Does anyone carry "crossdraw" style?

Maybe I am wrong, . . . but I for one am constantly reviewing my CCW from ammo, to carry mode, to firearm.

I tried crossdraw for a while: it is great if you are driving a lot, especially with a paddle if you have to take it off, put it on, because of the buildings you enter.

I do not like the fact that it is pointed the wrong way and has to be turned a full 180 degrees before it can be used.

I do like the ability to get to it with either hand easily.

Once I got a really GOOD holster for my 1911 (full size steel w/9 rds loaded) and hung it off a really GOOD belt, . . . I dropped the crossdraw in favor of a 3:30 carry in a tuckable holster similar to a Sparks VM2.

Crossdraw lost its charm other than the ambidextrous ability to get the gun.

My decision was based on the ability to present rounds down range much quicker with the 3:30 than the crossdraw, . . . and for me, that is THE critical element of CCW. For some the difference is not much, . . . I'm a long armed, long waisted old Navy cuss who is used to wearing a tool pouch at 3:30, . . . a knife and marlin spike, . . . my .44 mag for deer hunting, . . . so my CCW has pretty much landed there.

I still use my shoulder rigs for certain applications, but have pretty much burned the bridge to cross draw.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
"It is slower than strong side."

Maybe. Maybe for some it is not. Body type plays a role.
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I have this really small holster tilting at about a 45* angle, with a snap holding it. The way I set it up. I can pull up my shirt draw (SP101 3") in a split second.

I guess I'll have to You-tube me doing that, if I ever find that holster.
 
When the "plain sight" law was still in effect in Ohio for car carry, I used the cross-draw position with the "Ohio tuck", (shirt/jacket tucked behind the gun).

But, since that law was changed, I now carry on the right hip, leaving the left side/arm free to fend off a predator and aid in gun retention while drawing.
 
When on the hip, it's the only way for my "Ying & Yang",aka "Karma"...
Who mentioned M. Ayoob?:)
ConcealedColt003-1.jpg
 
I tried crossdraw with a fobus roto paddle, back when i had a glock 17(sold it due to personal reasons.) It seemed awesome.... when standing up. When i sat down, either in a car or a chair at a house, the paddle would protrude down so far that it would push into my leg. I was carrying it around 11:00-11"30.

The only reason i tried it, was i was going to a family gathering, and wanted to shoot both my pistols, my g17 and my m15-3 .38. So i put the bianchi blackwidow on the 3.00 strongside for the m15, and put the fobus on the crossdraw. Walked around a few stores that way before the party and concealed both guns nicely, but sitting was uncomfortable with the paddle of the fobus.

Now that i have a SA MIL SPEC 5" .45 i may trie it again. Tho before purchasing another holster, i need to get several things for the gun first lol
Like a matchgrade stainless bushing, Heini straight eight night sights,(expensive buggers), different grips: either crimson trace or some fancy wood or stag, beaver tail, different hammer and trigger groups, and top it all off with a refinish to something better then the parkerising that came with it.
 
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Is there a rawhide tiedown used with that rig, or being the 21st century, maybe a "Zip-tie"
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Actually on a couple yeah. The leather tiedowns that is. Where I can carry openly I prefer a rig that places the piece in a position that's handy. CCW is another thing.

I mentioned M. Ayoobs objections to cross because they are based on the experiences of uniformed police and because , like the other objections I mentioned, they are repeated often without a lot of thought behind them. But I'm neither a police or uniformed and crossdraw works for ccw. Not for everyone, not for all guns, not for all situations IMHO. Because nothing works for everyone with all guns in all situations.

Crossdraw works for me with smaller pistols and wheelguns.

tipoc
 
Well, I just tried it, on my late night dog walk, with my Seecamp LWS 32 in a Galco Deep Cover (not the UDC). This is a tuck in your shirt-tail holster; I wore it at 10:30. Tried it a couple of times first (unloaded!) Very comfortable!
Makes pulling your shirttail out to access, with the weak hand, MUCH easier and smoother. This holster is pretty much straight up, no cant, which works well for crossdraw. The draw seemed very natural. I have a bit of tendonitis in my right shoulder and the elbow high thing is sometimes difficult.
I can see I'll need to practice muzzle down, to sweep low, then come straight up, but I think I will try this awhile.
 
