Here at Gun Holsters Blog, it’s fairly evident that we have a thing for, uh, holsters. But what about things shaped like gun holsters that aren’t really gun holsters? Hmm… good question.
Take the Koffski Shoulder Holster for instance. It says it’s a shoulder holster; it kinda looks like a shoulder holster; it should feel like a gun holster since it’s Italian leather. But will it hold a gun? Not a chance.
From the brilliant minds of the Germans comes a “shoulder holster” that’s actually a men’s handbag. This firearm fashionista purse includes a bag, wallet and a V piece as well as a shoulder strap. Perhaps having a wallet that looks like a holster might keep criminals at bay?
On the other hand, having a holster with a real gun might be a teensy bit more intimidating.
The product description for the bag reads “Whether in the office or on the move, the shoulder holster allows the user to carry his basic items around with him in a manner that is manly, flamboyant and, above all, extremely practical.” We’re not sure if something got lost in German-to-English translation here, but we’ll let you draw your own conclusions.
Pink guns are nothing new. These pistols painted in girlish hues have been auctioned for breast cancer awareness and criticized as a silly marketing gimmick for years. However, with women like Debbie Ferns proving female-only shooting camps, it’s likely we’ll see even more for-her, rose-colored accessories in 2010.
And while not all females require a pink gun and/or accessories, it’s nice to have some options. Here are 20.
1. Hello Kitty Sig Sauer P226 – According to the maker’s website, customization of this product was halted in May 2008 due to complaints from Sanrio, owners of the Hello Kitty brand. Not including the cost of the gun, this particular custom job was $2,100 with Swarovski Crystal on the grips.
2. Sparkly Grips – Featured on Jim’s Gun Supply as a DuraCoat item, it costs $50 to $85 to color and finish any type of gun accessories like scopes and magazines.
3. Ear Muffs – Touted as light weight and comfortable, this ear protection gear has 28 decibels of noise reduction for $34.99.
4. The Lady Di 460 S&W Magnum – Because of her peaceful nature, something tells us that Princess Diana would not be too happy about this 460 S&W Magnum ($657.95). “The most beautiful woman in the world on the most powerful handgun in the world. How can you go wrong?” asks its creator GlamGuns.com.
5. Hello Kitty Machine Gun – The video speaks for itself. Of course, this discovery was made at the Anime Expo.
7. Pink Camo Smith & Wesson – Another product of DuraCoat, it cost $135 for the pink camo touch.
8. Hello Kitty AR-15 – This big gun made CNN a while back, especially since it was at first rumored to be a Photoshop job. As you can see from the photo below, this one-of-a-kind firearm was custom made by Armory Airbrush.
9. Anti-Impact Glasses – Keep your eyes protected and your mind at ease by looking through rose-colored glasses ($19.99) at the shooting range.
10. Rainbow Brite Ammo Loader Kit – Another wonder from GlamGuns.com, this kit ($243.95) contains streamers, glitter and confetti that can be added to a gun chamber, shooting out “a trail of sparkling love with every shot.”
11. Breast Cancer Awareness Benelli Shotgun – Yet another DuraCoat creation. This type of customization would cost somewhere around $125 to $225.
12. Camo Gun Case – This lockable nylon gun case ($19) fits .22 Cricket and Chipmunk rifles with or without scopes.
13. Haydel’s Game Calls – Get a duck’s attention quick with this acrylic mallard call ($16.24) with a soft pink finish.
14. Beretta U22 Neos DLX Pistol – This ultra-sleek gun ($269.99) features hot pink grip inserts that gives it some added style.
15. Pistol Case – This Pepto-Bismol-colored case ($22.99) is pretty self-explanatory. Its exterior boasts reinforced composite; its interior contains egg-crate foam padding.
16. Crimson Trace Lasergrip – Ergonomically designed, this lasergrip is part of the Smith & Wesson Defender Series. And, yes, batteries are required.
17. Hello Kitty AK-47 – The price? $1,072.95. Some might argue that’s a small amount to pay for this über-customized weapon with a hand-crocheted shoulder-stock muffler and anodized titanium plating. But the bad news is, they’ve only made 500.
18. BB Gun – Its website declares that this Crosman 760 pellet gun ($42.99) is “sure to become a collectible!” However, we feel that the limited-edition Lady Di gun probably will obtain that status much sooner.
