Shooting from the Hip

Galco International Headquarters in Phoenix

From the real cops and military personnel to the ones we watch on the big screen, all have at one time or another used one of Glaco’s world-famous holsters. Their products can certainly make you feel like any type of action figure. And now that you’ve been formally introduced, it’s time to get to know Galco a little more intimately. That way, if Galco ever pops up on a Trivial Pursuit question, you’ll be ready to throw down.

• $7.25 million – According to Dun & Bradstreet, a business information provider, this is how much Galco rakes in each year.
• 5 – Number of seasons the iconic Miami Vice aired in the ’80s, where the Galco Miami Classic shoulder rig garnered national attention as a recurring character — worn by pretty boy Don Johnson. And this, according to Galco themselves, is the No. 1 gun holster trivia question!
• 2,071 – The number of miles Galco’s headquarters in Phoenix are from its top competitor Safariland’s Jackson, Fla., headquarters.
• 1980 – That’s when Galco International was formally branded. The holster company was initially called “The Original Jackass Leather Company,” which kinda of has a ring to it.
• 130 – The estimated number of people who work for Galco, another tidbit from Dun & Bradstreet.
• 20 – Pop “Galco International” in YouTube’s search, and this is how many results you will find. Watch one of the results (below), an interview with Galco’s own Mike Barham about the company’s Hollywood history, as posted by Spookybacon.
• 1969 – The year Galco was founded by Mr. Gallagher. No, not that Gallagher. Richard N. Gallagher to be more precise. We apologize for the confusion.
• $49.95 – The price of Galco’s latest holster: Triton Kydex IWB Holster

Gun Belts

A gun belt, or police duty belt, is a nylon or leather belt worn by police or security officers to carry the equipment they need to do their job. Some of the things officers regularly carry in their belts include plasticuffs, handcuffs, radios, batons, notebooks and other paperwork, and hand-held weapons such as pepper spray or, depending on the style of belt and the job the officer does, ammunition and handheld weapons. The duty belt is also used to carry less police-specific items that can include torches, batteries, pens and pencils, keys, and other personal items. Duty belts get very heavy – often weighing in at more than 20 pounds – so they have to be made of durable, thick, and long-wearing material. Most duty belts are about two inches wide and are usually made of nylon or leather.

Leather belts are more flexible than nylon belts, and nylon belts often lead to officers complaining of back pain. Most police officers and security guards wear black duty belts, though brown leather is becoming more common, especially if it matches the officer’s uniform. Belts usually wrap around the officer’s waist and have a buckle closure at the front. A belt keeper – a device that wraps around the duty belt and the trouser belt – keeps the belt from sliding down if an officer has to run or take something out of the belt, or is involved in an altercation. Often, an officer uses several belt keepers to keep everything in place. Because the belts are heavy, some officers use belt suspenders, which move a portion of the belt’s weight to the wearer’s shoulders, cutting down on pressure and allowing the belt to be worn looser.

Newer-designed suspenders break off from the wearer when pulled so they can’t be used against the officer in a struggle. Plastic buckles are the most common fastener on belts, and many use a three-way buckling system for added security.