Thursday, February 19, 2015

I Almost Always Recommend A Strong Side Hip Holster...

...for both open and concealed carry of  handgun. While carrying concealed, in an on the outside of the belt, or in an inside the waist band, hip holster does limit how you can dress - I usually explain, to someone asking about holsters, that limitation should be of minimal concern under most circumstances and furthermore that what is of primary concern is safety. Under most conditions, more so than with other holsters, a strong side hip holster assures you can draw on target without jeopardizing yourself or others as you otherwise might do when drawing from cross draw, shoulder, groin, or ankle holster or from something like a belly band or bra holster. It is virtually always better than carrying in pocket carry or carrying stuffed inside your waistband without a holster. With each of those other holsters, or types of carry, it is very likely you will cover yourself or someone else while drawing or that you will necessarily point the weapon in a direction other than at the target. The same goes for other concealment specialty holsters such as belly bands and bra holsters. You are simply less likely to ever point the weapon at yourself when drawing from a strong side hip holster if drawing with the strong side hand which would be the normal way to draw from one. It is almost always easier to holster a pistol, using only one hand (which can be a great tactical advantage) with a strong side hip holster (on the outside of the belt).

A single yet very sad example of why I do not like, use or recommend other types of holsters can be seen at this link in a brief article about a woman who accidentally and fatally shot herself while adjusting her bra holster. Of course, it may have been a good idea to have removed the gun from the holster before trying to adjust the fit of the holster on her body but I readily admit, I hike up my belt while the gun is in a hip holster on the belt; yet, never with a chance that I can think of that I would shoot myself with my pistol while secured in that type of a holster (at least in one that covers the trigger). Reaching inside my clothing to push around, let's say a groin holster, with the pistol still in it, would not be something I would do - it's small enough already. Likewise I would not recommend a woman reach down to adjust a bra holster while the pistol is in it; it's just too risky and as I said, I don't even recommend carry in that type of holster.

All the best,
Glenn B

 

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