Gun Safety Tip: Choose Holster Wisely, Don’t Lose Your Advantage
Loose guns are incredibly dangerous. Whether they are loose in pockets, a waistband, backpack or purse, having a loose gun is a risk that should not be taken.
A holster serves to isolate and stabilize the pistol while always keeping it in the same position. This makes it much easier to access it quickly and cleanly.
Forget the gun handling methods that we’ve all seen in the movies. Tucking a pistol into a belt or waistband (front or back) is NOT a safe, or effective, way to carry it.
During the course of a normal day most of us will move about, stooping and bending over to reach for things. It becomes easy for the gun barrel to be pressed into the body while the trigger or hammer may even be activated. Self inflicted gunshots happen this way all too often.
Author Kathy Jackson shines the light of reality on this issue of unsecured firearms in her article “Did Anybody Drop This Pistol? The Essentials of Holster Safety” on usconcealedcarry.com:
“…if a criminal grabs you from behind, will you remain in a calmly upright position, or would you perhaps become a little more active in your quest to free yourself and access your firearm? For these reasons and many more, holsters must be designed to hold their firearms securely in place.” (Read Kathy’s full article with more on the importance of a secure holster and gun safety tips here.)
The same goes for a gun. A firearm that isn’t in a holster will require adjustment. Doing so draws attention to its presence with your hand movements. A gun in a cheap, or poorly fitted holster, can also shift around drawing attention to itself by the movements alone.
In essence, the point of concealed carry is secrecy. Holsters help us hide our guns until they are needed. As such, they deserve every bit as much attention, research, and investment as our firearms themselves. Even the most expensive pistol in the world must have a good holster to become an effective tool.