Concealed Carry Corner: The Perks of Strong Side Carry

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we took a look at how important the act of avoidance is when carrying a concealed handgun. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, the excitement of appendix carrying has slowed down and more people are going back to strong side carry, where they put their firearm on their hip instead of in the front of their body. There are a few benefits to the strong side as well as a comfort factor that shouldn't be ignored. I’ve tried both styles and personally, I prefer strong side carry over appendix carry for a few different reasons. Let's take a closer look at the perks of strong side carry.

Comfort

When it comes to the benefits of strong side carry, the biggest benefit is overall comfort when sitting down or driving in your vehicle. Appendix carrying often times will dig into your gut over time, creating uncomfortable hot spots if you sit down for long enough. Strong side carrying doesn't interfere with sitting and over a long period of time, when traveling. With a bit of practice, it's more than possible to draw from concealment in a vehicle from your hip, as it would be if you had an appendix holster on.

I have found it to be easier carrying strong side rather than appendix if you are doing yardwork or carrying things a fair amount. Moving around in the front of your body, it's very possible to bump your carry gun with an appendix holster, which is my biggest frustration with appendix carry. If you are really skinny, it may sit flatter and you won't have this problem, but it's still something to consider when looking at holster styles. In general, when it comes to being comfortable carrying all day long, strong side carrying is known to be more comfortable for long periods of time.

Drawing in Tight Spaces

One of the biggest problems with appendix carry is that if someone gets your back against a wall or the attacker closes the distance between you and them, there may be absolutely no way to draw from concealment when your back is against a wall. People often rotate their arms, but it's very obvious when you're drawing from concealment like that, strong side gives you a bit more concealment from an attacker, especially if you turn your hips where it looks like you may be going for your wallet instead of your firearm.

This position will give you a tad bit more space where your left arm can push the attacker away enough to draw your pistol and either fire from the extended position or from retention if they are still very close. With strong side carry, it's very possible with one hand, but the appendix typically requires two hands in order to draw the fastest way possible. When you're pushed into a corner and need to have a quick draw in order to surprise your attacker, having the ability to draw quickly one-handed starts to make sense. If you're out in the open, appendix can sometimes be the fastest method, but if you find yourself in enclosed spaces, it's certainly not ideal.

Benefit For Bigger Guys 

Appendix holsters can start to become difficult if you have a bit of a gut. This applies to comfort as well as concealability. Having a bit of extra weight around your waist can end up pushing your handgun further outward, creating more printing and hot spots on your stomach whenever you sit down. Depending on holster configuration, you may get a small hot spot, but having the gun up front rubbing against your stomach gets old really fast. I have a few handguns that are set up with appendix holsters and even after losing the majority of my stomach, it's still rather uncomfortable when walking around or driving in the car.

Some people can tuck their shirt and seatbelt behind the holster, but most big guys will have more luck if they try to carry strong side on their hip. I'm sure there will be some people critical in the comment section about how people need to be in better shape and that is certainly a part of the picture. The reality of all this is the fact that people are all built differently. You'll have older people who are heavier, along with younger guys who are trying to lose weight but may not be there right away. That doesn't mean they can't have a handgun to protect themselves, but it does mean there are holster styles that will fit their body type better than other options on the market today.

Overall Thoughts

When the appendix holster really became hot on the market about fifteen years ago, people claimed it was the best holster style to ever hit the market. Reality is slightly different and while I agree appendix carry can be fantastic for some, it's certainly not the best route to go for a number of reasons and personally, I think strong side carry has a number of benefits over appendix. This seems to be true for other people in the community since there tends to be a resurgence in people carrying strong side and there are a number of reasons for that.

What is your favorite type of holster when it comes to concealed carry? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below. If you have questions on carrying concealed or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.

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