All posts in Holsters

The Beretta 92FS still going strong

I remember when the 9mm gun started showing up in  Military service and the stories about them cracking and not being reliable were all over the place.   Now that I’m about three decades older,  I think I have heard the same exact stories from other people about different types of guns.   The real situation with firearms is there are almost always alterations or improvements that take place after the first run comes out.   Just think about the Glock Perfection promotions you see everyone where.  Glock supposedly got it perfect, but now we are seeing the 4th Generation with back straps.   I’m not bashing Glocks because I am a Glock owner and I’ve seen them out run most handguns and they are an elite firearm.   In all honesty most firearms really are just different types of candy.   Sometimes it’s just preference.

The Beretta 92FS is an extremely reliable firearm, it also is a full size auto that needs a good holster.    Our top 2 selling holsters from Blackhawk are the gun holsters made for those carrying the Beretta 92FS in the military also known as the M9 and the Glock 17 and followed closely by the Glock 19.   Blackhawk holsters are outstanding duty holsters and secondary firearm holsters.   Our top level tactical customers prefer the Blackhawk finger release design over tradition thumb break holsters and we have yet to have someone come back to us about quality control issues.    The Beretta 92FS is the stronger version of the original Beretta 92F gun holsters.

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Sometimes it’s not about the holster, it’s how big the gun is

I’ve been more aggressive in attempting to try out various types of firearms for concealed carry and i’ve found more than a few holsters that I will be adding to my rotation.   I think it’s a good idea to have more than one type of holster for each gun  you have because there are situations where you can get yourself into where one method of carrying will not work very well.   I have been growning tired of carrying guns IWB because I’ve hurt  myself one too many times and sometimes it takes weeks for the discomfort from a bruise to go away.   Rolling around on the ground with a paddle holster can be a revealing experience and you will quickly find out where all of the sharp ends on your firearms are.   It’s all necessary to know what different positions feel like so you hope your body will understand discomfort under stress and you can concentrate on getting hits on target.

I find ankle carry to be very close to dressing  up for Halloween.   It’s not really practical but it’s fun to do every once in awhile.  I find ankle carry to be a good backup method for someone that does a lot of driving.   Pocket carry is nice when you don’t have to carry a lot in your pockets, but I still always prefer to carry with a Don Hume Jit holster because I really can’t feel the gun on me unless I grab it with my hands.   I’ve been working my way towards smaller and smaller firearms and the Galco holsters that I am using now are all the Speed paddle holsters for a j-frame.  This gun is so light already that the paddle holster barely bothers me.   I’ve found the heavier the gun the less I’m going to want a paddle holster, and this is my least uncomfortable paddle carry holster.

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Blackhawk guns for CCW and Duty

I am replacing many of my Fobus gun holsters for the Blackhawk Serpa CQC holsters.   The CQC holsters can be attached to the belt or they can be made into a paddle holster, so you are actually getting 2 for one.   I have had circumstances where I needed to change the way I carried a gun and there are times that certain firearms really begin to wear on you and paddle holsters and IWB can get uncomfortable. Much of it depends on what type of physical work I am doing, but once you get a bruise in that area, it’s not going to heal if you are constantly carrying it in that manor.  A few years ago i hurt myself while bending over and couldn’t CCW with an IWB holster, but didn’t have many options to try out, I picked up a Blackhawk Serpa holster and tried that, but even though it was advertised as Concealed Carry, it really protruded out to far for me to wear under a shirt, and it really only could have been used if I wore a vest.  I guess I’m too thin to do that in the summer around here.

I have through pocket carry into the mix because I have had one too many times that I was extremely uncomfortable with the way I was carrying and couldn’t enjoy the places I was going.  Ankle carry has been tried, but it still feels funny to have something on one leg and not the other.  Blackhawk holsters are very good for duty work and Winter carry, but carrying a small Kahr PM9 or a Walther PPK is enough Semi-auto for me, but I have tried a Smith & Wesson lightweight 637 and have been very happy.  Throw a knife, flashlight and mace into the mix and you’ve got plenty of self-defense to go around.  No need to try and get too frisky with larger firearms and end up being made in a bad situation.

