All posts in Holsters

CCW for the skinny guys

I’m talking about guys here because I don’t k now very many females that carry guns IWB or pocket carry.   I’m not sure why, but most females I am friends with carry in a purse or carry in a paddle or strong side holster.   There are many ways of carrying a gun on just a belt line.   You can carry with a belt loop, double belt loop, clip on or paddle holster.   I have a few backup holsters that are the Don Hume jit holsters that work very well for me because they keep the gun up and don’t take up very much room like a paddle holster.  I also can’t feel it push against my body at all when I am sitting down, unlike the IWB holsters.   I am still looking to pick up a crossbreed holster for a Sig 239 in 40 S&W because I’ve heard they are the most comfortable holsters.   I’ll find out and tell you my thoughts later.

I have never been a big fan of putting on a holster that need to through with a belt because I really don’t feel like having to do that every morning when I get up and go off to work.  That extra 20 minutes of wiggling things around and trying to line up the holster to the belt loops ect. is rather annoying and a clip on the belt gun holsters takes 2 seconds.   I do believe that I may have found a replacement for my paddle holsters which I tend to only carry when I am wearing a vest.   The Don Hume Jit holster may work for you if you have a large cut shirt, but us skinny guys don’t have the shape to hide very much unless it’s flat up against us.

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Paddle holsters vs. OWB holsters

There have been several occasions where I have had to sit down and re-read all of the various holsters designs being made from the major manufacturers to read about any chances or variations that have been made.   Last year we saw a big increase in people buying .380 guns and not very many holsters were being made for it yet.   There are also things like lasers that come into play and that limits the types of holsters you can use even more.   I expect that since the Ruger LCR and LCP have been given a good reception in the gun industry that next year will be easier to find more options.   I still not on the .380 bandwagon, but if that’s what people want to carry, any gun is better than no gun.

I changed some of my work week carry methods after hobbling around with sore spots from the times I had to do a lot of lifting and working with my CCW gun and I have recently switched up some of my holster and carry methods to give my body a break.   For anyone that is actually carrying 7 days a week and does a lot of physical work, IWB with a medium or large size gun will catch up with you.  I  have found that the Galco holsters that are OWB holsters, that you have to put a belt through don’t work very for me because there are times during the day that I do have to take my gun off because I am going through various buildings with high security measures and it’s annoying to have to practically undress in a car each time.   One thing I throw into my CCW mix is a good Galco paddle holster like the Havana.

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The FN 5.7 as a defensive weapon

I first saw the 5.7  in all it’s glory with what I would consider to be AP ammo.   I heard a few people mention that they thought that this gun should be illegal, but ballistically it couldn’t do anything that the much more common M855 or SS109 could do.   Yeah I know that a criminal might prefer a handgun to defeat a police officers armor, but the last Police Officer killed here in Pennsylvania was killed with an SKS with standard ammo and a 30rd magazine that actually jammed.   The SKS can take detachable magazines, but I have never seen them hold up as well as the AK family of guns with these mags.   The 5.7 has the ballistics of something close to the 22 magnum, and even though that is not a very powerful stopping round it is as effective as the person carrying it.

I don’t know of any reliable 22 magnum semi auto guns, I know a few pocket revolvers that were fun to shoot, but if you want a small and light semi auto with similar 22 magnum ballistics and has a much  higher capacity, there’s nothing wrong with packing the 5.7 FN.  I think there are better calibers for duty officers, but there are a number of gun holsters like the Blackhawk Serpa that can be had for this gun.  Unfortunately the piece of crap that killed our soldiers at Fort Hood used this firearm arm very effectively, but hopefully anyone reading this will know that every firearm used in the hands of a good and law abiding citizen is an asset to society.

