All posts tagged Galco

Tactical clothing and gun holsters

I recently took a swing by several big gun shops and picked up a few products from tactical clothing companies that I was unfamiliar with.   I do think that many of the top tactical clothing companies are much better than the stuff that was being made years ago.   Clothing manufacturing has gotten better in many regards.   I have several BDU pants from Army Navy stores, but I just can’t stand wearing them anymore.   The hand pockets are too small and the BDU pockets are too flimsy.    If I want BDU pants,  The Eotac Style 201 Pants are the way to go.   If I want to wear denim jeans, I’m going to go with one of the tactical jeans from 5.11, Woolrich Elite or Eotac.

One thing I didn’t like about the 5.11 jeans was that the hand pockets were not any larger than my regular jeans which completely eliminates the possibility of pocket carry.   I had a j-frame 38 Special in the pocket and the handle was showing.   I find this to be a real short coming even though the internal pockets that can stow guns or magazines.   I find these pants to be concealed carry friendly to some degree, but they really were missing some features.   I don’t like the fact that there isn’t spot in the right side at about 3 o’clock that would be gun holsters for most right handed individuals.   Even though I think some of the 205 jeans are a little over designed with the rear pockets, I think pocket carry is really important for CCW wearers and the 5.11 jeans isn’t for that.  The 5.11 jeans can hold your wallet or money, but that’s about it.

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New CCW holders and training

Even though I would have to acknowledge that I am above average in training, I would rather spend my afternoon working with a new shooter or a new CCW holder than train with fellow SWAT Team students all day.   There is something more that I get from seeing a Civilian learn responsible ways of handing a firearm and basic defensive shooting skills.   In some Countries like Israel and South Korea, there is mandatory military service and every young man and women gets training to understand that there are threats against their Country and that it’s up to them to pass on the information they learned to every succeeding generation.

I have seen some really bad instructors in all of my years of sitting in on classes and most of them were overzealous in teaching.   I don’t think it’s good instruction to freak people out when they are new to handling firearm in certain situations and being a CCW holder doesn’t mean  you need to train to storm the beaches of Normandy with your Blackhawk Serpa gun holsters.   Learning how to move away from an attacker or barricade yourself in your bedroom with a firearm and knowing where the safest postions are can be life saving training that every adult family member should know.

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Comfort is the primary goal

I am beginning to grow tired of carrying IWB anymore.   I guess it’s my present work load and the amount of physical work I’ve  been doing the last year, but I’m really starting to feel it when it gets to day 6 of the week and I’m carrying IWB.   I am growing more comfortable with smaller semi-auto guns and my Ruger LCP is a fun gun to shoot and carry.   I had some reservations about carrying a small semi-auto because I’ve shot some NAA 32acp guns and I though the bite was a little much.   Any gun is better than no gun, but I really don’t like having guns that I don’t enjoy shooting.   I have sent a good bit of lead downrange with the Rohrbaugh R9 guns, but they are more of a novelty backup gun and I’m honestly afraid of breaking the gun or wearing it out too soon.

Pocket carry is the most comfortable for me, but I am having a little bit of trouble with some of my wardrobe and the types of pocket holsters I have.   I am noticing an awful lot of lint building up in my gun holsters and I’m tracing it to the sweatshirts that I own.  Now that FAll is almost over and Winter is a few weeks away, I’m wearing things that cause lint build up to increase.    I prefer to carry guns that are combat proven, but CCW is another thing.   If I notice too much build up on my pocket guns I’m going to have to do some serious overhauls in my wardrobe.   The thought of having to clean my guns more than once a week is a little impractical and.

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Don’t burry your weapons under clothing

I think there is a point that people really can get carried away with the CCW point of view.   There were a few wacky incidences that occured over the years where a gun owner got himself or herself into a gray area and really invited trouble.  The whole open carry debate can be a powder keg amonst many on our side of the aisle, but not invited problems is something we should be trained to think about.   Don’t put yourself in a situation where the method in which you are carrying is going to make you stand out.   For example, we have a lot of customers that carry full size autos that want to carry their firearms in jackets and they always want to know which vests or jacket it will work in.    If this is what you want to do, go ahead and do it, but if you are standing out on a football field at your kids football game and you are the only person wearing a jacket and it’s 70F out, you are going to be out of place, and may invite problems from a smart ass anti-gun person that knows you may be in a grey area by carrying a gun on school property.

I have stated several times that some of the toughest people I know don’t always carry firearms, and many of the best trained shooters are carrying j-frame revolvers.   This has slightly changed in the last few years since there are some reliable .380 pocket guns coming into the market.   I really don’t have much experience with these, but since many of them are new, it’s sometimes a good idea to just sit back and see how well the products hold up and what their reputations are.   There is not always a real need to get too exotic with gun holsters.   A good pocket carry gun could have 6 or 7 rounds of .380 or 9mm and depending on your body size, you may even be able to get a .40 S&W gun in there.  Pocket carry is probable one of the most comfortable ways to conceal a firearm and won’t restrict much of your movement.