19. Rifle Sling – If you’re already carrying a pink rifle, why not add a pink rifle sling (17.99) with a hint on camo (or is that bronze?) to the mix.
For when a gun holster just isn’t good enough … or concealed enough, there are a few handbags on the market that are made specifically to hold your firearm.
But can’t you just put a gun in any old handbag?
Well, no. For starters, it’s not exactly secure if it’s bouncing around in there with your wallet, car keys and whatever other nonsense you refuse to leave at home.
Even if it’s in a special compartment, there’s still not a place to securely holster it. And if your weapon isn’t small, there might be some issues fitting it in an ordinary purse. The gun’s extra weight also creates major stress on the straps, which is not only uncomfortable but can be a safety risk if it snaps.
The solution: pistol purses and gun bags! Made for women by women (and, yes, sometimes for men), these sophisticated, stylish bags feature special compartments for your handgun and will keep it entirely secure and concealed.
Gun Tote’n Mamas
These ladies aren’t messing around! Just look at the very Men In Black-esque picture that greets you on their website. The seven ladies draped in ninja-like turtlenecks with their eyes hidden behind black shades appear to be just as concealed as their handbag weaponry. These mamas have come up with a range of patent-pending styles — from a shoulder saddlebag ($125) to a basic hobo ($79). It’s apparent that they’re not going to give up style for safety.
Would you mess with the Gun Tote'n Mamas?
Each of Gun Tote’n Mamas’ designs uses full-grain leather and slash resistant shoulder straps. Every bag is lined with either nylon or suede. The outside is said to get softer with age and last for years. According to a review in Women’s Outdoor News, the purse did indeed become “butter soft” in a good way only after a few weeks of wear. These mamas don’t discriminate and do offer unisex bags including an urban shoulder bag ($85).
Secure Purse
And then there’s Secure Purse, a brand that touts concealment purses, backpack holster purses, fanny packs and more. The website reads more like an autobiography of the founder, where she confesses her fears of being attacked in dark parking lots and explains her personal dilemma with gun handbags.
Secure Purse sets itself apart with having a zippered compartment that locks. “It is a very nice feature that gives me a great deal of peace of mind,” the creator writes. “This is of course not a substitute for safe responsible gun handling.” Its online store features more than a dozen handbags from $35 to $90 with plenty of pictures to go along. Unfortunately it looks like some models sell out quickly and others have been discontinued. So, you best get pistol purse shoppin’!
For the most part, homemade gun holsters really aren’t something professionals should carry, especially those dealing with dangerous criminals. Nevertheless, you can find endless instructions on how to do it on your own in seconds. But to actually construct it … well, that’s going to be a bit more time consuming. If you’re good at it, you’ll have a personalized holster that fits your pistol perfectly in no time.
After pouring over several how-tos and step-by-step instructions, here’s what we gleaned:
1.Make a holster pattern using cardboard. Cut out your cardboard model, and hold it next to your choice of material (many prefer cowhide). Trace around the cardboard on your material. 2. Use a sharp knife to cut the leather. Be sure to cut a mirror piece, too, since this will be the other side of your holster. 3. Take a ruler, and mark the position of the gun and magazine and then the trigger guard and barrel. 4. Thinly layer glue to the areas on both pieces, making sure that you don’t glue together the part where the gun will go. 5.Trim the leather, and punch holes for a belt to loop through. Cut belt slots and stitching grooves. Stitch and double stitch the holster. 6. In order to mold the leather, wet it on the inside and out, and place your plastic-wrapped gun on the inside. Use your fingers to push the leather around it. 7. When the holster is dry (usually takes a night), trim and burnish the edges, and dye it if you’d like.
Check out a much more detailed version of this process, along with a variety of other types of holsters right here. Or for even more details, stop by JDLawhon.com’s Holstermaking 101, where a holster hobbyist walks you through everything — from picking out the leather to his own personal tips and tricks. “It’s always fun doing another holster (although I wouldn’t want to do it for a living!),” he writes on the site.
There are plenty of other ways you can get creative with your pistol holster. Try knitting your pistol its own cozy, or even crochet a holster belt out of doilies (see below photo for examples). Sure, you’ll probably be laughed off (or kicked out) of the shooting range, but you’ll get bonus points for creativity. Right?
