Which Holster?

I am often asked what holster to buy. This can be a hard question to answer because it does not have a clear cut answer. So I will add several blog entries to address the issues.

I will kick this series off by defining some terms or abbreviations that you will come across.

IWB - Inside Waist Band - a holster that is designed to be worn inside your pants in a concealed manner.

OWB - Outside Waist Band - normally used for open carry or training. More difficult to conceal.

Drop Leg - these are holsters that attach to your belt and are carried lower on your thigh. If watch shows or movies with SWAT in them you will frequently see these.

Appendix carry - These are holsters that allow you to carry your pistol, inside your pants, in the front. Many people claim that this more comfortable than other methods. The problem is that I don't like where the barrel of the gun is pointed.

Ankle Holster - These are holsters that allow you to carry a pistol on your ankle.

Shoulder - These are holsters that allow you to carry a gun under your arm. The problem with these is that the only way that you can conceal a gun is if you wear a jacket. The other problem with these holsters is that you may be carrying your pistol with the barrel pointed at the people around and behind you.

Pocket - there are many different versions of this. Some of the features to be aware of is that your holster must cover your trigger and keep other things in your pocket from entering the trigger guard. How will you reholster? Some of them are made with a hook shape to allow the holster to be retained in your pocket when you draw.