Search for the Best J frame IWB

[HowieR]

I have carried the J frame for close to 40 years from the old model 36 to the new ultimate carries and the newest FE X. I have the glock 30 &19 and a few other options as a semi auto carry if I go in to the big city.

In the Winter when you have the jacket I have always carried in OWB leather. Summer Carry is always an IWB , have tried the suede holsters Bianchi etc - to loose retention for me. I have a couple of kydex (yes, I am the guy who bought a red FE one- thats all that was left) so the FE holster I do like it and have been using it for the 642 ultimate carry as the holster was blanked and molded with a full lug J frame as in the picture , it works well except it is the thumb push to unholster the gun if inside the belt the minimalist approach on the design is excellent . I have used another kydex which also works well and it carries the FE X beautifully. When I head for comfort the leather is excellent with the ulti lock that clamps around the belt. I know there was another similar thread on this but I was also looking for IWB options with a more comfort. Guns in pic are empty

If this is a duped thread and the mods want to move it please do.

 

[Ron Dan]

I have carried the J frame for close to 40 years from the old model 36 to the new ultimate carries and the newest FE X. I have the glock 30 &19 and a few other options as a semi auto carry if I go in to the big city.

In the Winter when you have the jacket I have always carried in OWB leather. Summer Carry is always an IWB , have tried the suede holsters Bianchi etc - to loose retention for me. I have a couple of kydex (yes, I am the guy who bought a red FE one- thats all that was left) so the FE holster I do like it and have been using it for the 642 ultimate carry as the holster was blanked and molded with a full lug J frame as in the picture , it works well except it is the thumb push to unholster the gun if inside the belt the minimalist approach on the design is excellent . I have used another kydex which also works well and it carries the FE X beautifully. When I head for comfort the leather is excellent with the ulti lock that clamps around the belt. I know there was another similar thread on this but I was also looking for IWB options with a more comfort. Guns in pic are empty

If this is a duped thread and the mods want to move it please do.
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If you are having to use your thumb to release tension on the Ghost Holster, the tension is too tight. Shoot us a DM and we’ll get you in contact with Veil Solutions to get this straightened out.

@The Gimp

 

[Ryan Horst]

@David Simerly let me borrow one from Problem
Solving Tool while I waited for my FE x Veil Solutions to show up. It’s pretty nice. Carries deeper IWB than the Veil version. Here’s some pics I snapped just for comparison one night after I got the FE version.

 

[Ron Dan]

@David Simerly let me borrow one from Problem
Solving Tool while I waited for my FE x Veil Solutions to show up. It’s pretty nice. Carries deeper IWB than the Veil version. Here’s some pics I snapped just for comparison one night after I got the FE version.
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This are also great holsters!

 

[gibsonknives]

Picked up a Bianchi professional #100 IWB holster today. Fits my Taurus Classic model 85 and the j-frame quite nicely. Admittedly a little bulkier than some of the ultra low profile kydex rigs, but it is quite comfortable

 

[HowieR]

Picked up a Bianchi professional #100 IWB holster today. Fits my Taurus Classic model 85 and the j-frame quite nicely. Admittedly a little bulkier than some of the ultra low profile kydex rigs, but it is quite comfortable

Many thanks for the feedback , A friend of mine said go Bianchi he didnt have the model #, in the summer I use the iwb and Have the FE J frame holster and will get one of these for the rotation. I know you know leather

 

[Ron Dan]

Picked up a Bianchi professional #100 IWB holster today. Fits my Taurus Classic model 85 and the j-frame quite nicely. Admittedly a little bulkier than some of the ultra low profile kydex rigs, but it is quite comfortable

Leather is very comfortable and will shape to your body over time. If reholstering is important to you, leather can be a challenge.

 

[gibsonknives]

Leather is very comfortable and will shape to your body over time. If reholstering is important to you, leather can be a challenge.

This one is comfortable. The leather is pretty rigid riight now but I am sure will soften over time. God willing I won’t have a need to draw at all, but if I had to draw in the regular course of the day I guess removing and reholstering at that point won’t be the worst thing since that means things have gone south. In general I carry appendix and when I take the gun off for the day I take the holster and gun off as a unit so my need to draw and reholster is typically minimal.

