Oftentimes, people will spend weeks looking for the perfect concealed carry gun. They’ll rent guns at the range, they’ll try out their friend’s guns and they’ll search every gun blog and forum on the planet for other people’s opinion.
However, when it comes to buying a holster, they’ll buy the first thing they see online or the first holster they see at the gun store. Without a doubt, buying the correct holster is just as important as purchasing the right gun and the purchase of a holster should be just as in-depth as the purchase of your gun.
After all, if you can’t get your gun out of the holster, and if your holster fails you, then it could cost you your life. Therefore, let me quickly cover the 4 major requirements of a holster. First off, it should keep the gun in place. In other words, if it’s a cheap holster that slides up and down on your gun belt, and the gun is twisting and turning, then do not buy it. I recommend holsters that fit on 1¾ gun belts, because they’re not going anywhere. (And yes, that means you need to buy a quality, rigid, gun belt.)
Secondly, the holster must securely hold the gun in place.
If you’re walking to your car, or jogging while wearing your gun, and it falls out, then you’ve got a big problem (especially depending on who’s around when it falls out.) The ‘trick’ you can use to see if you’ve got a quality holster is to put your gun in the holster and then turn it upside down. You should be able to lightly shake the gun without it falling out. If as soon as you turn the gun upside down, it falls out of the holster, then keep searching for a better one.
Thirdly, the holster must provide quick and easy access to the gun. Remember, should you ever need your gun, you’ll most likely need it very quickly. That’s why I recommend wearing an inside the waistband holster – and not an ankle holster (unless it’s for a backup gun) or a shoulder holster or a number of other carry methods.
If you have some cute ‘gimmicky’ holster that you bought at this year’s gun show…
Yet it takes you 5 minutes to draw the gun, then it’s obviously a pointless holster. You need to practice often drawing from the holster and if you can’t get out quickly, then you need to keep looking for a better one.
Lastly, the holster must cover the trigger guard of the gun and provide safety from accidental discharges. I know there are a ton of holsters out there these days, but if you buy one that doesn’t cover the trigger guard, you’re just asking for trouble, and quite frankly, I’d say you’re crazy for doing it.
I cannot emphasize this enough. Please take your time when searching for a holster. And do not be cheap. A good holster costs anywhere from $70-$100. But once you buy one, it’s going to last a very long time. Plus, think of it this way: Should the time ever come when you have to use your firearm to defend your life, or the life of a family member, you’ll be very thankful you’ve invested your time and money on a reliable holster that would allow you to get a firm firing grip, and would allow you to quickly present the gun to the threat.
So, if after reading this article, you realize you have a ‘dud’ of a holster right now, then as soon as you can, start searching for a quality holster that you’d be willing to bet your life on- because, it just might come down to that one day.
No comments:
Post a Comment