Crossbreed Holsters — The very best IWB holster made!

Springfield 1911 in a CrossBreed Super Tuck holster

     As many of you know from previous post I take my gun leather very seriously. When it comes to good leather and spending a good bit of money I’ll spend the money. The price of not investing in a quality holster can have disastrous consequences. This is one holster that doesn’t require an expensive investment yet you get the best IWB holster made! Make no mistake even the owner of Crossbreed holsters Mark Craighead says they are ugly:-) In this case beauty is in function. This holster is the most comfortable and functional IWB holster I’ve ever used and so much so it’s amazing.

Belt clips

    I’ve used this holster everyday for several weeks now and I have no complaints whatsoever as far as fit, function, comfort and the ability to hide a full size 1911 under a regular polo shirt. I believe the reason it works so well is the width of the leather backing that holds the kydex holster. It seems to distribute the weight over a greater area instead of holding all the weight in a 4 inch or so area. The Kydex holster is fairly thin but still stiff enough to hold the pistol securely and allow for easy re-holstering. You have a choice of belt clips. The standard ones are in the photo above and work just fine. You can also order the type that hook to your belt if you prefer. Most of the time I’ve used the clips that hold firmly on the belt but with the width of this holster the amount of area allows these types of clips to hold the whole rig very securely. They can also be adjusted for height and cant if you prefer.

    As you can see from the picture above the base of the holster flares at the base which makes it much easier and faster to draw you pistol. It also has an area behind the top of pistol that protects you skin from any abrasion which could be caused by the pistols hammer or sights. The following pictures show the holster on my right side with my shirt tucked in. As you can see or rather not see it conceals very well.

     From these pictures you have to be impressed with how well this holster conceals and this is with a full size 1911! Another feature I need to cover is not only is this holster comfortable even wearing it all day you really don’t even notice it’s there because of the way the design distributes weight.

   
    Any of the holsters Mark makes are available in cowhide or horsehide as well as tan or black in color. He also makes several other models to suit your needs. This will be my permanent choice in an IWB holster for all my CCW guns. Crossbreed Holsters can be ordered by contacting them at www.crossbreedholsters.com or by phone at 888-732-5011. The prices are great and you certainly won’t be sorry relying on this holster or any of the other IWB types.

Walther PPS

Walther PPS “Police Pistol Slim”

  
   This little Walther is aptly named it is very slim indeed. Honestly when I saw it in the case I thought ok another plastic gun until I picked it up. I was amazed that a pistol this slim and overall as small as most 380 pistols could have such an ergonomic and pleasant feeling grip! It’s also a natural pointer. As with many pistols these days it has an extra interchangeable grip back to enlarge the grip surface. It also comes with a mag release that is ambidextrous and is much like the Walther P99. You depress either side on the triggerguard and the mag drops free even with an empty mag. A red button is also visible at the rear of the slide that shows when the striker is cocked. It comes with one seven round mag with the option of buying a 6 round or 8 round mag. The PPS also come in 9mm or 40S&W caliber. As far as dimensions the widest part of the pistol is where the slide meets the frame and that would be 1.02 inches while the top of the slide measures .94 inches. It’s certainly small enough to fit into a front jean pocket but a holster is recommended because of the trigger configuration which looks like a Glock. Speaking of triggers the safety is a center piece that must be depressed to release the trigger and fire the pistol therefore the need for a holster that covers the trigger. A good holster for this pistol is made by High Noon Holsters .

Cocked Indicator

   The only down side is the cost of the magazines. After checking several places the least expensive was $46.95 for a seven round mag. On the upside if you purchase one of these fine little pistols before the rebate offer expires you go to the S&W website and print and mail in a coupon and receive a free seven round mag. The promotion ends at the end of May so you don’t have much time left.;
Comparison between a full size 1911 and the Walther PPS

    I took the Walther out to the range and shot 200 rounds of various ammo types and brands. There were no malfunctions of any type. I was also very surprised at the lack of recoil. I figured with such a lightweight gun it would have pretty sharp recoil but that was not the case at all. In fact it was very easy to get back on target for a second shot. The design of the recoil system has to be the answer. The guiderod has a captured dual spring system which I credit with the ability to control this pistol so well. The pictures below show what type of grouping is possible and I was firing pretty fast in the first two groups.
   The trigger pull on this pistol is also surprising in that the trigger pull is only about 3.75 pounds and is as crisp as some match pistols I’ve shot. How Walther pulled this off I have no idea but it’s the best trigger of any polymer pistol available! Takeup is also short before the break.

Group fired at seven yards on a 5 inch target

Ten yard target with second magazine again a five inch target

Third magazine fired at fifteen yards slower fire on the same five inch target

     I was very pleased with the performance of this pistol and would highly recommend it for anyone who needs a CCW pistol that delivers an effective round with the ability to deliver a fast followup shot. In fact it would be a tossup between a S&W snubbie and this Walther for a duty backup gun or a summertime carry piece.
    While I’m at it the method of takedown for cleaning is very simple and mimics a Glock. You pull down on the two pieces above the triggerguard after locking the slide back then simply pull the slide off the frame. That’s all there is to it.

    Is it an aesthtically pleasing pistol no but what polymer pistol is. What it is is a fantastically reliable pistol that does everything asked of it with excellent features and function. I really am impressed with this pistol.