All posts tagged Concealed Carry Holsters

Standard capacity magazines and balance

There are plenty of firearms out there that can handle magazines that have a higher capacity than the standard magazines, and in most cases, I really don’t understand why anyone would want anything protruding out of the bottom of a handgun.   I’d rather have an MP5 semi-auto than a Glock 17 with a 30rd magazine.    I’ve seen some of the full auto Glocks, but they are nothing more than an assassin or a nose maker for most purposes.   I’ve always liked 1911 handguns, and I’ve shot a few auto ordnance guns that were similar, but were double stack 45acp magazines, but the guns were just too heavy for me to wield one handed.

There is something to be said for handguns and how they are balanced out.   If the gun feels like  you are holding a bowling ball you’re not going to be very smooth in engaging multiple targets.   Just like someone who is using a 44 magnum Desert Eagle, you get a lot of bang, but what is your hit ratio? Can you carry something like that in gun holsters? I’ve done one too many tests with new shooters and 7.62×39 AK rifle and compared bullet hits with an M4.   Ever single time I’ve done a comparison people shot the better with the M4.   I’ve also done comparisons with extending magazines in 9mm and 45acp and there is a certain point, guns get too darn heavy.

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Pocket holsters, are they necessary?

The answer to all of your CCW questions should  be “does it work for you?”    Some people can carry full size Beretta 92FS in their pockets and if  you think I’m joking I’m not.   People forget that just as our pants sizes are different, so are the dimensions of the pockets of various types of tactical clothing.   I’ve known a few people that have carried things like Desert Eagle 44 magnums as CCW guns, but one was legit and the other was a nut case.   One of the guys that carried that gun was also in a gun accident that ended up on the local news because he was showing it to someone outside of a bar and ended up shooting himself in the leg.

Pocket holsters are really pocket protectors.   Most pocket guns will point down even if they move around in a pocket, but not always.   Don Hume holsters are very good in the pocket gun arena.  They will keep your gun in place and help keep pocket lint off of the mechanical parts.   I still have to wipe off my guns every month even if I don’t shoot them and in the summer they get cleaned once a month due to the potential sweat build up.

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IWB is the number one method for CCW

Even though IWB is the most popular, I’m well aware of the number of people that do not carry this way.   I’m not going to start mentioning fat people jokes, because I’m not fat and trying to get away from this method in the near future because it’s getting to be too uncomfortable.   Maybe it’s some of the new tactical pants I have been trying out, but I’ve been getting some serious bruising from Kydex holsters lately.   Paddle  holsters are fine for Fall and Spring, but if I have to wear a heavy winter coat, I prefer to carry with a shoulder holster.    I’m still up in the air as to what kind of shoulder holster to get because shopping for holsters is like buying clothing, it may fit you, but comfort and flexibility is something you find out later.

Pocket carry means for most of us that we are carrying a small gun, and not everyone feels like that is enough of a gun.   I’m not real big on arguing about caliber wars, but I am  big on carrying spare magazines and more ammo.    I’m fine with 2 magazines of .380 vs carrying a 5 shot .357 magnum.   IWB gun holsters are something that needs to be matched up to body size, some guys can fit a Beretta 92FS IWB but that pretty much eliminates anyone that is thinly built.   I would make sure you match your shirts up to your CCW method and check yourself in the mirror or ask a family member you trust to ask you if they can tell where your gun is.

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Are pocket holsters necessary?

And before you read much further, the answer to that is a resounding yet.   I know you don’t always need to have a holster, but it’s a darn good idea.   There are some safety issues that need to be considered when pocket carrying.   The first thing this is you have to be consistent in where you are going to put your gun and gear.  If you forget to put and put your keys on the same pocket as your gun and you don’t have a pocket protector, bad things can happen.    Lint build up may not b e a major concern for revolvers, but it is a serious issues with semi-auto guns.

I was fortunate enough to have witness someone show up at a gun range for training that brought his Glock 17 to the range.   He was told to clear his chamber and when he did, a pile of pocket lint came out of the guys gun that it was amazing that so much could build up in it.   This guy didn’t even pocket carry, but he said that it  had been about a year since it was cleaned last.   It’s amazing how clothing sheds and frayed strings.  I have a few pocket guns and use the Don Hume gun holsters I know Dean Speir keeps a good account of Glock accidents, but sweatshirts ect that are not designed for CCW can be dangerous and not using any type of holster is not advised.

