by Christian D. Orr
As my dear readers both on Patreon and here on The Loadout Room are aware, I’m a longtime fanboys of the 9x18mm Makarov pistol. Granted, the Mak isn’t quite the all-time sentimental favorite that my beloved Beretta 92FS aka M9 is. Nonetheless, the Cold War classic Pistolet Makarova holds plenty of sentimental value for me. It was my very first CCW piece, and it still splits time with my Beretta as my EDC. (Yes, I bounce back & forth between packing a full-sized gat and a “pocket pistol.”)
The first Makarov that I owned was a genuine Russian-made Baikal IJ-70, whilst my current specimen is a Bulgarian-made, imported by Century Arms back in 2003. Back then, I used an Uncle Mike’s Inside-the-Pant holster, and more recently I’ve been using a VLTactical Kydex IWB holster. Both were/are fine in terms of fit and physical comfort, but not so great in terms of security and retention, as they rely on a mere belt clip that can have a rather disconcerting tendency to come unattached from the belt when drawing with any sort of speed & urgency, or when simply bending over to pick up something off the floor. .
Ergo, I recently searched for a Mak holster that did a better job of staying attached to the belt. Thus I came across the Craft Holsters Tuckable IWB Holster.
Craft Holsters Makarov Tuckable IWB Holster Basics
Craft Holsters is located in Slovakia. They were cool enough to include a nice black suede pouch for the holster in the shipping box.
As the company’s official product info page states:
“This custom-molded leather holster is made for inside the waistband or appendix carry. Its compact profile and neutral cant make it best suited for front-of-waist placement, where quick access and low print are critical. The open-top design allows for a fast, unhindered draw, while the open muzzle supports longer barrel configurations.
What makes this holster stand out is its tuckable configuration. A leather belt loop with snap closure allows for shirt tucking between the holster and the belt, increasing concealability without sacrificing access. When mounted, the holster rides low against the body for discreet wear.
The slide guard is another defining feature, shielding the firearm from sweat and protecting your body from sharp edges. The entire holster is handcrafted from premium Italian leather, wet-molded to the exact contours of your firearm, and stitched with durable German threads for long-lasting use. It’s available for both left- and right-handed users in either mahogany or black.”
Basic cost for the holster is $99.00. For a measly nine bucks extra, you can your monogrammed onto the belt loop. Being the stereotypical Leo that I am (as my last three ex-GFs were all fond of pointing out), I naturally chose this option:
Craft Holsters Makarov Tuckable IWB Holster Break-In
As anyone who’s ever owned or been issued a leather holster can attest, one of the biggest annoyances and inconveniences of a cowhide rig is the break-in phase. When I was a trainee at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), we were taught to place our red training guns in a sock and then stick them in the holster overnight. However, even with that jerry-rigged setup, it took several days’ worth of repeated draws with both the red gun in our dorm rooms and the real gun on the FLETC ranges—and all the accompanying growing pains and frustrations—before the damn things were properly broken in.
Meanwhile, the Craft Holsters’ Break-In Guide recommends the following:
“Apply denatured alcohol onto stiff parts of the holster from the inner side only and let it soak. Grab the holster and the gun in plastic bag into the holster and let it sit overnight. Once dry it will hold new shape. Use appropriate force, do not damage the holster.”
Well, being a bit of a rogue, I decided to skip the alcohol and plastic bag and simply stuck the “naked gun” (so to speak) into the holster for its overnight sitting session.
The next morning, to my pleasant surprise, the holster was reasonably well formed around my Mak already.
Craft Holsters Makarov Tuckable IWB Holster Field Test
So, I secured the holster onto my belt on my strongside hip (some days by body is up for appendix carry, other days it’s more in the mood for 3 o’clock carry), hopped in my car, and drove to the excellent Silver Eagle Group (SEG) to field-test the product. As to how it performed on the range, I divvied up the eval into three stages
Stage 1
I set up an ICE-QT paper target at the 7-yard line and started off with a full 8-round magazine, with one shot per draw in double-action mode, targeting the torso. I used the “Grip-Clear-Drop-Smack-Present” method taught at the Gunsite Academy. Alas, I rushed my first shot and pulled it high into the (paper) bad guy’s face, ugh. The rest of the string was quite pleasing:
Stage 2
Keeping the target at the 7-yard line, I topped off to full 8+1 capacity, and did three Mozambique Drills. (Yes, I still use the Politically Incorrect terminology for the 2-to-the-body, 1-to-the-head/Failure to Stop drill. So sue me!) First shot of each string was in DA mode.
Stage 3
Moving the target to the 5-yard line, with an 8-round magazine, one shot per draw, all head shots.
Overall, the result speak for themselves.
Ammo used was 25 rounds of Polish-made Mesko 33-grain FMJ, which performed flawlessly.
Throughout the range session, the pistol emerged from the holster swiftly and smoothly, without a hitch. I had to use a bit more oomph to return the gun to the holster, as one might reasonably expect with brand new cowhide, but still much better than previous leather rigs I’ve worked with, and besides, reholstering has never been a speed contest as far as I’m aware!
Additional Thoughts
During the drive to and from the range (and the rest of the day), the gun gave me an excellent combination of security, concealability, and physical comfort.
As I type these words one day later, I’ve switched the holster to AIWB mode at my 1 o’clock. The thing still feels delightfully comfortable, and the pistol’s grip tang doesn’t press into my belly as sometimes happens with appendix carry. There’s also the mental comfort of not worrying anymore about the holster popping loose from my belt. I’m looking forward to doing some additional range tests, this time from AIWB mode.
In the meantime, the Craft Holsters Makarov Tuckable IWB Holster gets my seal of approval. To my fellow Makarovniks out there, I highly recommend it.
(NOTE: This is article originally published on the author’s Patreon page “The D’Orr-senal of Democracy.”)
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