All posts tagged Ruger LCR holsters

What to train with and how much money do you want to drop on a holster?

gun holstersI have a large number of guys that are detectives or just got hired for a job, and sometimes even first time concealed carry holders that don’t have the slightest idea of what they want.   People come in here and ask me “do you have anything for a Glock 26” and point to the holsters I have thinking I’m going to point them to a holster.   I then bombard them with “inside the waist” or “outside the waist” “do you want a leather or kydex?” “Righted or left handed?”   It not until i start talking about which hand holster they want do they give me any sense of knowing what to say.  I don’t think you can compare holster shopping to anything else because it’s not like shopping for tactical pants or gloves.   With crime like home invasions and a slow economy people that have money think more about protecting their homes and assets.

I  think Kydex probable outsells leather now but with so many people putting lights on their guns it made shopping even harder.   Our quick fix or go to problem solvers are the Elite Survival Systems holsters but gun holsters like Fobus are the starting point for the majority of our new gun or concealed carry permit holder.  They are very easy to put on and work well with most belts.  I do highly recommend people get a good gun belt like a Desantis leather belt, Blackhawk pistol belt or a Wilderness belt.   They are much easier to use than putting on a belt through or snap on holster.   Getting into retention holsters is another level but sometimes people have to have the right starting point and only an experienced shooter will be the source for good  info.

Top

Be careful what you decide on for a pocket holster

They are not all the same even though they are probable all under $20.   We have several people coming in here and looking at the various pocket holsters and giving us some feedback.  I personally have a stockpile of Uncle Mike’s holsters that I picked up at gun shows and and ended up retiring them for something a little bit more sturdy.  Not that Uncle Mike’s products are crap, but they aren’t the best product for the buck.   I have carried Taurus revolvers in the past with clip on inside the waist band holster but the belt clips did not hold up when you bent over.  A good gun belt like The Wilderness or an Elite Survival Systems belt namely the Cobra Belt are great options to reduce this, but why not do something more secure.

The Uncle Mike’s holsters I have that were pocket holsters had a small piece of fabric that is suppose to cause some friction when the gun is drawn, but it’s not that good.  We have leather, nylon and kydex holsters here but the Desantis holsters that we sell a lot of are the Desantis Nemesis pocket holsters.  They have more friction material covering the outside of the  holsters, but they are closer to $20.   The Elite Survival Systems pocket holsters a huge seller because they are just as good and about $50 cheaper.   The Woolrich Elite Chino pants that we sell are probable a big hit in store, because the pocket holster shoppers are always looking for concealed carry pants that work for them.

Top

We are a stocking Desantis holster dealer

Desantis holsters are probable the best known leather holsters for Law Enforcement in our neck of the woods and it was only a matter of time before we had to start stocking them.  Given all of the variations you have with firearms these days and the recent surge in small autos for pocket carrry, then through in all of the guns with lasers, and you’ve got a very complicated and ever changing situation for a holster maker.   As soons as somebody changes the sights or puts the sights on the gun, you better pay attention to the holsters you are using.

I have to admit that I have modified firearms without checking to see if there were holster issues, but I was lucky enough to not have the problem.  The Desantis holsters that I prefer to use for concealed carry are the Desantis Speed Scabbards.   I don’t like the idea of having to have retention of any sort other than a holster when I’m carrying under a shirt or a garment and the Speed Scabbard fits the bill.  I’ve been using the Don Hume Jit holster which is kind of the same thought but doesn’t seem to be as up against the body as the Scabbard.  Every firearm will be different and much of this is about preference.

Top

Inside the waistband holsters?

I remember when I finally realized that there is no such thing as a perfectly comfortable way of carrying a firearm, you just learn how to adjust to carrying it.   The people that have no complaints about how they carry a firearm probable don’t do a lot of physical work because for those of us that are physically active are going to feel the guns press up against us especially if they are medium or large frame.   It is funny to say though that the most comfortable gun I can carry is not the smallers, but its actually the thinnest, the Colt 1911.

More people I know carry firearms on belt holsters and not IWB and I have to say that that is partially because they are too fat to put a gun in the belt. The Desantis holsters that I have been using recently are the Sof-tuck holsters.   I will report back after I use them for awhile.   One of my biggest issues lately with the IWB holsters is they become flimsy and do not hold their form and re-holstering firearms can actually become dangerous if the holster does not all the gun to go in easily.   There are reasons to be able to quickly re-holster a firearm after a fight so that  you can lay low until the police arrive and not be standing there with a gun in your hands.

