GUNS & AMMO
5 Things You Must Know About
Concealed Carry Holsters
Y
ou’ve got your CCW handgun, but before you start
packing here are five things about concealed carry
holsters you need to be aware of before you go armed.
Concealed Carry Holsters: Plan on Them Not Feeling
Right…Yet
Some effort is required to find the right concealed carry
holster, but no matter what the choice, there is always
an acclimation period.Some handguns are more ergonomic than others, but few are completely devoid of
sharp edges.
Don’t Spend All Your Money but Don’t Buy Junk
A
quality
concealed
carry
holster goes a
long way toward making carrying
a
defensive handgun bearable. There
are
many
choices,
and some
are
readily available.
Blackhawk,
DeSantis,
and Galco
are among
the
bestknown and
most
reliable massproduced holsters.There are fine concealed carry holsters that are custom made and that might be said to be
examples of the maker’s art. These are not inexpensive
and often take weeks, if not months, to obtain.Still, while
the concepts of inexpensive and high quality don’t always go together, there are good holsters offering a balance of value and cost.
Kydex is as Good as Leather
Leather is attractive, but these days, Kydex, a thermoplastic resin, is a more popular concealed carry holster
material. (Do not confuse Kydex with ordinary cheap
plastic, which isn’t durable enough for the rigors of concealed carry.)There are tradeoffs inherent in Kydex, but
there are also advantages. One of the biggest pluses is
that the material is maintenance-free and impervious to
solvents or moisture.A tradeoff, if it can be called one,
is that a leather holster maintains security on the long
bearing surfaces of the pistol, while the Kydex holster
keeps its grip primarily on the muzzle and trigger guard
area. Of the downsides? Some say Kydex will wear
the finish off a pistol quickly, but so does properly fitted
leather.
Pick a Manageable, Accurate Caliber
My choice in defensive handguns is based on many
years of practical experience.
Having been in
the wrong place
at the wrong
time more than
once, and having written quite
a few reports
concerning
shootings and
other mayhem,
I am aware
of the relative
wound potential of different handguns.I
prefer the .45
ACP and the
.357 Magnum.
The .38 Special
and
9mm+P
are also realistic minimum
calibers. I’ll always lean towards one that is manageable
and accurate.
Examine Your Wardrobe
Concealing a serious defensive handgun under lightweight garments can be problematic. If the handgun is
short and compact, an outside-the-waistband (OWB)
holster under a sport shirt will work fine, but, for most of
us, the inside-the-waistband holster (IWB) is superior.
Your covering garment is important. I have adopted a
Kakadu sport shirt for much of my concealment needs.
This shirt is made of Gravel canvas and has a leather
collar. I admit it is stylish, but it also conceals a holster
well without printing the outline of it for the world to see
49 | BOOM