 

[Ron Dan]

This one is comfortable. The leather is pretty rigid riight now but I am sure will soften over time. God willing I won’t have a need to draw at all, but if I had to draw in the regular course of the day I guess removing and reholstering at that point won’t be the worst thing since that means things have gone south. In general I carry appendix and when I take the gun off for the day I take the holster and gun off as a unit so my need to draw and reholster is typically minimal.

The Hamre Forge grips with the wing are a good option. If you need to reholster, it allows you to do so straight into your waistband and will be relatively secure.

 

[HowieR]

@Ron I am on the list for Hamre Forge grips, waiting for another batch , he is even up in my neck of the woods in Maine.

 

[dunchelm]

I have carried the J frame for close to 40 years from the old model 36 to the new ultimate carries and the newest FE X. I have the glock 30 &19 and a few other options as a semi auto carry if I go in to the big city.

In the Winter when you have the jacket I have always carried in OWB leather. Summer Carry is always an IWB , have tried the suede holsters Bianchi etc - to loose retention for me. I have a couple of kydex (yes, I am the guy who bought a red FE one- thats all that was left) so the FE holster I do like it and have been using it for the 642 ultimate carry as the holster was blanked and molded with a full lug J frame as in the picture , it works well except it is the thumb push to unholster the gun if inside the belt the minimalist approach on the design is excellent . I have used another kydex which also works well and it carries the FE X beautifully. When I head for comfort the leather is excellent with the ulti lock that clamps around the belt. I know there was another similar thread on this but I was also looking for IWB options with a more comfort. Guns in pic are empty

If this is a duped thread and the mods want to move it please do.
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View attachment 4369

I recently picked up a hammerless six shot Colt Night Cobra. I love it.

 

[Ron Dan]

I recently picked up a hammerless six shot Colt Night Cobra. I love it.

We’ve been so happy with ours!!

 

[Ron Dan]

@Ron I am on the list for Hamre Forge grips, waiting for another batch , he is even up in my neck of the woods in Maine.

You won’t be disappointed

 

[Hammer]

I recently picked up a hammerless six shot Colt Night Cobra. I love it.

We’ve been so happy with ours!!

X 3. It's a badass Roscoe, and you get 6 rounds as well.



But back to lightweight J-frames, I've owned several different S&Ws and generally like them. But my choice for a really lightweight yet still effective snubbie that I can shove in a pocket and not care about it is the LCR .32 H&R. Preferably with a XS front sight and Hamre Forge grips:

 

[Al "Shifty" Schultz]

X 3. It's a badass Roscoe, and you get 6 rounds as well.

View attachment 5290

But back to lightweight J-frames, I've owned several different S&Ws and generally like them. But my choice for a really lightweight yet still effective snubbie that I can shove in a pocket and not care about it is the LCR .32 H&R. Preferably with a XS front sight and Hamre Forge grips:

View attachment 5291

I really like the 32 H&R cartridge... And I really like my S&W Air weight 38+P...

 

[jacobrhobart]

I really like the 32 H&R cartridge... And I really like my S&W Air weight 38+P...

I have the air weight too and it's sick. love carrying it.

 

[dunchelm]

Lipsey-stick On a Pig

I have the Lipsey's Smith and Wesson 442. I sold my Ruger LCR and bought the Lipsey. The main selling point with the Lipsey Smith for me was that it has real sights. In retrospect, this matters little. While it's not a bad gun by any means, the LCR has a much better trigger and is lighter overall. It's probably not as well made as any model of S&W j frame, but again, that probably matters very little. These are guns that don't tend to get shot much but are carried frequently. On that note, the big fat rubber grips on the LCR are nice to shoot with but they make pocket carry nearly impossible because they are too grippy for that.

In short, if you have an LCR then keep it, and if you don't have either gun, then get a Ruger SP-101in 357 magnum instead of either the Smith or the LCR. The SP-101 is a gun you'll actually enjoy shooting. It's pretty, too.

 

[HowieR]

I have the Ulitmate carry from lipsys also it is the one in the pic in the FE Iwb Holster , I like wood grips and have put a few hundred through it, Agreed trigger is not good , fixed it with an apex kit, also agreed if they just put the front sight it on itwould be fine with me. I am a big Ruger fan and the sp 101 is a perfect carry also.