I like to carry cross draw for many pistols. Since it is a good way to carry while standing, sitting, and driving/riding, for comfort and utility. I am pretty sure it is no coincidence that cavalrymen would carry this way as well.

I understand the sweeping problem and the problem of retention in some cases. Personally I carry a Kershaw Leek clipped to my right side pocket, with the clip reversed. This allows me to trap a persons hand that is trying to grab the pistol. Once the hand is trapped it isn't too hard to use my razor sharp knife to sever several tendons in their hand in a single stroke. IMO the retention problem is solved for myself.

If you have no plans for weapon retention... get a few. It also helps to know weapon disarms as well, if for nothing more than to have ways in mind to prevent yourself from being disarmed.

A method of carry that I don't care for is MOB carry. It has far too many drawbacks and the sweeping issue is real "personal". The fact that it is a complicated draw causes me to avoid it all together.
 
crossdraw

Thoughts on "flagging", weapon retention, and turning the pistol to aim at the target:

On flagging: some posters asked why shoulder rigs are allowed, if crossdraw rigs are disallowed for "flagging." When I was attached to a JSOTF, the CG banned horizontal shoulder rigs for that reason. Vertical rigs were allowed. Go figure.

On retention: when a threat is identified, shift your feet so your holster side foot is forward, and adjust your hips into a Weaver stance or slightly past. This turns the gun butt away from the threat. Additionally -

On turning the pistol: by using the above stance, you now have the weapon almost pointed at the target as it clears leather.

Some people will point out that reaching across the body for the draw might allow an assailant a window of opportunity to grab and immobilize the wrist of the gun hand. This is where martial arts training comes into play - and I know I've taken heat for advocating MA training - but there are drills for drawing blades in some of the Japanese styles, while being grabbed, that work equally well for firearm draws. Trick is to fight not at the wrist (point of contact) but to move feet and hips. It works really well, but requires enough practice that movement is instinctive.

Thought doesn't work well in adrenalized moments. Training does.
 
On shifting feet

With regard to my previous post...

This will be obvious to many here, so my apologies. But the feet can be shifted as I was describing in two primary ways.

Close distance by advancing the holster side foot, or

Open distance by retreating the gunhand side foot.

Of course, one could also do a two-foot shuffle, if one is comfortable with MA style foot movements (boxers, kickboxers, and grapplers will all have some degree of familiarity with this).

The holster side hand can be used for fending / pushing / striking / grabbing etc. (Just don't shoot yourself in that hand, once your weapon is in play...)

Sometimes closing the distance could be the better option. The scene in COLLATERAL where Tom Cruise's character engages the three gang-bangers is a good visual example, and looked a lot like an unarmed or sword entry from aikido and / or iaido. Same principle, IE disrupt the other person's mind while attacking.

Also, it's hard to move backward as fast as the attacker can move forward, unless one practices moving backwards. Most of us will take mincing, half-steps when backing up. It takes some practice to reliably take full length steps in reverse. It also helps if one knows there are no trip hazards at 6 O'Clock....
 
I like crossdraw and it works well for me. Sweep isn't a problem in my eyes because I don't plan on shooting behind me, and I shoot with my left leg forward anyways which already reduces the swing to 90 degrees instead of 180.
 
I shoot with my left leg forward anyways which already reduces the swing to 90 degrees instead of 180.
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If you have a non-canted holster you can eliminate sweep completely by practicing a downward point wrist flip when drawing the weapon.

Simply draw the weapon up from the holster, then with the barrel pointed downward flip your wrist so that the top strap of the gun is facing the target, and then rotate the barrel straight up. :)
 
"It is slower than strong side."
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Not while sitting. I know of no better concealment holster for drawing while sitting than a crossdraw or shoulder holster.


Any objection folks can raise to crossdraw stands the same for a crossdraw shoulder rig but you usually don't hear the same hesitations coming from folks about shoulder rigs that you do about crossdraw hip carry.
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Shoulder holsters are crossdraw holsters. The only difference is the gun is carried higher.
 
