The Holster is more important than the GUN

Posted on June 26, 2008 by alan

If you’re carrying concealed, that is.

Via Tam, Brigid brings up the holster issue.

I said in the comments at Tam’s:

If you’re planning on carrying concealed, the belt and holster decision is MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE GUN.

Find a sturdy gun belt and a holster you can wear DAILY then buy the gun that fits it.

A good belt will run you $60 to $80 (Or more) Look for a double layer leather belt. It needs to be stiff and sturdy enough to support the full weight of the gun so your pants don’t sag.

A holster will also run you at least $60 (probably more) and MUST be comfortable. You get what you pay for on holsters.

I recommend The Belt Man for belts and Comp-Tac for holsters. I use products from both companies and I carry an XD .40 every day, all day (Unless I’m traveling to one of the evil states that don’t allow self defense.)

(Is it too narcissistic to block quote yourself from another blog?)

This is a point I can’t stress enough.  Especially if you’re carrying concealed, repeat after me:  THE BELT AND HOLSTER ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE GUN!.

A concealed carry gun will ALWAYS be a compromise because if you were PLANNING on shooting something, you’d have a shotgun or rifle.   The most important quality in a gun for self defense is that it be there when you need it.   If a .22 is the most you can carry comfortably EVERY DAY then do it.   That .22 you’re carrying will be more useful than the .45 you left at home because it’s too heavy and it makes your pants sag.

The holster and belt work as a team to support the weight of the gun and keep it where you can reach it when you need to.  The belt must be sturdy enough to support the weight of the gun.  The average department store belt won’t do it.  Neither will that elite tactical web belt you’re wearing.  (Yeah I’m looking at you Mr. Elite Team Fighter.)

Even at IDPA matches I see people who should know better show up with a full frame 1911 .45 hanging off a flimsy nylon web belt.

So get a good, strong, stiff belt.  Then find a holster style you can carry EVERY DAY.

Then, and only then, make the gun decision.

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0 Responses to The Holster is more important than the GUN

  1. Sevesteen says:
    June 26, 2008 at 23:08

    A stiff belt will never hurt. If you carry a large automatic with a heavy magazine in a high-riding outside the waistband holster that has a single loop or a small distance between loops or clips, you need a very stiff belt.

    On the other hand, if you are carrying a relatively small and light gun low inside the wasitband in a holster with widely-spaced attachment points, you can get by with a pretty flimsy belt.

    I carry an XD subcompact in a Comp-Tac Minotaur. It is usually with a good gunbelt, but when I wear a flimsy belt, there is almost no difference. I carry fairly low, and the attachments are wide enough that there is significant curve between them–That helps stabilize without relying on the stiffness of the belt.

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