[tgt_usa]

Dismount?

Hi Folks,

I'm getting a new WC (whenever the order is filled) and will use this as my EDC. This is a Hunter model in 10mm without the laser grips and with a few editions like serrated slide top and rear, fluted chamber, tritium sights and a mag well. Because I am "fat" I don't want to buy super large pants and a super long belt for IWB. Carrying in the car has always been uncomfortable with getting to the gun being difficult. It appears that the cross draw would eliminate that and also put the butt forward so it would not stick out the back of my clothing causing it to print like a typical OWB holster. Just curious as to what your thoughts are on cross draw and experiences. Thanks for your input!
Gary

What I distrust about cross-draw is that outside the car a draw stroke is likely to sweep an innocent by-stander OR require excruciating slowness to avoid sweeping. For driving, I dismount and stow the holstered pistol for ready access while driving. At arrival, I arrange for re-mounting. Milt Sparks “Criterion”, or when mounting&dismounting more than twice in a day, a Comp-Tac “Infidel”.

Shoulder holsters are generally cross-draw and I had to give that up because of thinking about where the bore is pointing *all the time*. At 2:30, the bore is pointing at a sufficient backstop almost all the time: 13,000km of dense mat’l with a gravity well sufficient on it own.

 

[tgt_usa]

Longer

I've never carried at "cross draw" so I'm pretty unfamiliar with it. How is it better than appendix? Because you could certainly carry at appendix OWB. Cross draw seems like it would be a tad bit slower but maybe it conceals a little better?

More accessible when driving. The seat-belt is very close to where the holster rides when driving (worn right-hand side in a left-steering vehicle). If something external dictates style of dress your concealment hypothesis may apply.

Due to geometry and physiology, the cross-draw is longer. In a cross-draw, the bore axis traverses ~1/4 of the perimeter of an ellipse. A conventional draw traverses only a radius of [approx] the same ellipse. Another difference is that in a cross-draw, the weak-side hand - if left to itself - can be hanging in that perimeter. In a conventional draw stroke, the weak-side hand is not in the radius. Modern schools of combat-style draw, the four or so in which I’ve taken any training anyway, emphasize indexing the weak-side hand during early phases of the draw: e.g., the slap of weak palm to center chest. In a cross-draw, this is even more important to ensure that the hand/arm is not in front of the muzzle at any time.

HtH

 

[tgt_usa]

Driving

I have to agree that I've yet to see a cross draw that conceals well with a full sized pistol, and always worse than OWB- which isn't always that great to begin with.

If you want a pistol accessible while driving- get it off your body. The degree of how much better one mode of carry is vs another, while seated and buckled in a car, is so negligible that its not woeth considering, particularly when using this metric compromises carry and presentation when up and about.

That is, likewise, my approach: gun remaining holstered, secured to its “while driving” location. Before the pistol were dislodged due to acceleration applied to the vehicle, I estimate having no further need of a pistol.

My plans for the day can still influence which holster:
1 - ~3 mount & dismount cycles, which has become typical for me, and I use a Milt Sparks “Criterion”. Pretty easy to mount&dismount.

More than that number of expected cycles calls for a CompTac “Infidel”, due to its even easier mount/dismount.

The only times that I’ve been subjected to life-threatening aggression while armed, was also whilst driving. So ease of access driving became a major consideration. Having thrice been asked by L.E.O.s to disarm (while driving), noting the *extreme* difference between off- and on-body carry in that circumstance: that alone is a very strong impetus for off-body when driving.