I carry only crossdraw or in a pocket. My Kahr PM9 rides crossdraw in a Galco paddle holster. I'm eagerly awaiting delivery of a Rafter S Gunleather holster so I can carry my Taurus 617, also crossdraw.

I started CD because I used to drive a lot and didn't like trying to access my gun from a strongside holster or from my glovebox. I wouldn't carry any other way now, I just find that all the practice I've done makes getting the gun into action faster from crossdraw than strong side.

You can be fast with almost any setup as long as you practice. I'm slowly developing speed with my PM9 from a Nemesis pocket holster. Practice, practice, practice ....
 
I just ordered two of the holsters PBP is using in the picture, one for my Sig 232 and another for my Kahr. As I have a cranky shoulder this may be a good option for me...
 
crossdraw grab

It seems to me it would be more difficult for someone to grab a firearm from a cross draw position (in front of you).In strongside position, they could more stealthily (sp) come up behind and attempt a grab.
 
I have a kind of cross draw holster I carry when I am going on long drives. It is a Galco holster meant for Police to be worn on stake outs. It is marked "to be worn while seated only" and has no security devices at all. For long drives it is awesome!
 
I carried my issue SIG P229 cross draw for quite a while on duty (plain clothes). I had a shoulder injury at the time which made the behind the hip reach incredibly painful. I adjusted the tilt on my Serpa holster and toted my duty gun (which I affectionately call "The Boat Anchor") cross draw. Earlier, and still sometimes, I use a black Galco "Miami Classic" shoulder rig as well. Like someone else pointed out, shoulder rigs are cross-draw, just worn higher. As many have noted, it's MUCH easier to get to while seated/driving. I'm a left handed shooter so reaching for my gun behind the hip while seated in a car usually means my left elbow slams into the driver-side door (whoever named it the "funny bone" had a sick sense o'humor!). I found I had to use the belt slots for cross-draw, though, as the paddle digs into the crease of my leg when sitting/squatting/running up stairs/kicking ...

I teach weapon retention and have always heard how easily cross draw guns are snatched. Seemed to me that having it 'round front afforded me a better defensive opportunity than way back 'round my hip. I had some of my folks at the dojo where I teach jujutsu try to take a red gun from me, worn cross draw. Seems it is more easily defended. There are a ton of retention techniques, but All weapon retention moves must be practiced to the point of being automatic. If you carry a gun (and I think most folks should) it is, IMHO, verging on negligence to not have at least one or two retention techniques you practice to the point of automated response.

Sorry, wondered a wee bit off topic, I guess. Anyway, I am a big fan of cross-draw. Can't for the life of me remember why I now have my weapon back on my left hip just behind mid-line. Hmm ... where's that screwdriver?
 
CrossDraw in Cold Weather

Simple topic, but a good one. I've been CCW for about 2 years now, and have moved my carry gun all over looking for the answer. It only took about a week to discover the many disadvantages of small of the back.

I currently carry a Beretta Cougar 9mm compact in waistband, crossdraw. I'm lefthanded, so carry at about 2:00. Winters in my area are cold, so you end up wearing thicker outer layers a good part of the year. I found it real hard and real slow to unzip then lift the coat for strong side draw, and a good coat can't be lifted at all without unzipping. Rather crossdraw gives you access with a partial unzip of the coat, reaching in from the front, and the safety is off before it ever comes into view. This is the only answer i've come up with for these cold-weather days.

It also seems to print less in all clothing. Plus it's comfortable and allows good range of motion and works fine in warm weather with the draped shirt for cover. I agree too, that retention is probably better since the threat has to come from within your direct or peripheral view since the butt is riding backwards.

Also true - I've dropped about 20 pounds since last summer and CCW is simply more comfortable since then, period. Lose the guts, guys!
 
Having tried every type of carry over the years I am now 100% crossdraw. I spend most of my day driving limousines in a large city (with some bad real estate) and getting in and out of the vehicle many times. Crossdraw is the most comfortable method for what I do. I think the claims of not being able to retain the gun are just people repeating what they read or heard somewhere. I don't see how anyone could grab my gun unless they're in front of me where I can see them.
 
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