bigger isn’t necessarily better. Hits are what count, especially to the vi- tal areas.
How To Carry This is a major concern and one
that keeps the holster makers in business. There is no limit to ways you can do this but some are much better than others. Such options in- clude shoulder and ankle rigs, inside the pants, belt slide, paddle, pocket, purse, backpacks and fannypacks. You don’t need to spend a fortune to fi nd a quality holster, however, don’t skimp in this area simply due to cost. It always amazes me when I see someone carrying their custom Les Baer or Robar handgun in an old, cheap, ill-fi tting holster. Just like your fi rearm, your holster should be quality made and designed to fi t perfectly. The belt slide or paddle holster
is probably the most effi cient when it comes to speed, especially for the larger guns. It puts the gun outside your pants in the most natural posi- tion for a smooth draw. The down- side to this, as well as the shoulder holster, is it requires you wear cloth- ing to conceal your handgun. This isn’t as diffi cult if you live in a cool- er climate but can be more trouble- some in summer months or for those living in the southern regions. You can try to wear a baggy over shirt or an un-tucked T-shirt but the gun may still print. An alternative to this is the inside-
the-pants holster. These are much easier to conceal but present issues all their own. If the holster is made of a soft material it is typically a little more comfortable, but the gun will be more diffi cult to re-holster. I per- sonally like the more rigid ones such as those made by Bob Mernickle at Mernickle Holsters. These are beau- tiful pieces custom built for your ex- act handgun. They especially work great for the smaller guns such as the LCP or S&W J-frames and allow you to easily re-holster. The pocket holster has been
around for years but has seen an in- credible resurgence in the last few. A good pocket holster is designed to be slick on the inside and tacky on the outside so the gun comes out smooth and the holster stays in the pocket. It should also hide the out- line of the gun. Once again you can get these in many styles. If you are looking for a custom piece of art, look no further than those made by Jim Surrusco at Hidden Holsters. These are as beautiful as they are functional and Jim will even person-
WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM 31
You can’t go wrong always having a good knife, pen and fl ashlight on you at all times.
alize it with your initials. If you are looking for something more practi- cal, check out the holsters Natt Ste- vens at TUFF Products is putting out. Natt has designed an ingenious pocket holster he calls the Pocket- Roo. It has a small pouch at the rear of the holster where you can carry a spare magazine or one of his great QuickStrips, and the holster still fi ts in most pants pockets. The ankle holster has been a sta-
ple of cops for decades and is still a great carry method. There are a couple of things to consider when purchasing an ankle rig. Padding and comfort are key. This is not an area you want to skimp on. After a few hours of a .38 snub nose rubbing
your ankle bone you will quickly give up on the ankle holster. Most com- panies now are padding the back of the holster. The attachment method is also important. The calf is tapered so when you cinch the holster down it may feel tight but when you walk it will want to settle lower on your leg. Some holsters become loose at this point. One way to help this is with a calf strap. My favorite in the ankle arena is the Galco Ankle Glove. This is simply the most comfortable ankle holster I’ve ever worn. It is made with a neoprene ankle band allowing it to stretch, even if it slides down. Coupled with the calf strap I rou- tinely wear it for 12-16 hours a day. I bought my fi rst one in 1993. While
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164