left hand carry/cross draw: good idea?

[mgo]

In experimenting with various concealed carry methods, I keep coming back to left side carry. It is more comfortable in the car, and easier to conceal the butt on a service sized pistol or revolver, because it faces forward, with less bulge.

I prefer a holster that puts leather between me and the gun for comfort and isolating the pistol from sweat, like the Safariland as seen in the picture. A J-frame Smith will also fit in this model.

 

[GLV]

Looks good, who did the holster?

 

[oldman45]

One bit of wisdom about off side carry.

As someone appraoches you, their right hand is going to be where they can draw straight from your holster. You would have to reach across your body in an effort to retain control and that action will put you at a disadvantage. A lot of plain clothes officers used to carry off side and they learned a perp can pull the gun easier from you.

 

[running iron]

I like cross draw better too. I have a cross draw rig from Mernickle that works great for carrying my 4 5/8" single action 44. Much more comfortable than strong side carry for me. Same with the 45 acp or the 38 snub nose. Easier to get to also.

 

[The Big D]

There are so many reasons why "cross draw" is NOT used by professionals...

1. It takes longer to reach your gun;
2. Your gun arm is exposed, greatly;
3. No one's backhand is as strong as their forehand (see #2);
4. If in a fight there is very little chance you can access/use your gun (see #2 and #3); and,
5. If someone accesses your gun they instantly have it in their strong hand/hand on trigger.

ad infinitum (just a bit of exaggerating)...

Yes, it may be more comfortable in a car but how much of your life do you spend in a car?

Crossdraw is NOT a good idea.

Be safe.

 

[flop-shank]

The butt of even a large auto or revolver disappears strongside in the holster has a nice cant of fifteen degrees or so.

 

[P&R Fan]

I agree that it's not the best idea for all the reasons posted. If car carry is your concern consider a good shoulder holster. If you can find a comfortable one you can easily conceal a pretty large handgun.

 

[feralmerril]

I carried that way for awhile. It is comfortable. Remember bill jordan said in his book, no secound place winner: Some people figgure it isnt safe because someone can grab your gun, well he would have to be faceing you. I would rather have him faceing me and try rather than grab my gun from behind! Something to think about!

 

[SuperMan]

I have been carrying that way almost daily for almost 40 years.... The gun is behind, not in front of the left hip.

When one speaks about the old timey LEOs who used to carry "crossdraw" most of these guys carried their guns in a holster well in front of the left hip that just about handed a gun to your aggressor. It was about the same setup that Cowboy Action shooters use for their "second" gun. Second if you CC and do it right, how exactly is a BG know where to grab or even if there is anything to grab...

Slide a 1911 in behind the right hip and watch it disappear...nothing prints less because the butt faces forward and is in line under your arm. In addition to the Commander that has resided there almost daily for 30 years I have also carried the following in the same spot...

S&W 29-2 6.5"
S&W 58, 57, 657, 29, 629, 357, 19 all with 4" barrels
Browning High Power
Colt Government Model in .45 and Super
Several different snubbies with 2-3" barrels
Taurus Ti Tracker .41 Magnum 4"

Never used a holster for any of these guns until recently. Changed Commanders and the front sight on the new gun had a corner that was ripping a hole in all my pants... So now the Commander rides in a Bianchi swede leather IWB holster.

When I ride a motorcycle if I had to draw I can do so without letting go of the throttle. In a vehicle the gun is away from any unknown passenger and can be quickly deployed with the left hand...a lot quicker than trying to draw a strong side holstered gun, especially if you had to fight someone in the passenger seat.

Is it slower to draw than strong side carry..absolutely..but as I tell my students...if you need a fast draw to save your life you probably screwed up your tactics. I have had to draw "for real" several times and the gun was always in my hand well before any fight would have started...

Bob Makowski

 

[Big Foot]

What Bob M. said.....

