Cross Draw

[KSDrifter]

Bar none, my favorite way to carry is via a shoulder holster. My fastest carry method, and most common method is bar none, is the 4 o'clock position. But I've tried just about everything save... the cross-draw. So I thought I'd change that.

Enter, HolsterPro. Quick shoutout to HolsterPro - it's a fantastic quality holster. Customer service was great - I recommend him.

Anyway, I've been carrying via the cross draw for only about a week now, but here's my initial impressions.

I feel like a noob again. I feel like it's super easy to make, but it's not. It's actually super easy to conceal.

And somehow it's really unobtrusive. I mean this is a really comfortable way to carry. Even in the car. Moreover, you can reach the gun in just about any position, with both hands.

Using it to pack a J-Frame, it's remarkably small! But it does somewhat hinder access to the pocket. Not too much. Maybe saying it hinders fast access is more accurate as you can see here.

Ultimately I can't draw as fast as I'd like. I don't know if the motion needs more muscle memory work, or if I need to learn how to undo the clip faster. Either way, I'll work on it because this method of carry really is stupid comfortable.

Finally, when I was looking into cross-draw, one of the negatives that always popped up was guys complaining that the gun was at a perfect angle for a dude standing in front of you to draw your gun and shoot you.

Well that's odd because if it's concealed, how would he know. And better yet, if some dude starts reaching out toward that area, I'll see him and knock him out. No man reaches for my junk and...

I mean at least I can see it. If a dude did it from behind and grabbed my gun at my 4 o'clock, I wouldn't know and be dead. But again - concealing is key.

Like I said, I'm going to give this method some more time. I like it. Any of you try it? What you think?

 

[fredj338]

I am a fan of crossdraw in a car but NOT ccw. It is too easy for someone else to get to your gun or prevent you from getting to your gun. imo. Most confrontations occur face to face, one reason I am not a AIWB guy, but the draw is at least shorter. You have to reach across your body allowing an attacker to pin your arm or block the draw.

 

[KSDrifter]

I am a fan of crossdraw in a car but NOT ccw. It is too easy for someone else to get to your gun or prevent you from getting to your gun. imo. Most confrontations occur face to face, one reason I am not a AIWB guy, but the draw is at least shorter. You have to reach across your body allowing an attacker to pin your arm or block the draw.

But in that case, you could use your left. That's impossible if I'm carrying as per normal at my 4.

I have to think about it. Thanks!

 

[BAM-BAM]

I like crossdraw for woods carry (Bianchi 111 Cyclone) revolvers or long drives.

I have 2 Kirkpatrick Leather "TCS" s for my 6906 and Beretta 92 Compact.....11 O'Clock for driving.... push it back to 9 O'clock for casual concealed carry under a unbuttoned shirt of vest.

 

[rkittine]

I am a big fan of cross draw holsters if not using a shoulder holster rig. Love the ones I have custom ordered from Craft Holster in Eastern Europe.

Bob

 

[ContinentalOp]

Like every carry method, crossdraw has it's pros and cons. I like it in concept, but it just doesn't work for me. I've done some experimenting with it. What I found is that if I carry it far enough forward to reach easily, it becomes more difficult to conceal, and if I carry it far enough back for good concealment, it becomes difficult to reach. Which is in addition to the cons that fredj338 mentioned, though I think some of those can be addressed and mitigated with training.

Speaking of training, one con that often comes with crossdraw holsters is range restrictions/prohibitions. Even on ranges that allow drawing from the holster, use of crossdraw holsters (and shoulder holsters) is often prohibited because it increases the likelihood of muzzling people around you when drawing (though this can be avoided with proper technique). Most training courses I've seen also prohibit it for the same reasons. I imagine the same would apply to action shooting competitions for those who participate.

But ultimately it comes down to what works for you and your situation. It's not really for me, but it may fill a need for someone else.

 

[Chino74]

I've carried cross draw for years and years...IWB & OWB. It's the only way I carry concealed. My G27 can ride all day long, sit, stand, whatever. I do have strong side rigs mostly for my 1911s but those are OWB, hiking etc. Also have a Desantis Sky Cop which is a great OWB cross draw set up for 5 inch Colt 1911's.

 

[mikerjf]

I often use crossdraw when hiking or driving, and sometimes also continue my usual pocket carry as backup.

 

[1sailor]

I have carried a J frame cross draw for some time now. For me it works really well. The most important things (in my own opinion anyway) when carrying concealed are comfort and ease of carry. If it is comfortable you are far more likely to have it with you. If it is easy to conceal you are more likely to have it with you. I have heard some arguments in the past for not carrying that way but almost all of them were actually pretty ridiculous. Below is the method I've used since happening upon it a few years ago. It's super comfortable and out of the way so I always have it with me.
And yes, I know the belts supposed to go the other way but this works amazingly well.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

In Cowboy Action Shooting we carry two large revolvers. I have carried them both handed draw and all right handed draw. So I have a few thousand competition rounds of right handed cross draw experience, plus double that for practice. The key is swing your hips to clockwise and pull back to clear the holster, then push foreword and raise the gun at the same time (you are already in line with your target!) If you are in a confrontation you would be taking a step back while twisting your hips. Never let them close enough to grab your gun anyway, and there is the extending your left arm to block any punch or gun grab.

