Archive for September, 2006

 Alligators, Elephants and Sharks, Oh my!  They’re coming to get you if you don’t watch out!

Exotic skins demand attention and they really set your special carry rig apart. Tucker recently made up an HF1 and a pancake in Black Nile Crocodile and they sold in a week. Next to come is elephant (shown below right) and then shark.

Let me know if you think Tucker should offer more exotics. It looks like elephant and shark are two exotics in our future. All holsters with exotic hides are made of leather with a veneer of specialty hide. We must check prices ourselves on the current cost of hides when you ask for something like this before giving you a price.

Tucker has a special niche with the unique designs he is currently making and we aren’t hurting for business, but variety is the spice of life. Let us know your thoughts and desires for exotics.

I get asked why we offer angled magazine pouches as well as a standard vertical.

I’ll tell you how it came about.

In the 1980’s Tucker and I shot a lot of IPSC matches. We found that if you didn’t have to bend your wrist backward to pick up your magazine off the point of your weakside hip, it went faster.

For one thing you can make a slightly circular motion down to the magazine and back to the gun with out the stop/start motion common with vertical pouches. It also made it easy to position your hand and index finger perfectly on the magazine as you grabbed it.

Reversing the cant so that the magazines lean forward at the point of the hip is counterproductive unless you are crouching behind cover, which tips the hips backward, straightening up the magazines.

Forward-angled magazines may begin to be useful as you place your magazines further back from your hip, but we used vertical pouches back there instead. Speed was only necessary for two mag changes usually.

That’s where the double-angled mag pouch really shined.

Double-angled mag pouches are not for everyone and it is a shift from conventional thinking.

90% of the double pouches we sell are angled backward. We don’t push that; it just happens.

People like them once they try them.

Bet you will, too.

All of you know that I love it when you write and call me to tell me how much you’re loving your new (and old) Tucker holsters. But every once and a while, someone really nails it and captures lightning in a bottle — the essence of owning a Tucker.

This guy is one of them. He said it even better than I could and he really nailed why The Answer has proven itself time and time again to be their answer to a final IWB carrying solution.

Heck, he even educated **me** on why customers love The Answer so much (and that takes some doing!).

It was such a treat for me to read, I thought everyone here who either had The Answer or was just thinking about one — should get a chance to read the great things you folks say about Tucker’s products.

Don is a very intelligent, very experiences concealed-carry guy who has had enough holsters and training to know the difference between the good . . . the bad . . . and everything in-between.

He knows why a full firing grip is important. His experience allows him to see that Tucker’s knows what #&@$% he’s doing — that Tucker’s experience in shooting, in carrying as a professional — it’s all there in every groove of the design.

So here it is. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

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“I recently received the Answer, from Tucker Gunleather. I’m not posting pics since everyone’s seen a LB Premier II and the pics on Tucker’s website are very nice, high resolution ones. As promised, here’s my review.

First of all, if Rob Longenecker ever decides to get out of the holster business, he could have a great career teaching ethical business practices at any university. When he says he will promptly return a phone call, or email, he means it.

When he says he will deliver a holster in three weeks, it’s there. This is sadly rare in today’s business experience; making these seemingly simple things really stand out.

As I expected, the workmanship on the Answer is first rate. I was unaware of the thin, suede lining on the back side, when ordering. Smart addition, as it will obviously protect me from the fastener backings.

The suede is very well tanned and buttery soft, with plenty of nap to make for a firm and stabilizing grip to either skin, or fabric. The hardware is top quality, American-made, stainless steel, with stainless finish washers.

The sight channel is ample, with plenty of room to spare. Further evidence of the thought put into this design are the meaty, leather washers between the belt hooks and leather plate. These will help to keep the leather closer to the body and help the hooks to better pivot as needed.

The washers also enhance the Answer’s ‘tuckability’, by not pinching the shirt tail. The little touches, like the flared lip on the back of the trigger guard area and the inclusion of an allen wrench, complete the package.

It’s clear that a lot of thought and insightful design went into this holster.

There is absolutely no excess material on this holster, anywhere. The, so called, “body shield”, is cut with an eye that could only come from years of experience carrying 1911’s. It mates perfectly to the sharpish, adjustable rear sights on my Premier II and gives solid protection from the extended thumb safety.

When fully inserted, the muzzle of the gun is precisely flush to the bottom of the holster. The Kydex portion of the Answer is ultra-thin. Not the usual injection molded rubbish offered by most companies.

It is perfectly molded to the pistol, providing a secure fit without compromising the thin profile of the 1911.

In terms of carry, the forward cant is right on the money. I tend to like an ample amount, and had figured on adjusting The Answer for more. Not necessary! The adjustments provided on the belt hooks give three distinct and viable positions when using the holes in parallel.

First, extreme low ride, for deep concealment and added security. Second, puts the Kydex shell at exactly-level with the belt and top of the waistband, bringing the grip higher, to completely clear the belt and hooks.

This position puts less pressure over the rear of the slide and allows for a much faster draw.

Third, is ideal for those who prefer extreme high-rise. It brings the gun up significantly, snugging it directly under the bottom of the rib cage.

This kind of attention to detail is much appreciated by those of us who put on and take off our guns with our pants; all day carry comfort. I commend Mr. Longenecker and Mr. Tucker for providing me with a fine product.

A lot of people have commented that the Answer seems expensive at $125. You have simply to see it and hold it to understand why it’s a bargain.

The only flaw I can see thus far, is that one of the belt clips doesn’t quite make a full, 180 degree bend. As such, the little “whale tail” tangs don’t seat underneath the belt, as they do on the other one.

Not a disaster, and doesn’t diminish the overall rating of, Excellent.” 

– Don DeBusk, August, 2006

Note: I replaced the misbehaving belt clip immediately.

Rob