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Some say that a shoulder rig isn’t good CCW

Some say that a shoulder rig isn’t a good way of concealing a firearm, but I’d have to say that I think it’s the most comfortable way to carry a medium size auto.   There are considerable differences in the fit of each should rig, but I have actually found that Bulldog and Uncle Mike’s have made some really nice holsters that are very inexpensive.   If you are wearing a good gun belt you won’t have any bunching up where the straps latch on and if you are carrying a firearm in the winter, this can help free up the room around your belt line and give you some other jacket options that aren’t full length.

Galco gun holsters are still making the popular Miami should rig, but I’m not a big fan of the horizontal holsters.   These are banned at most of my CCW courses because it’s hard to actually use the holster and not sweep someone behind you if you are on the firing line.   I prefer to carry large size Sig Sauer pistols when I know I will be wearing a jacket full time and I like to carry them in something other than inside the pants gun holsters. I have recently picked up a Sig 229 in .357 Sig that I hope to get some good practice time in.  I don’t think it’ll be much of a big change from going from a Sig 228 9mm to a Sig 229.   There is a noticeable amount of weight but a whole bunch more punch.

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Carrying full size handguns

gun holstersComfort is very important for those that are carrying 8-10hrs or more a  day.   I’ve carried various firearms over my life and sometimes it’s fine carrying something Monday-Friday, but if I’m still carrying it on Day 6, I can really feel it.   I’ve found that driving in a car for long periods of time can really make IWB and paddle holsters feel annoying after a couple hours.    I can use an ankle holster is some situations, but I’ve found that the most comfortable way to carry a full size auto for long periods of time is in a should rig.   Leg holsters are probable a 2nd favorite, but that’s not going to work for concealed carry purposes.   One thing to always be aware of is not sweeping body parts when pulling  a firearm in the seated position while wearing a should rig.

There are so many methods of carrying a gun, but no firearm or holster is going to do it all.   Nobody carries a airweight 38 special in a leg holsters and it’s not a very good idea to carry a Beretta 92FS in your pocket, even if you can.   I’ve changed my thinking when it comes to CCW and the caliber debate.   Some of the best self defense instructors I know carry the smallest caliber firearms because they know that situational awareness is the best defense and if they have to deal with a threat, a good shot in the right spot is all that counts.   One method of carry that seems to be bashed a little too much is the shoulder holster rig.   These  gun holsters may not work very well for some body types and for warm weather because I admit it is easy to pick out the should straps if the appropriate clothing is not worn.

 

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Summer wedding options

gun holstersI 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.

The biggest issue that I always dealt with when going to weddings was not being there and what gun to carry, but driving through urban environments where it’s a good idea to be carrying.   I think I can name more robberies that occurred to friends when they were dressed up and going out to dinner.   That’s when women are wearing jewelry and when guys are carrying more cash than normal.   The problem is that carrying IWB or OWB is virtually impossible.   Pocket carry is probable the most practical but there is another option.   Ankle holsters are very good for driving situations, but not very good for walking around too much.   Some of the gun holsters that I have tried all varied.   The best I’ve found was the Uncle Mike’s ankle holster.   You really have to make sure you are carrying a lightweight firearm though.  You will feel uncomfortable if the firearm has much weight because it may feel like it’s sliding down  your leg even though it’s not.

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Firearm retention and applications

gun holstersThere 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.

Glocks vs. 1911s is an argument I try not to argue about anymore because people are going to carry what they feel comfortable even if it has its drawbacks.   The one thing I still don’t understand though is the argument against 1911s and the slide safety and then people that lock their Glocks up in a Serpa holster.   IMHO each puts one step in front of pulling the trigger and if you don’t feel that you can comfortable pull a CCW firearm from under cover without missing the release, then do not carry with any gun holsters that have a locking system.    If you are carry on a leg holster or OWB and not under cover, then I think the situation can change.

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Summer carry options

gun holstersThere 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.

Many of the revolvers that I saw end up with this corrosion would have survived if used in a non-leather holster.   People have to realize that even though the gun may be off their body, some holster materials will actually absorb sweat and transfer that through the  holster and on the sidearm.   There are plenty of gun holsters out there being made for your Smith & Wesson, Taurus or Ruger revolvers, so don’t think that just because you mostly see Glocks and M&Ps in kydex type holsters doesn’t mean you  get get one for your six shooter.  I have a nice Fobus holster for an SP101 and it holds up very well whenever I am expecting to sweat a lot.

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White Color CCW options

Galco HolstersSuggestion for CCW are always need to be preceded by “for what environment”.   Yes defending yourself from a BG is why you are carrying, but there are so many ways to carry a firearm that there is not a do everything gun.   We don’t want to carry the smallest capacity and caliber into known hostile environments, but we have to be careful we aren’t overdueing it.   What do I mean?  I know what to look for when I am wondering if somebody might be packing.   I’ve seen gangsters and drug dealers adjust their pants in the same spot and seem to move things which is a dead giveaway that they are packing.

Someone in a white color environment with an untucked shirt is also going to stand out and if you are packing a gun that is too heavy, an experienced observer is going to notice you adjusting yourself.   It is very common for those in a suite and tie to carry in a pocket, but one other option to consider are Galco Holsters called an Ankle Glove.   There is a bit of training that must go with ankle carrying, but it’s worth looking into.

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