Upgrade from your army surplus gear holster
As SWAT Teams have changed their gear, so have the holsters they use for sidearms. Something like a leg holster for Police or LEOs were not very common since Sheriffs stopped riding horses and started to drive cars. Now you’ll be lucky to find a SWAT Team where leg holsters aren’t being used. If you’ve got to tote an M4 around there really isn’t a good way avoiding snagging or arm movements if you’ve got a paddle holster or OWB holster on. Galco Holsters, Blackhawk and Safariland are by far some of the more popular brands with a diverse product line for concealement and tactical purposes.
Like people, gun holsters come in all shapes and sizes. Holsters can be made out of nylon or they can be made out of kydex. Years ago there were not as many options other than the military style holter or thumbreak holsters. Most gun holsters were made out of leather and the balance between protecting a firearm and making it easy to draw from was pretty bad. Most holsters were meant for LEO or Military personal, but not for concealment. Pocket guns have been around for hundreds of years, but every since the semi-auto pocket guns came on the market, worrying about lint build up and avoiding gun printing was problematic.
Selecting the right holster for you and going to take some work. The best thing you can do before you start carrying a firearm is figure out what kind of gun you really want to carry and then go from there. Some people want to carry a full size auto right off the bat and then find out which holster works for them. Firearms can be carried in various ways, but situations and comfort are really the key. I have a friend that carries a full size Springfield 1911 and claims there is no difference in carry that vs a smaller auto.
Fobus holsters are probable the most popular paddle holster. Lots of manufacturers have put out similiar items, but Fobus still holds its own in the market. While IMHO it may not be all that comfortable to use too many paddle holder accessories along with your holster, the standard Fobus fobus makes a nice flashlight magazine combo accessory. If you are wearing a good gun belt, they will float very nicely on your waist. Fobus makes a holster for right handed and left handed shooters. One suggestion about choosing the a holster may be to pay attention to the gun angle that you prefer, while I don’t think it’s a good idea to have much movement with a holster, the roto holster may be for you. For those going to Carbine Course and looking for a comfortable sidearm holster, I highly recommend them for your favorite, Glock, Sig, Taurus, Beretta or 1911.
The argument about which gun is better than the other is like beating a dead horse to most gun enthusiasts, but when talking about gun holsters there seems to be very little argument. Whenever I speak to my friends about the topic of gun holsters, there is a clear and obvious reality that no holster is good for everything. Some holsters look nice and feel nice, but they won’t hold up to adverse weather. Nylon and plastics are options for damp environments, but there can always be drawbacks.
The world is changing and we are very aware of that at Bianchi International, which is why our product line continues to evolve to keep pace with today’s customer demands. We are continuously researching new materials, developing new designs and entire new product lines to meet these changing needs.