Shooting from the Hip

This young gun enthusiast isn't Dan L. But we'll pretend it is.

I have been a gun enthusiast since before I could say my ABCs. Through the years I have owned and used several different holsters.

Leather, nylon, composite … inside the pants, pancake, shoulder harness…the list just goes on.

After talking to customers forever about the Blackhawk SERPA Level 2 Holster, I finally broke down and got one for my Springfield XD 40, and much to my wife’s dismay all the accessories that come along with it.

This is by far the greatest holster I have ever used—period! Not only is the holster itself a fantastic piece of engineering, but the accessories and different wearing options that Blackhawk has incorporated make this the only holster I will ever use.

Living in a suburb, I don’t have too much need to be packing heat all the time, (and yes I know many of you would point out why I am wrong on that). But with the SERPA, I can (if I want) carry my XD concealed comfortably. With the belt mount or paddle attachment, I can elect to have the holster on permanently or removable if I am going into an establishment that does not allow conceal carry.

The accessory I enjoy the most has to be the Drop Leg Platform. With hiking and hunting on our property, I can wear a backpack, different belt pouches and still have my XD at my finger tips. Also it’s built so that it conforms to my leg, not my leg having to conform to it, which for a (as my co-workers say) “sturdy” guy like myself comes in handy.

So, a big kudos to Blackhawk on the SERPA line of holsters. You have a customer for life!

This post was written by Dan Lamb, a firearm aficionado and ecommerce manager at Cat5 Commerce. And we hope to coax him into frequently contributing to the Gun Holsters Blog.

(Image via Flickr)

We’ve been coming across all sorts of crazy deals on Craigslist lately. But this one in Baltimore is *really* insane.

Someone is selling an assortment of 21 gun holsters for $200. The “diverse collection” was appraised by a cop, who estimated that the set was worth more than $200.

We’re not sure we totally believe the opinion of just one person who could have just glanced at a picture and pulled a number out of the sky. However, his listing is certainly a dream come true for any holster collector or enthusiast out there.

The strangest part: The online offer spikes in price by $50 for Anne Arundel county police officers. There’s no explanation as to why, so we can only assume that they’re not liked for some reason.

How much do you think the gun holsters in the picture above are worth? Would you pay $200 for the bunch?

This one is pretty tough to explain—you’ll just have to see it to believe it!

The “waltz” event was sponsored by the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance, a non-partisan coalition working to increase individual freedom in New Hampshire.

What type of open carry demonstrations have you witnessed? Do you feel that these types of demonstrations are effective?

Did you know that in Europe many police agencies require holsters where the hood release is an independent device separated from the gun lock?

That’s according to Bernard Gould, a holster designer and European sales director for Gould & Goodrich.

We recently spoke with him about G&G’s new T391Triple Retention Duty Holster, which is based off of an Austrian speed holster. He mentioned the European tidbit while explaining how their new holster doesn’t require thumb pressure to release the hood.

He said that United States agencies handle holster development very differently than agencies in Europe. Typically in the U.S., departments are highly involved in the development of holsters with manufacturers.

“But in Europe everything is a big secret until they day they publish the tender, and that’s the first time you learn what they have decided they want,” Gould said.

“The manufactures have to scramble to fill their wants, needs and desires in two weeks. So, you get a committee that sits around a bar, has a few beers and decides what they want to see it in a holster. And then they write it up, and say we need 40,000 of these things and 12 samples by next Tuesday.”

When asked why they require the separated hood from gun lock, he simply answered: “They like to be complicated, I think.” And then gave a good, hearty chuckle.

Excitement grows as you unbox a new leather holster. You already spent hours debating on the style, the color and the finish. Now that you’ve made your selection, and it’s staring you right in the face, all you can think about is getting it to the range. Right?

Wrong. Before you show off the new holster to all your friends, you’ll need to spend a day or so breaking it in. This is essential for safety and to improve draw time. You might notice that many of these tips are in line with the general treatment guidelines of leather holsters.

On a side note, if you buy a plastic holster, you probably already realize that there’s no need to break it in. Many gun holsters nowadays are made to fit the pistol you already own. There’s no breaking-in period of which to concern you.

• DO make sure your gun is completely unloaded before trying any of the following suggestions.
• DON’T wet or try to remold the holster.
• DON’T use neatsfoot oil. This makes the holster too soft, inhibiting your drawing abilities.
• DO sport your holster and handgun around the house with the belt you plan on wearing.
• DON’T keep your firearm away from its holster. When it’s not in use, the firearm should be tucked inside its holster counterpart at night.
• DON’T give your holster a bath! If you do want to clean it, be sure not to soak it.
• DO use your hands to firmly stretch the leather.

Sources: Galco, eHow
(Image via Flickr)

Watch. And learn. If anything, just for the strange, bagpipe-laden intro.

It’s Friday night. The hellish work week finally came to a close, and the sweet, sweet smell of movie popcorn is in the air. Lucky for you, the hottest flick came via snail mail straight to your home address.

