IWB Magazine Holsters

[Dave2]

I'm looking for a kydex/leather IWB magazine holster. I already searched the forums (though perhaps not well enough), but couldn't find much. I'm looking for something similar to the Crossbreed IWB Mag Carrier, but made for riding a bit deeper, and with a lower price tag.


(Click to Enbiggen)

I prefer the feel of leather to kydex, thus I want a leather back. Admittedly, this will be the first requirement to go if I decide to broaden my horizons, but I couldn't find an all kydex holster I liked, either. I've tried an all-leather one, but as soon as I pull the magazine out, it collapses, hence my desire for a kydex shell. I want something with a body shield because I figure that if my waterproof gun needs one, my non-waterproof ammo needs one even more. Also I think they're more comfortable. Oh, and I'd like to avoid being impaled by my magazines whenever I lean over, so being able to adjust the holster so that it rides lower is good (but if it fits right in the first place, it doesn't really matter).

Anyway, does anybody have any other ideas or suggestions?

[jamisjockey]

It was suggested to me that stuffing all that stuff in one's pants gets uncomfortable, quickly. I went for a high ride owb snap on mag pouch for my 1911.

[cbunt1]

I've wondered myself...

I bought one of Galco's IWB mag pouches...but it only holds one. Oh, and it feels like a knife poking me in the side.

I seriously wondered about one of the dual-mag carriers IWB, something with as much "attention" as the holster. I seem to remember another holster maker or two doing units similar to the CrossBreed, but haven't had my hands on one.

Would love to try it...but my Galco IWB pouch...well, it does a wonderful job of taking space in my truck's console...

[Dave2]

It was suggested to me that stuffing all that stuff in one's pants gets uncomfortable, quickly. I went for a high ride owb snap on mag pouch for my 1911.

I'm willing to try it as long as the store has a reasonable return policy, but I'm pretty sure OWB won't work for me. <shrug> I've gotta swing by the Bullet Trap today anyway to return Galco IWB mag holster I bought earlier this week, so I'll see what they've got.

[mrvmax]

I have a single IWB mag holster but I never use it. I would need pants three sizes larger in order to use that along with an IWB holster. Now, if you had an OWB gun holster and IWB mag it might work.

[Dave2]

I've wondered myself...

I bought one of Galco's IWB mag pouches...but it only holds one. Oh, and it feels like a knife poking me in the side.

I seriously wondered about one of the dual-mag carriers IWB, something with as much "attention" as the holster. I seem to remember another holster maker or two doing units similar to the CrossBreed, but haven't had my hands on one.

Would love to try it...but my Galco IWB pouch...well, it does a wonderful job of taking space in my truck's console...

That's the one I tried... Other than collapsing when there's not a magazine inserted, it's too narrow, so it tries to roll whenever my pants shift a bit. Which is one more thing I like about the Crossbreed design — it's wide enough to be stable.

Comp-Tac does make an IWB magazine pouch, but it looks like it'd have the same problem with collapsing that the Galco one sitting on my desk has:


Raven Concealment makes a double mag pouch, and their stuff can be either OWB or IWB, but it lacks any form of body shield:

[Dave2]

I have a single IWB mag holster but I never use it. I would need pants three sizes larger in order to use that along with an IWB holster. Now, if you had an OWB gun holster and IWB mag it might work.

I've already got pants that are too big. Speaking of which, though, perhaps I should investigate pants with extra pockets... Hmm...

[cbunt1]

I have a single IWB mag holster but I never use it. I would need pants three sizes larger in order to use that along with an IWB holster. Now, if you had an OWB gun holster and IWB mag it might work.

I've already got pants that are too big. Speaking of which, though, perhaps I should investigate pants with extra pockets... Hmm...

One thing I have done on numerous occasions is to use a standard Galco double mag carrier, and slip it in my back pocket. Keeps the mags in proper position and keeps 'em from falling out of my pocket. Not the best access, by any stretch of the imagination, but once we're talking about concealing mags, IWB and tuckables, we're talking pretty deep concealment anyway.

[Dave2]

I have a single IWB mag holster but I never use it. I would need pants three sizes larger in order to use that along with an IWB holster. Now, if you had an OWB gun holster and IWB mag it might work.

I've already got pants that are too big. Speaking of which, though, perhaps I should investigate pants with extra pockets... Hmm...

One thing I have done on numerous occasions is to use a standard Galco double mag carrier, and slip it in my back pocket. Keeps the mags in proper position and keeps 'em from falling out of my pocket. Not the best access, by any stretch of the imagination, but once we're talking about concealing mags, IWB and tuckables, we're talking pretty deep concealment anyway.

I've done that too (minus the holster) for the past few days. My wallet keeps it upright (most of the time), and my shirt hangs down low enough to cover the height difference between my wallet and spare mag. I don't really view it as a viable long-term solution, though. Too many hard chairs in my life, and too many counters & tables that are at just the right height for me to kinda sit on the corner of, and over time (or maybe not... I'm pretty heavy at the moment) that would probably dent the and bend the mags.

[cbunt1]

I've done that too (minus the holster) for the past few days. My wallet keeps it upright (most of the time), and my shirt hangs down low enough to cover the height difference between my wallet and spare mag. I don't really view it as a viable long-term solution, though. Too many hard chairs in my life, and too many counters & tables that are at just the right height for me to kinda sit on the corner of, and over time (or maybe not... I'm pretty heavy at the moment) that would probably dent the and bend the mags.

