All posts tagged Beretta 92 holsters

A good holster that protects and retains a firearms

There has been so much bad mouthing of the Blackhawk Serpa holsters, but there seems to be some sense getting to people’s heads that its now becoming an accepted reality.   There is always a certain amount of training one most achieve before they carry a firearm. There are plenty of things that one can avoid if they are taught to avoid them and it’s something that always is the result of ND.   I have seen too many people pushed off to firing ranges that had very little training before they started doing defense shooting and dumb things like trigger control meant making an ass out of themselves by touching off a round while holstering.  The one statistic I will have to state is that with everyone of those it was with a Glock.

The differences between having a few extra pounds of trigger pull on a firearm can also reduce this, but if one  has trigger control it’s a none issue.  I have been using Blackhawk Serpa holsters for years now and they are still one of my favorites.  Yes they can fail if they roll in the dirt or snow but all firearms can fail for the same reason.  I have recently been using the Safariland holsters that many LEO have recommended and I understand the differences.  The reality for those that are carrying a firearm is this, if you want firearm retention with a holster, the Blackhawk Serpa holster is still  one of the best  holsters to protect and retain a firearm.

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What do you want with a pocket holster?

This is one of those issues that I have lots of first hand experience with but you would think that it’s a simple way of carrying a firearm.   I still run into  people that don’t use holsters but in the age of Glocks and firearms with no safeties, I do not think it’s a good idea to have a firearm in tow that does not have it’s trigger covered.   If you wouldn’t carry a knife that is un sheathed why would you carry a fiream without a holster?   I have tried to carry firearms in my pants pockets several times in the past but I have had several failed attempts.   Both times I was carrying j-frame revolvers and either the gun didn’t sit deep enough or I had snagging that was unacceptable.

I’ve used Uncle Mike’s pocket holsters in the past and they were OK, but I’ve taken fabric scissors to them and had to make adjustments to avoid the snagging issue.   One of my favorite new Desantis holsters is the Desantis Nemesis, they are more money than the Uncle  Mikes pocket holsters but they do a better job of slipping free when you pull your firearm.    Pocket carry is something you really have try out with your clothing and your method of carry.  I’ve seen guns fall  out of pockets when people go to picnics and that is bad.

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Don Hume Jit holster vs the Desantis Speed Scabbard

I have been  using the Don Hume Jit holsters for a very long time and I have several of them for my primary weapons.  For this type of holster, you may run into some flop issues with medium to large frame guns.   The bigger the gun the more likely you will want to have a larger full coverage holster.   IWB can be a uncomfortable carry method but it truely is the most appropriate.    Using locking devices or paddle holsters can cause snagging, make it harder to conceal.   The nice thing about Don Hume holsters is they are very reasonable priced and for $20 or so you can get a very good holster.

I compared these two holsters with a Sig 228 and a Glock 19,  most of this is preference, but it seems that when I used the Desantis holsters for the Sig 228 did not flop around as much as the Don Hume Jit.   There is about an 8 ounce difference between these firearms even though the sizes were close to the same size.   This definitely gives Glock and edge on the weight, but much of this is about how well you handle and shoot a firearm because it’s not about looks its about proficiency.    The Desantis Speed Scabbard is more money but I think it’s a nicer looking holster too.

 

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All that bullshit about gear causing accidents

I am a firearms instructor but do not teach more than a dozen students a year, but it still amazes me to this day that the same problems I saw on firing lines 20yrs ago still go on today.   The reason this happens is there are always new people walking up to the firing line and not everyone has the same starting point.  I admit that when I first started carrying a 1911 over 2 decades ago that cocked and locked hammer frightened me and at the time I felt like the gun was so close to going off that it was almost like carrying a bomb.   After that I remember looking at Glocks and then thinking “those things don’t have safeties” and then I finally came to the conclusion that ever one of those guns is ready to go off if you pull the trigger.

I have friends that have told me that they have seen 1911s shoot with the safeties were engaged and now that I think about it, I’d cry bull shit and say that it was more likely that somebody blamed the gun and not the shooter.   Blackhawk Serpa holsters are getting a bad rap these days even though the USMC just adopted the Serpa its primary holster.   Yes, certain types of guns or accessories can be cumbersome if there has been very little training.  This is something a firearms instructor needs to teach and another reason why it is very important that gun owners find the proper environments to instill these skills.

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Locking holsters it is about preference

We have been selling far more Blackhawk holsters than ever before but several Law Enforcement Agencies that we deal with have bad mouthed them and have told us that they have banned them from training classes.   There are flaws in the Blackhawk system and it is true that a dirty locking system will cause the gun to get stuck and it will be difficult to retrieve, but the funny thing about the videos that are floating around YouTube are that if you did the same thing to an M16, the gun would jam up also.

Many of our Special Forces and Law Enforcement still prefer the Safariland holsters although they do seem a little bulkier than other holsters.  There really are duty holsters and for the most part Safariland Holsters are best for that job.  People that bash locking holsters need to take new students to a range and have them use thumb break holsters and you’ll see in about 5 minutes that Safariland and Blackhawk designs are superior.   Not only is it about being able to get your firearm out quickly, it’s also about locking the gun in place so it doesn’t fly out when you have to run or are in an altercation.