It's many times faster to do than to say! Gunfights (weather real or competition) are never judged for style points, but you can tell who has experience doing "The Cross Draw Shuffle."

We usually are shooting 3 to 5 steel plates a 5 yards or further, but you could try 2 or 3 targets a 10' spaced 3 to 5 feet apart, to learn how you plan on dealing a second or third assailant (with multiple assailants, I would start on my right and work left using my left hand as a shield.)

Most indoor gun ranges will never let try this, so get outdoors with a few hundred practice rounds and work on this. 22RF is good for technique development and practice, marksmanship is a secondary issue.

Ivan

 

[Chino74]

As Ivan said...I step & turn, in my case as a left handed shooter; counter clockwise, shooting in a modified Weaver stance unless I need to point shoot...I'm a bit different as I have had to learn to shoot right eye dominant over the last several years (due to left eye retinal surgeries).

 

[kraynky]

You've got TOILET PAPER! And you just let the whole world know it! You might need more firepower. LOL!

I admit I used cross draw for years while hunting, woods walking and riding ATV's, but I only considered it for CC a little over a year ago. Don't ask me why, 'cause I have no idea why I didn't think to try it sooner.

I actually like carrying my snubbies like that. It's very comfortable at my desk, driving and in motion. But I feel like I'm "printing" more.

My woods holsters typically are larger and many have flaps. The way my belly keeps growing, I'll soon have trouble reaching the darn thing over there. But it is comfortable.

 

[oink]

I can't do cross draw for self defense carry, concealed or otherwise. The muzzle is just going too many unintended places. Reckless and unsafe IMHO. Hunting is fine.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I can't do cross draw for self defense carry, concealed or otherwise. The muzzle is just going too many unintended places. Reckless and unsafe IMHO. Hunting is fine.

That's my experience as well. Except I'll add I like it in a car, although I have not done it in years.

In Cowboy Action Shooting we carry two large revolvers. I have carried them both handed draw and all right handed draw. So I have a few thousand competition rounds of right handed cross draw experience, plus double that for practice. The key is swing your hips to clockwise and pull back to clear the holster, then push foreword and raise the gun at the same time (you are already in line with your target!) If you are in a confrontation you would be taking a step back while twisting your hips. Never let them close enough to grab your gun anyway, and there is the extending your left arm to block any punch or gun grab.

I started my cowboy action career the same way and I got tired of doing that shuffle so I switched to standard carry and just pass the weak side gun to the strong hand (Duelist - one hand only).

As for self defense carry, in my opinion, that shuffle is a total waste of time and somewhat dangerous. YMMV of course.

 

[fredj338]

Try it force on force, get back to me.

 

[OLDSTER]

I've carried cross-draw for years. The most comfortable while driving . This little old Hunter worn cross draw with a CA Undercover or S&W Chiefs Special are my favorites.

 

[Mainsail]

I really like crossdraw. I tend to be in and out of the car and after a non-incident I realized that draw from behind the seatbelt on the strong side was slow, too slow for me. In my continuous research (ear to the ground) it appears that just after you sit in your car is prime-time for an attack.

I CC so that I can draw with one hand- so I won't carry IWB or deeper conceal methods that require two hands to present the gun. So walking or driving I want to be able to draw without needing an off-side hand to clear the path to the gun.

Privateer Leather made this one, and I'm getting ready to order another one for my P239 in .357 as well. Wes over there says he's working on a crossdraw mag holster to go with.

(No, the gun is not fully inserted in the holster when I took this pic)

 

[ContinentalOp]

I CC so that I can draw with one hand- so I won't carry IWB or deeper conceal methods that require two hands to present the gun. So walking or driving I want to be able to draw without needing an off-side hand to clear the path to the gun.

FWIW, I carry IWB about 3:30 under an untucked shirt, and I only draw with one hand as I keep my off-side hand up in a defensive position. Never had a problem.

But it can be difficult to get to when seated and belted in the car. My solution was a BUG in an ankle rig I can get to more easily, at least when seated in the car. The nice thing about having it in the car is that I can pull my pants leg up and have the gun exposed for a one-hand draw, but still be out of sight to anyone outside the car. I just have to remember to pull my pants leg down when getting out of the car. Not something I do all the time, and I do practice one-handed draws from the ankle rig with my pants leg down.

Not a universal solution by any means, but it works for me.

 

[max503]

I almost never carry my PT92 but when I do its Mexican-style cross draw. I only do this when I'm out night fishing, alone, or camping. It seems to stay secure and I'm not out walking around.
If I found a good holster I would get it but so far going naked works for me.
Did I say I like it? Yes. Cross draw seems most natural, almost second nature for me.

 

[1sailor]

In my post I mentioned that most of the reasons I've heard for not carrying crossdraw were ridiculous. Reading through the other responses I can see that not much has changed. Some have valid reasons why it wouldn't work for them but some make no sense at all.