Check Your Gun Gear Regularly

Complacency can kill and that can apply to becoming complacent about your self defense weapon's gear. A perfect example being my every day carry pistol's holster - a DeSantis model 042, aka The Facilitator. 

One of the best holsters I have ever owned.

 

It looks to be in good condition in this and the shot above.

 It's been an excellent holster and I have carried my Glock 26 in it almost everyday since my son gave it to me as a gift and that was at least 7 years ago if not further back. The holster is a Kydex/Leather hybrid type. The holster itself that cradles the pistol is Kydex that was molded to fit the particular model of pistol it carries. The back section of the holster that is essentially forms the belt loops is made up of two pieces of leather sewn together. It was a sturdy design and lasted me a good long time of almost every day wear. You'll note, I phrased that last sentence in the past tense. I did that because the holster is either in need of a major repair/parts replacement or has come to the end of its useful life.

The second layer of leather is intact but this is now useless.

I discovered, only last night, that the front belt loop had become abraded and had that the leather had partially split or been cut. This was quite the surprise to me as I thought I looked it over often enough but it seems I had not because I had become complacent (satisfied with the current situation and unconcerned with changing it, often to the point of smugness) While I was satisfied that the holster was in good shape and that I had been checking its condition often enough, that seems maybe to have not been the case. My complacency (a feeling of contented self-satisfaction, especially when unaware of upcoming trouble) could have gotten me into a bad predicament had I wound up in a fight and someone had grabbed my holster. If that had happened they might have ripped it from my belt or been able to rip it partly away and have easier access to doing a gun take-away and disarming me.

When you look at the damage, you may think it simply cracked and split because it was old and the leather had dried out. I am certain that was not the case. In fact, when I was last moving stuff in and out of a storage locker I rented for my move, I banged it into and caught it on the door frame a couple or few times and where did the door frame catch it but seemingly right where the damage is on the holster. Banging it into things while in tight places had happened at least a few more times over the years but never seemed to damage it before. Maybe the leather had been weakened in that area and the damage was unnoticeable, that it unnoticeable until now.

Anyway, last night, I noticed it. It's been over a week since I was digging around in and rearranging the storage locker; so, I guess I was walking around with a compromised holster for that long. Of course, I changed my pants a few times in that week, and thus took the holster off of my belt and then put it back onto the belt each time and since this was so noticeable yesterday, I think I should have noticed it sooner (I discovered it by feel); yet, I did not. 

A possible reason I did not find the damage sooner, besides not visibly checking the holster at least every couple to few days, is that maybe the damage got worse each day over the past week and it finally split yesterday. Another reason could be that it was damaged like this the whole week and I simply did not place my fingers in the right place to feel it until yesterday; and, of course, as I said I failed to visibly check it. Shame on me. Luckily though, I discovered the damage while at home and not while someone was trying to take my gun away.

This incident has reminded me, quite loudly so to speak, that I need to visually and tactilely check the condition of not just my pistol but any gear I use with it and to do so on a daily basis at best and at least a couple times a week and after any possible damage is caused like by me banging it on the door frame of the storage locker.

There was another result of this holster mishap. I am going to start carrying one my Glock 30 pistols, at least until I either have the DeSantis holster repaired or replaced. Luckily, a new Bianchi holster I recently ordered for my Glock 3o pistols arrived earlier this week. 

So, I am good to go - well almost.  What I need to do is to go out and grab a double magazine holder, off the shelf of a local gun store, that will fit the Glock 30 mags (shame on me for not thinking of ordering one when I ordered the holster). For now the mag will have to go in my pocket(s).

All the best,
Glenn B