And in this DIY video below, t3hDRIT shows off a holster made for his Airsoft pistol out of duct tape and spray paint.
Note: You might want to abstain from getting too creative because it could jeopardize your safety and the safety of those around you.
Know of any cool and creative holsters you’ve made or found online? Send them our way!
While often stereotyped as a man’s hobby, gun enthusiasts of the female variety have been forming gun clubs, and these ladies-only clubs are popping up all over the place in the United States.
Most recently, The Telegraph featured Debbie Ferns, author of Babes with Bullets, Women Having Fun With Guns and gun club organizer, where she discussed this surge of female interest in firearms.
“It started with one camp in 2004 and now we’re planning 15 to 20 camps for 2010,” she told The Telegraph.
According to Ms. Ferns’ Web site, her favorite shooting sport is Tactical 3-Gun, utilizing a rifle, shotgun and handgun.
With the upswing of these women-only gun groups, those who sell gun accessories are catering to the stereotypical feminine need — to possess everything in pink! Watch below as Ms. Ferns explains what attracted her to the sport and why she is getting her girlfriends involved, too.
Founded on the philosophy that “just because I shoot like a man doesn’t mean I have to look like one,” Packing in Pink, a Canadian company specializing in gun products with a girly twist, offers products designed by women only for women.
“Safety is always priority number one, but unlike other manufacturers, sex appeal and comfort are a very close second,” reads the company’s Web site. “Because of our devotion to women, PIP will make a donation to breast cancer research with every purchase.”
Two of the products featured on the site include blush-colored ear muffs ($34.99) and glasses ($19.99).
Kydex, a durable leather-alternative, has quickly become a favorite holster material for gun enthusiasts alike. Although it’s not as sturdy as its injection-molded carbon fiber counterparts (like the Blackhawk Serpa Holster line), Kydex’s popularity has steadily increased during the last decade because of its sturdiness and its scratch and water resistance.
When it was first manufactured 44 years ago, Kydex was intended for aircraft interiors (think: tray tables, air ducts, armrests). Now the line of plastic can be found in almost everything—from medical equipment to exhibition displays.
With a hardness of 90 on the Rockwell R scale, the material can be purchased in most gun holster styles from brands like Blade Tech or Uncle Mike’s. The holsters typically start at about $25, which can be a little more expensive than nylon or synthetic ones.
The informational video below walks you through the decision-making process that goes into buying a Kydex gun holster.
The basic function of a holster is to secure and hold a firearm, or another object, in a location where it can be easily accessed. A holster needs to tightly hold onto your firearm, but it also needs to be taken out relatively easy, so users must decide what balance they want to strike between security and accessibility. The simplest holster is a pouch that fits close to the gun. These simple pouches give a fair amount of protection and security, depending on material, and provide much more protection than clip-on holders, which can sometimes be flimsy. Pouch holsters can have a spring-flap closure to keep the gun inside the holster but also keep it even more secure.
A wide range of shapes, materials, and retention/release mechanisms are available on firearm holsters, and some even cover the entire gun. Because gun holsters are used in a wide variety of situations, a lot of options exist. Holsters are usually designed to be used with one hand, and because of this, the holster is usually made of relatively stiff material. But here a balance is necessary, too: if the material is too stiff, the holster might break when pressed between the user’s body and another object, like a wall. Most handgun holsters are made from leather, but nylon and molded plastic, such as Kydex, are also popular choices. Holsters can be worn a number of ways: attached to a belt, clipped to clothing, or inside a pocket. The holster is usually kept near the chest, waist, or upper thigh for easy access.
At Gun Holsters Blog, we explore just that -- the wonderful world of gun holsters. But that's not all: We love firearms, too. Expect to see something gun related every time you stop in and say "hi."
Take the Koffski Shoulder Holster for instance. It says it’s a shoulder holster; it kinda looks like a shoulder holster; it should feel like a gun holster since it’s Italian leather. But will it hold a gun? Not a chance.
While often stereotyped as a man’s hobby, gun enthusiasts of the female variety have been forming gun clubs, and these ladies-only clubs are popping up all over the place in the United States.
