All posts tagged Shoulder Holsters

Galco Holsters the STOW-N-GO vs Kydex and Nylon

Galco HolstersWe sell tons of CCW holsters and usually leave it up to the customer to decide on what they want, everyone’s tolerances are different and adjusting to certain levels of discomfort and limitations in movement are going to have to be accepted.   “I want a comfortable Holster” and when we get asked that, we tell them to get a pocket holster and see what there reaction is.   There are some pretty nice pocket carry friend pants available the 5.11 Covert Khaki 2.0, not to be confused  with the earlier covert khaki pants (which I don’t have a fond opinion of) are one of the few non-tactical looking pants that have deep pockets.   If you are stuck on carrying a larger frame firearm, you are going to have to accept that certain methods of carry are going are not going to work for you.    Leather has a very nice look but even from a Law Enforcement standpoint, leather is on it’s way out and  more people are going for leather/Kydex hybrids and STX finishes.

The Smith & Wesson Bodyguard is probable one of the most popular off duty firearms in our area and the most popular holster that we are getting positive responses from is the Galco Stow-n-go holsters.   This soft suede like  material, depending on the size of gun you have, doesn’t dig into  you the way that Kydex inside the waist holsters often do and if you are fond of Galco holsters as a brand name this is something to consider putting into your Summer carry CCW or Off Duty holster options.    The Sig 239 is also a very good match for this holster as well as many Glock firearms and Sig Sauer firearms.    We’ll be looking out for the Glock 42 holsters which I’m sure will  be out shortly.

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Leather holster options, it is all about preference

Galco holstersI’m not a big fan of all of the stuff we carry, we carry over 25,000 products and there really are different levels of quality with much of it.   We have cheap aftermarket magazines that some people love buy and just use them as range mags, and others only buy factory magazines.   When it comes to choosing a good CCW or duty holster it’s really like matching shoes to an occasion.   Not all gun leather is the same and there are different features and functional differences.   I noticd that much of the Desantis leather goods have very polished looks to them and they seem to love making black leather holsters.   Don Hume holsters are hot sellers but they are not very pretty holsters to look at.

Holster stiffness and business reputations are things that we let our customers figure out.   We only stock name brand products like Galco holsters and some of their competitors.  Each of the leather makers has there pros and cons and some of them dabble into kydex holsters. The paddle holsters from each manufacturer have different cants and also different levels of gun coverage and it’s up to the user to know what they really need.  Make sure you pay attention to your holster fit guide, and if you are ever not sure if your gun is going to fit, don’t guess at it, call of the manufacturer and ask.   You don’t want to find out later that the trigger isn’t fully covered or that the holster will un naturally become loose because it was never intended to fit that one.

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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.

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Galco holsters more than just leather

When it comes to choosing a holster that works for you and looks good for open carry or concealment (no contradiction) you can’t beat the looks of a leather gun holster.  There are so many variations and modes and methods of concealment that it’s really about the environment you are going to and what type of firearm you are carrying.  Full size semi-auto handguns are usually not going to be IWB and the Combat Master and Concealed Carry paddle holsters are an excellent choose for the American Patriot that is exercising their 2nd Amendment right to defend themselves

Galco Holsters are hands down one of the best holster manufacturers on the market. Rogue Elite.net has been carrying this line for several years and our customers love ’em Galco holsters are one of the most sought out holsters for concealed carry or duty use. There durable design and quality control are outstanding in every way. Galco gun holsters, outstanding quality of IWB holsters and Paddle holsters, are also the manufacturers of the much admired Miami Vice Shoulder holster seen on the popular 80’s TV Show. The safely secure Galco belt holster is made for your favorite, 1911, Sig, Glock, Beretta or M&P sidearm.

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Shoulder holsters are not out of style

I know that many gun ranges do not allow people to train for defensive shooting classes with shoulder holsters and I complete agree with the reasons.   I still believe that if you have to carry a full size auto, carrying it in a shoulder holster is the way to go.   For driving in vehicles whether for military purposes or for concealed carry, it is a practical way to defend yourself.  I think the vertical should holster is a much more practical and safer way to carry in a shoulder holster but small or medium size firearms work well in horizontal rigs.   I find the Elite Survival systems holsters to be the best nylon holsters but you get what you pay for.  Some of  my Uncle Mike’s holsters worked well but they are not as comfortable to wear.

There have been some pretty big design changes and I like many holster makers, the contour of the holsters has been modified.   The Miami classic holster from Galco holsters is still a very widely used holster for law enforcement.  This is probable the coolest shoulder holster and with a Glock 19 it works very well.   For winter carry these are above the belt line and are not something that will restrict you with the type of jackets you wear.  We have had some issues with customers buying the Woolrich Elite Algerian Jackets and then not like the length of the jacket.  Our answer is that it’s a jacket not a coat and if you want to wear this you need a different setup.

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Run on gun holsters as well as other firearm parts

There have been many products on our website that have been sold out for months and getting them back in here anytime soon isn’t going to happen. There are a few distributors we have had to stop dealing with and become direct dealers because the wait periods were so long.  Spikes Tactical and Don Hume gear and accessories have been so hard to get and this has to be the first time I have ever heard of there being a run on gun holsters.   Leather gun holsters tend to look really nice and have a very different appeal.  Many of them are extremely comfortable to wear especially the Kingtuk holsters.

We are a stocking Desantis gun holster dealer and they have many products that are similar to the Crossbreed and Galco holsters.  Our product lines tend to match up with whatever Galco holsters are the most popular.  From inside the waist holsters, tuckable gun holsters, shoulder holsters and ankle holsters. There are some really good reviews you can google or even watch on Youtube if you want to see product comparisons, recently we discovered that Galco holsters have a very unique appeal because you can tell the difference in style between Desantis holsters, Don Hume and Galco.

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Something new and interesting from Desantis

We had a special order for a product that we don’t normally carry called the Desantis Rail Ryder.   When we get requests for products that we don’t stock we usually evaluated the product first, ask the customer why they want it and usually ask them to give us a review after that have used it for awhile.  When we first saw the images for the Desantis Rail Ryder we didn’t understand what it was all about but after playing around with it for a few minutes we got it.   This is a HD holster that you can quickly put on if you had to go around your house.

One reason I have often suggested IWB holsters that are made out of kydex is because you have to be realistic, if you are ever in a gun fight, you will want to be able to reholster the gun with ease and possible under stress and leather holsters tend to collapse or fold in on themselves.   This is a very unique product from Desantis holsters that is very practical.   There is no real way to holster a firearm without having a holster on already if you had to get up in the middle of the night.   You could quickly move about your house and if need be the gun is already to be attached to a belt.

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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.

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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.

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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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