Posted on 08/05/2008 4:14:56 AM PDT by Pistolshot
Free Republic Gun Club – Concealed Means Concealed
You finally have your CCW permit. Now what?
You’ve qualified, shot the course of fire, did all the paperwork, made the conscious decision to protect yourself. Now what? Holsters.
The one mistake I see novice CCW permit holders make is the ‘hand-check. They consciously keep reaching for where the gun is in its holster. It’s a dead giveaway. I have more than once walked up to a permit holder and ask them why they keep checking to see if the gun is still there. If it’s in a secure holster and you’ve done the job of checking the mirror that, yes, it is concealed.
LEAVE IT ALONE.
Concealed mean the ability to hide a weapon where it can be reached and employed in the quickest manner possible. THAT NO ONE ELSE KNOWS IS THERE..
Deep concealment is for law enforcement, so let’s dispense with the ankle holsters, waist band, bra, garter, and other deep concealment holsters. They are S L O W. Slow to access and slow if you need it right now.
For anyone who has a CCW permit, you’ve had to make a lot of choices. What kind of gun to carry, caliber, and especially, how to carry it and still have it quickly accessible. What I am going to talk about today are holsters. The one item you can never have too many for carry.
We all have our favorites or the ones we rely on for almost every day usage. But there is a difference between carrying in cooler northern environments and the hot desert of the Southwest, between the jeans and a shirt and a suit or in the case of women, dresses, skirts, and blouses. The environment alone will determine what you carry as well as how. For most guys a good strong side holster inside the waist will be sufficient such as the Summer Special
or the Milt Sparks Executive Companion
My favorite for autos is the Biachi Pistol Pocket.
The PP covers just about everything I need in a good IWB holster and has one feature that has me sold on it for all my autos. The buckle has a swivel to change the cant of the holster. It can be shifted to crossdraw or deep behind the hip. It has a nice thumbsnap to help with keeping the weapon secure at any angle or even a tumble if you fall.
Ok, so these are a little more pricey that you’d like to spend on a IWB holster. Well, Galco has this little number.
It covers the tire weapon and is secure.
What about revolvers?
Also from Galco.
But a word of caution on IWB for revolvers. The cylinder is going to poke and rub against you. It will be uncomfortable. For revolvers I suggest a high rise thumbsnap such as the Bianchi Black widow.
Now, I didn’t forget the ladies. Galco has a couple of holster purses that work well with almost any size firearm.
These are not the only modes of carry. There are crossdraw, shoulder, ankle, small of the back or pocket holsters depending on what you want to carry. The crossdraw has you reaching across your body, similarly the shoulder rig does the same. Both modes are secure, but both have extreme drawbacks. If you are wider around the middle, or especially endowed on top, a shoulder rig or the crossdraw may not be your best choice.
Pocket holsters are great for the mouse guns or something along the Kahr/Kel-Tec lines, but for anything bigger, a proper holster should be employed.
Small of the back holster are nice IF you are not driving. Something about even a small pistol sticking you in the back while driving down the highway doesn’t sound too appealing. Fanny packs are out there, but a word of caution. Most law-enforcement officers pick them out quickly and a LOT of the criminal element take a fanny pack as a challenge.
These are not the only choices you have in a holster, just the ones I would recommend. You can find holsters almost anyplace, garage sales, flea-markets, and especially gunshows. I, personally have about 100 different types of holsters. Some work well…..others….well….they make good examples of what not to wear.
What do you like to use? Remember this is for concealment.
Enjoy
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That is what I was thinking about for my wife. Thanks.
Hard part for a lady is that the thieves will target the purse not even suspecting the gun is there. Makes you go hmmmmm.
The small j frames are not as uncomfortable but they are still a problem. Other good holsters are like this one from Mika Pocket Holsters.
Cross body went out of favor with the cops and most self defense guru’s sometime ago. The thought is that it gives the bad guy a chance to pin your are across you. That said I have and do carry a 1911 in a shoulder holster - in certain situations where I am reasonably confident that I have freedom of movement. BTW both my shootings were under the legendary 7 yards.
Yep! But notice the bag is for shoulder carry. Shoulder carried bags are almost never targeted for stealing as they are too hard to get. The gun inside is also at a perfect reach height and can be fired from inside the purse, if necessary.
Back holsters are not nice - they are dangerous. Never, ever wear your gun on your back or behind the hip. This is not a comfort issue. I’m surprised anyone who has been around guns would say that it is acceptable when every expert will say that it is not.
Many hip holsters can also be a problem when driving. More specifically, they are a problem when drawing your weapon while seated in a vehicle. Not so good if you are concerned with car-jacking.
Shoulder holsters can be good, but only if you use the right drawing technique with extensive training. Otherwise you can easily kill someone behind or beside you or blow off your arm.
Also, many of the purses have a wire inside of the strap to keep thieves from cutting the strap and running off with it.
Purses offer a greater degree of flexibility except as one poster said, 'lose the purse, lose the gun'.
Most skirts have pockets, but there again, that limits the size of weapon that can be carried.
I remember a clothier that made blouses that had a pouch for carrying a concealed weapon. Let me see if I can find that info.
I usually pocket carry a Kahr PM9 in a Desantis Nemesis holster. When I’m not too worried about deep concealment I carry my custom 1911 in a Brommeland MaxCon V IWB holster. Not too worried about either one printing as Virginia is an open carry state, and printing is not a crime.
Just a question, I really only own skirts, and most of them don’t have pockets, however, I was considering getting a thigh holster? What would you consider about that?
Just a question, I really only own skirts, and most of them don’t have pockets, however, I was considering getting a thigh holster? What would you consider about that?
Most stores that cater to the law-enforcement crowd also carry a larger number of holsters from different manufactures. I'd check with them on trying a few examples.
However, a news story yesterday had a perp getting shot in the head by his intended victim and surviving.
My preferred pistol is my Witness 10mm. It's a full sized semi-auto with a double stacked grip. The big problem is that it's really hard to carry IWB. OWB, deep carry (SmartCarry or Pager Pal), or a shoulder rig are the only options I've found that give comfortable concealable carry options.
Still looking for a "fanny pack" or a day planner option that doesn't make me want to turn in my "man card".
But then one day a Beretta Tomcat followed me home from the gun store. You may argue about the stopping power, but even a .32 on you is better than the 45 or 9mm you leave at home.
What about CC vests?
Mine works great for mid sized pieces. Gun in one pocket and extra mags in the other.
AZ is an open carry state so the 1911 goes on the hip.
I understand, but my carry weapon (only handgun I own for right now) is a Ruger SP101 - pretty compact, for a revolver.
Cross-body seems to allow me the quickest access to it, fanny-pack on right side doesn't allow the gun to be carried in an easy-to-access position.
Perfect solution is to get a small auto - in process of saving for one now - in love with the new Ruger I saw in AR last month.
Thanks!
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