[SKILCZ]

I've narrowed it down to 3 holsters for my P3AT.

1) [img]http://www.concealmentconcepts...lmentconceptsholsters.com/pocket_holster.html

2) [img]http://www.grandfatheroak.com/...tp://www.grandfatheroak.com/Stockdesigns.html

3) [img]http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st....[/img]http://www.desantisholster.com/n38.html

Has anyone had more than one of these so I can get some direct comparison? What are your thoughts on these 3 holsters?

 

[adamsesq]

I am guessing this will not be an uncommon answer: you need all three plus a leather pocket holster (K&D is my preferred choice) and a www.smartcarry.com. And yes, I am totally serious. You will use them all in slightly different situations. I have them all (my Kydex is slightly different and I am trying to look at other Kydex ones now) but you will truly find that as cheap as these all are you will really want them all.

-Scott

 

[Ohio_Rusty]

I currently carry a Desantis Nemisis. It's a very good holster for it's purpose. My original issue with the holster was it was so stiff that when I put it in my pocket, my pocket didn't look 'natural' My thigh is rounded, and here was this big flat 'thing' in my pocket pushing out stiffly in all directions. So for a week I mashed, smashed and bent the Nemesis so it was softer and took on a natural curve that matched my thigh shape. That looked more natural. Some times though I think you can faintly make out the handle area thru the pocket cloth being the rear of the handle area is not covered. I was thinking of making a leather holster with a leather cover on the outside to stop that outlining issue. It would be just as simple to sew a square leather flap onto the outside of my Nemesis to cover the handle. When I get my finger guard bought and installed, I think that a cover would be better to cover that addition to the gun.
I'm not sure about the magazine and gun together in the same pocket as shown in pic one. If you have to reload, you have to move the gun to a different hand, get the clip, move the gun back, etc. What if you bobble it or drop it changing hands in the heat of the moment?
My plan is to make a small cover to fit over the end of a spare magazine and keep it in the other pocket. The cover will have a flap extension on the top so I can pull the cover off with my teeth and put the magazine in the gun without changing hands. I don't want to have to remember to do a bunch of things in condition red. It's kinda like having a gun with 20 different safety features before it will fire. will you remember to do all of them? In a life and death situation, less is more !! The little magazine end cover will be enough to keep lint out and keep the magazine clean in the other pocket. I'm just thinking tactically about removing anything that can cause a mistake during a gun fight for my life or the life of my family. I'm yet to practice with my Surefire G2 in a no light practice scenario. I need to do that ....and soon ....
Ohio Rusty ><>
Psalms 27: 1-3 (AMP)

 

[hideit]

yea I don't like the extra clip in the holster either

 

[kb61751]

I like Uncle Mikes size 4. I also put a very thin plastic slide in sleeve, to keep the printing down.

 

[SKILCZ]

Thanks for all the replies so far! I really appreciate it.

Basically, here's how I view them so far:

#1 is nice b/c it gives me a place to hold a spare mag without taking up pocket space in my other pocket. I don't have any sort of mag pouch. Down sides to #1 are no sticky exterior surface, so I'm not sure how well it would stay in my pocket during draw. Also, it looks kind of soft, so I'm not sure how much trigger protection it gives. Up sides are that the mag may help break up the pistol silhouette and make it look more square like a wallet.

#2 looks like a firmer shell, and it looks like it protects the trigger guard more. It's nicely contoured to fit a pocket and to fit the thigh. It looks like it might not break up the pistol outline very well, though.

#3 has the sticky exterior surface, which presumably would cause the holster to stay in the pocket better on the draw. But, it doesn't look like it would break up the pistol outline very well, and it's soft material, which probably doesn't protect the trigger as well as #2.

Thoughts? Anyone tried more than one of these? Or at least consider more than one of these? Which one did you go with, and why?

 

[adamsesq]

As I said, I have at least the 1st and 3rd - my Kydex is not comparable enough to the 2nd to answer.

#1 is nice b/c it gives me a place to hold a spare mag without taking up pocket space in my other pocket. I don't have any sort of mag pouch. Down sides to #1 are no sticky exterior surface, so I'm not sure how well it would stay in my pocket during draw. Also, it looks kind of soft, so I'm not sure how much trigger protection it gives.  Up sides are that the mag may help break up the pistol silhouette and make it look more square like a wallet.

It stays very well in your pocket with a draw, in fact it stays much better than the Desantis.  The extra mag is nice and actually helps the holster stay in your pocket when you draw as well.  It works in some pants, not in others for me because the extra mag makes it just a bit bigger.  Do not worry about it being too soft to protect.  I am the king pita when it comes to having a trigger protected and I like this one very much.  It is so formed around the gun that even though it is a bit softer than the Desantis, leather or Kydex, you can't poke into it enough to get in the trigger guard.  $/value I think it is the best holster out there.

#2 looks like a firmer shell, and it looks like it protects the trigger guard more.  It's nicely contoured to fit a pocket and to fit the thigh.  It looks like it might not break up the pistol outline very well, though.

