New S&W M&P 40c new owner

[zipmac22]

Hi Evereyone,

I have just bought a new M&P 40c and will be carrying it after I take my CHL class in a few weeks. What I would like to ask is what is the best holster to carry concealed? I've seen so many on-line that all claim to be the one, but I'd rather see what people have found that works for them. All input is appreciated.

 

[ginzo]

Welcome!!

I'm an OWB kydex guy. Panther Concealment Custom Kydex Holsters and Knife Sheaths
2 guns, 2 panthers. 40FS and a 40c.
Good luck in your search.

Hi Evereyone,

I have just bought a new M&P 40c and will be carrying it after I take my CHL class in a few weeks. What I would like to ask is what is the best holster to carry concealed? I've seen so many on-line that all claim to be the one, but I'd rather see what people have found that works for them. All input is appreciated.

 

[Rastoff]

Do you need to have this holster for the class? What is your spending limit?

For the record, cheap holsters are rarely good holsters. Many are OK, but won't last. Also, most really good holsters take more than a few weeks to get.

 

[zipmac22]

Rastoff, no I don't need the holster for the class. But, when I get my CHL I'll need a holster. So I figured I'd start looking now.

 

[BIGMAC116]

You are standing at the precipice of a very lengthy debate on who makes the best, my favorite, what I use etc. There are hundreds of makers and thousands of designs. Some great. Some not so much. Some "high end" and "big names". Some only few have heard of. There is total **** out there in the holster world. I'd say figure out how you will be carrying most of the time then choose accordingly. Below is a couple of companies I have personal experience with and I have been impressed with. Happy hunting.

http://www.x-concealment.com

http://www.furycarrysolutions.com

http://www.tacticalholsters.com

http://oldfaithfulholsters.com

 

[MP40cMN]

Here is the IWB holster I user with my 40c. SMITH & WESSON «
I got the professional model and find it very comfortable at 3 to 4 clock position.

 

[Rastoff]

Rastoff, no I don't need the holster for the class. But, when I get my CHL I'll need a holster. So I figured I'd start looking now.

OK, then you're not in a hurry to get one. This is a good thing.

There are some qualities that every carry holster must have:
It must cover the trigger.
It must support the gun. Floppy holsters are dangerous.
It must stay open so you can reholster with one hand.
It must hold the gun securely, but allow a speedy presentation.

So, take your time. Research every holster anyone suggests. You never know, you might find a real gem for not a lot of money. However, like most of us, you will probably end up with several holsters in a drawer. The only way to know for sure is to try them.

My preference is to carry Outside the Waist Band (OWB). My favorite holster is the Georgia Snap made by R Grizzle: R Grizzle Leather - Home

If you want a Kydex holster, check out Comp Tac.

I currently have a Safariland plastic holster on order. I want to try it because it has a suede lining that should protect the finish. Kydex is hard on a gun's finish.


Equally important as the holster is the belt. A sturdy belt makes the difference between comfort and frustration. Belts you thought were sturdy will quickly show that they are not. Be sure to buy a gun belt and not just a leather belt.

My favorite belt is an Uncle Mike's Instructor's belt:

Uncle Mikes Renforced Instructors Belt

This belt is really inexpensive as belts go. It is very sturdy due to a polymer reinforcement sewn in between the layers of nylon. I've worn mine for more than a year and it's better than any other belt I've tried. Not very dressy though.

 

[B3500]

The best - it's hard to say without some idea of your spending limit and desired carry method. So that said, I'll write about the experience I have had with my 9c. I like carrying strong side IWB and have gotten two holsters so far. Both are a kydex/leather hybrid type.

The first hybrid I got was an Our Kydex Holsters | Concealed Carry & Kydex Gun Holsters Kits At Old Faithful Holsters. holster. It took about three weeks to get and was ok. I did find I did not care for the bulk of the fairly large leather back and was not keen on the metal clips it used. Where I wear it the holster ended up needing some "break in" time where where my leg moves at the hip.

So I continued searching and found most use that same kind of leather backing layout. Eventually I ran across http://hiddenfx.com and saw that it had a layout which made the leather back part smaller in overall size than the other hybrids I had seen. It removed that portion of leather in the area where I had to break in before. It also used leather loops instead of metal clips. It took a little over a week to get. This is the holster I use all the time now.

Both of these hybrids I have for the 9c use "bridle" leather material and I have found this leather type to be comfortable and able to resist moisture pretty well so would recommend it.

Hope you find your holster nirvana before your inevitable box-o-holsters gets too large...