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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Enjoy, participate.
I am very interested in this subject, but your photos are not showing for me.
I’m “Old School.” Leather for me. The expensive stuff. On the belt, strong-side carry. No exotics yet, but working towards a Rafter S in black gator hide for my Glock 21. Retention is not an issue for me, so scabbards fill the inventory. Never liked thumb snaps. Heavy artillery gets the shoulder holsters. And yes, like all pistoleros I have a footlocker filled with holsters for all occasions. Comes with the territory. It’s my only “vice” these days so I don’t feel too bad about spending money on leather goods for guns.
I don’t think the a href call tags are closed.
That Galco IWB holster you pictured—any idea if you can wear it without a belt? I almost never wear a belt, but my OWB holster juts out too much when I wear a t-shirt. I have a USP 45 Compact and this issue has been driving me nuts!
Wow that's all there is to it huh? I wish I lived in the free part of the country. the only way I'm getting a CCW in New Jersey is if I get in a time machine.
nevermind our stupid proxy was stripping the tags
Can someone expand on ladies choices? I am getting the girls weapons and want them to have good access without giving away the farm and drawing attention.
Yeah how do the inside the waist holsters attach?
The only ones I’ve seen attach only by hooking to a belt or requiring a belt to loop through it. Kind of a pain if you never wear a belt!
I carry my 1911 in a Milt Sparks Versa-Max II, horsehide.
I quit checking for my firearm a long time ago. Open carry is legal in PA as well, so I pretty much forget it’s there. If it prints, I don’t care, I’m legal no matter if it’s concealed, printing, or if my shirt rides up over it. I always wear it concealed, but it seems that 99% of people don’t wouldn’t notice a fire engine about to run them down so I don’t worry about it.
Check here: http://www.usgalco.com/Default.asp
Galco carries a line of items for women. Be advised it’s expensive, but like most folks I’ve wasted more money over the years on “trick” holsters and cheap stuff that in the end never gets used. Also, think in terms of wardrobe, not just holster. With proper tailoring and the right clothes, I’ve had no problem concealing big guns.
My Ruger 3” GP-100 gets carried high and tight, on the belt, strong side in a Black Hills “Comfort Slide” vertical draw scabbard. I must confess, however, that since I transitioned to the “dark side” (semi-autos) it’s rare when it does see carry duty these days.
I know. It is going to be tough for me as I am a shorts and tshirt type. I won’t be able to wear the same shorts I wear to golf/work in.
My Ruger 3” GP-100 gets carried high and tight, on the belt, strong side in a Black Hills “Comfort Slide” vertical draw scabbard. I must confess, however, that since I transitioned to the “dark side” (semi-autos) it’s rare when it does see carry duty these days.
I, too, do not really care much if it "prints" here in Texas. It is still "legal". I hate and never carry IWB! Hard to draw and uncomfortable at any time. Simply a shirt tail on the outside and so, with my 9mm PT-111 Millenium Pro:
Holster works equally well with my Springfield XD when I want to carry .45ACP.
My wife's normal mode of carry: 
My Ruger 3” GP-100 gets carried high and tight, on the belt, strong side in a Black Hills “Comfort Slide” vertical draw scabbard. I must confess, however, that since I transitioned to the “dark side” (semi-autos) it’s rare when it does see carry duty these days.
“I keep checking to see if it’s there because I’m worried about another one of those microwormholes opening up inside my jacket and transferring my pistol to an alternate dimension.”
Womens handbags are risky for CC, bag is stolen, gun lost.
Pocket holsters OK, make sure gun & or holster don't fall out.
Ankle hostlers NG unless you are a gymnast, still not the best.
IWB, make sure you have belt which has hole in the right spot, and allows for growth.
OWB, stiff belt, width right for loops little slop.
So what if you are always checking it. Just scratching an itch.
Forget small of the back, anytime you are sitting it becomes a problem. Then there is the question left hand or right, no matter which you shoot with.
Practice, Practice with an empty gun.
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