pistols, ccwI’m considering replacing my current carry pistol with a model which has a beaver tail on it. Has anyone here ever had one tangle up in the cloths or gear when drawing from concealment?
I carry a Sig 229 Elite Dark, which has a beaver tail on it. I use a OWB belt holster that rides somewhat high. I have yet to have any issues with the beaver tail snagging on anything when I practice drawing from my holster and firing at the range. I think the main reason there are no snag issues is because the beaver tail is resting right on the top of my hand as I draw so it is very hard for it to snag on anything.
If you get a proper grip before drawing – which you should always do regardless of the style of pistol you’re carrying – the web between your thumb and forefinger will be tight up against the bottom of the beavertail. The top of the beavertail should then curve down and “blend” smoothly into the curve of your hand, leaving almost nothing to catch. It really shouldn’t be a problem at all.
The two handgun features which do tend to be a problem sometimes are external hammers, especially “old-style” hammers with a protruding point, and sights, both front and rear. Rounded hammers and low-profile sights address these problems, but they’re really not large problems in most cases anyway. Take care with how you dress, and train yourself to sweep any cover clothing well out of the way with your off hand and it really isn’t a problem no matter how the gun is shaped.
I carry mostly 1911’s and the beavertail has never been an issue. If your clothing is going to snag on something it will normally be a rear sight that is inappropriate for carry, or a badly designed holster.
I’ve found, at least for me personally, the holster and clothing has more to do with tangling than the beaver tail does. I’ve had crappy holsters let the weapon slop around and hang up on whatever clothing I had on as well as the holster itself, whether the weapon had a beaver tail or not.
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