Open Carry Holsters

[Burk Cornelius]

I seriously doubt that I will ever open carry unless I am cooking out or something at my house.

Regardless of how you feel about open carry, would you utilize a different type of holster for open carry? Open top? Thumb-break? Level II retention?

There are a lot of nice holsters out there that are fantastic if they are under your coat or shirt but should the standard of care change when open carrying?

 

[jeffsoward]

I think it should. We joke about wearing competition gear with a ghost rig but the reality is security above all. Without having looked around other states for litigation against people who've had their open carry pistol taken and used maliciously, it should be something on peoples' mind. I don't think I'll ever open carry, but if I did it would be in a level II retention holster.

 

[poopgiggle]

Echoing "I wouldn't open carry but if I did it would be in a retention holster."

I don't know a whole lot about duty holsters but if I were to OC I'd probably want something more secure than a thumb snap holster. I've seen cops recommend the Safariland 070 before and that looks good.

 

[Burk Cornelius]

I don't think I would have too much of a safety concern with a quality thumb break holster, like a Galco or something similar

 

[jeffsoward]

Agreed. I just prefer the ATAS look rather than the leather. Blackhawk serpa for me.

I don't think I would have too much of a safety concern with a quality thumb break holster, like a Galco or something similar

 

[Jeff T.]

I don't think I would have too much of a safety concern with a quality thumb break holster, like a Galco or something similar

I agree with Burk.
I own a safariland thumb break holster that is hard to break open and holds my s&w 66 very tightly. I use it sometimes when I am going to be out in thick brush or low trees. I think that or something like it would be the bottom of the security level I would feel comfortable wearing in open carry.

 

[michaelclm]

If you're going to carry openly, in my opinion, nothing out there beats a holster with the Safariland ALS system for security. Open-top pancakes and even thumb-breaks won't give you the kind of security the ALS holsters will (again, my opinion).

http://www.safariland.com/DutyGear/product.aspx?pid=6377

 

[Wall]

ALS for sure.

Just a thought.....a person could make the comparison of thumb breaks & retention to external safeties in an emergency situation.
I hear alot of folks talking about the liability of having an external (Thumb) safety on a carry weapon, what about holster straps, locks etc?

 

[michaelclm]

ALS for sure.

Just a thought.....a person could make the comparison of thumb breaks & retention to external safeties in an emergency situation.
I hear alot of folks talking about the liability of having an external (Thumb) safety on a carry weapon, what about holster straps, locks etc?

My opinion on that topic is this: It's all mechanical, even the gun's internals. Obviously adding one more point of mechanical failure to the system could be a bad idea so you have to weigh it against the intended purpose. In the case of external safeties I say never in a belt-carried gun but maybe in a pocket gun depending on the gun and holster combo(if there is a holster). In an open carry piece are the mechanics of a retention holster worth it? You bet your life, because you might just be.

 

[ChrisC]

im going to walk around in my uspsa revolver set up... (just kidding... im going to buy a SASS set up with a cross draw single action for a back-up gun)

i don't care for the serpa... too many LEO agencies and professional training organizations giving it the boot....

 

[Wall]

im going to buy a SASS set up with a cross draw single action for a back-up gun

Are you sure this isn't just an excuse to buy some chaps?

 

[ChrisC]

Does a man need an excuse to buy more chaps?

 

[Swavy00]

ALS. And training that includes people trying to get your gun while punching you in the face, and in the clinch, and on your back, etc.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

I doubt my gun choices or my holsters will change at all.

There are Galco and DeSantis holters ideal for belt carry in my gun box that will see use again.

When I have OCed in the past... the belt holsters got a lot of use in the cooler weather.. as as full time hard and fast cover is no longer the law here they will be used a lot. A good belt holster under the jacket is a ideal way to carry. If you use some of the older and more common ones (pancakes, thumb breaks, hi ride) they tuck in well enough to disapear when viewed from the front and tuck tight enough to make a gun grab a little harder.

My IWB holsters allow a larger gun to be semi hidden.

The more you "show" the more you're exposed and targeted. Everybody keeps bringing that up - I guess those guys only think the only open holster should look like a giant "shoot me" tumor on the hip.​

Above is a good choice. Even better when your in and out of a coat all day. Make that black and wear it against plaid or printed fabric it gets discrete fast. Pick the IWB version of this thumb break, 80% of the pistol goes out of sight... your still open.. but your butt ain't screaming GUN! so loud.

Now before a respondant says "That freakin Galco is HUGE!" keep in mind this is a beauty shot for a sales book. The Product is the star in this photo. Anyone you pass in public will veiw this holster from a totally different aspect and from 270 degrees the holster gets obscured quite a bit. Little kids get the best look at a holster like this... we walk past everyone else fast enough they dont scan and see it... and if they do you are generally past them.

Just this very week I was in a couple of hotel lobbies, elevators, burger joints with a black 1911 in a IWB. No body reacted at all.

