Carrying it...

I've been carrying a handgun with me since I can remember...Admittedly, with age that number is becoming increasingly dimmer along with my memory, so let's just say I've been carrying a gun since it became legal to do so...I've carried in my pocket, in my boot, stuck in my belt, I even had a little North American mini-revolver stuck inside a cowboy hat once...Although I've sold many a fanny pack when I was in the biz, I never used one; it's just not my style, sorry...

The cheapest ones that actually work are the ballistic nylon holsters, and although they're popular and I sold plenty, I don't like them for a variety of reasons...The first being that the nylon acts like sandpaper against a nice blued finish, and premature wear to the finish will occur with repeated presentations...Stainless steel is more impervious to damage, but the user will wind up with shiny spots instead...I keep one in my truck between the seats, where friction and velcro hold it in place...The only gun I use it with is my hard-chromed Gold Cup, and I only use it when I travel to a place of perceived danger, like anywhere inside the Houston city limits, for instance...

Something seldom understood about the nylon holsters with a steel belt clip is that the clip is only used when the holster is worn inside the pants...They're sold with the clip installed for right-handed users when worn inside the waistband...There is also a sewn-on nylon loop for belt use, but this requires at least five seconds of extra time for correct wear...

I've sold many in which the buyer claimed it was for a left-handed user...They were invariably lazy and wished to just clip it on outside the pants...I always explained the correct use, telling the buyer that if the user really needed the gun in a hurry, he (or she) would likely pull the holster off along with the gun, possibly even resulting in an embarrassing moment in which the user found his or her pants at half-mast...

If my explanation failed to satisfy, I always obligingly switched the clip over to the other side, and sent the customer off on his merry way...Occasionally a customer would return at some point, and sheepishly tell me I was right, asking me to return the clip to its original position (which is no mean feat due to the strength of the spring steel in the clip)...

For my own use, I've worn dozens, maybe even hundreds of different brands and styles of holsters...The most comfortable, and most satisfying holster material has always been leather for me...It looks better, it's more comfortable to wear, and it's easier on just about any gun's finish...Being in the business, I had many holsters traded in with a gun (I still don't know why anyone would do that), and consequently I might buy it for myself and wear it if I liked the style...I've worn many of the mass produced leather products with some (Galco, Safariland and Bianchi) being better quality than others (Don Hume, Tagua and Cebeci)...

A major concern for anyone who carries should always be security...Law enforcement officials will always carry in a holster with a retention device as a safeguard against losing a firearm to an attacker...Most police agencies also require a retention device on any holster carrying an off-duty firearm...I have much more experience along these lines with 1911 style guns which I carry only in Condition One, that is with a round in the firing chamber, hammer cocked, thumb safety on...

For those who must use, or feel safer with a retention device, the leather thumb break style with the leather strap between the hammer and the firing pin is the most commonly used...All mass-produced holsters for 1911's using a thumb break are designed for use with the small military Colt-style thumb safety...They work well with this style, but extreme caution should be used if the thumb safety is replaced with a larger, or differently positioned aftermarket safety...From personal experience with a Bianchi IWB holster, I found that constant carry can move the safety to the off position without the users knowledge...It never happened to me with the small standard safety, but consistently with an Ed Brown, Wilson Combat or McCormick extended safety...For this reason, I stopped wearing thumb break holsters entirely...

A custom leather maker can fashion a thumb break for safe use with a specific aftermarket safety, but prepare to spend extra money...William Tucker, one of the finest leathercrafters whom I have known personally, and one with much personal experience on duty as well as off, refused to build a thumb break holster for a 1911, regardless of the money...He prefers a custom fit for the gun itself, allowing friction force to be the retention device...

After many years now of carrying my own guns daily in Tucker (and now Tucker & Byrd) holsters, I agree whole-heartedly...These holsters also incorporate what Tucker calls a "fat-boy tab," which is just extra leather placed between the gun's safety and the wearer, assuring a cleaner shirt at the end of the day...I still wear one of his older designs regularly, without the tab, and I wish it could be retrofitted...It's the only regret I have concerning this holster after twenty years of use...Tucker also taught me the importance of using a gun belt as opposed to a pants belt for carry...

When he first entered my store to offer his products (mine was the first store in the area to stock a wide variety of Tucker leather), he noticed I wore wide western belts with the hook style fastener on a solid bronze buckle...He convinced me to try one of his thick, embossed belts with a proper frame-and-prong buckle...I ordered a complete carry rig at the same time, which I still use to this day, and I have never used another brand of belt or buckle since...I strongly recommend Tucker & Byrd products to anyone considering carry options in fine leather...Most recently I've been using Tucker & Byrd crossdraw holsters with success...

Another holster material in popular use is Kydex, one of the manmade materials developed in recent decades...It's a favorite among detectives who like a lightweight, easily carried, yet secure means of carry...Also popular among outdoorsmen for the same reason...Being a harder material, it must be carefully designed for inside the waistband use, or discomfort will quickly ensue...One of the more innovative and detail-oriented Kydex crafters is the firm of Poor Henry Designs...

Poor Henry is owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Brice and Carrie, both of whom have been my friends for more years than any of us care to admit...Although Kydex manufacture is a relatively recent venture for both, they have each been involved for decades with carrying firearms, whether professionally, casually, defensively or in competition...Both are very familiar with the problems and/or advantages of practically any style of carry regardless of the size or type of handgun...

Earlier I mentioned wearing Tucker & Byrd crossdraw holsters, and I find I like them for the comfort of carrying my Kimber Ultra Carry...They ride high above the belt for comfort when sitting, and the tightly molded fit (not too tight though) is perfect for retention...However since growing my own layer of armor around my midsection, plus wearing it slightly more to the offside than is conducive to quick presentation, I find I lose a little time on the draw, especially if sitting in the driver's seat of one of my vehicles...Therefore I commissioned Brice to design a crossdraw holster for me, not for my Kimber, but my hard-chromed Gold Cup, the finish of which is impervious to wear from the Kydex...

After a short wait to tool up (since Poor Henry does not catalog a crossdraw yet), I was soon sent my requested item for evaluation...Miz Carrie's eye for fashion allowed her to take one glance at the leather jacket I was wearing that day, and perfectly matched the saddle tan color in a pebble-grain finish for the Kydex...The level of retention allowed by the snug fit to my Colt allowed a radical angle to be used for the gun while still providing the utmost security against accidental loss of the firearm...This angle allows a very easy draw, especially from a sitting position (as in the vehicle)...

When I received it, my only complaint was the belt loop, which was too narrow to accommodate the aforementioned thick Tucker gunbelts I wear...One phone call to Brice and another envelope in the mail solved that problem...Since this was a prototype, I have a few suggestions before it becomes a catalog item...I know Brice is waiting for this review, so I'll list them here...

The belt loop is attached to the holster with screws onto a flat surface molded into the holster...Another flat surface near the muzzle end with another Kydex belt loop installed upside down would allow two-point fastening to the belt, enhancing concealability by drawing the gun in for a closer profile...Then I would suggest adding a mirror image of the already existing flat surface to the opposite side allowing it to be transformed for inside the waistband use...

Overall fit and finish are superb, and I would expect nothing less from these two fine folks...Another of their innovative products is a Kydex wallet which I have been using as a credit card holder instead of fishing for my billfold as I've always done...My most often used credit cards are a perfect fit, easily presented and it fits in my shirt pocket for more convenience...I look forward to seeing the crossdraw holster grow in popularity again, and I know Poor Henry Designs will be a growing business as well...