All posts in Galco Holsters

We can give you gun holster options, and point you in the right direction

Gun HolstersWe can’t accommodate everyone in this industry because the tactical world is much like the restaurant business.  What do you want for dinner?  Are you for Italian Food, Seafood, going away camping?   There are a lot of advantages with Kydex holsters but we’ve seen so many of them break, that leather still seems to have an edge for longevity, even the cost of various types of leather holsters can vary in quality and features.  I’m still old school with shoulder  holsters, especially when I’m toting a large frame revolver or semi-auto handgun.   The Galco Miami Classics are still very popular with detectives but there are plenty of people buying smaller “off duty” handguns and recently many of our Law Enforcement are looking for Diamondback .380 holsters and Glock 42 holsters.  It always takes awhile for the holster market to catch up to the sales of new firearms but if it’s a good firearm, someone is going to make a holster for it.

If you are looking for leather  holsters, we often point people towards Desantis Holsters, Galco Holsters and Don Hume holsters.   Each of these holsters has different qualities and styles and the vary from expensive to inexpensive depending on the one you want.    If you are looking for inside the waistband gun holsters there nylon holsters like the Elite Survival Systems belt clip holsters which are very universal and fit a lot of firearms and are also ambidextrous.   The Desantis Insider is pretty popular because they are a little over $20 but leather sometimes has its drawbacks in very hot weather.   The new rave seems to be tuckable holsters and Galco Holsters has a pretty big selling rate for the Smith & Wesson bodyguard, check out all of the products we sell and if you don’t see what you are looking for feel free to ask.

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Shopping for a gun holster? Help make our job easier!

Gun HolstersIf you are going to a gun show this weekend and you are looking for a new firearm, please be aware that getting something that recently came out might mean not finding a manufacturer that makes a holster for it.  We’ve been really happy with Elite Survival Systems in recent  years because they tend to be the first ones to have something available whether it’s a Ruger LCP or Ruger LCR with or without a laser or more recently the Glock 42.   It’s hard enough trying to find .380 ammo or magazines for the Glock 42 but we had several customers pick them up right after SHOT Show and happily found a belt clip holster or a pocket holster right off the bat.   If you are going to drop the money for a customer kydex holster, that’s probable the next possibility of getting a holster.

Right now we are monitoring several gun holster manufacturers to full fill some requests from various customers about some of the new Sig Sauer firearms  but it’s not a good idea to invest in holster inventory if we have no idea if the firearm is going to gain traction in the Law Enforcement Community and become an active duty weapon.   Desantis Holsters and Galco Leather holsters are 2 companies we highly suggest checking out because they seem to be on the ball of producing some of the nicest leather goods and also have a growing Kydex and Kydex/Leather hybrid gun holster product line.   The Galco Kingtuk and the Desantis Scorpion and Desantis Intruder Gun Holsters seem to be hot items because the two clamp holsters although they take some getting use to have a very stable platform and don’t wobble like many single clip holsters do.

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Galco Holsters the STOW-N-GO vs Kydex and Nylon

Galco HolstersWe sell tons of CCW holsters and usually leave it up to the customer to decide on what they want, everyone’s tolerances are different and adjusting to certain levels of discomfort and limitations in movement are going to have to be accepted.   “I want a comfortable Holster” and when we get asked that, we tell them to get a pocket holster and see what there reaction is.   There are some pretty nice pocket carry friend pants available the 5.11 Covert Khaki 2.0, not to be confused  with the earlier covert khaki pants (which I don’t have a fond opinion of) are one of the few non-tactical looking pants that have deep pockets.   If you are stuck on carrying a larger frame firearm, you are going to have to accept that certain methods of carry are going are not going to work for you.    Leather has a very nice look but even from a Law Enforcement standpoint, leather is on it’s way out and  more people are going for leather/Kydex hybrids and STX finishes.

The Smith & Wesson Bodyguard is probable one of the most popular off duty firearms in our area and the most popular holster that we are getting positive responses from is the Galco Stow-n-go holsters.   This soft suede like  material, depending on the size of gun you have, doesn’t dig into  you the way that Kydex inside the waist holsters often do and if you are fond of Galco holsters as a brand name this is something to consider putting into your Summer carry CCW or Off Duty holster options.    The Sig 239 is also a very good match for this holster as well as many Glock firearms and Sig Sauer firearms.    We’ll be looking out for the Glock 42 holsters which I’m sure will  be out shortly.

