All posts tagged Glock 36 holsters

Spring and Summer holsters, time to ditch the leather?

That is something that I had to learn the hard way after I damaged several of my Sig Sauer pistols with using leather holsters in the summer that caused the inner side of the gun to rust.   I don’t know why Sigs aren’t made with a better finish, but I have learned to switch to Glocks in hot weather just because I know the guns won’t rust.   It’s taken me awhile to get use to them, but the higher capacity and a couple ounces lighter of a gun actually makes life easier in the Summer heat.  Kydex holsters are pretty much the standard now because re holstering is also easy  under stress.

I really do like the Don Hume holsters, Galco and especially the Desantis holster line.   There are big differences in the cost of these leather holsters and the Desantis holsters are somewhat pricey but they really do look good and have a very nice finish.   One thing that I did not like about some of the IWB holsters that are leather is they do start to flop with age and re-holstering under stress is something that can be a problem.  The IWB tuck-n-go holsters are difficult to re-holster. I actually suggest taking the holsters off for safety sake.

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A good holster that protects and retains a firearms

There has been so much bad mouthing of the Blackhawk Serpa holsters, but there seems to be some sense getting to people’s heads that its now becoming an accepted reality.   There is always a certain amount of training one most achieve before they carry a firearm. There are plenty of things that one can avoid if they are taught to avoid them and it’s something that always is the result of ND.   I have seen too many people pushed off to firing ranges that had very little training before they started doing defense shooting and dumb things like trigger control meant making an ass out of themselves by touching off a round while holstering.  The one statistic I will have to state is that with everyone of those it was with a Glock.

The differences between having a few extra pounds of trigger pull on a firearm can also reduce this, but if one  has trigger control it’s a none issue.  I have been using Blackhawk Serpa holsters for years now and they are still one of my favorites.  Yes they can fail if they roll in the dirt or snow but all firearms can fail for the same reason.  I have recently been using the Safariland holsters that many LEO have recommended and I understand the differences.  The reality for those that are carrying a firearm is this, if you want firearm retention with a holster, the Blackhawk Serpa holster is still  one of the best  holsters to protect and retain a firearm.

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Arguments about the Blackhawk Serpa Holsters are the same as the Glock vs 1911

I remember some of the biggest arguments against the 1911 were that they had a manual safety.   Then I started noticing that 90% of the Cops I know were putting their guns in Safariland or Blackhawk Serpa holsters.   What’s the difference?  There is no difference between having a safety on a firearm or a safety on a holster when it comes to deploying your weapon.   I don’t like the idea of having safeties on a concealed carry weapon because deployment in those situations means drawing a firearm from under clothing which in it’s self is another obstacle for you before you can get to the trigger.

I understand the flaws that are being debated and why many firearms instructors do not want those holsters in training classes, but some of the warnings are over reactive.   I have seen many news story of cops with Glocks shooting themselves and it wasn’t because they used Blackhawk Serpa holsters.   I use the Blackhawk drop down leg holster and am very happy with it.   I do not use them for concealed carry nor would I use a Safariland retention  holster.   The debate should not be about the equipment, but about the operator.  Some firearms and weapons should  not be in the hands of novice shooters because they may be more prone to hurt themselves like new shooters.

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Paddle holsters and Locking holsters

Fobus holster have been around for a long time and for roughly $20 they are a very good open carry or sidearm holster.  Recently there was a reminding wake up call to people that open carry after a CCW holder was shot with his own firearm at a convenience store after several youths pulled his gun.   We must always remind ourselves that there are some highly trained criminals out there that can spot 5.11 tactical pants from a mile a way, but many criminals are just looking for the easy life and not going to pull anything off if we don’t make it easy on them.

Locking systems have been around for a long time if you consider thumb break holster, but there are improvements like the Blackhawk Serpa holsters and the Safariland ALS.  Blackhawk Serpa holsters seem to be more popular for civilian gun owners and the Safariland for Law Enforcement and Military.   Each locking holster has it’s pros and cons and to each his own, but if you are an open carry CCW holder, a locking holster should become more of a priority for you.

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Locking holsters it is about preference

We have been selling far more Blackhawk holsters than ever before but several Law Enforcement Agencies that we deal with have bad mouthed them and have told us that they have banned them from training classes.   There are flaws in the Blackhawk system and it is true that a dirty locking system will cause the gun to get stuck and it will be difficult to retrieve, but the funny thing about the videos that are floating around YouTube are that if you did the same thing to an M16, the gun would jam up also.

Many of our Special Forces and Law Enforcement still prefer the Safariland holsters although they do seem a little bulkier than other holsters.  There really are duty holsters and for the most part Safariland Holsters are best for that job.  People that bash locking holsters need to take new students to a range and have them use thumb break holsters and you’ll see in about 5 minutes that Safariland and Blackhawk designs are superior.   Not only is it about being able to get your firearm out quickly, it’s also about locking the gun in place so it doesn’t fly out when you have to run or are in an altercation.