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In praise of the Sig 239

I have to force myself to buy various technical gear and sometimes even firearms just to stay on top of what is out there.   I still haven’t jumped into the .380 market, but at some point I’ll settle on some kind of pistol.   I was never big on j-frame revolvers until I went to 5 weddings in one summer and got tired of putting a Sig 239 in a pocket.   The pants I was wearing could fit a Sig 239 very easily, but the gun was so darn heavy that the constant off balance pull it had was as bad as jock itch.   I started out with a 38 Special snub nose T-85 for CCW and got tired of it real fast.   I then tried a Colt 1911 for  a little, but didn’t like the idea of having to disengage a safety.

After several months of not knowing what to carry, I carried my Beretta 92FS and one spare magazine.   It was ok, for a little while, but if I need to carry it for more than 5 days, I got sore spots on my hips.   A friend of mine has his own gun holsters company and offered to make me a holster, but I knew that I was on the verge of changing my concealed carry gun so I held off.  Like a freakish bought of karma, I walked into a gun shop and saw a used Sig 239 for sale, called up my buddy and told him to make a holster for me and here we are 8yrs later.  The Sig 239 is by no means a light handgun, it is small, but this is a combat worthy and durable firearm.

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The stuff you read about on the internet about Fobus

Fobus HolstersI’m sure the majority of what you read about various holsters is mostly based on peoples personal tastes.   Guns and accessories can suit your purposes just fine if they are use appropriately, but there is a lot of BS on gun forums.   Probable 75% or more of what you read about accessories on gun forums is propaganda either for a product or against it.  One of the biggest BS bits of  info I saw on the  internet was about how easy it was to break Fobus Holsters.   There is a youtube video of a guy with a holster on and another guy walking up behind him and breaking the gun and the holster off.   The reality is this, if you give anyone enough time, they can mess up your life.

I could do something even better than that, how about sneaking up behind someone and hit the mag release and take the magazine out of their gun while it’s in the holster which leaves them with one round in the chamber, better yet, just hit them with a baseball bat and take their gun and their wallet from them.  If they have an AR15  using GI Mags, why not sneak up on them and use a pair of vise grips and pinch the mag well so the gun jams on them.  Sure you can break certain holster designs easier than others, but I’m not going to toss my gear out a window and find out if it breaks from a two story window.   Fobus holsters are simple to use, they are primarily used for people carrying large sized autos and don’t need retention like a thumbstrap or serpa holster does.

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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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Keeping it lightweight and simple

I know the idea of keeping it simple may mean carrying a larger auto and no spare magazines for concealed carry, but my idea of keeping it simple is usually pocket carry.     Sometimes people can go overboard with the CCW and even though you are well withing  your right to carry a gun legally, if you are packing too much gear, there’s a pretty good chance you will eventually be outed or “made” by someone that you don’t really want to know what you are carrying.   I have had atleast 2 times in my life where someone I barely knew, figured out real fast that something metal on my belt line, that wasn’t where my cell phone was. was there.

Every time you walk past someone in a close environment, there is a good chance you will get an “excuse me” and they will bump up against you.   People don’t realize how often it actually occurs, but elevators stares, doorways ect, are known for bumpin.   Carrying at social environments like business meetings is something that even more bumping can occur.   Sounds funny, but I speak from experience.  Sometimes I carry a Kahr K9 in 40 in one of my many Galco holsters that is an ankle holster.   This is one of the best ways to avoid bumping and being made in a white collar or close quarters social environment.   Find a good gun shop that allows you to try them on.

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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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Protruding magazines, snags and sights

As someone in the tactical gear and accessory business, I am a little overwhelmed by the number of holsters that are available and how they are being used.   I get questions about how to assemble and modify various things and often it takes a little research to find how to answer a customers questions.  Something that I am finding more and more about is that customers are ordering holsters for firearms knowing the gun should fit the holster, but the sights that they put on the gun are now causing the gun to snag when being drawn.

The best way to know that you have tactical gear that works is to test it out,  even if you have done research into matching up the correct gear, practice with it before you actually train with it or god forbid have to use your gear and training in a real situation.   Pocket gun holsters and clip on holsters tend to have high rates of failures in Defensive training classes.   The real reason is that many of these students are practicing with higher levels of stress and doing things that they didn’t think they would be doing and causing guns to spin in their hands when the front sight snags in the  holster.

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