AIWB for Roland Special on a short guy?

Clay1

Regular Member
I have a drawer full of holsters like many of you. I hate just donating money to the kydex folders for no good reason.

I'm 5'7", 180 on my way to 170 ;) and would like to carry a Roland Special AIWB, but the reality is I just started to carry my normal carry gun a G19 this way after years of trying. Recently lost some weight and moving in the right direction.

Bluntly, I'm short and don't have the same real estate from the waist down to sit with a longer gun. My 19.5 RS is now almost complete. Zev slide (Citadel - NO Widows), threaded barrel and V2 comp, Ameriglo basic suppressor height sights, not sure if I'm going to change out the trigger or not. My G34s I play with gamer triggers but my carry guns, I tend to shoot them stock. RM06 T2 adj 3.25 rides on the top and I have a surefire X300 light.

I tried once before with a Bravo Concealment AIWB holster for the light with a std G19 and it was so uncomfortable that I sent it back for a strong side holster with the light. Maybe it was the holster, most likely it's me.

Anyone else, slightly over weight and short get away with a Spotlight with their Roland Special? A Tier 1 Axis Elite? A shove in the right direction would be grand or I can just use one of the G34 holsters that I own and carry it strong side in the winter months and loose the comp and light for Appendix carry in the summer.
 
I am 5'7", 164lbs and I can't do it. I can manage the 19 with a single port comp but not the X300... It's just too wide. My compromise was to use a TLR7 with the new Tenicor Sagax Lux which works great but is the maximum size I could comfortably wear and still retain a full range of motion when bending and squatting.
 

tylerw02

Regular Member
Man the summer is when most people are out later and interacting in public more. Crime is higher in the summer. Statistically, you’re more likely to need a gun (and a light) in the summer.

As far as helping you with your problem, what kind of belt are you using?

Which holsters have you tried besides the Bravo? I tend to bend my own most of the time anymore, but the PHLSTR and Tenicor holsters look damn solid.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Barry B

Regular Member
FWIW, I'm 5'9" and about 185. I'm absolutely anal about printing. I can almost get away with a stock G19 AIWB, with cargo shorts and a not form-fitting t-shirt. That said, what helped me immensely with all my carry guns (G43X, G26, G19) is a good belt that provides a lot of torsional rigidity so the gun does not bend outward at the top... and a foam wedge that goes on the body side of the bottom of the kydex holster that also acts to rotate the bottom of the holster out, away from the body.... and running holsters with a claw to rotate the butt of the grip into the body.

Apologies if this is either long-winded, or unclear. These 3 things (quality rigid belt, kydex holster with claw, and foam wedge) went a long way to reducing printing. The result is I can wear much more snug summer clothing and not print, or print more minimally and/or less frequently.

YMMV, good luck.

Barry
 

ggammell

Does not pass up an opportunity to criticize P&S.
6’. 34 length holsters killed me. Going to a 19 was significantly more comfortable.
 

Clay1

Regular Member
Thanks guys for the comments. It confirms that this approach with a G34 length carry gun, might not work for ME with AIWB.

I use a Wilderness Tactical Instructor's belt with the insert. It's crazy stiff so that's not the issue.

For holsters I have a couple of Comp-Tac, a couple of Bravo Concealment, a Raven Concealment, A Sentinel (not sure if they are still in business, a Crossbreed Supertuck and a Minituck and my Mach 2 tactical IDPA holster that I bought and two months later they changed the rules and made that holster illegal for SSP and the same with the mag pouches I just bought. There are probably a couple of holsters that I am not remembering right now that I am missing. Like I said, I hate paying for Kydex only to find out that it goes in a draw shortly after purchasing.

The Sentinel, Bravo Concealment Torsion and the Raven Vanguard are all AIWB. Again I sent back a BC with a light AIWB that didn't work with my 19 with the X300 light that was just on a G19. Not even sure why I am thinking that I can get away with AIWB with a RS.

The Bravo Company Torsion is working for me AIWB IF I wear it at 12 Oclock with no light. I tried for years to wear something at 1 Oclock but it just killed my leg when I sat down. Took a 3 hour car ride with the Torsion at 12 and did great last Friday. This is with a G19.4. The new G19.5 with the Roland Special type of set up will probably have to ride strong side. I would like to carry it IWB if I can't make it work for my build AIWB.

So give me a shove on what might work for my build. I don't want this build to turn into a range toy, I want to carry it as my main CCW.
 

chrisp2493

Amateur
I’m 5-9” 180 and carry a G34 with trl-1 in a Henry Holster appendix light holster. Fine tuning the ride height is the biggest thing for comfort when sitting down. The best thing about the Henry or Phlster holsters is being able to add Discreet Carry Concept clips which have a lot of up and down adjustment ranges. Having a belt that is too stiff actually hurts appendix carry concealment. I use a blue alpha gear edc belt and recently picked up a graith specialist. The graith is very flexible and helped with concealment because it doesn’t have the “spare tire” effect as much as stiff belts tend to do. Dark Star Gear has a really nice foam wedge that I’ve been using. Add some Velcro to the back of the holster so you can fine tune the placement of the wedge for the best concealment. If you are sitting for long periods of time, loosen the belt slightly to give you alittle more room to breathe. There’s no denying the light makes it bulkier and alittle more uncomfortable for little guys, but I always view it as the advantage outweighs the slight discomfort. If I need a really low profile carry that I positively know I won’t be out close to night, I pop the light off and use a the Phlster skeleton, it conceals really well
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MojoNixon

Established
IIRC Phlster stopped production of the Spotlight soon after the Floodlight came out. I should have bought a back up Spotlight. I don’t have a full house Roland Special. A comped G19 with TLR-1HL. But I’m 6’3” and 190 so I have no issues with AIWB.
 

