Retention, Cant, and Ride Height, Explained

First, unload

Do all holster tuning with an unloaded firearm, and check it twice. You'll be drawing and reholstering repeatedly while you dial things in.

Retention: the click

Retention is how hard the shell grips the pistol. On the Minuteman it's set by the wing-post screws nearest the trigger guard: tighten a quarter turn at a time to firm up, loosen to ease off, and test the draw between turns.

The target: the pistol clicks in positively, holds if you turn the holster upside down and shake, and still draws in one smooth pull. We ship every build set to a safe middle point.

Cant: the angle

Cant is the forward tilt of the grip, in degrees. Zero cant (straight up) is fastest from an open draw; 10–15° forward (the classic FBI cant) tucks the grip under a shirt and suits carry behind the hip. The Minuteman's wing posts adjust from 0–15° — loosen, tilt, retighten.

Ride height: how deep it sits

Ride height is where the grip sits relative to your belt line. Higher conceals more and needs a sharper elbow to draw; lower is faster but prints more. Belt loops set a neutral ride; clips and some mountings offer a second set of holes to raise or drop the shell. Start neutral, carry it for a week, then move one thing at a time.