When it comes to appendix carry, there’s a bit of a conundrum. It offers a great place to hide a gun — and very fast access to it — but in most instances, it results in the muzzle of the carried gun being pointed at my, um, my … well, let’s just say the muzzle is pointed at me. And that’s when I’m standing. When I sit, the muzzle points into my femoral artery. This causes me all kinds of consternation. But I justify appendix carry by noting one key thing: The trigger of the gun I’m carrying is safely housed inside a holster. In other words, it would take an act of extreme physics for the trigger to be pressed backward far enough in order for the gun to fire.
One other issue that comes up with appendix carry is the stock of the carried gun tends to fall away or get pushed away from the user. Sometimes it’s due to the weight of the gun and its ride depth. Sometimes it’s due to the build of the user. The more gut you have, the more you’ll likely push the stock of the gun outward. Stocks that push out are simply harder to hide.
Side note: Let us know your thoughts on appendix carry in the comments and we’ll revisit this matter in another article. In the meantime, if you’re okay with appendix carry (and I currently still am), I’m going to tell you how to solve at least one of these carry conundrums. It involves one clever holster manufacturer including a unique holster feature…
Enter the Detroit Concealment iNfil Rogue IWB – Appendix, a $69.99 holster made from Kydex (and shown here in the Kryptek Typhon pattern) and featuring a strong but thin plastic clip and — here’s the key — a well-positioned plastic wing meant to push out against your gun belt, causing the appendix-carried gun to push into you (but not uncomfortably so, depending on your build). On me, the iNfil Rogue is a comfortable holster, and the S&W M&P Shield .45 you see in it felt great and protruded less than it has in other appendix holsters.
Carrying the Shield around for a few weeks proved the holster’s well-thought-out design and well-executed construction. Nothing is sharp or rough, and putting the holster on or taking it off is easy. There’s plenty of room for a combat grip, and the gun’s muzzle actually extends just bit beyond the surrounding Kydex. When I sit, the gun stays securely in the holster, but the whole rig moves slightly, up my abdomen, still pressed in close.
The iNFil Rogue also sports a tall sight channel and a perfect fit for whatever gun you order for it. The wing is strong and super durable and the clip is adjustable, in case you want a slightly different cant. I prefer a straight drop and enjoy the quick and easy in-and-out with the Shield. Very well hidden. Very fast.
One key to successful appendix carry — to most any kind or style of carry, for that matter — is to use a real gun belt. The iNfil Rogue worked very well with this 1.5-inch Versacarry gun belt, providing a solid attachment point for the holster’s clip and providing a stable place for the holster’s wing to push against. When standing, this resulted in the Shield’s stocks protruding less and the muzzle actually pointing more away from me. As such, if my only conundrum is fixing the hideability issue of appendix carry, then that conundrum is solved.
Learn more at http://detroitconcealment.com/inside-the-waistband/.