Clay1

Regular Member
Chris is that gun comped? I see the holstered molded for the light.

Personal question, no obligation to answer, but your height and general build? Like MojoN said earlier, he's 6'3", AIWB is not an issue. If your 5'7" and still need to drop some weight, it's out of the realm of reality for a X300U and a comp for ME with a RS.
 

Chriscanbreach

Established
No worries. I don’t carry a comped gun off duty. This is just a 19 with a tlr7. I’m 509 170 and all legs. I carried the same setup with an x300 as well no issue.
Just posting another maker and option.
 
"If your 5'7" and still need to drop some weight, it's out of the realm of reality for a X300U and a comp" No, it isn't. Holster selection becomes so damned important when you have less space to hide that gun in.

I am 5'6" and weigh in at 178. The only way that I can comfortably conceal a Roland is in a Bawidamann Gotham V2. I have tried the PHLster / Henry Holster Spark, VG3, Bravo Concealment, and the Keroman. Every one of them sucks for comfort when you are a short dude that prefers to place the pistol at the 1:30 position or so.

My Gotham V2 review on RECOIL Web
 

Clay1

Regular Member
"If your 5'7" and still need to drop some weight, it's out of the realm of reality for a X300U and a comp" No, it isn't. Holster selection becomes so damned important when you have less space to hide that gun in.

I am 5'6" and weigh in at 178. The only way that I can comfortably conceal a Roland is in a Bawidamann Gotham V2. I have tried the PHLster / Henry Holster Spark, VG3, Bravo Concealment, and the Keroman. Every one of them sucks for comfort when you are a short dude that prefers to place the pistol at the 1:30 position or so.

My Gotham V2 review on RECOIL Web

Your review was nicely done. Even though I posted this thread almost 2 months ago, I still haven't made a decision on holsters. I'm not carrying my 19.5 Roland Special, I'm still carrying my 19.4 in a Bravo Company Torsion holster.

In your review, you show a G19 with a TLR7 in a Sagax Lux. I'm curious what you think of that holster? Just about done with the second RM06 19.5 and thought that I would put a small light on it and rock it with the Sagax Lux.

I was hoping to buy something on Friday or Monday (Black Friday / Cyber Monday) I've all but wrote off the use of a full sized light for AIWB carry for me. I was planning on buying two holsters in the next couple of days. Thought that I would buy a Sagax Lux for AIWB and buy something for OWB carry for the Roland Special. If I still can't make the Bawidamann work AIWB, would it work for IWB carry strong side? It has a big price tag to carry it for a couple of hours and then relegate it to the kydex draw.
 

MojoNixon

Established
Your review was nicely done. Even though I posted this thread almost 2 months ago, I still haven't made a decision on holsters. I'm not carrying my 19.5 Roland Special, I'm still carrying my 19.4 in a Bravo Company Torsion holster.

In your review, you show a G19 with a TLR7 in a Sagax Lux. I'm curious what you think of that holster? Just about done with the second RM06 19.5 and thought that I would put a small light on it and rock it with the Sagax Lux.

I was hoping to buy something on Friday or Monday (Black Friday / Cyber Monday) I've all but wrote off the use of a full sized light for AIWB carry for me. I was planning on buying two holsters in the next couple of days. Thought that I would buy a Sagax Lux for AIWB and buy something for OWB carry for the Roland Special. If I still can't make the Bawidamann work AIWB, would it work for IWB carry strong side? It has a big price tag to carry it for a couple of hours and then relegate it to the kydex draw.
Just an FYI, when I run my 19.3 with the comp and TLR-1HL OWB it’s in a Raven Perun. 6 or 8 months now. So far it’s working well for me.
It’s my go to when working in the garage and out in the yard. I’ve got one for my LC-9, too.
 
I have a drawer full of holsters like many of you. I hate just donating money to the kydex folders for no good reason.

I'm 5'7", 180 on my way to 170 ;) and would like to carry a Roland Special AIWB, but the reality is I just started to carry my normal carry gun a G19 this way after years of trying. Recently lost some weight and moving in the right direction.

Bluntly, I'm short and don't have the same real estate from the waist down to sit with a longer gun. My 19.5 RS is now almost complete. Zev slide (Citadel - NO Widows), threaded barrel and V2 comp, Ameriglo basic suppressor height sights, not sure if I'm going to change out the trigger or not. My G34s I play with gamer triggers but my carry guns, I tend to shoot them stock. RM06 T2 adj 3.25 rides on the top and I have a surefire X300 light.

I tried once before with a Bravo Concealment AIWB holster for the light with a std G19 and it was so uncomfortable that I sent it back for a strong side holster with the light. Maybe it was the holster, most likely it's me.

Anyone else, slightly over weight and short get away with a Spotlight with their Roland Special? A Tier 1 Axis Elite? A shove in the right direction would be grand or I can just use one of the G34 holsters that I own and carry it strong side in the winter months and loose the comp and light for Appendix carry in the summer.

My buddy is a similar build to you and runs a 34 with a chopped grip plus a Surefire X300 in a Great Phlster, seems to like it. The dimensions should be similar between his 34 and your Roland.
Other than that look into JM Custom Kydex, once of the most comfortable holsters I have owned and definitely worth the price.
 
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