Is Appendix Carry Dangerous?

I (John Lovell) have never shot myself in the leg or elsewhere and this is after the many years of concealed carrying pistols just north of my bingo in the appendix carry position. So I’m obviously a bit biased, but appendix carry has also been the position of choice for many other experienced shooters. So, is it dangerous? I tend to think not. 

There are times when I carry my fire arm in some other locations. Occasionally I’ll strap to my ankle or, even more rarely, carry a pistol in a backpack. Generally, though, day in, day out, I carry my pistol up front and personal and just north of my family’s future progeny. 

Why? People suggest I might shoot off my member or hit my femoral artery. Of course those would be bad outcomes, but they’d all be bad outcomes if my gun went off in my holster or while drawing. Appendix carry though has the benefit of being the best storage and draw space around my waist line. And with the right training and safety protocols, it’s just as safe if not safer than the 3 o’clock or 4 o’clock positions that some shooters swear by.

The Other Positions

If my gun is holstered with the muzzle pointed down the side or back of my leg, my whole leg becomes a target if my gun. So while it might be pointed at other areas besides my tripod’s third contact, there’s the chance of a misfire hitting large amounts of flesh in my lower extremities. 

That’s not good. And with the awkward reach of those positions, it would seem there are other risks at play, such as slower draw, more protrusions pushing the holster outward, etc. 

So it's not just kind of clipping one of the boys on its way out. It's my whole leg now down range. At the 4 o’clock position, we’re talking about taking flesh out of my butt cheek or worse. This of course is assuming that I’m poorly trained and poorly equipped with safety protocols. I hope that that’s not the case for you any of us. If it is, then no carry position is going to ensure your safety.

Why Do I Appendix Carry?

With a holster that’s designed for appendix carry, and designed specifically for the gun I carry, I can sit with it, stand with, etc., and it’s pretty dang comfort, considering. And when I draw, I’m reaching straight down and straight back up. It’s both faster and safer in that regard. 

And if you have a high-quality holster and you're well-trained, you don't really need to worry about anything going off. A high-quality holster has everything locked into place with trigger guards to keep the trigger from being accessible except when I’m drawing. 

Of course, training is involved here, too. I understand how my gun works, and I know what can make it go off and what can't. This is why you want to avoid soft holsters that don’t keep the weapon firmly in place and that don’t have hardened trigger guard support. If you use one of those softer holsters, you’re running some real risk of dangerous things happening that you’re trying to avoid.

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What Truly Makes Appendix Carry Safe?

So as with any of the dangerous tools of any craft, it’s not the tools themselves that pose the risk. It’s the people who use them. If you hone and master your skill, maintain your tools, and use them appropriately only when needed, your risk of complications is pretty low. 

A practice as simple as drawing and reholstering your weapon is where the most risk comes in. Is your chub and clothing out of the way?Is your firing finger straight? Is there anything (drawstring, zipper, clothing that could touch the trigger) in your holster as you put your weapon away? In other words, it’s your skill and training that ultimately enable you to carry and operate a fire arm safely and effectively.

Safety Protocols for Appendix Carry

Defeat Your Clothing. No matter what position you choose to carry your weapon in, clothing is going to be in the way. Go above and beyond in doing those. Pull your clothing up even higher than you think you need to. 

Watch Your Fingers. This is critically important. Make sure your finger is completely straight. The only way to make this gun fire is if the trigger is pulled. It’s got multiple safety mechanisms. 

Reholster Appropriately Finger off trigger. Thumb out maintaining distance you’re your clothing. Your weapon should slide easily into your holster and click. If there’s any resistance, pull up and check to see if your holster is empty. Eyeball it. 

All that to say, I’ve seen more people blow stuff off when carrying and reholstering in the 3 and 4 o’clock positions. The angle is often weird. It’s hard to eyeball the holster. It’s difficult to clear clothing and other obstructions out of the way. 

No matter what position you’ve chosen to carry in, your training is your #1 safety mechanism. 

Train Hard. Train Smart. Live Free.

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