As you may remember, some time back I purchased a Ruger LCP with the concept of having a gun that was highly convenient to carry around the house. Since I work in a legislatively mandated “gun free except for the criminals” zone, I’m not allowed to carry as a part of my daily routine. My concept is to make carrying at home as easy as picking up my keys or anything else that would go in my pocket or on my belt.
The problem I’ve faced is how to carry the LCP. I’ve tried pocket carry, and while it more or less works, I don’t care for it. It’s highly awkward to access when sitting, and it since requires me to change around where I carry things at home versus where I carry things the rest of the day, it just did’t suit me.
My thoughts ran to a small, clip-on holster. The LCP is a tiny little thing with almost no weight, even when loaded. Given I normally wear a “gun belt” (some version of an 1 1/2 very stiff belt) at all times, a clip-on holster seemed like a viable option. Easier to put on and take off than a holster with belt loops and more comfortable than a pancake holster, I figured this would be the way to go.
Except this sort of holster is hard to find–or at least, it’s hard to find one that is well done. The first one I picked up, from Tagua Gunleather, had a glaring fault that earned it a return trip to Amazon in a hurry. More research turned up nothing from any of the major vendors that looked any better. For some reason, holster makers seem to think a small pistol merits a small holster. Hey, holster designers–not when it makes it difficult to get to my gat, you morons!
Then the light dawned. MTR Custom Leather. Facepalm time–what had I been thinking? I’ve got how many of their holsters? Why hadn’t I gotten in touch with Matt Rector, especially considering his company is local?
So a quick trip to MTR’s website and we have this: the MTR Custom Leather Small Clip-On Holster for .380 amd Small 9mm. Here we see it in action:
Look closely and you’ll note there is some room between the holster and the grip of the pistol. While it’s still less than I would like, it’s far more than any other holster I’ve seen, and it’s enough for me to get something approximating a firing grip on the gun during my draw stroke. It does help that I have small hands for a guy.
I do have one complaint about the holster, and that is the clip. It seems to be sized for a 1 3/4 inch belt rather than a 1 1/2. This means that there is a 1/4 inch lift during the draw stroke. I don’t like it, but I guess it’s something that I can deal with. I usually see them at the local gun shows, and I’ll make it a point to mention the need for some choice in that clip.
I do like the fact that it is not totally closed at the bottom, which will allow any crud an escape path. It is, however, long enough that it covers the muzzle of the gun, which protects the furniture. Having gouged one of the dining room chairs with the muzzle of a Charter Arms J frame (carried in a holster which did not cover the muzzle) and endured the displeasure of Mrs. Freeholder for said gouging, this is a nice plus.
For now, this is my solution for carrying the LCP.
I like wilderness tactical belts (with the 5-stitch option) as they're smaller and I like the infinite flexibility of not having prepunched holes. However, it's not dressy at all, which may be an issue depending on what you're looking for. Daltech Force have a wide variety of gun belts.
I prefer the polymer ring frequent flyer belts. I tried the Original Instructor belt, but it wasn't for me.