Top

Physical work and concealed carry

I still to this day do not know how I have hurt myself but there were times that I was carrying IWB and bruised my hips and couldn’t carry the gun for awhile.  I think it was possible from driving in a car for a long time and had the seat belt kind of squeeze the gun up against me a  little more.   That is still to this day the most annoying thing about driving is having to put a seat belt on and carrying a medium or large firearm on your belt.

I much rather carry on a shoulder rig, but that is not a very good CCW method in warm weather and the should harness can be a dead giveaway.   Galco holsters makes the nicest leather holsters and the Miami Vice Classic should holsters looks the best when when wearing a suit and tie.   I think  the real reason everyone is moving towards pocket carry as an option is there is really very little discomfort for every day carry.

Top

CCW holsters can become complicated are they worth the hassle?

We recently had a few guys being deployed to Afghanistan that were looking to get Molle vests but they heard about an Elite Survial quick detach one that is coming out.  These guys all knew what it was like to get into situations where you have so much stuff strapped on you that it can be life threatening if  you get snagged on something or need to drop the load and move somewhere.   It’s also a comfort thing to some degree because if you can take it off quickly you aren’t wasting time.   The same goes for getting the stuff on which is why quick release gear sells faster.   Shoulder holsters can be very comfortable to wear especially for large autos but they are hard to get in and out of.

When it comes to waking up everyday and putting on a gun, nobody that CCWs for a long time is going to want to spend extra time with the hassles of clip things here and there and make adjustments.   The Galco Kingtuk holsters are a good idea and more comfortable but for every day carry they are little bit of a hassle to get on and off every day.   I will say that I use them for social environments and not for work because of the comfort levels but thats something for the buyer to decide.   Galco glock holsters  and Galco 1911 holsters are outstanding leather holsters.

Top

Do you own that gun that’s hard to find a holsters for?

In a recent conversation about some of the new pocket guns from Ruger like the LCP and the LC9, many people are calling us up asking us if we have ANY type of holster for their guns.   Gun holsters have just gotten far more complicated in recent  years and even the guys  in the military have to go through some research to buy a holster.   Guns are sold with rails, without rails, some handguns have lasers on them and others want to keep a light on them.    You literally could have 3 or 4 of the almost identical holsters with just slight variations depending on how it is configured.   There are always customer holsters for those with the money to fork out, but not everyone wants to spend $80 on a holster.

One reason to stick with a handgun for CCW that has been out for awhile is getting replacement parts, gun grips, gun holsters and even ammunition might be a good idea.   Blackhawk holsters are probable our biggest selling holster, but they don’t have the versatility as a nylon holster maker like Elite Survival does.   Elite Survival has Made in the USA on their products but might be a little bit above Uncle Mike’s gun holsters and Blackhawk nylon holsters   or even the Blackhawk Omega holsters.   If you are looking for IDPA or a duty holster, the USMC has now adopted the Blackhawk Serpa Holsters as their primary retention holster.   I believe it replaced the M12.

Top

Even if you don’t want to wear a Serpa Holsters

If you were not aware of this, let me fill you in, the Blackhawk gun holsters are one of our biggest selling holsters, but a less known fact is that their magazine holders are the best thing you can use for CCW or duty use.   There is a time and place for Nylon gun holsters and magazine holders but they are not very practical for concealed carry purposes or for use in competition use.   I’ve had a few magazine holders that were either extremely uncomfortable, they rattled too much when I moved or they just didn’t hold the magazine at all.   I’ve never lost a magazine before but I’ve had them fall out of magazine holders that did not have any kind of retention.

Magazine retention is something you’ll have to decide on for yourself, but I am not a fan of carrying spare magazines in pockets or in nylon holsters if I am carry a firearm.  The Blackhawk gun holsters that I use are  normally in use while training on a Carbine course, but the blackhawk single stack and double stack magazines are always in use.   You can hang upside down with a loaded magazine and you won’t loose the gun mag,  and if you need the mag there is nothing to clear before pulling it.   There are a few color options as well as the Carbon Fiber magazine holders for you to look over.

Top

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.

Top

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.

Top
1 2 Page 1 of 2