I recently completed the process to obtain an LTC in Texas. I had decided to go with IWB carry, but had not given much thought as to what particular position I'd like to use. I was recently turned onto Sticky Holsters, so I got the MD-1, which fits my P11, PF9, and my Ruger EC9s. I liked the idea of being able to re-position on the fly without much hassle from a belt clip, and that it is versatile in the sense of being able to do all the different various of IWB carry. I was at the range and was guided toward appendix carry, as opposed to previously considering something more around the 3-4 o'clock area. I had initially considered carrying in the small of my back, but certain aspects and risks/complications that could occur had turned me away from that option. Getting to my point, I'm quite torn between what gun to carry for AIWB carry, mostly because of AD and all that. I am aware of how to properly re-holster, especially since Sticky Holsters recommends complete removal of the holster, but I haven't gotten to a comfortable spot for sitting with it, just when I'm standing. My big concern I guess is having an AD when re-positioning the holster a bit for more comfort for sitting. I'm torn between which of my 3 carry options would be the smartest and safest choice. I want something reliable of course, but I would really like to be able to carry with the weapon topped off with a round in the chamber and not shoot myself like a bozo. Any thoughts on this? I've weighed the choices heavily and see pros and cons for each gun. The P11 seems safe due to the heavy trigger pull, and the PF9 seems just as reasonable, even though the pull is a bit lighter. The Ruger I have has a magazine disconnect, an external thumb safety, and is a striker fire, which I'm always a bit skeptical about with having for IWB carry. I reposted this from the original under the P11 page since it pertains to both firearms. Let me know if I need to delete one of the threads.
Snap caps and practice drawing in the mirror. 30 repetitions with each gun and you will probably have an idea which one is going to be your winner as to which has the best draw. Unless your wife is awesome, she will think you're crazy doing all this so make sure the wife and kids are out. You will look ridiculous. If you're winding up with your trigger finger all over the place while pulling one vrs the other then that one shouldn't be your winner. Practice drawing while sitting. Amercican's are in their cars a lot. Are you repositioning your grip before you can pull the trigger. The last part of practicing a draw is the reholster. I love the sticky style holsters too, but you're not going to easily re-holster most of those. That's ok too just have a plan, wear pants that have a pocket you could temporarily put the gun when you next need both hands. My last point, probably more important than a lot of these details; is carry all the time. Like anything, practice it. You'll go thru and discover 3 belts and almost as many holsters before you find your setup. Function should come before comfort.
I started with the P-11 and moved on to just carrying the Pf9 for my concealed carry. The plus one mag extension and the Northwood trigger makes it my daily carry piece.
I like that the P-11 has nice capacity, and that it is still fairly comfortable while being reasonably concealable. The issue I had with it was that it would snag on the rear sight if I didn't draw straight up and out of the holster. Granted I need practice of course, but I didn't really seem to encounter that issue with the PF-9 or my Ruger. The heavy DAO trigger that rests the hammer flat was appealing to me in terms of safety along with the capacity of the P-11.
Lots of great advice above and it's clear there are many options. I suggest you reconsider pocket carry of your PF-9 with a BORAII Eagle pocket holster (I don't think they make holsters for the P-11 or EC9). It took a bit of time and experimentation with different holsters and carry options including AIWB and IWB at 4/5 o'clock but I've concluded that pocket carry of a single-stack 9mm such as the PF-9 with a BORAII Eagle hoster is one of the best options for concealed carry, especially in warm weather/when wearing light clothes like cargo shorts and a t-shirt. Don't mean to be an infomercial or fanboy but I have these for my Kel-Tec PF-9, Glock G43 and Glock G26 Gen 4 and I think they're great because I could never completely avoid printing and/or comfort issues with any IWB holster/IWB position combination I tried. My single-stack 9mm PF-9 and G43 are especially easy to carry in the front (not side) pocket of cargo shorts/pants and are completely concealed even while wearing a t-shirt. I have to relocate keys, Kershaw Cryo, etc. to my left front pocket which takes some getting used to but it's better than IWB carry in any position as far as I'm concerned, especially when dressed for warm weather. This may also be true for others especially those with smaller, thinner builds like myself. I was not keen on pocket carry previously primarily due to safety concerns but am on board with it now and won't be spending any more time and money trying to find a holster/IWB position combo that won't print in light clothing and is uncomfortable to sit down in. Printing varies with clothing fit with these pocket carry holsters but when it does occur it does not necessarily look like a pistol as the design of the holster makes it appear more like a phone or other rectangular object. As for safety the firearm snaps into the BORAII Eagle holster with an audible click like a Blade-Tech and can even be inverted without falling out (ever). The firearm also cannot shift from side to side much or at all inside the carry pocket (depending on clothing fit/pocket size) due to the holster's design. I think it is practically impossible for a firearm to become inadvertently dislodged from one of these holsters.
I've pocket carried my Ruger LCP before, and I like to utilize an Uncle Mike's ankle holster as well for that and my Taurus TCP as a back up gun. I hadn't really considered carrying a larger sized 9mm for pocket carry at all. I was satisfied with how the LCP concealed with the pocket holster that came from the factory, so I may explore options there. The sticky holster I have would theoretically work for pocket carry with the right shorts, but I haven't tried yet. As far as the IWB carry, I couldn't really make appendix work for me the other day when I was trying different options throughout the day. I settled on around the 4 or 5 o'clock position when it was all said and done. I could draw from there well, it was comfortable, I could sit or stand, and the gun was fairly well concealed. To me, it only would outline the grip if I bent over while standing up. The only concern I had beyond that was the gun being more accessible from someone behind me. That said, if I keep good situational awareness when I'm out and about, I don't think that'd be too much of an issue.
