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I am attempting to get comfortable with appendix carry with my S&W 642. I have a Desantis Softuck for the job. I see that most appendix carry at about 1:00-2:00 (10:00-11:00 for me-lefty).

My question is do most carry strong side or cross draw? Also, what degree of cant if any do you typically use?

Thanks!

sabrs584 wrote:I am attempting to get comfortable with appendix carry with my S&W 642. I have a Desantis Softuck for the job. I see that most appendix carry at about 1:00-2:00 (10:00-11:00 for me-lefty).

My question is do most carry strong side or cross draw? Also, what degree of cant if any do you typically use?

Thanks!

Good on ya. I think appendix carry gets a short shrift, and it shouldn't: it's a viable carry. IMHO, appendix and three o'clock are the two most efficient carry positions.

However, cross-draw negates the advantage of appendix carry. Don't do it.

In a threat/combat situation, your natural tendency will be to blade yourself to the threat, strong-side angled away at about 35-to-45 degrees. If you're left-handed, just like a boxer you'll lead with the right side of your body.

If you're carrying appendix cross-draw, that places your gun closer to the threat and necessitates you reach about 12 inches farther than you need to obtain your gun. The drawstroke is easier to foul, and it's easier for the bad guy to take the gun away. Not a good scenario.

Move the gun (for a lefthander) from 1:30 to 10:30 and things change. Your gunhand never has to cross the perpendicular plane presented to your opponent; your opponent must reach significantly farther to reach your gun if he tries to foul your draw; and you don't have to use your lead arm to clench and retain your firearm in a close-contact situation.

At distances a step farther than ECQ, say 15 feet, take a natural fighting stance. You may prefer that to be straight-on to your adversary, or bladed away from your strong side. With a carefully (and double-checked) unloaded firearm in its holster, very slowly draw the gun and watch the path your hand and the muzzle makes as you bring the gun on target. Pretend you have a laser sight on the gun, and watch the path it traces.

The shorter that hand/muzzle path, the better.

Minimizing the articulation (joint movement) of your arm (and hand) and minimizing the angular movement of the muzzle is the key to a faster, more efficient drawstroke.

Strong-side appendix carry with a negative cant makes for, typically, the most efficient ECQC drawstroke. Carry at three o'clock (right-hand) with a slightly negative or neutral cant comes in second. Positive cant at three o'clock to four o'clock comes in third. Everything else is a very distant fourth place.

...Skiprrrrrrrr!!!! ( always slur my words before I've had my coffee)....I've never heard anyone explain why I do what I do so well before!!! I, too, am a lefty...carry my P90 IWB just left of belt buckle, and my BUG directly behind belt buckle...it's fast, easy, natural, easy to fend off while drawing, comfortable, easy to conceal, and works sitting/driving...I've carried that way since I quit dressing for a belt holster on the hip...I'll never go back to the old way...(and crossdraw makes the butt stick out and is much harder/slower to draw...found that out in the 70s)...I'm going to save your post to share with others...I've carried that way for 25 years but never gave it that much thought...thanks for articulating so clearly with good points ...

Set your cant to be the same as your hand when you are reaching for your gun. Raise your hand as if to grab your gun then look at the cant of your hand. I don't use any cant when appendix carrying but a forward cant when at 3:30.

I've been carrying AIWB for quite a while... It just works best for me.

I have several holsters and a "Smart Carry", and to answer the OP's question, "It Depends".

If I'm wearing pants and dressed for work, I'm typically carrying at 12:30 - 1:00 (right handed).
If I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt, I find that 11:00-11:30 provides better concealment.

As for cant, again it depends on the holster and clothing.
The right answer is to try a few different positions and find what works best for you.

Here's my favorite thread on the subject... It's long but filled with good insight IMO.
http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=17903" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have tried to wrap my head around appendix carry, but I just can't figure out how you sit down when the barrel of the gun is is trying to push out at a 90 degree angle from your waistband.

Maybe my legs are attached wrong.

sabrs584 wrote:I am attempting to get comfortable with appendix carry with my S&W 642. I have a Desantis Softuck for the job. I see that most appendix carry at about 1:00-2:00 (10:00-11:00 for me-lefty).

My question is do most carry strong side or cross draw? Also, what degree of cant if any do you typically use?

Thanks!

Just make sure you don't do this

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/biz ... #loopbegin" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Skiprr, thanks for the explanation. I remember from your close quarters retention drill seminar at PSC that the key was to rock the barrel up as soon as you clear leather, while keeping the gun in close to your side. I've kept that in mind ever since. The reason that exercise seemed so important to me is that this is often how close a BG is going to be before his victim can get a gun drawn.

It was very natural for me to blade my strong (left) side away from the "threat." But rocking the gun up and firing from close retention, instead of the habitual tendency to shoot from the normal iscoseles or modified Weaver, is something that one has to work on. Actually, the drill was kind of cool, and I really enjoyed it—although I did initially wonder where that hot brass was going to go. It actually turned out not to be a problem.

Anyway, when I carry my snubbie in a holster (OWB), it is almost appendix carry, and definitely forward of the 9:00 position, and the holster has fairly neutral cant. Unfortunately, I don't currently own any holsters for my semi autos which have neutral or negative cant, or I would carry my Kahr PM9 that way for certain. But due to certain (ahem!) horizontal irregularities in my proportions, IWB appendix carry is pretty much out of the question for me. I might shoot myself in the fat.

Gentlemen,

Thank you for all of your advice and feedback. I tried it out today with a Don Hume 715 and was fairly comfortable. Will the try the Softuck tomorrow.

IMO Appendix carry is best suited to smaller size guns.

...yeah, like the S&W M58, the GP100, the P90 and P97, and other little ones...works for me!!!

JJVP wrote:Just make sure you don't do this

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/biz ... #loopbegin" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

I get an error from the Houston Chronicle website when clicking the link.

texastactical wrote:IMO Appendix carry is best suited to smaller size guns.

I was thinking smaller gut

I carried X-draw for years due to the fact I had long comutes and spent a lots of time in my car. I used an old OWB Galco leather holster with a slight forward cant. It was comfortable for the fact it was old and broke in. I think one is best off buy "buy and try" and there is no real recipe for best fit, just good tips.
But one thing is a help for sure, look across different gun foren and you'll find really good tips. Just google Glock forum, SIG forum and don't forget about youtube. There is a lots of information out.

I've been using an Alessi APX holster for my 642. It's very comfortable even when sitting down. I must admit that I don't have much of a gut....and I'm sure that appendix works best for us "skinny" people. It conceals well.

I'm intending to order another APX for my new Sig P938 as well.

Ken