All posts tagged double stack magazine holders

Looking for feedback on shoulder holsters

I’ve always liked carrying a full size auto in a shoulder holster and sometimes it’s the most comfortable way to carry one.  I’ve done enough carrying on a leg holster to know that this is not a car friendly way of carrying.  There are times that I got seat belts snagged and the gun slammed against steering wheels and doors and it’s just not that friendly.   Out in the open on the field a leg holster is great, but people forget that you need extra clearance when moving through hallways and around things when you are carrying in this manor.  I had a fellow Cop friend that told me that he had a buddy tear a Blackhawk holster right off the mount by running after a bad guy and doesn’t use that style of holster anymore.   For driving in a car, ankle holsters can be very practical, but walking or running with them is not.

I have been trying to find vertical horizontal holsters, but they seem to not be available as much.  I ordered a Bulldog shoulder holster and even though the picture said it was a vertical the box said Horizontal and then I found out that Bulldog doesn’t make the vertical kind anymore.  I spoke to someone at Elite Survival systems and they told there was a lawsuit against several other companies about this type of shoulder holster.  Blackhawk holsters are one of my favorite even though I do not use them exclusively.   There is a Blackhawk Serpa holster that has a find locking system, but still don’t like this way of carrying.   If anyone can tell me where I can find a good vertical shoulder rig, I’m all ears.

 

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Blackhawk holsters for CCW

I think the Blackhawk Serpa holster is an outstanding design for a duty holster, but it’s not a very good design for CCW.   I remember all of the bashing that use to go on about Glocks vs 1911 handguns for CCW and the arguments  usually came down to people being against manual safeties.   I think there is something to be said for not having a manual safety on a CCW gun and there is a difference between that and having one on a hunting rifle, but it does not make sense to argue that a 1911 is bad for CCW and then tote your Glock 19 around in a Level 2 holster.    You have to weigh and balance the advantages and disadvantages of a firearm and how you would want to deploy it.

 

The Blackhawk Serpa works well as a duty holster and under a vest or a jacket it can work, but I never liked the idea of having to clean a layer of clothing, find the gun release and draw the firearm.   I stopped carry a 1911 after having too many times of missing the thumb safety.   The more you layer your clothing, the more of a risk you are going to run into a problem.  Blackhawk holsters do come in an IWB design that are of a nylon design and better suited for CCW.   I have found there are some advantages of a simple nylon holster for a Kydex or leather.

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Why should you consider a locking holster?

I’m sure that many of you that have taken CCW classes probable know that the faster you get your gun out the more likely you are to get the first hits in.   In some people’s minds putting safeties on firearms and putting guns in locking holsters will slow you down.   That is somewhat true for some firearms and some holsters, but the better the design on the firearm the less likely that is and for some gun  holsters, there is absolutely zero slow down.    I’m not a big fan of thumb break holsters because I’ve had bad experiences with them not snapping properly and I could never tell if they were tight or now.

One thing I have found that in any type of physical turmoil, guns and gear will fly off of you.   I’ve seen it one too many time at Carbine training classes where secondary weapons and magazines go flying.   The Blackhawk Serpa holsters are my favorite because the holster locking system actually can help a novice shooter get use to keeping their finger straight and off the trigger when drawing the firearm because that is where your trigger finger is when the gun is released from the holster.

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Buying used guns that have hardly been used

I recently jumped into the world of Glock ownership.   It is a used Glock 19 which is a Generation 2.   I got it fora about $400 out the door and even though it has a little bit of holster wear.   The barrel looks like it has less than 500rds through it.   It’s funny how many times I’ve picked up a new firearm from a gun shop that had a few dents or dings on it but the internal parts were hardly worn.   I’m sure 90% of the lever action and bolt action firearms you see in the used section have the same history, but you should always inspect the internal workings before purchasing.   I’ve seen excessive wear on firearms due to lack of cleaning and lubrication and although the guns haven’t jammed, they had less than 1000rds through them and look really beat up.

There are great deals on used Sig Sauer pistols, Glock firearms and Beretta 92FS types.   These guns were standard issue for most of our LEOs in the last two decades and many are switching over to other types of autos.   Smith & Wesson and Springfield Armory have put out there own handguns that have taken a bite out of the Glock stronghold, but I won’t pick a winner  yet.   I prefer to have atleast a paddle holster for each handgun I own and gun holsters for concealed carry if I am expecting to carry it at some point.   The only handguns I don’t have holsters for are a Ruger Single Six and a Ruger MKII pistol.   These are primarily plinking guns and not going to be carried.

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When the world turns upside down

My biggest  pet peeve when it comes to certain types of holster manufacturers is that I do not like to have anything covering my spare magazines while they are in a mag holder, but many of the mag holders I use to use did not fair very well for CCW or for real training.    My first experience with a magazine holder that failed was on a long road trip where I had to put the seat back to sleep and woke up with someone sitting behind me that was holding my spare mag.  I decided to ditch the magazine holder I was using and go with the Blackhawk double and single stack magazine holders.   They have a build in magazine retention design so even if you are hanging upside down, they won’t come loose, but have just enough retention to do this and easily come out if and when you need to reload.

 

 

Like many in the gun community, we’ve all got a starting point for training or experience.   One of those starting points usually involves make poor mistakes on the carrying methods or for choosing gun holsters or gear that awas inappropriate.   I have been happy with the holsters that I have been wearing in recent years, but I only rarely run into situations where I break a holster and there is a shortage and I have to find  alternative gun holsters or another firearm combination to carry.

 

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