If your theory is "more retention" remember your trading visibility with "security" and if your not careful you can have diminishing returns on both.

Bigger holster... bigger target. Better retention---slower presentation (especially if you don't drill often). Most SERPA -style rigs have a lot of offset, are kinda bulky, by my observation are really easy to spot.

The last thing...that little gun in your pocket today picks up some points simply by moving it to the belt. We are still packing with defense in mind.. if that little gun was working for you -why change unless you just WANT too?

 

[michaelclm]

The ALS rigs from Safariland have a decent enough profile to remain fairly inconspicuous in complete open carry mode and are definitely concealeable with a light cover garment like an open button-down shirt or your favorite Member's Only jacket (couldn't help myself). Of course you don't get the "hip hugger" effect you would with a pancake holster whether it be an open top or a thumb break but that's the nature of the design of the retention devices. You have to be able to get your thumb between gun and belt.

I personally don't recommend the Serpa for a few reasons:
1. They come apart quite often in CQC classes when the gorilla they call an instructor gets hold of your gun butt and starts playing "spin the student".
2. The levers are debris traps. Get that waist drawchord of your coat in there and guess what? Get on the ground in a tussle and get some gravel wedged in there and guess what? Have the lever get snapped completely off in a tussle before you get the gun out and guess what?
3. I just don't like the placement of the lock release. There might be a reason that Blackhawk is still the only manufacturer on the market making a holster with a mechanism like this. (To be fair: The impugnity that Blackhawk has received over this design may be more related to the lack of training on the part of those who've injured themselves while presenting from Serpa holsters but I don't know that for certain and for my money there are better options out there)

The best option whether carrying CC or OC is an inside-the-waistband kydex holster with durable synthetic loops that come out and go around a belt. The next best design is the same holster of leather construction. Both are less valuable, though, when not paired with honest (read: The gorilla isn't taking it easy on you but is instead treating you like the guy he just found crawling into his daughter's bedroom window at 2am) training like Swavy mentioned.

Keep in mind that this is what works for me. Regardless of how one chooses to OC, if he decides to at all, he should have some retention training. I think it will open everyone's eyes pretty wide. If we treat ourselves as eternal students when it comes to carrying a gun we'll all be better for it.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

Those ALS holsters are a grand evolution in product design. I could even see a fossil like me ordering one or two.

Evey thing Mike Ray says is why I have a wary eye to anything that adds "parts" to a system. Parts fail for the dangdest reasons.

 

[Iggie]

http://www.safariland.com/DutyGear/product.aspx?pid=6377 the als your talking about is this one? Model 6377 the concealment version? Isn't that a belt slide?
How much do those run?

So I'm looking for a new/better holster now I know you can't always have what you want but here's my situation/ what I'm looking for.

I work in a place I can't carry but I carry to work so my holter has to be some what quickly removeable. That being said I also really want good retention. I have no desire to pick up my gun from the floor. Or loose it too easily to someone else drawing from it. I mainly CC but may OC. I want a holster that will work for both.

Any ideas? I have the serpa but I don't trust it. And its not concealable as I would like.
Also add a good recomended gun belt to that list I need a better one.

Or if you know a place where they pay pretty good and let you carry that would be good too.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

There are several belt holsters that use loop snaps to secure the pouch to the belt... they are made to be removed in cases like yours. Some of those are OWB others IWB... Galco and the other production companies offer similar products. Don Hume covers most styles too.

My IWBS are pretty easy to pull out without getting undressed (and I am in and out of forbiden places several time a day during my workday)

Paddle hosters? Easy to snatch the whole thing in a gun grab. Many wear out and the paddle breaks off after a couple of years. If it works for you they are OK. I have owned a few.. but the snap-ons work better for me. The "traditional" paddle is a belt holster morped to the paddle section... usually rivets or screws holding things together. Most companies make those in molded thumbreaks or with friction screws.

 

[michaelclm]

Something like a Comp Tac Infidel will work pretty well for your purposes. You can throw it IWB, snap the loops and carry it openly, concealed, or loosely concealed with that light covering garment. Get to work, pop the snaps and throw it in the glovebox. Again, it doesn't have to be this holster but something like it should work well for those purposes, especially now that we have open carry options.

http://www.comp-tac.com/product_info.php?products_id=68

I agree with Jeff on paddle holsters. They're a great range holster option if your OWB belt-slide holster has a paddle model brother. I would not open carry with one. The attachment point of the holster body to the top of the paddle is a weak point in a struggle. A very weak point. If you have to go OWB, go with a belt slide. The snap-on models like Jeff was talking about are a good option for your situation with work but I would look at an IWB with the same capabilities, first.

 

[Iggie]

I won't use a paddle. Mostly by choice. But how secure are the loop snaps or j hooks? My guess ismost would give up the gun before said hooks/ loops break. I just don't want to invest in another useless holster.