All posts tagged Gun Holsters

Nylon hip holsters are they durable?

The answer to this is yes, depending on what kind of environment you expect to be in.   They aren’t hard, but they will hold up better than leather in many situations.   I find the holsters to be difficult to put on and off because of the clip on belts but they are very secure and I actually find them to be very useful for secondary weapons holsters.   Many nylon hip holsters also use valuable space and usually have room for a pistol magazine just in front of where the pistol holster.  There are hip holsters with and without, but I’d recommend the tactical ones.

I find the nylon tactical holsters magazine holder may not be the best placement for you because if you are right handed and your holster is on your right side, you’ll have to reach across with your left hand which may be awkward, but it’s an easy place to keep a spare magazine just incase you ever need one without having to carry an extra pistol magazine holder.  Uncle Mike’s holsters are not expensive and they won’t make you look rich, but I see plenty of made in China nylon holsters that I can’t tell a darn difference between them and what Uncle Mike’s holsters.   What kind of gun fight would you get in if you are carrying a carbine and need to use a handgun and still need spare mags?  Answer, a really bad one, just try not to get in one.

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5.11 tactical holsters do they still make clothing?

I’m not going to get on the bandwagon and say 5.11 is a bad company, but I will say that the company has far out extended itself.   I have an own many items from 5.11, but after a failed attempt and trying to get back into wearing some of their stuff with the 5.11 jeans, I’m really annoyed that if I want to try to order any of the other pants online, I’m probable going to have sizing issues.  I have to wear a full size large in the pants that I presently own and I have no idea how they got so out of  hand when it came to consistency.   I see 5.11 watches and holsters, but I’d like to see them go back to making clothing right.

The 5.11 thumb drive holsters are another way of doing something, and if it floats your boat, they float it.   I don’t like jumping around with too many  holster variations because like driving many different vehicles in a short time  period, there will eventually be a time you reach for something and it’s not where you thought it was.  Retention or locking holsters can be very important,  but sometimes its nice to just put on  Fobus holsters and you’re all ready for Winter/ Jacket carry or open carry.  Sometimes you have to stick to the  basics and consistency is paramount

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Are there bigger 9mm than the Beretta 92FS?

I’m trying to think here, but I can’t think of too many.   The Sig 226 is the closest firearm that I can think of.   There are always trade offs between firearms and if you want the power of a +P 9mm with 15rds,  you really can’t beat the Beretta 92FS.   The gun has a long enough history of being proven to be reliable, and in my many years of owning a shooting them, I have never had any problems with it.   Finding used 92FS magazines is easy and there will probable be as many of them laying around 20yrs from now as there are 1911 magazines.

I have a few family members that have served in the Military and each and every one of them has mentioned that the gun is so darn big.   If you are carrying a loaded M9 pistol, and you are 5’6″  I can understand the gun is probable big for you, but do you really want to do guard duty with a Walther PPK when guarding the entrance of a base?  Having a good gun holster like Blackhawk holsters or a Galco shoulder holster might help offset weight.  I have no idea why the US Military is still afraid of putting hollow point ammunition in sidearms, but the 9mm +P does not have a good reputation.   Private contractors are a different story and it seems that the 92FS still has a good reputation with them.

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Anyone want to bash Uncle Mike’s think again

I probable own more Uncle Mike’s holster than any other holster manufacturer and I do admit that many of them are sitting in a box, but I am a firm believer that you should have at least one holster for every firearm you own even if they are not getting used that often.   For instance, I have taken many first time shooters to the range and for those that were taking one of my defensive shooting courses, I always keep a paddle holster for every medium to large size handgun for such a situation.   Uncle Mike’s kydex holsters are as well made as Fobus gun holsters and I have never had an issue with them not working.

If you want to spend $100 or more  on a fancy leather shoulder holster, go right ahead, but I have 3 Uncle Mike’s gun holsters for my Sig autos and a 1911 and Beretta 92FS gun.   I prefer to carry large guns in a  shoulder rig although I know that this tends to not be safe to wear during training events.  The only thing I would not have a very high opinion of are the clip on IWB holsters.   These have failed me during practice even with a good gun belt.  If you are as physically active as I am, you will find ways to dislodge the clip from the belt and it will come off of you.

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Glocks and the Blackhawk Serpa holsters

I remember all of those arguments about the 1911 being a bad CCW back in the 1990’s and the early part of the last decade.  There was a big move towards large capacity firearms and Glock firearms pretty much became kind of that world for awhile.  I also remember seeing more and more stories on the news about shoot out involving 50-100rds of exchanged fire and nobody got hit.  In the inner city, there were more innocent people killed in fire fights than the people that were actually shooting at each other.  The Military dropped the M16A1 and went to the M16A2 because they realized that the full auto option really just meant wasting ammo and not more insurance.

There is something to be said for knowing your firearms.   I have along with several of my counterparts witnessed experienced shooters use a 45acp 1911 and engage 100yd targets and another friend learned to shoot from a guy shooting a Glock 40 at a 200yd target and did better with it than most people would have done with a 30/30 lever action.  Blackhawk holsters have a retention device that will help retain your firearm and keep it from falling out or being taking from you.  Every gun has it’s good an bad points and there is no difference between the 1911 thumb safety and the Blackhawk Serpa holsters.  Train to use what you have an know why you are carrying it.

