All posts tagged Sig 229

Shoulder holsters being banned from Defensive training?

I first heard about this 3 years ago when I was taking a class, and I’m glad I didn’t bring my Uncle Mike’s vertical holster with me when I was taking the class, but it really wasn’t that style that was an issue.   Understandable so,  shoulder holsters, if not properly used, can be a hazzard to people behind the firing line, especially if it is a vertical rig.   Everyone seems to think of the Galco holster The Miami Classic when they think of that style of carry, but not all holsters are like that.   They look cool, but standing next to several people with that style of carry isn’t going to  be safe when everyone is holstering and un-holstering.

I do not think that shoulder holsters are less safe, and I personally think they are very practical for people that do a lot of driving, and it’s one of my favorite ways to carry a large size semi-auto.   Paddle holsters and OWB holsters are hard to draw from in the seat position and Bulldog holsters along with Uncle Mikes make very inexpensive holster rigs.  The Bulldog holsters have a double magazine pouch which gives you a little bit more weight distribution.   Shoulder holsters aren’t the best for CCW because the straps can ride up on you, but if you wear the appropriate clothing they can work.

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Fobus gun holster reviews

I am a strong believer in having atleast 3 magazines for every semi-auto handgun you own and having atleast one holster for it.   If you are every in a situation where you may have to give a family member a firearm, it’s in my humble opinion a good idea to have it in a holster especially if it is loaded.   Even though most gun fights are usually only a few rounds, magazines can break and nightmarish situations can occur.   I actually know someone that was in a defensive situation here in Philadelphia where he was attacked by multiple persons, and you could have used an M4 in a concealed carry situation and still may not have been able to hold off what had occurred to him and his family.

If I owned a gun shop, I’d probable sell Fobus holsters for half price to just about anyone buying a medium or large frame firearm.    These holsters are very good for open carry or for winter carry under a vest or a jacket.    The only down side to these holsters is that they can become uncomfortable to use when shooting on the ground.   I have a few of the magazine paddle holders and I find it to be a little too much to take if I have paddle holsters all around my belt line.   For real seriou

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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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Concealed carry vests that work

I am going to begin counting the days for an upcoming hunting trip to Maine.   This will be my first hunting trip in the New England States and I will be planning for some very cold nights, but moderate temperature days.  Along with toting a Mini 14 for deer,  I will be carrying a sidearm as I normally do.  I prefer to hunt on the move for deer until I find a really good position and then wait for a few hours.   I know I am pushing the limits by using a 75gr A-max bullet in a .223, but I wouldn’t be using this if I know it couldn’t be done.   There are several gun shops in the area that show the deer that were taken and many of those were done with the Mini 14.

Since I own and wear much of the Eotac apparel line, I have everything in my inventory to pick from.   The Style 103 vests are really meant as concealed carry vests and they are not really tactical.  I know that may be just my opinion, but the coyote brown and od green vests look very nice in the outdoors.   Since I will be in a cold environment, I don’t want to constantly take gear off and on, in really cold situations, I prefer to wear base layer clothing with a t-shirt and sweatshirt and then a vest on the outside for concealing my Sig 229 .357 Sig.  I keep a few Mini 14 5rd magazines along with my knife and flashlights in the vest and if I need to ditch some of the hunting ammo, I just take it out to lighten the weight and I’m ready to head into town with my CCW rig already on.

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Galco ankle holsters

The ankle holster is a very unique method.   It is not easy to draw from when in the standing position, but for those that do a lot of driving, this is an excellent position to draw from while in the seated position.  Shoulder holsters come as a close second, but a high level of practice can probable equalize them both.   If you are considering carrying a firearm in an ankle holster.  I strongly advise that you really think about carrying the lightest firearm you can.   The Kahr P9 and J-frame revolvers seem to be the most popular because you may feel like the holster is moving around on you even if it is not, depending on how heavy the gun is.

