Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Quote of The Day - Holsters Edition

"The difference in holsters is something everyone reads about but, in my opinion, simply must experience..... Until a person actually totes a firearm around in a cheap holster then tries a quality holster that person won’t fully get it. I didn’t."

-Bob S.

I agree wholeheartedly with that statement. I went from carrying IWB in a Sleeping Dog holster from JBP to using kydex / leather holsters from Comp-Tac. The difference is night and day. Universal holsters that are not specific to your particular firearm are inexpensive, but a holster just isn't something you skimp on. Choosing a carry rig is as personal a decision as choosing a pistol, so what works for me might be something you couldn't stand to have on for even a few minutes.

Now, the cheaper holsters do have their uses and can work just fine for smaller guns. Breda carries her Bersa .380 in a JBP universal IWB holster and when I carry my .22 Firestorm I'm essentially doing the same thing she is. Still, I prefer gun specific holsters and would probably get something nicer if not for the fact that I rarely carry the .22.

That reminds me that I need to do another holster review. I bought a Comp-Tac Spartan and have been using it to tote around the Hunk-O-Steel seen here.

10 comments:

Bob S. said...

I have a JBP holster for outside the waist band. I've used it a couple of times since it has been cold.

It was more comfortable to wear it then the IWB with just a coat as a cover garment.

My next purchase for the Taurus will be a good pancake style OWB.

Any recommendations?

Mike W. said...

Can't help ya there. I need an OWB too. I have a Serpa for my
228's and P6's, but I'm not sure I'm comfortable carrying with it after seeing how Brigid's locked up on her.

Weer'd Beard said...

Ok now I NEED to see how a skinny guy like you conceals that monster of a 220!

Besides their mushy SA trigger, my only other "complaint" (and in some instances its a feature not a flaw) is how damn stout Sig builds their pistols.

Mike W. said...

Weer'd - Left hip, about 3:00, (2:30 maybe?) with the same slightly forward cant I'm currently running with the MTAC.

I have to carry a bit more forward since the grip on the P220 is obviously quite a bit bigger than any of the other Sigs.

Absolutely no gun I have conceals perfectly on me. Short of something I could pocket carry I don't think it's possible. That said, I think we gunnies see far more printing than is actually recognized by the average person.

Weer'd Beard said...

Hey, OT, but I've been watching this guy's vids since I found him just wandering around youtube.

Just got himself a new SIG and is having troubles with the slide locking back.

Thought I'd point the biggest Sig junkie I know in the right direction:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lwF9OpJrqw

Weer'd Beard said...

Oh FYI I don't think there's a carry method out there does DOSN'T print.

When I pocket carry my pocket looks full, when I shoulder carry I can see various parts of the gun.

That being said I put the damn gun on, so I know EXACTLY where it is, and exactly what parts print so I'll always see it. When I'm out on the town with the wife I'll notice her discreetly patting me down just to check to see what I'm carrying. If she can't see it, nobody can.


Fun game. Next time you're in a busy place with time to kill, look for standard carry bulges.

You'll see ankle holsters, waistband carry, shoulder carry, pocket carry EVERYWHERE....but even with the prevalence of CCW, unless you're at the NRA convention or in your local Fun Shop, chances are 90% of those "Prints" you'll see are just people's clothes puckering in odd ways, or various gear people schlep around.

Mike W. said...

I have no youtube account but here are my thoughts. I have no actually listened to the vid since I'm at work.

RE - Slide lock issues.

#1 The 1st and most obvious cause is riding the slide release with his thumb. I'm a lefty so I can't really comment on that. Often times a person doesn't think they're riding it but they are. He should have someone else shoot it and see if they have the same issue.

#2. Mags / mag followers. He needs to check each mag to see if it's positively engaging the slide catch

# 3. Underpowered Ammo. I saw he was shooting WWB. New gun + weak ammo can most definitely cause his problem. Grab up some hotter loads, even if you have to use GD's or some other carry rounds. He should do this anyway with a new gun.

#4 - Unlikely - The slide release itself could be loose in the frame and thus be moving under recoil.

Weer'd Beard said...

Forwarded it along. He sent his thanks for your advice.

He suspects and I concur that since the gun is brand new it might not be broken in yet, so it could be a stiff spring and a tight frame-fit.

Or a thumb riding the release.

Man I should get a Sig too!

I don't want to be the last kid on the block without one!

Extreme Tolerance said...

Yup, I carry my XD9 in a MTAC and I ordered a whole second MTAC (even though you can get just the Kydex bodies) for my new Kimber.

Mike W. said...

ET - I like the modularity of the MTAC, but like you I'd rather buy a whole new holster instead of the kydex bodies.

Honestly? How often an I going to want to change out the bodies (possibly stripping screws)

How much retention do you use with yours? I like to keep mine pretty loose.