be less stable / not distribute the weight as evenly across the belt/pants
About the only pro is that I know of is that if you have to do the fake wallet grab, the position is nice.

As for what's natural....I know this is what you say is natural for you to do but hear me out a bit....

You haven't carried like that, or carried a gun very long if you just got your class, so are you kind of just guessing at what feels natural? When I reach for my belt line I don't turn my hand to move the palm out, that goes back to the wasted motion thing I mentioned earlier. With your hands in front of you, at your sides, in a fighting stance, catching a ball, in a "surrender stance", etc. your palms are in the same position relative to your arms. Moving your palm outboard is about as unnatural as it gets, or rather it seems that way to me.

Now all that being said, one of the mantras of concealed carry is that what works for one doesn't work for all, and what works for most may not work for one. If you want to try that method that's fine no one can stop you, but I'd order BOTH rigs and give them each a fair chance and as stated, practice, practice, practice and see which works better.


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## Old Padawan (Mar 16, 2007)

Unorthodox might not be the right word, more like "uncommon". You should use a holster designed for it and not try the left hand thing.
One should get a "combat grip" on a gun prior to drawing. Bending you wrist at a 90 degree angle and pulling up is not a function the wrist and shoulder do well on most people. You will find most small of the back holsters are canted for this reason.

http://www.usgalco.com/HolsterPT3.asp?ProductID=3859&CatalogID=7


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## falchunt (May 8, 2009)

I hear your advice VA, and I think you are dead on...I don't have much carry experience, hence the questions I posted. And you raise a great point about accessability, and not being able to see if you are concealed well. I think I will order a right and a left iwb and see what works out the best for me. Hell, I might end up carrying at 3:00...who knows.


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