Colt Detective Special - Ankle Holsters?

[Arbee]

I recently got a S&W 642 because I found my Detective Special too heavy for pocket carry at 23 ounces unloaded. But how would the Det. Spec. do for ankle carry? Anyone find an ankle hoslter that works particularly well for it? Others I should avoid?

[Rex G]

You will wait for one, but Alessi is second to none. I had bad luck in the past with an elastic rig made by Renegade, as it loses its elasticity over time, and will start giving up a steel gun if you start running. (It was steel J-frames that flew out of my Renegades; very embarassing!) It was the darling of several gun writers, which indicates to me they really did not use the rig daily over time with a steel gun. Before I had the Alessi, I learned to replace the Renegade once a year, and use alloy-framed guns. My Alessi carries a Ruger SP101, which is just a bit heavier than your DS. One thing to keep in mind is that rubber grips will catch on the fabric of many pants. Make sure to wear long enough pants! Another helpful thing to do is wear high-rise shoes or low-top boots, which gives a base for the rig that keeps it just a bit higher than down low on the ankle.

There are other ankle rigs on the market, with which I have no personal experience. The Desantis rig is a clone of the Alessi, but at least one gun writer has indicated it is not as secure as the Alessi.

Another factor with ankle rigs is the fullness of your pants' legs. Not many currently fashionable pants are full enough. I mostly use ankle rigs while at work, on police patrol, when all weapons except my primary duty sidearm must be kept concealed. My duty pants work well to cover an ankle gun, and luckily, the fabric is compatible with rubber grips. On my own time, I tend to wear all my weapons at waist level, and I do carry 2+ firearms on my own time, too.

An ankle rig will be VERY uncomfortable at first. It takes dedication to get used to it, probably a week to a month of wearing it despite the discomfort.

[Arbee]

Thanks much, Rex G. I suspected that the Alessi might be the best bet from a number of other posts on other related topics here. I don't mind the wait, so I'll give him a call. My primary purpose for an ankle rig at this point is when I am driving. I have not used a cross-draw, but think I am less likely to cover myself when drawing with an ankle rig. I'll have to keep your comments about pant leg fullness and fabrics in mind - may be a matter of having to do something extra to dress for it.

[Skintop911]

Arbee- Here's a repost on the topic. Hope it helps:

Don't skimp. Buy a quality holster that's contoured correctly, sized properly, and does not require over or under tensioning in order to stay in place. Nerve or vascular damage can occur if the holster isn't worn properly. If it offers one-size-fits-all or universal adjustment, beware.

Counter-balance the weight of the gun with weight on the other side. A spare mag, light, or other weight helps to even out your gait and limit other tendency to "throw" the weighted leg.

Be sure to try all of the different styles and pairs of shoes you wear with your choice of holster, and be willing to change one or the other. I had holsters that worked well with athletic shoes that were intolerable with dress shoes, and vice versa.

Practice, practice, practice deployment.

I arrived at an Alessi a few years ago, after trying what must be all of the others. It's the very best, in all regards, of those I've used. I wear a G27 therein daily, for extended periods.

HTH