Best holster for a Springfield SA-35 (Browning Hi-power clone)

[Dixie-Dude]

I mean concealed in the deep south hot humid days.  Fanny pack, leg bag.  Been thinking of inside the shirt, under the arm, holster balanced with say 2 magazines on the other side.  Don't like inside the waist.  I have an outside the waist belt clip on holster, but I have to open carry.  Good for hunting or private property, or around the house.  I know Alabama has open carry law, but some people get weirded out, especially going into stores. 

[Graybeard]

I only carry open and rarely ever even get a second glance. I think in all the years I've been carrying that way I've had two noticeable reactions.

One was a white guy 20 years my senior most likely back long ago in a grocery store. He asked if I were a security guard. I replied nope, just an American citizen exercising my right to carry.

The other was a black man in Lowe's. He saw me from several rows away. He stopped, leaned way over to get a better angle and then ducked into an aisle and was gone.

Both were ten to 20 years ago. These days no one even seems to notice. I was open carrying 60 years ago here in Bama.

[Dixie-Dude]

I would open carry, but wife thinks it draws to much attention.  I like the Browning HP clone.  It fits my hands better than my 1911 45acp.  Easy to carry in winter with a coat or jacket.  Summers are blazing hot down here.  Can't really conceal unless I dress with an oversize t-shirt and cover it.  Crime isn't high here, but just too many people. 

[Graybeard]

Sure too many people in my part of NE Bama these days. A bit over 60 years ago when me and Faye were dating, I'd leave her parents home anywhere from 10:30 to midnight and head to my home.

I could go thru Anniston which was the most direct route or go the longer route that avoided town. Either way I'd see maybe 2-3 other vehicle in my travel home. Now you can sit at any point along that journey at any time of day or night and see more vehicles at all times. I swear highway traffic now is ten times what it was back then.

I rarely go to places where a lot of other people are. I've not been to Walmart in 5-6 years I guess. I go to a real grocery store a couple times a year. I mostly go to a small store about 3.5 miles from my house and the rest of the food comes from Amazon.

I make no attempt to cover my carry pistol and as I said no one even seems to notice I have it. I've been open carrying for around 60 years now. Only the two instances I mention previously where anyone even seemed to notice.

Some time back Matt bought an original Browning Hi Power and gave it to me. I've not even taken it out to shoot yet. I always thought the Hi Power felt good in my hand. The grips on this one seem a wee bit thicker than those on my best friend Billy Doss' Hi Power he had before he died.

Maybe if it ever cools down again I'll shoot it some. That isn't likely until late October tho. We had a short but heavy rain 2-3 hours or so ago, temp is 88 even after the rain and clouds.

Why not try open carry and see if anyone pays attention. I'm betting no one will give you any reason to think they even notice it unless folks are different down your way than around here. Nearest town to me is Jacksonville a it less than 10 miles east of me.

[Dixie-Dude]

College town, city now.  Auburn.  Auburn now has about 80,000 people with Opelika next door at 35,000.  We want to sell our house and move.  Lots of Koreans here now because of the school system.  They work at Kia across the border in Georgia, and Hundai in Montgomery and commute.  Lots of Hispanic workers who mostly live in cheaper Opelika, like 15% of the population now in Opelika.  A friend of mine who worked for the Alabama highway department said 40,000 cars a day travel between Auburn and Montgomery.  That was over 10 years ago before he retired.  It is probably more now.  Auburn now has 35,000+ Students, and those who live on campus are not counted in the Auburn population, and those who have been here less than a year are also not counted.  Five story buildings are now all over downtown Auburn.  Most with stores and shops street level, with apartments above.  Some have restaurants on the roof.  It is no longer "the lovelyist village on the plains", but more and more like Montgomery, or Columbus, Georgia. 

I now have to go to Tuskegee National Forest to shoot, sight in and target practice.   

[Graybeard]

Jacksonville is also a college town tho it isn't as big as Auburn or Alabama. I believe it to be the third largest state university tho. Not sure the enrollment there but a heck of a lot more than when I started there in the fall of '63.

Three major apartment complexes have opened in the last year along the road I take into town. Not sure what might have opened on other roads. They also built a new double sized U shape dorm and a huge 4 story building I think has both dorm and admin space. That thing is HUGE.

I'm a little closer to Gadsden than Anniston (20/25 miles or so).

I have enough land so I have a 100  yard shooting range in back of my house. So I don't have to go anywhere to shoot.

My youngest grandson isn't all that far from you. He is in his third year at Troy. As I understand the plan he expects to transfer to Auburn for his Master's degree and supposedly has some arrangements made for Auburn to pay for this Master's. He then at least thinks he has a councilors job waiting for him at Mount Meigh's. Sure not a plan I'd make but it's his life to live not mine.

[Dixie-Dude]

The only advantage to living in town is we are only about 15 minutes from anything we need.  Mall, Walmart, Sam's, decent gun stores, Hospital and doctors.  Disadvantage, Auburn High School is about 3 blocks from our house and I think everyone has a ride to school and don't ride the buses.  Traffic going anywhere between about 7:30am and 9am and about 3pm to about 5:30 or 6pm is really bad.  They are building as second high school across town so that might relieve some of the traffic in our area these times.  Auburn now is a 7A school, dividing it will be two about 4A schools I think.  Also, the high school stadium is about 5-6 blocks from our house.  Airport is about a mile away and is increasingly busy.  Several AU jets and corporate jets.  ROTC students also have helicopters flying in occasionally for training and the Army choppers are loud outside.  Wife and I too want to move.  She wants to be near a hospital at our ages, which makes it harder to get further out.  Also wants a state that doesn't tax retirement income.  That leaves, Texas, Florida, Tennessee, and South Dakota.  Texas is too hot in summer, too cold in winter and has a lot of growth.  Florida is too hot, noseeum's, snakes, and gators.  South Dakota is too cold and windy.  That only leaves Tennessee.  Kids are in Augusta, Georgia, south Florida, Foley, Alabama, Dadeville, and south of Auburn/Opelika in the country.