Springfield XDM 4.5 inch with threaded barrel
Springfield XDM 4.5 inch with threaded barrel opposite side

Concealed Carry With A Threaded Barrel

It might seem like a faux pas, but a number of people do concealed carry with a threaded barrel. Given the surging popularity of suppressors, a lot of people have been getting a carry gun with a bit extra on the end to use them. But given the extra part of the barrel and the easy-to-catch threads...how to carry them effectively?

You might think it's impractical, and compared to traditional designs it is, but it doesn't have to be. In fact, it doesn't take too much to CCW a threaded pistol effectively.

CZ 75B Suppressor Ready

Basically, you just need a good holster and make sure you practice your draw, as the only risk you run is snagging the barrel. Aside from that, you'll have to square yourself to carrying a longer firearm than normal, so you better like carrying with an IWB holster for daily carry.

Get A Proper Threaded Barrel Holster

So, you want to CCW with your threaded barrel gun because you LOVE being tacticool...awesome! You just need to have a good threaded barrel holster to go with it.

How is this any different from a regular holster?

Largely, it comes down to a couple of aspects of holster design. Namely, look at the lip at the bottom of the holster and the contours inside the holster including the sight channel and the mold of the holster itself. How and why do these matter, you ask?

Simple.

Pistols with threaded barrels, you see, have that extra bit on the end - the extended barrel. They're threaded so you can install a suppressor and the threaded extension is prone to snagging on the draw. A good quality holster will prevent that.

 

What To Look For In Threaded Barrel Holsters

First, look at the bottom lip of the holster. That's where the barrel is most likely to snag. The more the bottom lip of the holster curls in toward the gun, the greater the chance of a snag. Therefore, make sure the lip of the holster is slight, if present at all. Additionally, holster material can have an impact in this regard; thick leather, if carrying in a leather pancake for instance, will be more apt to snag than slicker polymer materials.

Next, the holster mold: a good holster should be made for EXACTLY the pistol you carry and none other. This matters, because how a holster is made determines how well the holster will fit and retain your pistol, but also how it draws from the holster.

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The sight channel and overall mold both come into play. A well-made sight channel allows for seamless drawing without the sights snagging on the holster on the draw stroke. Proper molding also ensures the contours of the sight likewise don't interfere with the draw.

Ideally, when a pistol is drawn from the holster, it does so in a fluid motion. A holster that isn't built correctly, such as poor sight channeling, a poor or inexact mold and so on will interfere with the draw…which also can result in snagging the threaded barrel inside the holster itself.

Practice The Draw

Just as with practice with ANY concealed carry firearm, practicing the draw should be a cornerstone of concealed carry practice and training.

 

It's even more vital if carrying a pistol with a threaded barrel. When drawing, the gun needs to come out straight. Presentation can't begin until the barrel has cleared the holster. This differs a bit from what a lot of instructors teach to improve draw speed.

A common bit of advice is to start moving the muzzle up just as the gun is starting to clear the holster if not just before. The effect is to practically drag the gun through the top corner of the holster itself; this is the reason competition holsters are cut so the top of the slide isn't fully covered. That allows you to get the muzzle moving faster.

You can't necessarily do that with a threaded barrel. It will snag on the holster and come to a stop.

As a result, you need to clear a bit more leather, so to speak, before you can begin the presentation, aiming and firing. It isn't rocket science, but if you intend to carry such a pistol daily, you need to be able to use it well.

 
Sam Hoober
 

About The Author

Born in southeastern Washington State, Sam Hoober graduated in 2011 from Eastern Washington University. He resides in the great Inland Northwest, with his wife and child. His varied interests and hobbies include camping, fishing, hunting, and spending time at the gun range as often as possible.