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Desantis Instruder vs the Galco Kingtuk

I think the pocket holster accessory and clothing options have gotten much better in 2011 than before.    Everyone is starting to realize that concealed carry means not being able to tell that someone is carrying a firearm.   Besides printing and wearing 5.11 tactical pants, there are plenty of ways people will eventually be able to profile you and know how you are carrying a firearm.  Bumping into people is one way that you really can’t hide your 1911 and raising your arms up at work or in a super market is something you just can’t always avoid.

Good Concealment means being able to wear regular clothing and not have to always go out there and find out what Woolrich, Blackhawk, TruSpec, 5.11 or whomever else is something out that is marketed is CCW friendly.   White collar jobs make concealed carry harder and being able to tuck your shirt in and hide a firearm just got easier, Galco holsters are still some of my favorite but Desantis Instruder has a slight edge over it my book.  These are designed for smaller firearms which is more practical and realisic.

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For CCW, reholstering is as important as holstering

As Rogue Elite has grown in bringing on more and more tactical and concealed carry products, there is a certain level of scrutiny even we gun owners hold on products.   There have been some that we thought were such bad ideas or the products had such a high return rate that we dropped them even though we were making a profit.  The AR15 tactical accessory market is loaded with such items.  Now that there are about 2 or 3 variations of firearms for every design, holster makers have some real work cut out for them these days.

When most of us took a concealed carry holster course, part of that course we dealing with what to do after a shooting.  Re-holstering a firearm after a shooting and before the Police shoot up is very important.  Some gun holsters are very difficult to do this if they fold up.   Leather holsters are known to do this once they have seen lots of use.   Kydex holsters are something to really consider for IWB even though they may not be the most comfortable.  The Galco Kingtuk holsters and Desantis holsters have some more comfortable IWB holster desings.

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Everyone doesn’t need to drive a Porshe when the Speed limit is 65mph

I just got off the phone with several guys that were looking for a large order of gun holsters.   I was expecting them to say they wanted the Blackhawk Serpa Holsters and they all carried Glocks, but that wasn’t the case.   Not everyone has switched over to Polymer guns because even though it’s a fact that Glocks, XDs and the M&P guns will run longer with less lubrication, handguns are not realistically going to end up being used in the same situations or see anywhere near the round counts that M4 Carbines or M16 see.

It’s just a fact that nobody except the most extreme police shoot outs see handgun engagements that get into the double digits.   It simple just doesn’t happen that often.   Galco holsters are leather holsters for the most part even though there are now some Kydex and some mixed variations of leather and kydex.   Military Personel are still being issued and using Sig 220, Sig 226 and Sig 228 firearms.   There is no debate that the 45acp has seen a resurgence because all those double stacked 9mm and 40 caliber guns are bulky or an over kill.   A lower capacity 45acp for Police work is getting the job done.

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Keeping it simple for CCW

Recently we got some requests to bring in The Wilderness Titanium belts which we kind of avoided because they are so expensive.   They aren’t expensive for the people that want to get the most out of a belt and knock off a few ounces of weight.   So many people in the civilian world don’t understand that you really can feel the difference at the end of the day between carrying 15lbs of weight vs 20lbs.   Your feet and your back will know it and reducing weight not only means less weight, but it can mean adding on another important item without going over your comfort limit.   My back and my feet hurt when I hear these stories about what our troops are carrying for their daily chores.

When we open the discussion about concealed carry, the weight issue still means something.  I can run through the list of close friends that are highly trained in carrying firearms and they all gave up carrying full size 1911 handguns for j-frame revolvers.   One of my favorite CCW is carrying a Smith & Wesson 637 in Don Hume holsters.  The Jit holster rides up high, it weight practically nothing and it doesn’t take up room in a pocket with is another popular mode of CCW.   Pocket carry is nice, but lets remember that carrying a gun in a pocket means not putting anything else in there, but what if you need the room for keys or other gear?

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Blackhawk vs Fobus holsters

At first I thought it was an absurd comparison, but we’ve had a lot of people walk into our shop and ask us which one was better.   I’ve always viewed Fobus holsters as competition or training type holsters but not really a duty holster.   I won’t say they are fragile, but there is something about them that just makes me thing they are kind of an introductory holster.   For about $20 you can get a paddle holster for just about any medium or large frame semi-auto and that is probable the number one reason people get them.   Most CCW holders don’t carry large size frame autos so Fobus gun holsters don’t really get used  for ccw as often.

I personally don’t think locking systems are a good idea for CCW, but for duty work, military work and open carry, they are probable the best holster you can have.    Blackhawk holsters are a great open carry holster because with open carry you have no obstruction to getting to your holster so finding the release button should be a non issue.  If you are carrying with a vest or under a shirt or sweatshirt clearing the firearm from a garment can be tricky enough, but trying to find a release button and the possibility of snags already in play, you are increasing your chances of not retrieving the firearm.

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