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Things that go nicely with a 1911

I can feel it, but I’m not afraid to admit it, I’m starting to desire carrying my rack queens again.   I started out with the old 45acp gun, but switched to a 38 Special and stuck with Sigs for over a decade.   I’m a Sig Sauer guy, but I’ve been wanting to carrying Glocks and try to adjust to them for a few months now.   I believe I am comfortable with the Glock firearms I am carrying, but I’m still not won over to them.   I’ve seen that Glocks are far more reliable than many of the Semi-autos I own under some conditions, but most of those would be either neglect or extreme circumstances.   I am not looking to get in gun fights that last for 1000rds with a handgun and I certainly don’t clean my guns every decade to see how reliable they will be.    My Glocks are going to be put to the test this year at a few training classes where I have had Sigs fail, but I’m still of the notion that I’d rather have an M4 pistol driven carbine than get too much into a bitch fest over handgun reliability.

My 1911s are always number one in my heart.   I like the idea of having 8rds of 45acp because I don’t think handguns should be expect for big gun fights.  I’m a strong supporter of having every cop keep an M4 Carbine in the trunk instead of expecting them to carry 100rds or more of 9mm ammo.   Galco holsters are outstanding companions to the 1911 because they look so darn good together.   The Galco holsters I have used are the Combat Master and the Galco concealable gun holsters.   They are belt through holster that are securely mounted on  your belt, you will have to get use to the grip angle which is another debate, but it’s another one of those things that is all about preference and adaptation.   The reasons for every accessory and holster being designed for a certain mode of deployment.

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Gear and accessories, jobs and locations

When my friends pressured me into buying an AR15 a few decades ago, I did it just for the fun of it.   When I picked up my first M4 Carbine, I got it because I needed it for work.    Depending on the jobs you intend to do with your firearm, you have to be careful you don’t over do it and  you have to be careful that you thought things through and you know what to do and where to go when scenario 2 or plan B occurs.   Crazy things happen in front of your eyes when you’ve lived on this Earth long enough and there’s no way to play for everything.   Once thing I have known since the first time I put on a back pack and went hiking on a Scout Trip was carrying too much weight.   I’ve seen guys show up on camping trips and burn up chairs and toss out food and dishes that they got tired of hauling around.   Nobody wants to starve on a camping trip, but nobody wants to carry an extra 5lbs of food either.

When it comes to planning for a tactical carbine or training course, nobody wants to make an ass  out of themselves by dropping gear or having to go back to your car and unload all of the stuff that you wore for the first day.   There’s nothing wrong with learning and making mistakes,  but it’ll show if you aren’t planning ahead.  I have friends that have seen guys pass out on ranges because they couldn’t handle the physical tasks and part of it was because they didn’t wear the right clothing and got too hot.   Blackhawk holsters are one of my favorite duty or tactical holsters, but there are many ways of carrying a sidearm.  The Blackhawk Omega holsters are easy to adapt to using and can carry a spare magazine with the holster.   If you don’t need a fancy chest rig, keep it simple and just use a tactical holster with a magazine holder.     If you need much more than that as a backup you might want to consider bringing grenades.

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Galco stow-n-go holsters, good for something

I am testing out a lot of holsters for a Glock 19 to see if I can find the right one to use this summer.   I went with the Stow-n-go holster because it looked like it is very CCW friendly, and it certainly is.   I have only had this Glock 19 for a few months, and I’m still getting use to this Glock thing, but I’m not blown away by the design of this holster.   I did have about a week break  in period with the holster because being leather, it had to be broken in.   This holster was really tight, but now that it’s been used several times at the range, there really isn’t any noticeable tension when pulling it out.   This is very soft an fairly comfortable even though my Sig 239 was a thinner firearm.   I am getting twice the fire power from this 9mm Glock 19.

The only real problem I have with this firearm and it’s a pretty big one, is that when it’s actually being used on the firing  line, I am having a lot of trouble getting the gun in the holster.   Not that it’s hard to get in, it’s really hard to get back in.  And being that I am using a Glock, I’m not going to fool around with it.   If it doesn’t drop into the holster, I’m not going to push it in.   Galco holsters are very nice and well made, but this one even though I am using it, isn’t one of my favorites and I’m going to continue to look other places for something soft but not as flimsy.   The soft leather makes the holster cave in when there isn’t a gun in it and I don’t like that.   I have to take the holster off and put the firearm in it and then attach it to my belt.

