Rogue Elite

There 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.

If you are searching the web for a gun holster for a training class or you are looking for your first CCW Holster and your looking for a paddle holster or OWB holster, Fobus holsters are the staple for gun owners.   There are always critics of various holster designs, but for those looking to carry a gun, the Fobus Paddle holster is a very comfortable and reliablie firearm retention device.   Fobus holsters are excellent for carrying full size autos.   From my own experience, most people prefer to train with full size autos for accuracy and capacity reasons and carrying a gun IWB is pretty much a problem for most operators.

Fobus holsters were designed and develeped in Israel, Fobus was the first holster company to use injection molding technology and a leader in high density polymer holsters.    I commonly get students who need a vest or conceleant garment for a CCW course and when they ask which holster they should get I always recommend Fobus Holster.   Fobus holsters are well made and will retain your firearm and give you stability during most physically demanding situations.

We’ve all seen the massive accessorizing of firearms in recent years.   Firearms likes SKS rifle and Mini 14s are not immune to the firearm attachements and modifications that have run rampant in the AR15 community.   In my opinion, there are a lot of firearm owners out there that had their Legos taken away from them and they brought that mindset into gun accessorizing and tactical gear stockpiling.    That’s about as harsh as I can be about why people do what they do to their firearms, but some of it is for hobbie reasons, some for practical reasons, and some because people have the obsessive compulsive behavior of needing to spend money.

There area a lot of good upgrades one can do to a firearm, a fighting rifle should be customized to fit an operator.  Advanced Technology makes some quick and easy upgrades for your shotgun or carbine that can give you better grip or balance.  Shotgun shell holders on the buttstock or riding side saddle is a practical tactical upgrade you can do on your remington 870.  The fiberforce stock for the MAK90 is a way to legally get around some firearm bans and are a big step up compared to the stupid thumbhole stocks.    Attach a rifle sling that fits yoru purpose from Blue Force Gear, they come in 1 point, 2 point and 3 point attachements. Minor firearm modifications make need to be done to attache rifle slings, but do some research on various rifle sling configurations to see what works for you.

Like people, gun holsters come in all shapes and sizes.    Holsters can be made out of nylon or they can be made out of kydex.   Years ago there were not as many options other than the military style holter or thumbreak holsters.    Most gun holsters were made out of leather and the balance between protecting a firearm and making it easy to draw from was pretty bad.    Most holsters were meant for LEO or Military personal, but not for concealment.    Pocket guns have been around for hundreds of years, but every since the semi-auto pocket guns came on the market, worrying about lint build up and avoiding gun printing was problematic.
As SWAT Teams have changed their gear, so have the holsters they use for sidearms.   Something like a leg holster for Police or LEOs were not very common since Sheriffs stopped riding horses and started to drive cars.   Now  you’ll be lucky to find a SWAT Team where leg holsters aren’t being used.  If you’ve got to tote an M4 around there really isn’t a good way avoiding snagging or arm movements if you’ve got a paddle holster or OWB holster on.   Galco Holsters,  Blackhawk and Safariland are by far some of the more popular brands with a diverse product line for concealement and tactical purposes.

Selecting the right holster for you and going to take some work.   The best thing you can do before you start carrying a firearm is figure out what kind of gun you really want to carry and then go from there.   Some people want to carry a full size auto right off the bat and then find out which holster works for them.   Firearms can be carried in various ways, but situations and comfort are really the key.   I have a friend that carries a full size Springfield 1911 and claims there is no difference in carry that vs a smaller auto.   If you get a good belt like a Wilderness Instrcutor belt or something that has real support, you’ll be amazed at how those heavy pistols don’t really feel like their dragging around with you.
Galco holsters has a diverse product line, people need to really know what it’s like to tote a pistol around IWB all day to know where to wear it on their belt and what their tolerances are.  If you are constantly readjusting  your gun while you are out and about, you may want to consider a different belt, holster, or firearm.   Thats one way to giveaway your concealment if you are being monitored by a BG.  Galco leather holsters come in IWB, OWB, Shoulder holster, belt slot holster, ankle, waist pack (or commonly known as fanny pack).   It may also be wise to consider summer/winter holsters and possible a t-shirt and suit and tie holster.    No one holster is going to work for all of these situations so walk slowly.

Some gun owners make the claim that there are huge differences between holsters designs and what’s really the best.   Well, sorry to bust your chops, but the difference between man guns and the accessories we use with them are as broad as any mans preferences in women. Don Hume holsters have been being made for over 5 decades and the company has lots of expereince in listening to their customer base.   Just think of how much firearms have changed in the last 20yrs and think about how hard it is to keep up with the industry.

