All posts tagged Glock 26 Holsters

Concealement holsters and durability

I have recently been getting harsh on some gun holster manufacturers about the clip on IWB style holsters.  I got a dud from Galco recently and I was greatly disappointed.   I picked up a Galco Triton holster because i am trying to get away from using leather holsters in the Summer time and moving towards Glock and Springfield XD firearms for primary carry.   The problem is the clip on belt design.   Why do people not put some thought  into these.   I have had holsters fail me even though I had a good Wilderness Instructor belt on.   There are movements and things that can happen that can dislodge the holster.  That is not something that should ever occur.   People that are not that physically active may not notice it, but it can happen.

The Galco tuck-n-go is a nice holster but leather holds sweat and I don’t want to ruin guns or damage them nor do I want to have to clean them every week.  My Sig Sauer collection shows the rust on the grip screws and it’s not the fault of Galco holsters, it’s just something that can happen if you carry often.   Glock firearms don’t rust anywhere near what my Sigs do and it’s time for me to move on to doing something else.   I am trying to avoid having to get a custom firearm holster done, but I am not happy with the IWB Kydex holsters I have tried out so far.  I will continue my search for a non-leather holster and let you know how it goes.

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The Beretta 92FS still going strong

I remember when the 9mm gun started showing up in  Military service and the stories about them cracking and not being reliable were all over the place.   Now that I’m about three decades older,  I think I have heard the same exact stories from other people about different types of guns.   The real situation with firearms is there are almost always alterations or improvements that take place after the first run comes out.   Just think about the Glock Perfection promotions you see everyone where.  Glock supposedly got it perfect, but now we are seeing the 4th Generation with back straps.   I’m not bashing Glocks because I am a Glock owner and I’ve seen them out run most handguns and they are an elite firearm.   In all honesty most firearms really are just different types of candy.   Sometimes it’s just preference.

The Beretta 92FS is an extremely reliable firearm, it also is a full size auto that needs a good holster.    Our top 2 selling holsters from Blackhawk are the gun holsters made for those carrying the Beretta 92FS in the military also known as the M9 and the Glock 17 and followed closely by the Glock 19.   Blackhawk holsters are outstanding duty holsters and secondary firearm holsters.   Our top level tactical customers prefer the Blackhawk finger release design over tradition thumb break holsters and we have yet to have someone come back to us about quality control issues.    The Beretta 92FS is the stronger version of the original Beretta 92F gun holsters.

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Blackhawk guns for CCW and Duty

I am replacing many of my Fobus gun holsters for the Blackhawk Serpa CQC holsters.   The CQC holsters can be attached to the belt or they can be made into a paddle holster, so you are actually getting 2 for one.   I have had circumstances where I needed to change the way I carried a gun and there are times that certain firearms really begin to wear on you and paddle holsters and IWB can get uncomfortable. Much of it depends on what type of physical work I am doing, but once you get a bruise in that area, it’s not going to heal if you are constantly carrying it in that manor.  A few years ago i hurt myself while bending over and couldn’t CCW with an IWB holster, but didn’t have many options to try out, I picked up a Blackhawk Serpa holster and tried that, but even though it was advertised as Concealed Carry, it really protruded out to far for me to wear under a shirt, and it really only could have been used if I wore a vest.  I guess I’m too thin to do that in the summer around here.

I have through pocket carry into the mix because I have had one too many times that I was extremely uncomfortable with the way I was carrying and couldn’t enjoy the places I was going.  Ankle carry has been tried, but it still feels funny to have something on one leg and not the other.  Blackhawk holsters are very good for duty work and Winter carry, but carrying a small Kahr PM9 or a Walther PPK is enough Semi-auto for me, but I have tried a Smith & Wesson lightweight 637 and have been very happy.  Throw a knife, flashlight and mace into the mix and you’ve got plenty of self-defense to go around.  No need to try and get too frisky with larger firearms and end up being made in a bad situation.

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CCW vs Cop holsters

There is a reason that Cops want locking holster, statistics show that many police get shot by their own guns, and I’m sure there are unknown statistics on the number of times Cops have had guns fall out of holsters.   I recently read a review by an LAPD Officer that sheered an entire gun and holster off of his side while the paddle and belt kept part of it in place.   Anything that can happen will happen and probable already did happen.   I remember when Youtube first got popular there were several people bashing Fobus holsters on how easy it was to rip the guns off of people by tearing the holster.   Truth is, it can happen, but it doesn’t happen that often.   When it comes to CCW, most of the time you won’t be dealing with snagging firearms unless you go to retrieve them and they get caught on a shirt or a jacket.

Level I holsters are for, in my humble opinion, all about speed.    A nice IWB holster for concealed carry should keep the trigger protected and be as comfortable and easy to retrieve as the operator desires.  When it comes to level II Serpa holsters, I think this is a smart thing to consider for anyone in an open carry situation.   Yes the bad guy may know how to release  Blackhawk holsters, but your average bad guy probable doesn’t know how to clear a malfunction or do speed loads either.   If you are that concerned about the gun being taken from you, then don’t open carry.   I believe that the Serpa holster is the best way to carry a secondary firearm also.   The Blackhawk Level III holster is best left for law enforcement and people that are in high risk situations.

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Are pocket holsters necessary?

And before you read much further, the answer to that is a resounding yet.   I know you don’t always need to have a holster, but it’s a darn good idea.   There are some safety issues that need to be considered when pocket carrying.   The first thing this is you have to be consistent in where you are going to put your gun and gear.  If you forget to put and put your keys on the same pocket as your gun and you don’t have a pocket protector, bad things can happen.    Lint build up may not b e a major concern for revolvers, but it is a serious issues with semi-auto guns.

I was fortunate enough to have witness someone show up at a gun range for training that brought his Glock 17 to the range.   He was told to clear his chamber and when he did, a pile of pocket lint came out of the guys gun that it was amazing that so much could build up in it.   This guy didn’t even pocket carry, but he said that it  had been about a year since it was cleaned last.   It’s amazing how clothing sheds and frayed strings.  I have a few pocket guns and use the Don Hume gun holsters I know Dean Speir keeps a good account of Glock accidents, but sweatshirts ect that are not designed for CCW can be dangerous and not using any type of holster is not advised.

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Glocks and IWB carry

Maybe I’m not that experienced with carrying Glocks for concealed carry, but I often find them to be more comfortable being carried in a leg holster or paddle  holster.   The same goes for revolvers, I rarely see people carry any type of revolver in a holster.   Peoples tolerances for carrying can drastically vary due to body sizes.   When I got serious about moving away from a Taurus T85 38 Special and was looking for a durable semi-auto with more punch, but not much larger, I came to the conclusion that it was either the Glock 26 9mm or a Sig 239.  The Sig 239 won out because it was slightly thinner, but not really a lighter gun.

When you are deciding on a firearm, don’t worry about the weight of the gun.   If you get a good gun belt you shouldn’t notice weight as much as you will notice the size of the barrel.   I still find the 1911 to be one of the most comfortable guns to carry because it has such a thing frame and is balanced very well, but my Wilderness 5 stitch instructor belt supported it so well I couldn’t tell the difference between my Sig 239 and a 45acp full size 1911.  I tried on various Don Hume holsters, Galco holsters and Bianchi and found the Don Hume and Galco had a lot of good options.   It’s good to find a dealer that has  a return policy where you can try it out in your own home and then return it if you have any issues with the fit.

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