I suppose I should mention that I'm talking in terms of single-stack mags (1911). Admittedly it makes a huge difference if we're talking about a double-stack. The mag carrier does tend to cushion things enough (for me, anyway) to make it a LOT more comfortable...about like my billfold in the other pocket.

I just wish more of the major holster makers would spend as much time and energy on developing/working with the "perfect" concealed mag carrier as they do with the holsters...

200 IWB holsters on the market, similar enough to be categorized, different enough to be legitimately different.

Spare mag carriers (well, really spare ammo period) doesn't get nearly the attention.

[Dave2]

I just wish more of the major holster makers would spend as much time and energy on developing/working with the "perfect" concealed mag carrier as they do with the holsters...

200 IWB holsters on the market, similar enough to be categorized, different enough to be legitimately different.

Spare mag carriers (well, really spare ammo period) doesn't get nearly the attention.

Yeah, that certainly seems to be the case.

I keep coming up with things that I want, but available products that I can find just aren't quite what I'm looking for, or they're priced a bit too high, or (more often) both, and I start thinking that I should just make one myself. Maybe this will be the time I actually do it. The wife of one of my best friends likes to repair clothes, maybe she's got a leather needle for her sewing machine. Hmm... I'll have to research how hard it is to do leatherwork. I've watched the youtube videos about working with kydex, so I at least kinda sorta have a clue as to what I'm getting into there. But until last september when a coworker was making a halloween costume, I don't think I'd ever even seen a piece of unfinished leather, let alone worked with some.

Or maybe I'll decide that I don't have time to start yet another project, and get the Crossbreed one (even though I think it costs a bit much). So far it's the closest to what I'm looking for.

[Jumping Frog]

I've tried an all-leather one, but as soon as I pull the magazine out, it collapses, hence my desire for a kydex shell.

I spent 90 minutes last night searching for IWB magazine pouches on the internet and was seriously considered the Comp-Tac version (except I wanted a double mag pouch). Glad I read your message because I hadn't thought about the magazine pouch collapsing. When I first started carrying, I had a cheap Desantis IWB holster that did that and I quickly learned it was a problem.

Of course, if I am in a gunfight and need to reload, the old magazine doesn't have to go back into the magazine holster. If it is empty, it goes on the ground. If it is a tactical reload, the partially full magazine could go into my pocket.

I am still fussing on this and haven't made a choice. Until then, I can still use my ordinary OWB magazine pouch.

[Dave2]

I've tried an all-leather one, but as soon as I pull the magazine out, it collapses, hence my desire for a kydex shell.

I spent 90 minutes last night searching for IWB magazine pouches on the internet and was seriously considered the Comp-Tac version (except I wanted a double mag pouch). Glad I read your message because I hadn't thought about the magazine pouch collapsing. When I first started carrying, I had a cheap Desantis IWB holster that did that and I quickly learned it was a problem.

Of course, if I am in a gunfight and need to reload, the old magazine doesn't have to go back into the magazine holster. If it is empty, it goes on the ground. If it is a tactical reload, the partially full magazine could go into my pocket.

I am still fussing on this and haven't made a choice. Until then, I can still use my ordinary OWB magazine pouch.

Yeah, if the Comp-Tac pouch was constructed like the MTAC holster, I would've ordered one a long time ago. In fact, I've been so happy with my MTAC that I was going to just order one of those mag pouches, but I decided to do a quick search for reviews. In the first one I found, the reviewer said that it tended to collapse. That's what got me in this whole mess of trying to find the "perfect" IWB kydex-shelled mag pouch.

I'm not so much worried about what to do with magazines during a gunfight, but I don't holster my gun until the holster is already in place and my belt is already buckled. I don't mind the extra weight while I'm walking around (it's kinda comfy, actually), but if it's there while I'm getting dressed, it gets in the way. I'm assuming it'll be the same way with the spare magazines, so I'm looking for something that won't collapse.

[KFP]

I've tried an all-leather one, but as soon as I pull the magazine out, it collapses, hence my desire for a kydex shell.

...if I am in a gunfight and need to reload, the old magazine doesn't have to go back into the magazine holster. If it is empty, it goes on the ground. If it is a tactical reload, the partially full magazine could go into my pocket.

I am still fussing on this and haven't made a choice. Until then, I can still use my ordinary OWB magazine pouch.

I have the Galco IWB and it is horribly uncomfortable with a double stack Glock mag. I'm just about to order the Comp-Tac IWB for carry, but with a single stack 1911 mag. I think the slimmer profile will be fine in terms of comfort, but will be buying one of their standard mag pouches as well, primarily for range/matches.

[C-dub]

Of course, if I am in a gunfight and need to reload, the old magazine doesn't have to go back into the magazine holster. If it is empty, it goes on the ground. If it is a tactical reload, the partially full magazine could go into my pocket.

Interesting point. I have also wondered about an IWB double mag carrier. However, as MrVMax points out, we would need pants another size larger to accommodate for these too. So far, I have not had to purchase larger pants to carry IWB. Over the last several years I have lost enough weight that I can do this with those larger pants. I do have some new ones that I cannot carry IWB with, but those are mainly for work where I can't carry anyway.

Now, with Jumping Frog's observation, I might rethink carrying IWB mag holders with a little thinner leather. Since they would be IWB they wouldn't have to be as rigid to keep them in place. The belt and pants would do most of that.