Important Holster Facts

Popular holster types are:

Outside the waistband (OWB) or belt holsters, which are most common in police and military use and in the popular historical image of the Wilde West "cowboy" Belt holsters can be worn relatively high and close to the body, slightly behind the hip bone ("4:00 position"), and can be concealed under a long, untucked shirt or jacket.

Inside the waistband (IWB) holsters, which clip or mount to a belt and allow one to securely holster the weapon inside the pants. Some IWB holsters give the wearer the option of tucking a shirt over the firearm and holster.

Shoulder holsters, that consist of two straps connected in a manner similar to a backpack, with the actual holster mounted to a strap on the right or the left side. This holster setup requires the person to be wearing a jacket, vest, or camp shirt to hide the strap harness and the holster from others, but it's somewhat easier to carry since it's located near the center of body mass. In military use, such as pilots wearing flightsuits and senior officers in camouflage there is no need to hide its wear. Shoulder holsters are designed to position the handgun: 1. in a vertical position, with the barrel pointed generally toward the ground; 2. in a vertical position, with the barrel pointed generally upward; 3. in a horizontal position, with the barrel pointed generally behind the wearer.

The "belly band" holster, which is a notoriously uncomfortable, wide elastic belt with a built-in holster, to be worn under a shirt that is not tucked in, to facilitate access. There are various types, worn at the belt line or higher, with the gun placement anywhere from in front to under the armpit. In order to remain in place, a belly band must be extremely tight; this does not lend itself to a very pleasant experience - it is comparable to wearing a girdle.

Pocket holsters, for use with very small weapons, such as a back-up gunor a mousegun

Small of Back/Middle of Back holsters, which are considered quite dangerous and are seldom used. This type of holster places the weapon directly over the center of the back, allowing for even large handguns to be carried with little printing. While both comfortable and stylish, should the wearer fall onto the weapon (such as in a close quarters fight) serious spinal injury (including parallysis) may occur. For this reason, in recent times many police departments in the US have disallowed any equipment, gun, handcuffs, etc, to be worn in this position.

Groin holsters place the handgun mostly below the waistline around the 12:00 position. There are no body movement restrictions and very little clothing restrictions with this holster type.

Thigh holsters are the more recent popular military and police item that holds the sidearm on the leg right where the hand naturally hangs, making for a quick draw. Early U.S cavalry units used these in the early 1900s with a leather thong strapping it to the leg. Modern ones use a drop leg PALS grid with a modular holster attached. Often with buckles for quick release.

Ankle holsters are used often by law enforcement officials who wish to carry a secondary weapon, typically a smaller caliber weapon, to back up their primary firearm.

Other, specialized types of holsters are designed to be mounted inside briefcases, day planners, purses and filofaxes or even articles of clothing.

When choosing a holster for a firearm, factors of interest include:

Safety - a well designed holster will provide protection to the handgun during insertion into or removal from the holster or while being carried that will: 1. prevent accidental disengagement of the safety mechanism; 2. prevent accidental pull of the trigger; 3. prevent forward or rearward movement of the hammer. These features will vary greatly as applicable to the action of the handgun. The safety features of a holster very much require that the holster be engineered and designed for each specific manufacture and model of handgun.

Finish - a well finished holster should not snag a pistol or abrade its finish.

Comfort - ability to wear a gun for an extended period without hurting the user

Concealability - it is often desirable not to alert other people of one's being armed. A carefully designed and worn holster can make a gun virtually invisible. Almost all concealment holsters are designed to be worn with a covering garment that is part of the wearer's everyday attire.

Draw ease - practical shooting holsters allow a gun to be presented quickly, but drawing ease is often compromised in concealed carry

Reholster ease - a rigid-walled holster will allow a gun to be returned to it with one hand, while a flexible one may collapse after the gun is drawn, requiring the use of both hands to reholster. Reholstering may be of secondary importance for civilians, who may often be legally required to contact law enforcement authorities after any lawful use of a firearm.

Durability - ability to withstand abuse and long-term usage without mechanical failure or impaired performance

Retention - a holster designed with retention in mind will help prevent a gun from being removed from the holster by anyone other than the person wearing it. Modern duty holsters have multiple hidden retention devices to this end. Frequently, retentive holsters are custom designed for a specific model of gun. Adjustability - a holster that provides for the adjustment of gun cant and position can aid in both comfort and concealment.