Why a holster?

American Handgunner, March-April, 2009 by Clint Smith

I was sorta' stunned the other day when someone said to me, "why do I need to buy a holster, I'll just shove the pistol in my belt." This is quite a question after all the pulp expended on the reasons to carry a proper holster. In reality I guess there are always those who don't get it. But, why then, do we have holsters?

We could start out with the simple fact holsters protect the handgun. This protection is not so much for guarding finishes but for retention and security. The retention issue may seem odd, but if you've ever had to police your handgun off the ground after aright, you get the drift.

The holster should provide a stable platform to position the handgun for the draw. The holster should not be affected by body position because confrontations may start from awkward, unpracticed drawing positions. And by the way, why are your awkward positions unpracticed?

The holster should be in place to return the handgun after-action. The reholster doesn't need to be done fast, just smoothly, so you can show empty hands to responding officers if needed.

Avoid the trick holster stuff. The absolute hands down best way to carry a handgun is the strong-side carry. And I believe the "best of the best" in the breed are the inside the waistband holsters: Although copied by many, the Bruce Nelson design, as built by Milt Sparks in the form of the Summer Special is the best of the breed. Mitch Rosen Extraordinary Gunleather and John Ralston of 5-Shot Leather, make their excellent variations on this style of holster. Double straps attached to the belt assure security and consistent placement. The draw is smooth and the re-holster is just as smooth due to the use of a metal band to maintain the open top of the holster.

Any deviation off of this strong side placement should require some strong rationalization. A back-up gun for someone who spends a good deal of time in vehicles could be an ankle holster, for instance. Also, a pocket holster for a second gun might be appropriate.