Kydex is hard and it does not countour very well. It's nice to have a bit of a contour to it but I am not convinced that each thigh is close enough to each other thigh for that to be too helpful.  The one I have has an anti-print square panel on it so I can't comment about printing but I share your concern a bit.  I do look forward to sometime in the future trying this holster.

#3 has the sticky exterior surface, which presumably would cause the holster to stay in the pocket better on the draw.  But, it doesn't look like it would break up the pistol outline very well, and it's soft material, which probably doesn't protect the trigger as well as #2.  

Sticky exterior surface is more of a marketing ploy than functional.  Don't get me wrong, it is there and I suppose it helps a bit.  I have lots more problem drawing with this holster than any other that I have.  BUT sometimes I want to pocket carry and don't have enough room in my pockets for the Concealment Concepts (#1 above) and I use this holster.  The problem with this is when I am lacking room I am also lacking "slack" and this holster does print more than many others.  I do like this holster A LOT for use in those few times when I want to carry with the clip in my waistband.  If you do some looking I have posted some pictures and a review of #3 and #2 together.  #1 is only slightly, ever so slightly bigger and you get to carry the mag.  But sometimes that extra little bit makes a difference.

Just to tease you, here is #3 on top of #1:

-Scott

 

[BamaShooter]

I agree with a lot of what I am hearing. I own many different holsters for my P3AT. I generally carry it in an Uncle Mikes size 1 pocket holster slightly modified to take a spare magazine. I also have a size 3 pocket holster that reduces on bulk. I even have an IWB for those ocaisions that it requires. I have a friend who carries a Rohrbaugh R9 in a DeSantis Nemesis. He loves it due to its sticky outside. I am about to purchase one myself. I will let you know how it does.

Also check out the new DeSantis super fly that has a removable outer panel to hide any gun printing.

 

[Syndil]

Just thought I'd add that you might want to try something other than a pocket holster as well. When I am not using the belt clip I use a Don Hume JIT Slide for my P-32 and it works quite well when I am wearing a t-shirt or something that covers my waistline. Makes the gun very easy to get to, even when seated. Pocket holsters don't work for me at all with my frame and the kinds of clothes I wear. If I'm sitting there's zero chance of me getting a hand in a pocket. Different strokes for different folks, just putting the suggestion out there in case you hadn't considered something other than a pocket hoslter. Good luck with your quest!

 

[sego]

I have the #2 Grandfather Oak and I like it quite well. It does keep the gun positioned real well because of the molded contour. I have a Ron Graham Pale Horse Holster "Black Dahlia" on order since March and I have just ordered a "Redoubt" holster from Pocket Concealment Systems. With these three holsters I should have one to use for all occasions.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Guest]

skilcz

IMO it is pretty hard to beat that desantis rig. I have "too" many leahter holsters. could have bought a nice handgun for allI have, sure there are many on this board who feel the same. I just keep going back to that desantis rig, especially for my kahr pm9 which rides in my front pocket. It doesn't print any more than any leather rig. Nothing wrong witht he other two also, thats why there are many many holster makers anbd oddles of variables. "each to his own".

 

[Guest]

I have the #2 Grandfather Oak and I like it quite well.  It does keep the gun positioned real well because of the molded contour.  I have a Ron Graham Pale Horse Holster "Black Dahlia" on order since March and I have just ordered a "Redoubt" holster from Pocket Concealment Systems.  With these three holsters I should have one to use for all occasions.

Just my 2 cents

also have a Ron Graham dahalis for my 380 kt, It is the best of all my leather pocket holsters. top quality allthe way around. Have had a Ron Grahm leather pocket holster ordered for my kahr for over 4 months, he is getting really slow. Not sure any holster is worth a 4 or 5 month wait. but I love his quality to. I ordered it for my kahr before I got a desantis and now probably will still carry the desantis.

 

[Guest]

OPTIONS OPTIONS OPTIONS

I agree with Scott... the more options I have the better.  I have 5 ways to carry that I use on a regular basis.

My favorite is the 5.11 option.

This clip was shot the first day I had the 5.11 shirt, and I was using the nemisis holster.  I now have the 5.11 holster set up, and it is very smooth now. The 5.11 shirt with the velcro holster set up is probably the most versitle option I know of.



More 5.11 pics:

The shirt:

The holster:

 

[glenspalding]

Hey adamsesq, where did you find the back strap I see in that picture?

 

[adamsesq]

Hey adamsesq, where did you find the back strap I see in that picture?

All of my P3ATs are adorned with http://www.aglaser.com/grips/index.html pads and grip covers. Some of the best $/comfort money that I have spent.

-Scott

 

[GA442]

I have both #1 and #2, and of the two I like the Nemesis over the Grandfather. However, the Nemesis is thicker so I use the Grandfather when I need a thinner holster. The Grandfather does print more than the Nemesis, so keep this in mind. For me both have a place and I like having the option to use what works best for a situation. They are both inexpensive, so buy both.