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Quick fixes when you have a new gun but need a holster

Galco holstersThe new shooters are usually the ones that come in and ask the most generic questions but we’ve trained our staff be polite, even when asked those silly NEWBY questions.   I am going to be writing up a sheet and put it on our wall with all of the basic questions that people ask and they’ll have to think it over and come back to us with all of the answers.   This week we put in our orders for the 2014 products we will want to bring in stock for our Tactical store.  Many of the leather products are what fits the bill for our customers but they are about 2x’s as much as some of the paddle holsters and the inexpensive Galco stow-n-go holsters.  Those usually run in the $30 range but there are some drawbacks to those designs.

First of all, it’s better to have a holster than no holster but Kydex has gained a lot of traction in the CCW world because if you can adjust to them, they are a very good option to eventually consider.   The only problem with the Galco holsters with the Stow-n-go style is “reholstering.”   Once you draw the gun from the holster, it’s not really a good idea to shove it back in.  There are some safety issues to think about when using some IWB holsters that are nylon or of a very soft material.   I have seen some accidents with Glock handguns where people have a shirt or string that gets caught in the holster area and they gun holster pushes the gun too hard and it sets off the trigger.  It’s much better to unclip the holster and then reholster, and then tuck it into your waste.

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Leather holster options, it is all about preference

Galco holstersI’m not a big fan of all of the stuff we carry, we carry over 25,000 products and there really are different levels of quality with much of it.   We have cheap aftermarket magazines that some people love buy and just use them as range mags, and others only buy factory magazines.   When it comes to choosing a good CCW or duty holster it’s really like matching shoes to an occasion.   Not all gun leather is the same and there are different features and functional differences.   I noticd that much of the Desantis leather goods have very polished looks to them and they seem to love making black leather holsters.   Don Hume holsters are hot sellers but they are not very pretty holsters to look at.

Holster stiffness and business reputations are things that we let our customers figure out.   We only stock name brand products like Galco holsters and some of their competitors.  Each of the leather makers has there pros and cons and some of them dabble into kydex holsters. The paddle holsters from each manufacturer have different cants and also different levels of gun coverage and it’s up to the user to know what they really need.  Make sure you pay attention to your holster fit guide, and if you are ever not sure if your gun is going to fit, don’t guess at it, call of the manufacturer and ask.   You don’t want to find out later that the trigger isn’t fully covered or that the holster will un naturally become loose because it was never intended to fit that one.

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Leather holsters, best looking?

galco holstersYes, I admit it, there have been times I have picked out a holster just in the same way that women pick out shoes for a night  out on the town.  I have some really nice shoulder holsters that I have picked up from Galco that I use when I go up to the mountains or go to the mall and have a heavy winter coat on.  I really like carrying full size semi-autos but you really feel it when  you carry for very long or have to sit in a car.  We have a  lot of Police Officers tell us they hate getting in and  out of a car with some of their duty holsters because they ride up when they sit down.    Police officers no longer just carry handcuffs, a gun, and a baton.  They have radios, cells phones, tazers and more.   Finding a way to make it more comfortable to carry a firearm is something that Galco leather has done.

Probable the most popular gun holsters out there is the Miami classic shoulder holster.  This was probable Galco Holsters most famous image when the Miami Vice TV show was on the air.   I see plenty of Federal Agents carrying the Sig 229 DAK and the Glock 19 in this type of holster and recently we had several detectives and special agents still sporting this type of shoulder holster.   Most good shoulder holsters will be about $100 although you can get them much cheaper if you go with a nylon design.  There are big differences in the shoulder support of a holster and some of the reviews about these in the past have been repeated by many of my peers.   Some designs really cut into your neck and shoulders so you really have to put one on and make sure it works for you.

