#wheelgunwednesday
I continued my work with the Kimber K6xs, this time doing holster drills. I’d gotten a holster from DeSantis and three others from Galco.
I’d found that the K6xs started out as a “20 yard gun” in the previous range experience. In the next few range trips, I tried to find what my practical skill level was with the new gun.
The first holster is a continuation of a favored line from DeSantis Gunhide, the FLETC 2.0. A strong side OWB holster, the new one has a “side car.” The options include a speedloader pouch, a dump pouch configured for a “strip” loader or a 2x2x2 pouch.
The second is a pocket holster, the Stukon-U from Galco. For IWB, Galco supplied the Walkabout 2.0 (with a “sidecar” for a speed loader) and the Scout 3.0 IWB.
My take? Well, the FLETC 2.0 should be as fast as it looks. While the gun sits deeply in the holster and there’s a screw tension adjustment, it’s still angled for a speedy draw. I found the K6xs was hanging up on the holster. I relieved the tension and worked with it some, finding the best approach to a good draw. It’s somewhat encouraging that just any grab of the gun can cause it to get tied up in the rig; think “gun grab.”
The Walkabout I requested due to Claude Werner’s take on the rig. It sits deeply in the waist and really does conceal easily. As to the speedloader pouch attached to the rig, with the S&W J-frame, the loader fits fine inside the ‘cup’ that keeps the sidecar formed. With the six-shot HKS DS-A speedloader, originally made for Colt D-frame 38 revolvers, just take the forming cup out and the six-shot loader fits.
I found that, when the rig wasn’t being worn, the forming cup will come out with the loader. This didn’t seem to happen with the rig being worn. Removing the cup allowed the six-round loader to fit. I found the rig was easy to draw from and the speedloader was secure in the pouch and easily released when needed.
The Scout, with it’s tension adjustment, worked fine but be ready to adjust the holster tension when fitting the (empty) gun to the rig.
As far as the shooting skills part of the holster work, I tried Justin Dyal’s Five Yard Roundup and Claude Werner’s Snub Revolver Sustainment exercises.
Using old ammo stock, Zero-brand wadcutters, I tried the Five Yard Roundup on a B8 repair center. With 2.5 second pars, all shot at five yards, the strings include a single hit from the draw, four rounds from guard, three rounds fired primary hand only from low ready and two rounds fired with the less dominant hand only from low ready. This was fired with the FLETC 2.0.
I went over time on three of the four stages – there’s consistency. Still, with the tardiness I scored 95/100.
The exercises include verbalization – a “STOP, GO AWAY” command while the gun is at a low ready, avoiding the obvious issues of gun pointing. He also includes pivots and turns, with starts facing up-range, to the left- and the right. He also includes a “midpoint of the draw” start, sort of the LAPD Combat Course “close contact” position. Finally, the shooter has a start with a briefcase (or something else) held at the side in the primary hand as well as a “cell phone” prop (you could use a cartridge tray from a box of ammo) in the primary hand at your primary side ear.’
This gets you to drop something to get the gun to going. It’s a well-rounded course at distances you’d most likely need a defense gun. For this exercise, I used the Galco Scout. The times were near-miserable. I need to work up to the standard before using this for sustainment.
The ammo was Fiocchi 130gr FMJ – a respectable load in this gun. I was shooting the course on a B8 repair center, not the easiest target, but doable. I was down eleven points on the target (189/200). I went over par on a single string at each of the 3-, 5- and 7-yard stages.
More consistency.
The more I shoot this gun – despite my lack of success – the more I like it. This project will continue.
— Rich Grassi