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The stuff you read about on the internet about Fobus

Fobus HolstersI’m sure the majority of what you read about various holsters is mostly based on peoples personal tastes.   Guns and accessories can suit your purposes just fine if they are use appropriately, but there is a lot of BS on gun forums.   Probable 75% or more of what you read about accessories on gun forums is propaganda either for a product or against it.  One of the biggest BS bits of  info I saw on the  internet was about how easy it was to break Fobus Holsters.   There is a youtube video of a guy with a holster on and another guy walking up behind him and breaking the gun and the holster off.   The reality is this, if you give anyone enough time, they can mess up your life.

I could do something even better than that, how about sneaking up behind someone and hit the mag release and take the magazine out of their gun while it’s in the holster which leaves them with one round in the chamber, better yet, just hit them with a baseball bat and take their gun and their wallet from them.  If they have an AR15  using GI Mags, why not sneak up on them and use a pair of vise grips and pinch the mag well so the gun jams on them.  Sure you can break certain holster designs easier than others, but I’m not going to toss my gear out a window and find out if it breaks from a two story window.   Fobus holsters are simple to use, they are primarily used for people carrying large sized autos and don’t need retention like a thumbstrap or serpa holster does.

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Shoulder holsters being banned from Defensive training?

I first heard about this 3 years ago when I was taking a class, and I’m glad I didn’t bring my Uncle Mike’s vertical holster with me when I was taking the class, but it really wasn’t that style that was an issue.   Understandable so,  shoulder holsters, if not properly used, can be a hazzard to people behind the firing line, especially if it is a vertical rig.   Everyone seems to think of the Galco holster The Miami Classic when they think of that style of carry, but not all holsters are like that.   They look cool, but standing next to several people with that style of carry isn’t going to  be safe when everyone is holstering and un-holstering.

I do not think that shoulder holsters are less safe, and I personally think they are very practical for people that do a lot of driving, and it’s one of my favorite ways to carry a large size semi-auto.   Paddle holsters and OWB holsters are hard to draw from in the seat position and Bulldog holsters along with Uncle Mikes make very inexpensive holster rigs.  The Bulldog holsters have a double magazine pouch which gives you a little bit more weight distribution.   Shoulder holsters aren’t the best for CCW because the straps can ride up on you, but if you wear the appropriate clothing they can work.

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Options other than paddle holsters

I think the real question that some people need to think about when they are going to take a firearm to a Carbine course is to take some serious thought into what kind of retention they want.   I have never seen a firearm come out of a Fobus holster on the firing line, but I have seen gun magazines pop out of that type of magazine holder.    Blackhawk makes a better magazine holder due to the fact that there is actually tension on the mag in the holder.   If you are carrying an M4 around, and you need a sidearm, I strongly recommend you have a holster that has a thumb break or a Blackhawk Serpa type of holster.

One other suggestion I have because I have a pile of these types of holsters is the Uncle Mikes hip holsters.    I have a few that have a magazine holster right in front of the gun holster which is a nice way to carry a backup mag, you always know where it is in relation to the gun, and if you are carrying a lot of gear, it’s nice to keep the spare mag next to the spare gun.   I have some of Uncle Mikes  holsters that are leg holsters, hip holsters and should holsters.   There have been a few modifications they have made to the shoulder holsters which in my opinion were an improvement.   The magazine holders are now on the opposite side of the holster and you don’t have to carry them separately.

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Fobus gun holster reviews

I am a strong believer in having atleast 3 magazines for every semi-auto handgun you own and having atleast one holster for it.   If you are every in a situation where you may have to give a family member a firearm, it’s in my humble opinion a good idea to have it in a holster especially if it is loaded.   Even though most gun fights are usually only a few rounds, magazines can break and nightmarish situations can occur.   I actually know someone that was in a defensive situation here in Philadelphia where he was attacked by multiple persons, and you could have used an M4 in a concealed carry situation and still may not have been able to hold off what had occurred to him and his family.