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Sig 230 for CCW

There seems to be a wave of .380 CCW and after watching this trend for almost 2yrs, I have to say that it does seem to be a fad.   I am aware of a Police shooting where a Philadelphia Police Officer was killed by a bad guy with a .380 pistol and I later found out that she was hit in the head.   I hate having to be so gruesome in talking about shootings like this, but carrying a firearm means you are carrying a tool that may kill someone in self defense and we all know we don’t want to use the cheapest tools in the tool box if we are worried about keeping something of value in good condition.

The Sig 230 handguns have been around for a long time and from my experience the only down side to them is the lack of a normal magazine release.   All .380 handguns should be viewed as minimal, I wouldn’t carry one as a primary weapon or use it for home defense.  I have Don Hume holsters for my Sig 230 for inside the waistband.   The clip on belt holster is very reliable and the gun is already thin enough that carrying IWB is a non-issue.   .380 ballistics are something  you need to look into and train your mind to implement your weapon accordingly.

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Pocket carry the way for the White collar

I got a recent phone call from a few LEO’s that were getting moved to investigations and it was time for them to rework their working attire.  I think it’s safe to say that wearing a uniform all day is not as comfortable as wearing jeans or your preferences in shirts, pants and shoes.   I’ve had to wear boots all day for 5yrs straight and when I get a rare occasion to wear sneakers my feet and legs feel like they move faster.   Carrying a gun is something very similar to wearing boots.   If you have to carry a full size Beretta 92FS, you’ll feel the same way when  you are carrying a Rohrbaugh R9S in your pocket.

I have watched many of my LEO friends go from street work and SWAT Team apparel to white collar “is that the same guy I knew before” looking individuals.  Blackhawk holsters do make a pocket carry holster for the white collar work.  Guys that have to carry briefcases or laptops aren’t going to want to carry 50rds or more of ammunition when their job is to do office or investigations work.   You want to be able to show up at doors and not notify the neighbors of the people you are talking to that a cop is investigating a grim in the area.

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Putting a safety on a firearm

There are many things to concern yourself with when you choose to carry a firearm.    People training to  hit holes on paper and maneuver themselves around a firearm range, but if the shit hits the fan, not everyone is mentally prepared for a fight.   Many that have become victims of crime tend to be the most proficient at my training courses because they know what the receiving end of crime feels like.   Having that feeling is not something the less experienced will easily learn to know.   I have personally witnessed people freeze up in hostile situations that I would normally think would be fighters and sometimes people can just become off balance and loose themselves.

Everyone has a different reason for carry the firearm that have chosen to carry and that is your personal choice.   I have issues with carrying firearms that are high maintenance, but to each his own.  One thing to consider when carry a firearm out in the open though is to have some level of retention device.   I am not big on using these for CCW, but for open carry, it’s wise to have something like the Blackhawk holsters that have a locking device that is easy to release but a BG that tries to grab a hold of your gun in a fight will have extra fiddling to do if they want to get a hold of your Sig Sauer, Glock or Springfield XD.

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Ankle holsters and gun weight

This is something I have never been able to get away from, if a gun is heavy, you’ll eventually start to feel it.   I hear guys constantly brag about how they carry a 1911 or a full size Springfield XD 45acp in a holster all day, but when I start to question how much of the day, days of the week, and how much physical work they do when carrying, the answer is always less than what it seems.   I have said many times that I have often been amazed by some of my fiercest and most knowledgeable friends are packing some of the smaller firearms and they are confident.   A J-frame 38 special can be had in a lightweight frame and that gives it more versatility compared to a heavier frame.

Ankle holsters are not for everyone, if you aren’t in good physical shape this isn’t for you, from my experience this is a wedding or backup carry method.   One thing to consider with Galco holsters or similar types of holsters is how much weight can you comfortable handle.   You have to watch the type of pants you wear so they don’t bunch up, and expecting to carry a heavy firearm in this manor and be able to walk around without feeling like you have a ball and chain wrapped around you is something that foresight is needed.

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The importance of practicing with your CCW

There are many times in our life when we just won’t have time to get out and go shooting, married life and children can always shorten your free time, but lack of gun maintenance and shooting rehearsal will affect your performance.   I recently read an interview with the Philadelphia Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel and he mentioned that he won’t let anyone walk up to the plate during the regular season unless they have had atleast 75-100 pitches in batting practice.   The hand eye co-ordination is something that get’s lost and even the best guys are terrible at bats if they haven’t had practice, shooting skills are no different.

Regular cleaning atleast once a month in the summer or hot weather depending on the type of gun and holster you are  using and I strongly suggest you put 50rds through your firearm atleast once every 3 months.   Fobus holsters will work for you for CCW, but you will need a vest or long jacket to use such a paddle holster. Considering how inexpensive these holsters are, I would suggest getting one even for something like a J-frame which tends to be a pocket gun.   Practicing from concealment is good practice as long as your gun range allows it.

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