Today on I Carry we have a Tisas Stingray 1911 chambered in 9mm, carried in a Galco holster and teamed up with a Buck Knives folder.
For decades, when you talked about concealed carry, you either talked about a small revolver of some kind or another, or you talked about carrying a 1911. Not only that, but you carried it on your hip, in a leather holster, just like God and Col. Jeff Cooper wanted you to do.
Times have changed, however. The 1911 has to battle it out with newer designs that have striker-fired actions and polymer frames. The classic outside the waistband (OWB) leather holster has been joined by new materials like Kydex, and appendix carry is popular once again. However, a 1911 carried outside the waistband in a leather holster can still be very valid way to have a defensive pistol with you every day.
Tisas Stingray 9mm 1911 (MSRP: $579.95)
For decades and decades, a sub-$800 1911 meant it was a project gun, something you bought and then sent off to a gunsmith with a bag of aftermarket parts to make it work reliably. However, times have changed, and thanks to improved manufacturing methods and rigorous quality control, today’s entry-level 1911s are better than they’ve ever been before.
The Tisas Stingray has a lot of desirable features in an everyday carry 1911. It’s a Commander-length gun with a 4.25-inch barrel, chambered in 9 mm. There is a “bobtail” cutout on the back of the grip for easier concealment and a flared and lowered ejection port for better reliability. The skeletonized trigger breaks at right around 4 pounds.
Some other great features about this gun are Novak-compatible sight cuts on top of the forged slide, which make it a breeze to swap out the factory-standard three-white-dot sight set for something else. The aluminum frame has a gray Cerakote finish, and there is an ambidextrous frame safety. Inside the pistol are Series 70-style internals, and the slide has scale-like serrations at the rear for easy manipulations.
You might think that the 26.88 ounce weight of the Stingray would make it a burden to carry, but that’s less than six ounces more than an unloaded Glock G19, and one ounce less than a Lightweight Commander 1911. The slim profile of a 1911 means it’s very easy to carry, so you don’t really notice the extra weight. However, the biggest reason to carry the Stingray is that it has the legendary 1911-style trigger. The short travel, easy effort and crisp break of a well-tuned 1911 are well-known within the shooting community, and the Stingray’s trigger continues this legacy.
Galco Concealable Holster (MSRP $139)
Carrying in an OWB holster presents a different set of challenges than carrying inside the waistband does, and the design of the Concealable helps with that. The Concealable is an update to the tried-and-true leather pancake holster. The back of the holster is smooth and curved, allowing it to fit tighter up against your waistline. This, in turn, makes it easier for you to conceal your gun under your cover garment.
The Concealable has a very distinct forward cant that also helps with concealment, as it brings the butt of the pistol into a more vertical position so it doesn’t poke out from under your cover garment as much. The molding on the holster is absolutely terrific, and the holster fits the pistol like, well, like a glove. The belt slots in the holster are designed for ½ inch wide belts, and I was very pleased to find out that unlike some leather holsters, it required no “break-in” period to work with the gun. The mouth of the holster is not reinforced and could collapse after the draw, making re-holstering difficult, however, I had no issues with this at the range.
Buck Knives 841 Sprint Pro Knife (MSRP: $164.95)
One glance will tell you that this isn’t your Grandpa’s folding Buck knife. The Sprint Pro has all the features you want in a modern, everyday carry knife, such as a ball-bearing pivot, sturdy handle and a secure liner lock, backed up by a legendary name in knife-making. The drop-point blade is made from S30V steel and has jimping on the back for a better grip. The burlap pattern Micarta is grooved on both sides for more control, and the brass filleron the back provides a shiny touch of style.
The Sprint Pro has a flipper on the back for fast and easy opening, making this knife ideal as both a utility knife and as a defensive tool, and at 4 ⅜ inches long when closed and 3.2 ounces in weight, you can carry it in a pocket without it taking up the entire pocket.