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The Importance of pocket holsters….

There have been many times where we have thought we could just wing it when it comes to using firearms and skip cleaning it or carry it in a pocket without any kind of a holster.  I have never been a big fan of carrying firearms in a coat or a jacket because there are just too many things that can go wrong.   Years ago, it may go down as our favorite crazy customer, was a time when a guy picked up a Woolrich Elite lightweight vest and after putting various firearms inside the vest pockets, called us up and told us that the gun still printed and we were a fraud company for sell a vest that was suppose to conceal a firearm.

That level of knowledge or lack there of, is pretty common in every area of society, but I wonder if that guy still gets made if his guns spin around or when he reaches for them they aren’t there.   With all of the gun holsters out there, something like the Desantis holsters, especially for the pocket holsters like the LCP guns, which seem to have become incredible common you still should have any pocket gun in a pocket holster. Lint, and other things can cause problems and reducing the chances of excessive movement is very important.  It will cost you $20 or less for the most part.

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Nylon holsters from Blackhawk

Nylon holsters are always a good starting point for people to understand what it’s like to carry a firearm.   I have several of the older Uncle Mike’s gun holsters that I picked up at gun shows and they are all holding up.   The only reason I don’t use them is because I don’t find them to lock onto my gun belts as well as they should, so I’ve moved on.   To this day that is still one of the major reason I pass or fail a gun holster.   The gun angle or how deep it sits is a personal preference, but clip on belt holsters better be secure or they get an F.

I’ve picked up several of the Kydex holsters from Galco and was not very happy with them for the same reason I did not like some of the Uncle Mike’s clip on holsters.  The Blackhawk holsters like the Hip holster are pretty much the same.  If it works for you then use it, but they aren’t going to be the most secure.   Some of the Elite Survival holsters are better thought out and made in the USA so give them a shout.

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Do you own that gun that’s hard to find a holsters for?

In a recent conversation about some of the new pocket guns from Ruger like the LCP and the LC9, many people are calling us up asking us if we have ANY type of holster for their guns.   Gun holsters have just gotten far more complicated in recent  years and even the guys  in the military have to go through some research to buy a holster.   Guns are sold with rails, without rails, some handguns have lasers on them and others want to keep a light on them.    You literally could have 3 or 4 of the almost identical holsters with just slight variations depending on how it is configured.   There are always customer holsters for those with the money to fork out, but not everyone wants to spend $80 on a holster.

One reason to stick with a handgun for CCW that has been out for awhile is getting replacement parts, gun grips, gun holsters and even ammunition might be a good idea.   Blackhawk holsters are probable our biggest selling holster, but they don’t have the versatility as a nylon holster maker like Elite Survival does.   Elite Survival has Made in the USA on their products but might be a little bit above Uncle Mike’s gun holsters and Blackhawk nylon holsters   or even the Blackhawk Omega holsters.   If you are looking for IDPA or a duty holster, the USMC has now adopted the Blackhawk Serpa Holsters as their primary retention holster.   I believe it replaced the M12.

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USMC now adopting Blackhawk Serpas

Not only has there been a huge a huge order submitted to Trijicon for the ACOGs, the USMC has now officially adopted the Blackhawk Serpa holster as the official USMC gun holster.  Well, I have to say this,  I’ve been  one step ahead of the most powerful military in the world since I have personally already adopted the Blackhawk Serpa as the official gun holster for Rogue Elite employees.   When it comes to working, running and as the military knows, fighting a war, losing a firearm or having it fly around is a bad idea.  Velcro and gun straps are hard to re-engage under stress and the Blackhawk Serpa design isn’t.

Keeping  your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot is one of the basic firearm safety rules and the holster designers at Blackhawk knew this.  When you are drawing you gun from your Blackhawk Serpa holsters, if you are practicing your basic firearm safety rules, you will easily be able to release the firearm from it’s holster.   Locking it back into place means just dropping it into the holster.   There are also easy ways to modify the firearm on your leg, belt or vest and the Blackhawk Holster platform gives you a spot for  holster or for carrying more gun magazines.

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More praise for the Blackhawk Serpa Holster

I recently got a customer phone call about the Blackawk level II leg holster.   This is our number one selling leg holster and there’s a reason why.   For many of the guys running competition shooting, this holster gives you free upper body movement with a carbine without having too much gear on your chest to snag a rifle sling.  Many of the rifle slings that you really should use on an M4 Carbine should be quick detach.   It’s nice to be able to secure a firearm to you, but bad things can happen when you can’t get your gear off.   Ask an EMT or medical technician about getting seat belts off of injured people and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

There is a quick detach mechanism you can install on your holster, but it’s a little hard to explain it without doing a video explanation.   One good thing about the Blackhawk holsters that I use is that I can swap anyone of them out on my drop down rig depending on which sidearm I want to use.  The one thing I have noticed about this type of leg holster is the flexible yet hard back keeps your gun in place when you are moving.  Some of the nylon versions of these holsters will wobble when  you walk and that might be a problem if your gun is not in place when you reach for it.

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