If I owned a gun shop, I’d probable sell Fobus holsters for half price to just about anyone buying a medium or large frame firearm.    These holsters are very good for open carry or for winter carry under a vest or a jacket.    The only down side to these holsters is that they can become uncomfortable to use when shooting on the ground.   I have a few of the magazine paddle holders and I find it to be a little too much to take if I have paddle holsters all around my belt line.   For real seriou

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Keeping it lightweight and simple

I know the idea of keeping it simple may mean carrying a larger auto and no spare magazines for concealed carry, but my idea of keeping it simple is usually pocket carry.     Sometimes people can go overboard with the CCW and even though you are well withing  your right to carry a gun legally, if you are packing too much gear, there’s a pretty good chance you will eventually be outed or “made” by someone that you don’t really want to know what you are carrying.   I have had atleast 2 times in my life where someone I barely knew, figured out real fast that something metal on my belt line, that wasn’t where my cell phone was. was there.

Every time you walk past someone in a close environment, there is a good chance you will get an “excuse me” and they will bump up against you.   People don’t realize how often it actually occurs, but elevators stares, doorways ect, are known for bumpin.   Carrying at social environments like business meetings is something that even more bumping can occur.   Sounds funny, but I speak from experience.  Sometimes I carry a Kahr K9 in 40 in one of my many Galco holsters that is an ankle holster.   This is one of the best ways to avoid bumping and being made in a white collar or close quarters social environment.   Find a good gun shop that allows you to try them on.

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Glocks and IWB carry

Maybe I’m not that experienced with carrying Glocks for concealed carry, but I often find them to be more comfortable being carried in a leg holster or paddle  holster.   The same goes for revolvers, I rarely see people carry any type of revolver in a holster.   Peoples tolerances for carrying can drastically vary due to body sizes.   When I got serious about moving away from a Taurus T85 38 Special and was looking for a durable semi-auto with more punch, but not much larger, I came to the conclusion that it was either the Glock 26 9mm or a Sig 239.  The Sig 239 won out because it was slightly thinner, but not really a lighter gun.

When you are deciding on a firearm, don’t worry about the weight of the gun.   If you get a good gun belt you shouldn’t notice weight as much as you will notice the size of the barrel.   I still find the 1911 to be one of the most comfortable guns to carry because it has such a thing frame and is balanced very well, but my Wilderness 5 stitch instructor belt supported it so well I couldn’t tell the difference between my Sig 239 and a 45acp full size 1911.  I tried on various Don Hume holsters, Galco holsters and Bianchi and found the Don Hume and Galco had a lot of good options.   It’s good to find a dealer that has  a return policy where you can try it out in your own home and then return it if you have any issues with the fit.

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Tactical clothing and gun holsters

I recently took a swing by several big gun shops and picked up a few products from tactical clothing companies that I was unfamiliar with.   I do think that many of the top tactical clothing companies are much better than the stuff that was being made years ago.   Clothing manufacturing has gotten better in many regards.   I have several BDU pants from Army Navy stores, but I just can’t stand wearing them anymore.   The hand pockets are too small and the BDU pockets are too flimsy.    If I want BDU pants,  The Eotac Style 201 Pants are the way to go.   If I want to wear denim jeans, I’m going to go with one of the tactical jeans from 5.11, Woolrich Elite or Eotac.

One thing I didn’t like about the 5.11 jeans was that the hand pockets were not any larger than my regular jeans which completely eliminates the possibility of pocket carry.   I had a j-frame 38 Special in the pocket and the handle was showing.   I find this to be a real short coming even though the internal pockets that can stow guns or magazines.   I find these pants to be concealed carry friendly to some degree, but they really were missing some features.   I don’t like the fact that there isn’t spot in the right side at about 3 o’clock that would be gun holsters for most right handed individuals.   Even though I think some of the 205 jeans are a little over designed with the rear pockets, I think pocket carry is really important for CCW wearers and the 5.11 jeans isn’t for that.  The 5.11 jeans can hold your wallet or money, but that’s about it.

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