Vantage Point March/April 2021

This one isn’t going back. My well-used original XD-S is going to be
spending more time in the safe as this one takes its place in the carry rotation.

Springfield Armory XD-S OSP

My favorite pocket/ankle pistol has an upgrade. The new XD-S OSP from Springfield Armory is now optics ready. The test model shown here came with a Crimson Trace CTS-1500 mini red dot sight pre-installed and ready to go. In fact, when I took it to the range to zero the optic, I found it was already dead on. And I do mean precisely. At 15 yards it was shooting right through the red dot superimposed on the target.

Stay tuned for more on this. We’ve got a full review in the next issue and you’ll see a video look at this spiffy little pistol at AmericanHandgunner.com by now. Springfield-Armory.com

We’ve added a treat for new and experienced handgunners alike in this issue. Serena Juchnowski is an experienced High Power and Palma rifle shooter (Distinguished badge!) who is stepping into the world of handgunning. If you’re new to handguns, you’ll enjoy learning with her through her stories. If you’re a grizzled veteran, you might enjoy the inspired memories of your past experiences — or perhaps you have some advice to help her along. Welcome Serena!

One of a kind? This combination of a SIG SAUER P320 XCompact and
Wilson Combat XCarry frame works perfectly for me. It fits my hand
better and offers two extra rounds to boot.

Franken- Wilson-SIG

I liked the Wilson Combat WCP320 so much I bought the frame. As described in “Wilson Combat WCP320” (Jan/Feb 2020), the gun builders at Wilson Combat make customized SIG P320s complete with their own frame and slide designs. The Wilson frame is very 1911-like and … I love it.

I’ve been carrying a SIG P320 XCompact with a red dot. It’s a nifty solution but the grip isn’t quite perfect for my finicky tastes. Then I had an “Oh duh!” moment and remembered the modular nature of the SIG P320 allows one to do things like … switch out the frame. Then I had a second epiphany. The frame length of the Carry and Compact models is identical, but the Carry version features a tad more height and two more rounds. So, I ordered one of those. Now, I’ve got a “custom” pistol that fits me like a glove. Maybe it’s the world’s only 17+1, full-height, Wilson-SIG-P320-XCarry-Compact? WilsonCombat.com

The new N82 Tactical OT2 IWB features all the “comfy” and body protection
of the original, but improves draw process with its combat cut.

Nifty Comfy Holster

I’ve been carrying a N82 Tactical Original Holster for years. And after all this time, I’d agree with the marketing claim. They are the most comfortable holsters on the planet.

The generous backing is three layers thick, with suede against your love handles, neoprene in the middle, and heavy leather backing the gun. All those layers have a specific purpose. The suede isn’t just comfortable, it provides a natural grip to clothes and body. Since it doesn’t slide around, the weight of your handgun is distributed properly, and it feels lighter than it is. The middle layer is the same stuff 007 used underwater in movies like Thunderball, so it serves as a moisture barrier, keeping sweat from your gun and gun goop away from your clothes and body. The leather protects your gun and creates a smooth draw.

The one tiny gripe I had with the original was it took some practice to get the draw right. With the full body panel, great for separating gun and body, you had to “hook” the gun out with your fingers and finish the grip process as it came out.
No more. The new N82 Tactical OT2 IWB offers the same benefits as the original with a few bonuses. The backing features a combat cut so you can get your firing hand fingers around the pistol before you start any un-holstering motions. There’s another change. The clip on this model is tuckable, so you can use it like a standard IWB with a cover garment or go stealth mode with a tucked-in shirt. Only the clip is exposed. N82Tactical.com

The Beretta Vic FieldTac Shirt is nifty on its own with a sharp-looking design,
sturdy construction and IWB-carry-friendly fabric choice. The hidden secret
is the hook and loop bottom closures aiding a rapid and snag-free draw from concealment.

Beretta Tear-Away Clothing

I’m pretty sure the male dancers at Chippendales don’t see the benefits of tear-away clothing quite like I do. I’ve been carrying inside-the-waistband almost exclusively for a couple of decades now, and in all that time, and thousands of associated practice draws, I’ve found one variable capable of throwing a wrench in the works. Shirts.

In a perfect world, you’d wear a shirt that’s huge around the waist. It would be made of heavy material so it won’t show a concealed pistol imprint, but the ginormous waist size would prevent your shirt from ever getting hung up on the gun when you violently fling it up and over the gun grip during stage one of the concealed draw. The problem with a 72″ waist shirt is it looks dorky. Unless of course you have a 72″ waist. The smaller and more normal looking the shirt tail, the more frequently it’s going to foul you up during a speed draw.

Try it sometime. Bring a loose and tighter fitting shirt to the range. Do 50 speed draws from complete concealment with each and see what percentage of the time things get fouled up. On the range it doesn’t matter as long as you’re being safe. In a self-defense encounter, it might have life altering implications.

Fortunately, there’s a solution. Tear-away shirts.

The Beretta Vic FieldTac Shirt offers a great solution for those who carry inside the waistband. It holds its own as a general purpose — and quite nice looking — garment, but it really shines thanks to its concealed carry features.

The FieldTac is shaped to look just fine tucked or untucked, but unlike most off-the-rack shirts, this one is trim and very un-tent-like. What makes it work for belt carry is the unique combination of standard buttons and hook and loop closure tabs. The shirt features buttons going from the neck to the central stomach area. From that point down to the base of the shirt, small hook and loop square patches hold the shirt closed.

With a normal button-down shirt, you must lift the shirt cleanly over an inside-the-waistband holster and gun when performing a draw. That’s where hangups can get you tangled up. With the Beretta Vic FieldTac, when you vigorously yank the shirt out of the way, the Velcro tabs separate, making it easy to clear the holster and gun. It’s a brilliant solution and the “reliability” of a snag-free draw surprised me.

You’ll appreciate the Vic FieldTac for other reasons too. It’s made of sturdy, but breathable material, so it does a stellar job of hiding the outline of your gun. The fabric is somehow infused with a silver compound to fight off smelly bacteria and offers UPF 50+ UV protection. The hidden button down design looks sharp and it comes straight out of the dryer wrinkle free. Two front pockets and a handy sleeve pocket help out with your daily carry gear. BerettaUSA.com

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