Don Hume clip on holsters are a bit of a staple for most gun shops.   The disclaimer for all clip on gun belts is this and it really does come down to this for MOST practical purposes…..”make sure you use a good gun belt and you’ll be fine.   Let’s be real and not get carried away with things like “clip on holsters will fall off if you jump around a lot.   Well, not everyone is going to be jumping fences or hanging upside down from trees while CCW their firearm.  Don Hume IWB H715 are highly recommend for basic day to day concealed carry.  You can have your choose of the holster in the traditional brown or the black.  For OWB or outside the waistband Done Hume holsters also have a paddle holster.  The 7210T is a belt slotted holster for a more permanent and secure way of carrying, there are pros and cons to the slot vs. clip on, but if you’ve got a brain between your ears you can figure it out.

I believe I’ve spent more time on the range than the average gun owner.   Once you’ve been in the industry long enough you start to realize that best and better, are rarely applicable to accessories.   We know  that some firearms are better than others in certain respects but just like golf clubs, each item is only good for it’s intended purposes.  Fobus Holsters have been a sidearm staple for many novice and expert gun toters.   You’ll rarely walk into a gun shop that sells holsters that isn’t carrying Fobus products, the reason?   Because when all you need is a gun holster, you really don’t need to spend a lot of money and Fobus will probable have something for you.   Many novice gun owners have trouble getting use to IWB  or Inside the Waist Band holster.  If you’re carrying a full side or medium size revolver or auto, you’ll figure it out fast enough.

Fobus holsters are probable the most popular paddle holster.  Lots of manufacturers have put out similiar items, but Fobus still holds its own in the market. While IMHO it may not be all that comfortable to use too many paddle holder accessories along with your holster, the standard Fobus fobus makes a nice flashlight magazine combo accessory.   If you are wearing a good gun belt, they will float very nicely on your waist.  Fobus makes a  holster for right handed and left handed shooters.   One suggestion about choosing the a holster may be to pay attention to the gun angle that you prefer, while I don’t think it’s a good idea to have much movement with a holster, the roto holster may be for you.  For those going to Carbine Course and looking for a comfortable sidearm holster, I highly recommend them for your favorite, Glock, Sig, Taurus, Beretta or 1911.

With concealed carry or duty holsters, there are always pros and cons of a design.  Sometimes we aren’t looking for practical, but pretty.  These Bianchi holsters are designed in a unique way in that it looks like it’s made of leather, but it is  not.   I know some old timers that refuse to carry anything but leather, but there are drawbacks to this.   If you are not in the mood for more frequent cleanings of your firearm (let’s not bring up the polymer gun debate right now, you may be interested in this design.

The sythetic duty gear crosses the boundaries between leather and nylon holsters.
The Bianchi Accumold design is approximately 50% lighter than similar sized leather holsters.  No long waits for customized leather holsters, still looks like leather if you don’t want to deviate too much from the traditional leather look and can be cleaned with mild soap and water. The Defender II Duty holster may be in  your interest if this sounds all good to you.  You can acquire these from RogueElite.net for your Berettta 92,  Glock 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.   The Bianchi Defender II Duty holster is also availablem in your favorite, H&K, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson or Taurus holster.

A great many years ago I wondered how people really knew which holster worked for them.   It’s one of those things people don’t understand when they first start to carry a gun.   The reality is that some holster designs are as pretty to look at in the same way we shop for clothing or for a  car.   Some people just need to get around from point A to point B and don’t need to show off.

Uncle Mikes holsters are one of those things you seem to find in every gun shop and every gun show.  The reason you see them everywhere is because they work, get the job done, and they don’t cost $100 each.   If you need to jump over fences and hang out of helicopters they might not be what you need, but I rarely hear anyone say they don’t cut it.  Uncle Mike’s holsters are also very good in adverse climates because the Nylon and Kydex holsters hold up better than leather.  I’d have to be honest that the only other holster manufacturer in the same price range that comes close to this would be the Fobus line.  Uncle Mike’s holsters will work for your Glock, Sig, Beretta or 1911 variants.  Revolvers, whether they’re large or small will also have a companion holster with the Uncle Mikes product line.

Safariland Holster without the SLS; with quick release leg harness offers all the most popular features of the 6004 series. This holster provides an extra measure of security, once a weapon is holstered it automatically locks into place, once all retention devices are deactivated a simple straight up draw can be used without additional twisting or other motion. Thermal-molded SafariLaminate construction protects the handgun and sights. Standard double leg strap and leg shroud with mounting holes for optional accessories. Adjustable vertical leg strap with quick release detachable leg harness. Suede lined to protect handguns finish.

Open top design Firm SafariLaminate™ construction allows holster to stay open for ease of reholstering, Synthetic suede outer material grips clothing for less movement of holster,Fits both 1.25″ (38mm) and 1.5″ (45mm) belt widths, Synthetic suede lining,Double snap belt loop is adjustable for cant angle,Available in Black suede finish