Snub Training – Re-Holstering the Ankle Snub

One of the overlooked elements of the snub carried in an ankle holster is where do you put the gun after the draw stroke.  Returning the snub to the ankle holster is a more time- and attention consuming affair than the relatively simple practice of drawing of the gun.  Trying to return the snub to the holster following an actual confrontation may be dangerously distracting, impractical or both. Slipping the gun into a pocket may be convenient, but if the situation suddenly flares up again, a fast follow-up draw may be problematic.  Keeping the gun in the hand might be disconcerting to area witnesses and certainly so to responding public safety professionals.  Fortunately there are a few possible solutions.

BARAMI HIP-GRIP

Officer Bob Schwartz of the Grantham, NH police department was the first to point out the advantages offered by attaching the Barami Hip-Grip to the ankle holstered snub. 

The Barami Hip-Grip is a hard plastic set of replacement revolver stocks. The right grip panel has an “extension” or flared flange that protrudes away from the traditional contours of the right side stock. Once attached to the revolver, the flange sits up and over the top of the beltline and prevents the revolver from slipping down behind the shooter’s pants. The Hip-Grip is available for a wide variety of revolvers including both square and round butt J- and K-frame S&W’s, some D-frame Colts,  and a few models of  the Taurus, Charter Arms and Rossi revolvers. In additional to basic black, there are a select few models available in off-white, tan, brown, and in the case of the round butt J-frame, pink.

A Barami Hip-Grip on the ankle gun addresses several topics. First, it supplies a solution to the where-to-put-the-snub after an actual drawing for self-defense incident.  Second, whenever an ankle holster is impractical, the Hip-Grip offers several immediate, alternative carry options.  Third, a Hip-Grip equipped snub passed to a “trusted other,” supplies its own integrated holster solution.

The smooth surface of the Barami Hip-Grip is often counted as a flaw, but I believe it only enhances concealment by not printing or sticking to a portion of the cover garment. The Barami Hip-Grip does display the same limitations as original or classic stocks from S&W. Designed to maximize concealment; classic J-frame stocks follow the profile of the frame’s back strap, butt and front strap. Optimal for maximizing concealment and reducing printing, they are dreadful for control recoil, notably in rapid fire.  A traditional solution that both remains available and nicely enhances the Barami Hip grip is the Tyler T-Grip Adapter.

TYLER T-GRIP ADAPTOR

Invented by Melvin Tyler decades ago, the Tyler T-Grip adapter is a crescent shaped wedge of cast metal with a U-shaped strip of copper riveted to the inside of the convex portion. The T-Grip is designed to fill in the hollowed area between the revolver’s trigger guard and the front strap, and is held in place by friction.  The stocks of the revolver are loosened but not removed.  The two parallel flanges of the copper clip are slid between the stocks and the revolver’s frame. Once the stocks are retightened, the T-Grip is secured. The T-Grip now replicates the grip filling proportions found on contemporary stocks, and substantially improves recoil control.

There are T-Grip adapters to fit a variety of revolvers including round and square butt J- and K-frame S&W’s as well as several models of Taurus, Rossi, Charter Arms, Colt and Ruger. The T-Grip is produced in a variety of finishes including manganese bronze, polished aluminum, brushed aluminum, flat black and shiny black power coat. Any snub revolver with a set of Barami Hip grips and a Tyler T-Grip adapter is a first rate self-defense combination.

Whether you don’t ever expect to take the snub out of the house or the office or if you carry it in either an ankle or a pocket holster some form of post-encounter weapon securing method is still important. Now there are several very popular methods for securing a snub on your person. Two of the best for those snubs than don’t have a dedicated holster or for those owners who might find returning their snub in their deep concealment carry location awkward include Skyline Technology’s Clipdraw from John Rugh and the Barami Hip-Grip available through Barami Hip-Grip

Snub Training – Werner Carry System*

Whether you don’t ever expect to take the snub out of the house or the office or if you carry it in either an ankle or a pocket holster some form of post-encounter weapon securing method is still important. Now there are several very popular methods for securing a snub on your person. Two of the best for those snubs than don’t have a dedicated holster or for those owners who might find returning their snub in their deep concealment carry location awkward include Skyline Technology’s Clipdraw from John Rugh and the Barami Hip-Grip available through Barami Hip-Grip

Related to the Barami Hip-Grip is an idea from my friend, fellow snub trainer and arch competitor Claude Werner. He worked up a great combination idea for mating the snub + a Tyler T grip + a Barami Hip-grip + Hogue Handall Jr. Author Ed Lovette praised it in the September 2008 issue of Combat Handguns.  I call it the Werner Carry System* though others refer to it as a Werner Setup.

The directions are simple:

1 - Remove the snub's current set of stocks.

1 – Remove the snub’s current set of stocks.

2 - Insert an appropriate sized Tyler T grip adaptor.

2 – Insert an appropriate sized Tyler T grip adaptor.

3 - Note that the brass flanges of the Tyler T Grip adaptor are not bent around the frame. The friction from re-attaching the stocks will be sufficient enough to secure the Tyler T Grip.

3 – Note that the brass flanges of the Tyler T Grip adaptor are not bent around the frame. The friction from re-attaching the stocks will be sufficient enough to secure the Tyler T Grip.

4 - Fit a set of the appropriate sized Barami Hip-Grips and screw them in place.

4 – Fit a set of the appropriate sized Barami Hip-Grips and screw them in place.

5 - Slip a set of Hogue Handall Jr., grip sleeve over the Barami Hip-Grip and the Tyler T Grip. Note that the grip sleeve is inverted for optimum fit.

5 – Slip a set of Hogue Handall Jr., grip sleeve over the Barami Hip-Grip and the Tyler T Grip. Note that the grip sleeve is inverted for optimum fit.

6 - The finished Werner Carry System is ready to slip into a waist band.

6 – The finished Werner Carry System is ready to slip into a waist band.

7 - Concealed and ready to go.

7 – Concealed and ready to go.

You may find that the top edge of the Hogue Handall Jr., when slipped over the Barami Hip-grip and the Tyler T Grip will occasionally catch the leading edge of some speedloaders. While it is something to be aware of I would point out that Ed Lovette, author of The Snubby Book and vocal advocate for speedloaders has praised the Werner Carry System and has never noted any trouble working with it and speedloaders. I for my part, and to the complete dismay of Ed, continue to be an advocated for either the QuickStrip or the Speed Strip, either of which will never have any reloading issues with the Werner Carry System.

Either way, I like it so much that I am putting one on a Blue RINGS training gun to demo it class and another on my blue steel Bodyguard for range demos. You can view a slide show presentation on the Werner Carry System here.

*Special “Thank-you” to Claude Werner for the use of his photographs.