Observations in training and gear Pt 3
Along with some of the other things stated in the previous blog entry is that anything not held down, will come loose. We are aware of that when we mount our optics and tighten things down so they won’t come loose and we also use things like loctite to bond it even more. This is something will really make a difference at the range, the folks that don’t use loctite and put 1000rds through a gun in a weekend may find out the hard way. We’ve talked a little about firearm retention, but the next common thing to think about is magazine retention.
Chest rights and tactical vests are great ways to carry spare mags. Practice using them so you know how to release and close the pockets or flaps. I see guys using their CCW gear on ranges and that is not always the best option. We hope that the gear we use for daily carry is good enough, but when we have to think about running and jumping under cover, our bodies are doing movement and so is our gear. I could probable open up a small gun shop for the amount of gear I’ve seen dumped on live fire training sessions and it would probable be a lot of pistol mags being sold. Blackhawk holsters makes a cqc magazine holder that gives you a level of retention without using a flap or lockdown holder. I hightly recommend these.
The are many ways of concealing a firearm, but when it comes to carrying backup mags, there are far fewer options. I know plenty of people that carry spare mags around in pockets, but I’ve seen too many times that the top round of a loaded mag will eventually pop loose or be out of place which could cause a malfunction. I’d recommend carrying spare ammo along the belt line for 85% of CCW. There are some tactical jackets that are designed for holding magazines, but I also recommend close the pockets and not leaving them open. Elastic retention will help hold a mag from side to side movement, but when it comes to up and down movement, those mags will probable hit the ground when you may be reaching for them.
There seems to be a big transition in the Law Enforcement community to leg holsters. Its kind of funny how the old western look disappeared for a few decades but now it’s back again. If we all road around on horses we’d probable agree that carrying a sidearm on a leg holster is appropriate and its not just for the cool Han Solo look.
The more gear you put on your body the more you’ll worry about placement, and like every other mode of carry, there are different tools for different tasks. Blackhawk gear has some of the top notch products for your needs. You can choose from different levels of retension, too. There are always paddle holsters or something like Fobus that are fairly inexpensive, but our highest recommendations are always the Blackhawk Tactical Holsters.
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.
Holsters have come a long way in comparison to what the Cowboys and Military use to store their sidearms. Most holsters were held in place by gravity, straps or buttons for hundreds of years. The Blackhawk Level 2 Serpa leg holster is my favorite way to carry a sidearms whenever I’m toting a rifle or carbine. I’ve rolled around enough in the dirt to know that gear can fall off when the pace is sped up. I’ve seen guys loose sidearms and pistil magazines just by bending over or rolling around.