The holsters we sell are broken down into two groups, Concealed carry and tactical holsters.   Much of the clothing we sell also fits into this category.   While some undercover law enforcement may use concealed carry methods and Galco holsters has many options, most of the pocket and ankle holsters we sell are for white colar gun owners that need to be as discrete as possible.   A new market seems to have emerged in the last year with the flood of new .380 pistols.    Many of us may have started out carrying the biggest firearm we owned when we first started to CCW, but we found out very fast that certain climates and physical situations can be very uncomfortable if we have a firearm jabbing us in the side.   Galco holsters have a very good reputation of being consistantly made and in the 4yrs we’ve been selling them, have never had a fitting issue.

 

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Range Report on Sig 220

Galco HolstersMy Sig 220 blasted its way through the first 8rds without a hickup.   I did notice a mini cloud of lint around the gun, and maybe I should rethink some of the shirts I wear to try and prevent or reduce this, but I thought that lint can’t be any worse than dirt and these are combat pistols.    I continued to put another 300rds of 45acp 230gr FMJ ammo and had a stopage.   I had a friend tell me that the Sig Factory rep he dealt with says that the guns should run wet and that they are dependent on using more lubrication than something like a Glock.   Although I’ve never gotten the bug to own a Glock, I guess I’ll have to acknowledge that Glock does have an edge over Sigs in this area.    One thing I have considered doing is putting a  little grease on all of my pistols, that way it won’t drain off as easily as CLP or similiar types of lubrication.   That is something to think about for pistols.

Today was a rare day that I was able to get away from the family life and get out for a day at the range.   My Sig 220 was pretty dirty and it hasn’t been cleaned in months.   There was lint building up in the firing pin area between the hammer and the firing pin.    My initial thougts were to clean it first, but then I thought about the TO HELL AND BACK reliability claims and thought I’d just start blasting.  The gun was pretty dry, but this was a test of my standard CCW guns durability.   I was normally carrying my Sig 220 45acp in an IWB holster.  These Galco Holsters are easy to remove from my belt although I know that clip on holsters have a higher rate of coming off than loop through or other types of holsters.

 

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Range holsters another category

Fobus HolstersThere is always going to be a debate with any tactical or firearm accessory.   What is it being used for and is it up to the task at hand.   A concealment holster might not be a $180 leather shoulder rig, it coule be something as simple as $12 pocket holster.    There are tactical holsters that will secure your pistol while your running through the mud and training in a Carbine Course, or you can have a IWB holster for your everyday CCW.

Another thing to think about having in your box of holsters is a simple range holster.   If you are at a gun club and  planning on doing some serious range blasting, you might want to consider a range holster.   A range holster is usually something that you can wear outside your belt which is a clip on our paddle style.    Whenever some of my friends and I are going to be pulling an all day range trip, we’re usually carrying a full size handgun and IWB is not a comfortable carry option.  Fobus Holsters are in the $20 range and if you’re wearing a good belt, you won’t notice the weight of a full size gun like a Beretta 92 or Glock 17.   It’ll make carrying and practicing much easier than constantly picking your gun off a table.

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Keeping sidearms clear of your Carbine

Blackhawk HolstersThere seems to be a big transition in the Law Enforcement community to leg holsters.   Its kind of funny how the old western look disappeared for a few decades but now it’s back again.  If we all road around on horses we’d probable agree that carrying a sidearm on a leg holster is appropriate and its not just for the cool Han Solo look.

Blackhawk Holsters are one of my favorite options, Primarily the Serpa holsters.  The Omega is a less expensive and more versatile when it comes to using different guns, but if you already have a favorite, you’ll want to stick with a holster that works for just that gun.   Whenever you are carrying a Carbine, and you are carrying a sidearm, carrying it in any position other than a leg holster can be a liability, especially when a sling is being used.   I’ve seen many novice operators show up on a training day and end up tangling their slings with a paddle holster or OWB holster.   The Blackhawk Tactical holsters will lock your gun in place and be below the waiste to give you more manueverability.

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