As many of you know the H&K VP9 has quickly risen to become one of my favorite pistols. In fact it replaced my long standing G19 in the carry rotation several weeks ago. One I determined my VP9 was to the task of being a reliable EDC (Every Day Carry) the hunt for a solid Appendix Inside the Waist Band (AIWB) holster became my top priority.
Enter CTT Custom . The folks down at Chi-Town Tactical have a custom shop that provide different services, from Duracoating to custom holsters and being a somewhat local Midwest company, especially one behind enemy lines fighting for RKBA issues in one of the most liberal areas in the country, I decided to reach out to them.
Jason is one of the holster gurus at the CTT Custom shop and I worked with him to tweak an already solid holster design. While I like a holster with positive passive retention, I don’t want to struggle with my handgun when I draw it. I’ve found in other holsters where I had opted for adjustable retention, once I get it set, I never mess with it again… unless it loosens up. CTT was able to put into form what I described when I asked for just enough passive retention that it won’t fall out when held upside down but not so much I’m yanking on it to get it out.
Getting a solid, full firing grip on your handgun is crucial to landing solid hits and having rapid followup shots, the main thing I worked with Jason with was getting the rapid on/off belt clip exactly where I wanted it. I spend a lot of time in my Jeep and having an open but tapered bottom was very important to me as well.
Since the VP9 was a change over in platforms for me, I put many more dry presentations into this holster than I normally would when I change holsters. I wasn’t counting but if I had to guesstimate, I’d say I’ve put thousands of dry practice draws though this holster. It’s still running like a champ.
The current turn around time at CTT is about 2-3 weeks and at a time when VP9 holsters are in short supply, getting a custom holster in under a month is unheard of right now. Right now the CTT Custom holsters are available exclusively at Chi-Town Tactical for a variety of handguns including the G17 and G19. If you’d like one exactly like mine ask for the 13C variant.
Some other considerations when ordering a custom holster include asking for things like a full open bottom to accommodate a threaded barrel, a higher channel for suppressor height sights and a higher or lower sweat guard.
In my YouTube review I cover some more of these thoughts on holster selection and additional considerations when carrying AIWB –
Joe
As an Oath Keeper Joe is known for his staunch, unwavering defense of Liberty and the Constitution. His background in medicine, from the streets as a FF/EMT to a level 1 trauma team, bring a unique perspective to TBS team. As a life long firearms enthusiast you may also recognize him from his work with MAC and as founder of 13C Gun Reviews.
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