Put your EDC set-up through its paces
Just got my Glock 43x back — slide milled and new Holosun 507K mounted. AND, a new holster. Why? My EDC set up was a failure. I needed to fix it.
I instruct, train and compete exclusively with a Glock 19 Gen 5 with a Holosun optic. AIWB for training and EDC. Comp rig for matches. OWB for work. But the reality is, for EDC I don’t love carrying the G19.
One gun for all situations? My preference is to use one gun for EDC, competition, training and instructing. But it wasn’t working. Comfort is a thing and often I’d wear my G43x because it’s smaller and lighter. But I don’t train or practice with it. Hadn’t added an optic, and I never dry fire with it.
One belt for all situations? The thicker, stiffer belt I use for training is fine with my tactical pants, which ride higher. I have a thinner, more flexible gun belt for EDC, but no matter how tightly I cinch the belt, carrying was uncomfortable with lower riding jeans.
One holster for all situations? My low profile Kydex AIWB holster is a terrific holster, secure, discreet, precision fit. Great for training and practice. But I hate the clips. I dread putting it on and taking it off.
Crossbreed AIWB holster for Glock 43x. I can wear this for 10 hours comfortably. And I've done rock scrambles and challenging hikes with it. I do need to wear blousier tops so that there's no printing.
When I take into consideration the size of the gun, the belt and the holster, my set up just wasn’t working for me. The answer — right now at least:
Add optic to G43x. I already know I’ll carry it more reliably so I needed to add red dot since that’s all I shoot. It doesn’t make sense to carry what I don’t train.
More comfortable holster. Went with Crossbreed because of the leather backer and wider spaced clips. This spreads the weight of gun.
Dry fire. Put in reps with new set up. Identify and correct any issues on draw, grip and indexing.
Practice. Take it out to zero and live fire, looking specifically to assess impact on grip pressure, shooting strings and distance.
Always be testing and improving. Put your gun and gear through the paces. Question your choices. Evaluate with a critical eye. Be willing to try different things.
There really isn’t one optimal gun belt, holster and pistol for every situation. What works for me won’t work for everyone. And it’s very much a trial and error process. There are drawbacks, of course, with carrying a smaller gun, but if it means I take my gun with me every time I leave the house, it’s a win.
Now the G43x is set up, cleaned, oiled and ready to go!