 

[LoboGunLeather]

The cross-draw holsters offer some distinct advantages in certain circumstances such as when seated or when driving. Those with range-of-motion issues in the strong-side shoulder can also benefit from a cross-draw holster.

We all know the litany of objections to cross-draw carry, and these are largely very valid concerns. But, judging from the number of orders that I receive for cross-draw holsters, there are still a lot of folks out there who find this to be a comfortable and convenient way of carrying a handgun.

 

[ISOM]

Back before the stores carried left hand

It seems like a long time ago, I carried a Super Blackhawk in a right hand shoulder rig. [I am a lefty.] I use to FLIP it out with my legt hand. What a suprise it was, when someone required me to take a self-defense stand.

 

[GLV]

Respectfully disagree

There are so many reasons why "cross draw" is NOT used by professionals...

1. It takes longer to reach your gun;
2. Your gun arm is exposed, greatly;
3. No one's backhand is as strong as their forehand (see #2);
4. If in a fight there is very little chance you can access/use your gun (see #2 and #3); and,
5. If someone accesses your gun they instantly have it in their strong hand/hand on trigger.

ad infinitum (just a bit of exaggerating)...

Crossdraw is not a good idea.

I have to disagree with , 1--the reach for me is gun at 11 clock--under a sweatshirt. Very fast for a covered garment. 2--at that location, not a great deal of exposure. 4--the reason you have two hands.

There is no carry position faster than cross draw at 11 on the clock, in a vehicle, for the right handed person.

Last, as to time in vehicle, an individual thing, but seat belted into a seat makes firearm access much more difficult if carried in other locations.

And Last last--very easy to reposition firearm when leaving vehicle, I often go to strong side before exiting, to extra holster in that location, or if using an IWB as in the picture, the same holster if properly setup.

 

[John Deere]

Cross draw for me!

JD

 

[borntoraisehogs]

I like the part about you having a gun with you . We all know people who would be willing to put up a heck of a gunfight if the criminal would make an appointment so they could open their safe ,

 

[Knightrider03m]

I like cross draw but its to easy for someone to pull your gun out.

 

[photoman]

I've never really spent any time with a crossdraw rig so I don't have an opinion one way or another. I do spend a lot of time AIWB and crossdraw shares many of the benifits that AIWB offers.

I will say, if someone is close enough to draw your gun, you're already in a world of hurt and what rig you're using probably isn't the most important thing you've got to worry about!

 

[jtpur]

I agree that when carrying in the open, the cross draw presents a lot of tactical problems.....concealed, I think is a matter of comfort and choice. If I carry my Sigma, I will generally carry it cross draw, but not in a holster. I often carry it in the small of my back so I can reach it with my right hand as if I am getting my wallet. I prefer a two inch, inside the waist band, on my right side. and when in a restaurant, an ankle holster makes perfect sense to me...You see, I vary my carry, depending on where I am, what Im wearing and what I carry....anything from a 2" model 36, Sigma 9mm, Ruger 357 or Keltec .380, the latter in my back pocket or front pocket or windbreaker.....sometimes I even carry two......the gun carried no matter where is better than the one at home in your safe.

 

[labworm]

Definitely Cross Draw for me, been doing it for the past 20 years.
I am more comfortable with it, and find it much easier to draw.
Especially when wearing a heavy coat in the cold months here in the northeast. With a coat on, I am able to pull the coat back with my left hand and grasp the gun quickly with my right hand.
Strong side with a coat on is a lot different, push coat back with the same hand you use to draw.

I guess it is a preference thing, if you are uncomfortable with either than you have a problem.

And if I ever have to defend myself, maybe I will luck out and be attacked by a southpaw, hoping I will never be tested ever.

Almost like playing Golf, did alright until people began giving me pointers, than I actually played worse.

 

[photoman]

Almost like playing Golf, did alright until people began giving me pointers, than I actually played worse.

So true! My son used to hit a baseball like Babe Ruth and then he started playing team ball and they taught him the "right" way to hit. Needless to say, he couldn't hit doodley-squat after that.