10/16/2024 – Normally, if there is any such thing as normal these days, I would post this to Facebook as a brief comment. Unfortunately, the mental blanks at Facebook saw fit to remove our 2 million follower firearm publication page, all for the crime of posting pictures of firearms. I don’t know what we were thinking. Anyhow…
Headed out early this morning to get the old 2005 Escape inspected, I had high hopes it would pass so I could sell it and slide over to my much newer, sweet ride, a 2006 Chevy Silverado WT. Unfortunately, I could not hear the Escape’s radio over the sound of growling front brake pads, even with the radio’s volume turned up. So I called the shop while in transit, and rescheduled to give myself a week to fix the brakes. But that another story.
Before I headed out the door, I clipped my holstered LC9 to my belt without a second thought. In contrast, I have lots of holsters laying around, but I have never have clipped any of them on without some deliberation, that often left me with some minuscule 380 Auto in a pants or sweatshirt pocket.
The LC9 was sent ahead to Texas prior to flying down, and concealed carried during my road trip back to Maine. The holster had been carefully selected, based on the fact the LC9 was in it when it was boxed for shipping. The holster was purchased from Amazon for $20-$25, when I was looking for a holster to answer the question, “Why not”? It is a black IWB Amberide holster listed for Ruger LC9 / LC9s / Ruger LC380 / Ruger EC9s.
On the trip back from Texas, with lots of time spent in the truck, the IWB Amberide proved to be the most comfortable concealed carry holster I’ve run across. Wearing Wrangler Carpenter’s jeans, with a waistband that crosses at the navel, the LC9 in appendix carry is out of the way; standing, sitting or driving. I thought I would mention this fitting for context, because some old guys wear their pants up to their armpits, so every holster is a shoulder holster.
For concealment a T-shirt covers and, in this sweatshirt wearing weather, the setup is invisible. With a 1 1/2″ thick leather belt, the holster is securely clipped and retained, so the gun can be drawn cleanly without playing tug of war with holster or pants. By the same token, the holster does an excellent job securing the pistol. The holster angle can be adjusted by loosening a couple of hex head screws… which I found unnecessary.
It is an IWB holster, but I wear it anchored between my belt and waistband. Why do I not carry it inside my waistband? I live in Maine. It was 36°F when I left the house this AM, and the feel of a cold KYDEX against my gut was not happening. I am sure there are many… many theories regarding the appropriateness of inside waistband, inside belt positioning. Most important, inside the belt works for me.
Is there a downside to the Amberide? Two come to mind. If you hang with a crowd that has great appreciation for handcrafted leather from custom holster shops, they will snicker is you mention the Amberide $20 holster.
Also, that hard plastic can’t be good for a finely blued gun finish. My Ruger has a through-hardened alloy steel slide and poly grip frame. Still, the finish is black oxide. So we will see how that holds up.
I have an Amberide holster and agree as to comfort and the rest of your comments, especially price. My favorite IWB is the Vedder Lite Tuck because sometimes, in fact, most of the time, I don’t want my shirt untucked – but the Vedder is at least twice as expensive. P.S. It isn’t possible to drive from Texas to Maine without risking weapon confiscation, fines or incarceration. Glad you didn’t have a breakdown and police “assistance”.
I don’t think this is a vague area of law, and the problem of transport and carry is narrow.
I am aware of which states have Constitutional carry, and which have reciprocal agreements with Maine CC; most.
I am aware of federal law, FOPA, that provides for transient legal transport of firearms, and the only two that are willing to violate federal law and specific rights granted under the Constitution; New Jersey and New York.
So I carry where I can, stow legally where I can’t and, as an American, I refuse to accept the tyranny of NY and NJ, two of the most corrupt states with imploding political systems. We personally draw our own lines in the sand, accepting the potential consequences. I would not advise or discourage anyone in any of these decisions.