Netflix, you mean? Nope. Try Thunderflix.

Unlike the ever-popular Netflix, Thunderflix carries videos for one specific product category — guns. The video rental website is filled with educational videos that share the joys and knowledge of gun ownership. With no membership fees, it offers a service that can be used once in a lifetime or as many times as you’d like.

Yet much like Netflix, shipping fees included in the price ($5.89 to rent one DVD). If you fall in love with the rental, there is also an option to purchase it. Thunderflix’s movie catalog features films in categories such as AR-15, cowboy shooting, edge weapons, gun maintenance, laser training, shotguns, handgun defense and more.

The three latest hits on Thunderflix’s website include:

• Rifle Shooting Tips & Techniques – Hosted by Glen Pearce, a former national champion marksman, and Jim Carter, an Olympic team gunsmith, this informational video tells you everything you ever needed and wanted to know about handling a rifle.
• The Art of the Fast Draw – If you want to learn how to acquire a fast draw, why not learn from the best? Eight-time World Fast Draw Champion Cal Elrich teaches you the tips and tricks that he has mastered during the past 25 years.
• Customizing The Ruger Vaquero – Own a Ruger Vaquero/Ruger Blackhawk? This video schools you in the art of customizing your gun for increased accuracy and reliability.

A holster for kitties? Yeah, you heard right!

We know, we know. Things got a little bizarre at the Gun Holsters Blog yesterday with kids and guns and all, but things are about to get a LOT weirder. That’s because we have discovered the Kitty Holster.

That’s right: a holster for cats. While it has absolutely nothing to do with gun holsters per se, the name itself is pretty hilarious. That, and the fact that people want to force poor felines to wear such a thing.

As many of you may already be well acquainted with the fact that cats abhor any type of forced constraint. Actually cats disdain most things aside from sunlight, food (especially of the wet variety) and small moving objects, which they inherently try to kill.

Conversely, if this product’s testimonials are to be believed, these fur monsters actually adore the holster because it gives them the ability to explore the great outdoors.

Created by Crazy K Farm, the Kitty Holster is less like a harness and more like a small jacket that attaches to a leash. According to Houston Community Newspapers, the harness is the third invention for Crazy K Farm owner Tobi Kosanke. Her other inventions include hen aprons and caged bird huts.

The holster differs from a cat harness because of its unique shape as well as its soft lining. The holster retails for $19.99 or there’s a high-end boutique line that starts at $49.99.

(Image via Flickr)

Even A-list offspring tote kid holsters.

Nowadays kids never get to have fun. Helicopter parents prevent neighborhood high jinx by snuffing out any and every danger. Hopefully they’re still willing to throw caution to the wind from time to time, and allow a lively game of cops and robbers.

For this, the wee ones do require some props, such as western holsters and plastic guns, to get into their roles. Since these really are just toys, the price and quality are both on the lower end of the spectrum. Most toy holsters are western style and range in price from $7.99 to $35.

The best place to find these types of holsters is at Toy Arsenal. This site specializes in toy guns, airsoft guns, military items and costumes. More than 20 western-style and airsoft holster systems are available for purchase.

So, who is wearing these holsters? How about rich and famous tots like Shiloh Jolie. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s kid was recently spotted wearing an empty cowboy-ish holster. Very rebellious.

The most recent case of kiddos playing with toy guns is in an elementary school production of eff bomb-filled Scarface. The inappropriate reproduction hit the Interwebs yesterday replacing vulgar language with words such as ‘fudge’ and ‘bee’. After causing a massive parental freak-out, we have learned that the video is fake. It wasn’t a school production after all — just staged to look that way. However, there were still parents who allowed their kids to participate…

(Image via INF Daily, Pacific Coast News Online)

In the scheme of things, Blackhawk has only existed for a short period of time. Yet during the last 17 years, it has managed to work its way up to become a leader in tactical gear and equipment, outfitting members of the military and law enforcement industry.

• 3,000 – The estimated number of products Blackhawk manufacturers including tactical armor, holsters, knives, weapon accessories and more.
• 2004 – When the holster manufacture introduced the leather law enforcement holster line and the SERPA holster line.
• 6160 – The address of Blackhawk headquarters on Commander Parkway in Norfolk, Va.
• 2 – The amount of companies (Masters of Defense and Delta Design Group) acquired in 2003. Blackhawk also added two more companies in 2005, obtaining All Seasons Apparel and Wildfire Warrior.
• 1993 – When Blackhawk was founded — in a garage — by former Navy Seal Mike Noell.
• 4. 5 million – The number of results Google gives when searching “Blackhawk.”
• 2007 – The year it entered the industrial security market.
• 228 – The quantity of Blackhawk holsters offered on GunHolsters.com.
• 1995 – Blackhawk released its first catalog made with black line drawings on a copy machine.
• 44,230 – Times that people have viewed the following video about Blackhawk’s SERPA level 3 retention holster.