With
most of the nation now allowing its citizens to actually
exercise their God-given right to self protection as guaranteed
in the Constitution, more people are looking into the best ways
to carry a handgun concealed. Concealment of the weapon of
choice is a very important factor. While some states allow the
open carry of a handgun, most frown upon people carrying their
weapon out in the open for all to see. Also, from a tactical
standpoint, it is best if everyone does not know that you are
going heeled until the firearm is actually needed to resolve a
particular social situation. Those of us who carried in
violation of state laws for many years are aware of the need to
be certain that the weapon is concealed, but many who have just
started packing have a somewhat careless attitude about the
concealment aspect, since they have a permit to carry. This
attitude could not only jeopardize their permit, but could get
them killed. It is very important to keep the fact that you are
packing a secret from the bottom feeders in our society, and to
not unduly upset the congregation at the local church picnic.
There
are many good concealment holsters on the market, and most will
suffice for the purpose. However, some are better than others.
Two of the best are the subject of this article, and are made by
High Noon Holsters in Palm Harbor, Florida. High Noon
produces several styles of holsters, from either cowhide or
horsehide, to fit just about any concealed carry need.
The
holsters reviewed here represent two of the most popular ways to
carry a concealed handgun. The first is their Tail Gunner,
which carries the firearm inside the pants. The inside holster
system is a very good way to conceal a medium to large sized
weapon, allowing the lines of the clothing to very effectively
hide the gun. There are many of the nylon clip-on cheap inside
holsters available on the market, and they are nearly worthless.
The high quality inside the pants holster was developed by Bruce
Nelson many years ago and marketed extensively by Milt
Sparks. The Tail Gunner is an improvement on Nelson’s
tried and true Summer Special design.
While
the cheap nylon inside the pants holsters will carry a gun, they
allow it to shift around while carrying, and you pretty much
have to unfasten your pants to re-holster the weapon. If you
cinch your belt down tight enough to keep the gun from shifting,
then your pants can fall down after you remove the gun, which
can be quite embarrassing. The Tail Gunner is a totally
different holster. It is built from quality stiff horsehide that
securely holds the weapon, while allowing easy one-hand
re-holstering of the weapon. The horsehide is rough-side-out,
which helps to keep the holster from shifting. That which
separates the Tail Gunner from other high quality inside the
pants holsters is what High Noon calls the stabilizer wing. The
wing is a section of leather to the rear of the holster which
serves to hold the butt of the gun in tighter against the body,
aiding both concealment and stability.
Another
feature of the Tail Gunner that I especially like is the slide
guard, which is an extension of leather that keeps the slide and
rear sight from contact with the wearer’s skin. If you have
ever carried a gun inside your waistband, you know what I am
talking about. The slide guard is a great feature that prevents
the gun from cutting the skin, and protects the gun’s finish
from wear and corrosion.
The
Tail Gunner also has a tension adjustment screw to regulate the
tightness of the holster on the gun, and replaceable belt straps
to accommodate various belt widths. The belt straps are
available in tan or black finishes.
One
of my favorite features of the Tail Gunner is the sewn in
plastic molded sight track. It effectively prevents the sight
from scraping away the leather, and protects the sight from
wear. It should be a feature on everyone’s concealment
holsters, but it is not. It is a great idea, and it works.
The
second holster reviewed here is the Pocket Grabber, which
is a pocket holster built from quality leather that has a
synthetic rubber covering stitched to the outside of the
holster. This material further helps to break up the outline or
print of the gun, and is textured to grip the inside of the
pants pocket. This helps the gun to come out smoothly, while
leaving the holster in the pocket where it belongs. The problem
with most pocket holsters is that they come out of the pocket
with the gun, which can make for an awkward moment if the gun is
needed in a hurry. The Pocket Grabber solves this problem,
leaving the holster in the pocket when the gun is drawn, and
also allows easy re-holstering of the weapon after the situation
is resolved. For small revolvers and autos, I like pocket carry.
It is very natural to stick your hand into your front pants
pocket. If a dangerous situation seems to be possible, you can
casually place your hand on your weapon, and no one is
suspicious. The Pocket Grabber keeps the handgun positioned
correctly for quick accessibility if needed.
I
have used both of these holsters for a couple of months now, and
find them to work very well. I have carried my .38 Smith
& Wesson in the Pocket Grabber, and my Glock
model 19 9mm auto in the Tail Gunner. Both holsters work
extremely well for their respective purposes. The Pocket Grabber
is made for most small autos and revolvers, and the Tail Gunner
is built for most small revolvers and medium to large autos.
High
Noon sells directly to the consumer from their website. Look for
future reviews of their quality products here on Gunblast.
For
more information on the complete line of High Noon holsters, go
to: www.highnoonholsters.com.
They are well-built from quality materials, and are very
reasonably priced. I recommend them.
Jeff Quinn
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