This originally ran in May 2008.
Chapter 5. Choosing a holster.
How you carry a gun is important. Generally speaking the idea is to find one carry that works for you, and use that exclusively. During times of stress your body tends to follow training and you could possibly be reaching in a big hurry for a gun that isn’t in the spot you are reaching for.
First, shoulder holsters. They come in three basic types, vertical, horizontal and upside-down. The vertical shoulder holsters carry the gun with the muzzle pointing down at the ground next to you and the butt forward. If you have a good harness they are reasonably comfortable.
If you carry your spare rounds on the opposite side they balance well. If you have short arms, a barrel chest, big boobs or are just plain fat they can be slow and awkward. If you spend a lot of time sitting, such as in a car, they can be useful. You can carry a relatively large weapon fairly well in one of these.
Horizontal shoulder holsters carry the gun with the muzzle pointing straight back behind you. Obviously if you have a very long weapon or are a very small person this has its drawbacks.
Upside-down shoulder holsters have been around for a long time for smallish revolvers. They are very concealable and can be fairly fast. Like the other shoulder holsters, however, they make it easier for the bad guy to grab the gun than for you to grab the gun. You don’t want to be wrestling with people if you can help it while wearing a shoulder holster.
Ankle holsters are very concealable, but are somewhat slow to access. They can also be uncomfortable after a while. Get one that fits you well. They have a bonus in that you can wear them where you can reach the gun easily with either hand. In my experience the ones with the suspender and above-calf strap are much more workable than the ankle-band only variety. They tend to stay put better and are more comfortable to wear.
Pocket holsters can be very concealable and very fast if you are standing up and not wearing tight pants. I use one when I am out for a walk in the neighborhood. It is pretty much invisible. It’s a bad idea to carry in a pocket without a holster, the gun can pivot and be difficult to draw. Also it “prints” through the fabric without a holster, making it obvious you’ve got a gun in your pocket.
Small of the back (SOB) holsters are fairly concealable but have their problems. If you fall on your back or are hit hard in the back the gun smashing into your spine, even in a holster, can injure you seriously. They are also a bit slow and awkward.
Belt mounted cross-draw or appendix holsters can be very concealable and fast, but while sitting down can be difficult to access depending on your body type. They do make special holsters just for sitting down, the TSA had a good one designed for Air Marshals.
IWB holsters (inside the waist band) are relatively good on concealment, especially with fairly flat semi-autos. If you have a good body (meaning more hips than gut) they can work well, but can be uncomfortable. A loose belt to hold the gun and suspenders to hold the pants up works well for this rig.
Strong-side hip holsters are a good way to go for most people. They carry the weapon just behind the point of the hip, raked with the muzzle back slightly. You can conceal a good size weapon under a loose shirt in this fashion and it is reasonably fast to get to, even sitting down, unless you are in a car with a seat belt on.
Off-body carry, i.e. purse holsters. I hate these things. I know a lot of women, and a few men use PDA / Daytimer books carry guns that way. In my humble opinion the idea behind a handgun is to have it with you. Unless you carry this thing constantly it isn’t really with you. Also, the purse may be the target for a theft in and of itself. Maybe I am just a radical here but I think if you are going to carry a gun you should carry it on your person.
Fanny packs. These do the job but unless you are actually jogging they scream, “I’VE GOT A GUN”.
Leather versus synthetic. I confess to being a traditionalist. I like blue steel guns and leather holsters. Stainless steel and synthetics do, however, have their place. They can be a lot cheaper than a good leather holster and work well. I don’t like the ballistic nylon holsters just because I don’t like how they look, though I do own a couple of them. I also own a couple of molded synthetic Fobus holsters. They work OK if you find the right place to wear them so they are at least half-way comfortable.
Don’t neglect spare ammunition. Though it is statistically unlikely that you will have to reload your weapon in a self-defense shooting, that is not beyond the realm of possibility. It is a very good idea to have at least one spare load with you. A rubber speed strip is a convenient way to carry .38 rounds. (They are now being made in other calibers as well.) Ammo dump pouches are so old and semi-obsolete a lot of people wouldn’t know what one your belt even was, they would assume it was a funky cell phone holder. A spare magazine can be carried in a belt holder, or in a pocket. I don’t recommend just letting them knock around loose in your pocket. MTM makes little pocket cases, kind of like a flat cigar holder or small cigarette case, just for pistol magazines or spare rounds. It keeps pocket lint, spare change and gum wrappers from interacting negatively with your spare ammo.
I can honestly predict you will spend some time and some money on holsters before you find what works for you. It isn’t money wasted. By the way, do not store a gun in a leather holster or gun case. Leather is hydroscopic, it attracts moisture. Modern leather is acid tanned. By leaving a gun in a leather container what you are doing is giving it a mild but long-term acid bath. It will ruin the finish of a blued gun.
Next chapter: Ammunition.