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Choosing a firearm for ccw and backup mags

It is your decision or your departments decision on which type of firearm you are going to be carrying around.   When my LEO friends have a chose of carrying something other than their standard sidearm, it amazes me on what they actually decide to carry.   Most departments around here issue Glock 17 handguns and most of my LEO friends actually carry Sig Sauer handguns off duty.   The Sig 239 is a big number one for CCW even in the civilian community.

When we are chosing which firearm to carry, there are always the what ifs that can cross our minds, those what ifs usually mean you should always consider having a spare magazine.  I’m not a big fan of telling people they should carry a backup gun because training and carrying a knife and a flashlight should be good for most.  When it comes to spare magazine Blackhawk holsters makes a very reliable magazine holder that gives a level of tension to hold a magazine in and still doesn’t compromise on the speed it takes to take it out.

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Reason for having more than one holster

There are always preferred ways of carrying a concealed firearm or even a duty gun, but in certain environments you’re holsters may not hold up very well.  I’ve seen nylon holsters survice in situations where leather didn’t, but i have and own many very comfortable leather tactical and concealed carry holsters.  I don’t think the notion of wearing a kydex shoulder holster is appealing to me, but something like the Blackhawk Serpa holsters are more secure than a clip on nylon.

There are always trade offs with guns and the same goes for the gear that you are carrying, In this part of the country it’s impossible to expect to carry a paddle holster or Blackhawk holsters like the Serpa in the outside of your pants when it gets hot up here.   If you want concealed carry you better expect to carry IWB or pocket carry.  I’ve moved away from paddle holsters because you really feel it if you have to hit the ground hard.  There are always options.

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Summer heat and transitioning from one firearm to another

In this part of  the State we get all 4 seasons and some of the changes in weather can be drastic.  This year I’m transitioning over to polymer guns for summer CCW because I’ve rusted out the grip screws on so many of my Sig and Beretta firearms.   IWB is a must in the summer for my semi-autos but I have been using a Ruger LCR for pocket carry in environments were ultra concealment is called for.  I always like the looks of leather,  but now I am locked in with  using Kydex holsters for the same reasons I’m switching firearm, no rust as far as I’ve seen.

I’m still too skinny to carry with a paddle holster and I’ve had to retire all of my Blackhawk holsters because they still print if I wear a t-shirt.   Vests are too obvious in summer weather, but you can get away with it in the Spring.   I really miss carrying my Sig 226, but it’s time to play with my Glock 19, retired the Blackhawk holsters and go with an Uncle Mike’s kydex holster.   I’ll see  how well these holsters hold up because the belt clips I’ve had on previous holsters didn’t hold up very well and there were times I’ve stood up at work and was holding my gun in a holster because it just lifted right off my belt.

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Don Hume Jit holsters, fast and friendly

don hume holstersI’ve been in a holster and tactical clothing buying binge and I’ve learned a  lot in the last year.   Holsters all look the same after awhile and i really don’t feel the desire to buy too many more for most of the guns I own, but there are a few I picked up just to try out and see what was out there.   The best holster that I have found looked like it was no real advantage over any of the paddle or OWB holsters I already own, but the Don Hume Jit holster is turning out to be my favorite.   I was never one to sit down and eat a big breakfast before going to work, I get out of bed grab something to eat and get moving.   The idea of having to loop belts through holsters along with getting dressed every morning seemed like more of a chore for me and I avoided them.   I liked paddle or clip on holsters because i was done in a second.

The Jit holsters real advantage to me is that the holster isn’t any bigger than it’s needed to be and helps reduce the amount of printing you might have with a larger holster.   Some people may not like the fact that the whole gun is not protected by the holster, but you should notice this gun does feel like it comes out of the holster fast.    I have noticed that the gun does look like it’s a bit dry when carrying this way due to it being exposed to clothing so you may want to wipe your gun down more often,  Don Hume holsters are very reliable when it comes to getting a holster that fits and I have never had to return one that didn’t function properly.    My favorite CCW now is a Glock 19 in the Jit holster for 3/4 of the year.

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