Concealing while driving.

[The Hobbit]

What do you do to conceal when you are driving? Do you just keep in holstered on your hip/where ever? Do you have some sort of vehicle mounted holster or tuck it between seats?

I am just wondering because I have a 3 hour drive from home to where I attend school and I do not think that carrying my Sigma .40 on my hip the entire way would be comfortable.
I had been looking into something similar to the Gum Creek Customs vehicle holster, but after reading the thread on "pulled over and had a positive encounter" I do not feel like putting up with a hassle like that if I were to ever be pulled over.
Thanks for any tips and tricks.

[mrnyman]

Go to DeSantis website www.desantis.com and pull up the Kingston holster, it was invented by Narcotic cops in Kingston Jamaica, basically it attaches to the front of your seat between your legs with the butt of the gun pointing up, you just leave the holster in place when you get to your destination you just remove the gun and slip it into your carry holster.

You are right driving so far with a gun on your hip is uncomfortable.
I just drove to florida and back with my Glock 26 and 90% of the time the gun were in the glove box , just too uncomfortable especially with a IWB holster.

[Tetelestai]

Go to DeSantis website www.desantis.com and pull up the Kingston holster, it was invented by Narcotic cops in Kingston Jamaica, basically it attaches to the front of your seat between your legs with the butt of the gun pointing up, you just leave the holster in place when you get to your destination you just remove the gun and slip it into your carry holster.

You are right driving so far with a gun on your hip is uncomfortable.
I just drove to florida and back with my Glock 26 and 90% of the time the gun were in the glove box , just too uncomfortable especially with a IWB holster.

http://www.desantisholster.com/ **

[vicious]

My carry setup remains the same (glock 19 IWB, 2 spares), however, if I plan to be spending a significant amount of my day driving, I will also add my glock 26 to my ankle. Drawing from an ankle rig while seated in a vehicle is faster and easier than just about anything and can be done surreptitiously with great ease.

Some advice for this setup:

-Get a good ankle holster because most of them suck. I prefer the Galco ankle glove. It's exceedingly comfortable and stable. So much so that i wear it around the house in my pajamas.

-Carry on your strong side ankle with the grip facing forward. Most are designed to be worn on your weak side ankle with the grip facing back, so just flip it around to the other leg. Using this method the draw is quicker and, can be more easily accomplished with either hand. There are several more advantages to this variation (such as drawing from the jujitsu guard position) that are more easily shown than explained.

[The Hobbit]

Vicious and others thanks for the advice.
Vicious While I see how that may be the best bet, I do not own a compact pistol and do not see me owning one in the near future. Also Galco does not offer an ankle holster for my pistol.

[vicious]

What do you have available? Maybe we can figure something out that works for you.

Personally, I don't like the Kingston. Doesn't give me the option of not disclosing if I'm pulled over. Also doesn't give me any time to set up the officer ("sir, i am licensed to carry a firearm....how would you like me to proceed?") if I do for some reason decide to disclose or am legally required to in the state i'm driving through. He's simply going to walk up to the window and see the gun. I guess that's not a concern if you're a police officer in Jamaica, but it is a concern to me. Furthermore, if you are pulled from the vehicle or even if you end up in a tangle inside the car, you might not be able to access it. Also, if you leave it in your car, it's pretty much a dead giveaway that whoever owns that vehicle also owns guns.

[Tetelestai]

I may be wrong about the kingston, but judging from the pictures on their site, couldn't you simple rotate the gun to a position more or less under the seat?

It would be pretty quickly available, and out of sight allowing you the opportunity to choose if you will or will not inform the officer before s/he walks up and sees the gun there. Plus that would get the buckle out from directly under your butt.

[vicious]

I think that's going to depend heavily on the design of your car and doesn't alleviate other issues. May create even more issues with accessibility. You'll also note that it is a crappy one-size-fits-none nylon holster with no retention strap. I wouldn't trust it to hold on to the gun in an accident. If it was tucked under the seat instead of vertical as designed, it might not even hold it under braking and send the gun to the floor where it could interfere with your pedals. Even with a retention strap those types of holsters are notoriously bad at holding on to guns.

[vicious]

The other thing we can look at is how you carry your gun now. Even carrying strongside can be plenty comfortable on longer drives with the right setup. Like I said, I don't remove my regular sidearm on road trips, just add another in a a slightly more advantageous position.

[The Hobbit]

What do you have available? Maybe we can figure something out that works for you.

Personally, I don't like the Kingston. Doesn't give me the option of not disclosing if I'm pulled over. Also doesn't give me any time to set up the officer ("sir, i am licensed to carry a firearm....how would you like me to proceed?") if I do for some reason decide to disclose or am legally required to in the state i'm driving through. He's simply going to walk up to the window and see the gun. I guess that's not a concern if you're a police officer in Jamaica, but it is a concern to me. Furthermore, if you are pulled from the vehicle or even if you end up in a tangle inside the car, you might not be able to access it. Also, if you leave it in your car, it's pretty much a dead giveaway that whoever owns that vehicle also owns guns.

I have a S&W Sigma .40 for carry. I am also planning on getting a Crossbreed IWB. I could probably throw something like the kingston together or something similar at least but like you pointed out, if I were to be pulled over it leaves the gun right out in the open.

Honestly at this point at least for the time being I am thinking of tucking it in the map pocket on the door.