Concealed carry holter or tactical?
I have to admit that I do read a lot of gun magazines, I guess it’s primarily to educate myself on what is out there as far as firearms and gear and see if there is anything ground breaking. I remember when I could name about 5 or 6 good gun manufacturers, but now there are so many people making AR15 guns that I don’t think I could really say that I have a very good point of reference if I was going to give my critisism because not all of the direct impingement guns are the same. There have been some productions with Springfield Armory XD guns when they first came out as well as a few others, but eventually the gun company gets it right. I have never seen so many holster modifications done in the last 2yrs as I have before. If you had a Sig 229 6yrs ago and get one now, and put a light on it, time for another gun holsters.
I guess the real question that we need to ask ourselves is do we want a tactical gun or a concealed carry gun? Even that can become complicated if we start putting lasers on them which many are doing for small frame revolvers and semi-autos. I took a training course using lasers and gun holsters and learned in the first 5 minutes that a laser has an extreme advantage over non laser guns with shooting around corners. Anyone that has taken a defensive firearms course has learned to use cover, and limit the exposure when shooting around a corner, keep your feet behind cover and try to only move the barrel and your eyes around the corner. With a laser, you can learn to keep your gun at one firing point and your head at another which gives your threat 2 things to think about if they want to return fire.
I was trying to think about how to describe the situations that many in the 20-40 age range tend to deal with in the summer months that they don’t normally deal with when carrying. I’ve found it very difficult to carry a fiream to weddings because there is usually so much human contact from dancing to pats on the back and hugging. Many reading this might think it is not a concern at all, but you have to realize that not every social environment is going to be gun friendly and considering that there is usually heavy drinking, it is something to think about not bothering to carry.
There is another consideration in choosing a holster that you may not be that concerned about at first. Many in the CCW world may frown on having any kind of thumb break or locking system, but there are good reasons for thinking about this. I would have to say that many of the thumbreak holsters that I have used in the past were nylon and although they worked very well for their intended purposes, I would never recommend them for CCW. I am also going to state that I am not going to tell you which holster you should use because that is a personal choice and you should put some thought and research into selecting for yourself. I have trained with 1911 pistols and although they are my favorite 45acp pistol, I have missed the thumb safety too many times during self defense training that I do not consider it for CCW. I’m also aware that putting a thumbreak on the holster may compound the problem for such a firearm.
There have been many changes in the materials being used in modern sidearms. Many of the polymer firearms have a huge advantage over their previous counterparts primarily due to their corrosion resistance. Along with corrosion resistance, many of these firearms also depend on lubrication far less. Gun holsters have progessed as far as being made in materials that can handle sweat and dirt resistance. I’ve heard plenty of stories about people ruining the finish on various blued firearms just from one or two harsh weather environments and people not getting around to cleaning them in time. I’ve personally seen a few revolvers end up being horrible pitted after an operator sweat up a storm and never bothered to clean the sidearm.
If you feel comfortable carrying the same handgun all year long, you may be in the minority. Many feel the need to get into a summer/ winter carry routine and I feel that is fairly common. Carrying a fiream IWB in the depth of winter may mean your gun is under 2 or 3 layers of clothing which can mean murphys law may come quicker.
The concealed carry market is exploding with various tactical apparel and holster designs. Most gun owners that are not in law enforcement have the ability to select whichever firearm suits there comfort level and that will change depending on the environement they are in. Sometimes the idea of getting a $150 or higher shoulder holster sounds like fun and you can announce to everyone in the room that you are carrying a full size handgun, but that’s not really concealment. It’s hard to really give suggestions on what is best for concealment, because some of the best shooters I know carry a small auto or revolver in a pocket and I wouldn’t want to mess with them.
Uncle Mikes holsters have been around for a long time and I know some people have it in for them because they aren’t very expensive and many of them are made out of Nylon. After being in the gun industry for so many years, I’m starting to be amazed at the number of people I have respect for that are walking around with 38 Specials and 32ACP pocket guns and believe me, they aren’t underpowered. The experts don’t always carry the most expensive holsters and gear, sometimes they just use when is neccessary and don’t waste money.
When deciding on which type of method to conceal a firearm, one most always remember the environment you will be carrying in. All firearms can be carried in one way or the other, but some firearms will become extremely uncomfortable to carry in certain climates and or situations.