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What to train with and how much money do you want to drop on a holster?

gun holstersI have a large number of guys that are detectives or just got hired for a job, and sometimes even first time concealed carry holders that don’t have the slightest idea of what they want.   People come in here and ask me “do you have anything for a Glock 26” and point to the holsters I have thinking I’m going to point them to a holster.   I then bombard them with “inside the waist” or “outside the waist” “do you want a leather or kydex?” “Righted or left handed?”   It not until i start talking about which hand holster they want do they give me any sense of knowing what to say.  I don’t think you can compare holster shopping to anything else because it’s not like shopping for tactical pants or gloves.   With crime like home invasions and a slow economy people that have money think more about protecting their homes and assets.

I  think Kydex probable outsells leather now but with so many people putting lights on their guns it made shopping even harder.   Our quick fix or go to problem solvers are the Elite Survival Systems holsters but gun holsters like Fobus are the starting point for the majority of our new gun or concealed carry permit holder.  They are very easy to put on and work well with most belts.  I do highly recommend people get a good gun belt like a Desantis leather belt, Blackhawk pistol belt or a Wilderness belt.   They are much easier to use than putting on a belt through or snap on holster.   Getting into retention holsters is another level but sometimes people have to have the right starting point and only an experienced shooter will be the source for good  info.

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Galco holsters more than just leather

When it comes to choosing a holster that works for you and looks good for open carry or concealment (no contradiction) you can’t beat the looks of a leather gun holster.  There are so many variations and modes and methods of concealment that it’s really about the environment you are going to and what type of firearm you are carrying.  Full size semi-auto handguns are usually not going to be IWB and the Combat Master and Concealed Carry paddle holsters are an excellent choose for the American Patriot that is exercising their 2nd Amendment right to defend themselves

Galco Holsters are hands down one of the best holster manufacturers on the market. Rogue Elite.net has been carrying this line for several years and our customers love ’em Galco holsters are one of the most sought out holsters for concealed carry or duty use. There durable design and quality control are outstanding in every way. Galco gun holsters, outstanding quality of IWB holsters and Paddle holsters, are also the manufacturers of the much admired Miami Vice Shoulder holster seen on the popular 80’s TV Show. The safely secure Galco belt holster is made for your favorite, 1911, Sig, Glock, Beretta or M&P sidearm.

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Shoulder holsters are not out of style

I know that many gun ranges do not allow people to train for defensive shooting classes with shoulder holsters and I complete agree with the reasons.   I still believe that if you have to carry a full size auto, carrying it in a shoulder holster is the way to go.   For driving in vehicles whether for military purposes or for concealed carry, it is a practical way to defend yourself.  I think the vertical should holster is a much more practical and safer way to carry in a shoulder holster but small or medium size firearms work well in horizontal rigs.   I find the Elite Survival systems holsters to be the best nylon holsters but you get what you pay for.  Some of  my Uncle Mike’s holsters worked well but they are not as comfortable to wear.

There have been some pretty big design changes and I like many holster makers, the contour of the holsters has been modified.   The Miami classic holster from Galco holsters is still a very widely used holster for law enforcement.  This is probable the coolest shoulder holster and with a Glock 19 it works very well.   For winter carry these are above the belt line and are not something that will restrict you with the type of jackets you wear.  We have had some issues with customers buying the Woolrich Elite Algerian Jackets and then not like the length of the jacket.  Our answer is that it’s a jacket not a coat and if you want to wear this you need a different setup.

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Galco leather holster reviews

In the tactical accessories and tactical gear market, it’s not always about what is the best, it’s about what is the best for the job at hand.  Many gun holsters are not that practical and are good for backup situations but not primary.  Any gun is better than no gun, but ankle holsters and deep cover holsters that are tuckable might be your only option in some circumstances.  Galco makes a very comfortable ankle holster and the tuckable holster are one of our biggest sellers.

With gun holsters and accessories, there are so many well made products out there that it’s a testament to American ingenuity and creativity to how they are made and why they are made like that.   Galco holsters is probable the best direction someone can go for concealed carry and defensive shooting.   While many gun holsters may hold a niche market, Galco holsters are some of the nicest leather holster that don’t cost much more than one or two pistol magazines.  The Stow-n-go holsters are big for Concealed carry and not all of our Glock customers want a Kydex holster.   Sometimes a nice leather holster for a Glock is the way to go.

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