All posts tagged 1911 Holsters

Beretta 92FS open carry and non-CCW environments

I do a lot of security evaluations on commercial and private properties.   Much of what I find is obvious to those with street smarts, but not every has those.  Unfortunately some of the best prepared gun owners I know are the ones that had crimes committed against them and they had to learn the hard way.   I’m  not any different in those regards, but there are plenty of crimes I have studied just by watching the news and reading the local newspapers.  I actually  highly recommend that anyone that is considering take the big leap and taking defensive firearms courses to spend one month of reading weekly newspapers about the crimes that are committed in their home towns.

Just tonight I saw a story about a completely innocent guy who walked out of a Target shopping store and was in the wrong place at the wrong time, a drug addict in a bad move just started stabbing him.   What would you have done?   I have been carrying a Beretta 92FS in a Fobus holster for several years now, which is one of my primary CCW in the winter, and the reason I am carrying this holster is that it paddle holsters are easy to take off and put on and getting into and out of a bank with high security like metal detectors, means the guns have to come off.

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Comfort vs convenience

There is going to be a argument with your body between comfort and convenience whenever you put on a holster.    IWB may work for you, but if you start carrying larger guns you’ll start to feel it pretty fast.  I have already seen guns go from carrying fat compact guns and transitioned back to a 1911 which is longer, but is thin and more comfortable to carry IWB.   If you are expecting to get into street combat then do something other than wear a concealment holster.   I have had years of experience in carrying guns IWB, but recently I’ve gone to pocket carry because I’m getting tired of feeling it when I’m out on golf course or batting practice.

There are plenty of custom holster companies for you to research, but you may spend a lot of money on a holster that doesn’t work for you and the best thing to do is go to a gun show or a gun shop that carries them and ask if you can try them on.  Galco holsters have a stow n go holster that is an easy fix for IWB concealment holsters.  If you don’t want to blow a ton of money on a holster look at Galco or Don Hume first.   There are belt loop, paddle and pocket holsters that are very reasonable priced.

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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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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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Going lite with a shoulder holster

In the world of firearms, to each his own, when it comes to gun holsters.   I’ve got that notorious pile of holsters in a box at home that I rarely dig around in and mostly only use 3 or 4 holsters all year long. On a rare occasion I may get dressed up with my rig if I taking a course or teaching a class.   Sometimes it’s nice to bring out the old rack queens and use them and married life has taken a toll on a few of them.   There are multiple reasons to go from pocket carry options to combat mode, but the somewhere in between usually gets it’s way.

One of my favorite gun holster makers makes a very diverse product line, but that leather holster look tends to be my favorite when it comes to even a j-frame revolver.   Just because you are carrying a small gun, doesn’t mean you can’t use a paddle holster or shoulder holster.  Galco holsters have multiple carry methods for the j-frame 38 Special CCW holder and one of my favorite Professional looking rigs is the Galco Classic Lite.   When  you carry in this manor you can easily carry speed loaders ect without packing too up extra on the belt line.

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Nice looking holsters

The entire gun holster market is so diverse now that it sometimes makes my head spin just thinking about recommendations for friends.   You can do google or yahoo searches for gun holsters and  you’ll find some of the largest makers of firearm holsters, but I still wouldn’t hesitate to try a customer holster maker.   I have  a friend that makes Kydex holsters and they are very original even though at first glance they look very much like other kyder holsters.   With the advent of lasers, flashlights and customer gun smithing, gun holsters can get really complicated.

There have been times when I was taking a gun course where I’d take out a leather  holster that I don’t normally wear to the range and my Springfield 1911, although it’s not the most carried sidearm I own, I have more Galco holsters for this firearm because it’s so cool looking in a leather holster.   I have the Miami Classic shoulder holster, the Fletch and the Avenger.  The Galco combat master is a fast draw holster that if worn with a nice belt, nice pants and a good shirt, will definitely get you more girls, I’m joking…

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Tactical vests and firearm retention

Gun vests are as diverse in application and gun holsters are.   There are various types of vests for specific missions and some of the best ones to get are the ones that you can configure yourself.   Not everyone needs to carry 12 gun magazines for their M4 Carbine and most of that would even be considered extreme for a combat soldier.   I am a big fan of leg holsters because my primary fighting weapon is an M4 rifle and I don’t like the idea of putting a handgun up on my vest because it’s one more thing for my rifle sling to snag on.   Eotac and Woolrich Elite vests suit me better because they are softer and don’t have a holster for retaining a firearm, it’s all magazine and gear and the pistol magazine holder is inside the pockets, not outer pouches.

I am also not a fan of vests that carry tons of rifle and pistol ammunition, it’s good to be able to carry a backup handgun incase your primary goes down, but I’m more inclined to bring a spare bolt and firing pin so I can replace most broken parts on my M4 in only a minute.   Having 2 or 3 Wilson combat magazines for my 1911 is all I need for most practical purposes.  If I need more handgun ammunition than that, I might as well pack a few grenades and be able to call in an airstrike, too.  If you are wearing a tactical vests, in my opinion, it’s cross draw, or it’s a leg holster for your handgun.

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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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Getting picky about gun holsters is the norm

We get so many phone calls asking us basically asking us to tell people how to dress themselves when they get out of bed in the morning.   Maybe 5% of the questions we get asking about tactical clothing and concealed carry clothing are about how someone will look in the clothing once they put it on.   The same goes for gun holsters.  People often ask us how they feel and how well they are made and all of this really comes down to your personal preference.  I can give you a calorie count for every food item you eat, but you gotta tell me if you liked eating it.

Going through your house and pick out the type of clothing that you can wear all year long is probable impossible for you unless you live in a desert or the North Pole.  Just like we need rain coats when it’s raining and winter coats when it’s snowing, we need gun holsters and clothing for changes in weather and seasons.  Most people don’t carry a shoulder holster when they are living in t-shirt and flip flop land and nobody is going to tell you that you have to wear a leather holster in 100F temperatures.   You have to find what feels right and works for you and then think about another scenario for the other things.

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