Gould & Goodrich (G&G for short) is probably best known for their law enforcement gear, which is in use all across the U.S. as well as internationally.  Within the last few years, G&G opted to enter the concealed carry market.  The line of CCW holsters that they offer is rapidly growing and features some unique designs.  Probably the most popular designs they offer include the B891 clip-on and B890 belt slide. Unlike some holster production companies who may take 6-8 weeks to get a holster manufactured, G&G seems to have a very efficient process as they can usually have a holster completed in under 4 weeks.

As the times have changed, so has G&G.  While leather is still a major priority for them in terms of holster materials, they are now offering duty holsters in a kydex thermoplastic that is covered in a synthetic leather.  This design gives you all the durability and form of kydex coupled with the beauty and comfort of leather.

If you’d like to learn more about G&G holsters, consider visiting this page: G&G Holsters.

Like the name implies, Don Hume Leathergoods was started by Don Hume. Mr. Hume started his career in law enforcement, and quickly realized that there was need for high quality, affordable law enforcement gear. He had some experience in leatherworking so he started building his own gear. Other officers started asking his to make gear for them, and that was the early beginnings of Don Hume Leathergoods. Although Mr. Hume retired from the business several years ago, some of the designs that he created are still sold by Don Hume today.

Over the last 2o years or so, the need for concealed carry holsters grew so Don Hume began producing holsters for that area as well. Today, they offer a full line of concealment holsters in addition to their law enforcement line. Their CCW line has some really nice holsters are very reasonable prices. The most popular models they offer is the JIT Slide (JIT stands for Just In Time) and the H715M W/C, which is a clip-on IWB model. Both function very well and have excellent price points.

While Hume does have some tried and true designs that they offer each and every year, they also are willing to experiment with new designs. In  mid-2000, when pilots were allowed to start carrying weapons, the TSA solicited designs from various holster companies for a CCW holster specifically made for pilots and the H&K P2000 they were issued. Don Hume came up with a design and submitted it for consideration. After months of testing, the TSA selected the Hume model as their standard issue for pilots. The feedback on that holster was positive, Hume decided to include it in their catalog and make it available to the public in a limited offering of weapons. That holster is now known as the IWB Strike.

If you would like more information on this line of holsters, please visit:=> Don Hume Holsters.

The Bersa Thunder is built on a traditional blowback design which provides excellent accuracy. This model generally standard with a 7 round magazine, but also has a optional 9 or 10 round mag that can be purchased individually. Although the Thunder is fairly light weight, it still has enough mass to keep the recoil minimal.

The Thunder comes equipped with a substantial number of user friendly features like a small beavertail in the grip that protects your hand from slide bite, a manual safety/decocker, and a magazine disconnect safety.

While the .380 is thought to be an decent self defense round, Bersa elected to use this round on the Thunder as a number of countries have restrictions on the size of the round that a civilian can possess.

While the Thunder has a substantial following, it’s not without it’s detractors. Some people complain that the Thunder has a small grip so they have problems getting a firm handle on the weapon. This seems to be most prevalent with individuals with large hands. In these cases, a magazine extension or Pearce grip extension can be helpful.

The Thunder .380 makes a dependable selection for both concealed carry or home defense. It’s light enough to carry for long period of time and has enough firepower to deal with most self defense events. It’s also very affordably priced at a sub $350 price point.

As the Thunder .380 is a popular model, gun holsters for it are fairly easy to find. A number of people seem to believe that the Bersa Thunder will also fit a holster for the Walther PPK or PPKS, but that isn’t the case. While like in frame size, the Walther PPK has different dimensions.

If you are looking for a holster for the Bersa Thunder .380, here is a great resource: Bersa Thunder Holsters.

I own about 4 VM-2′s for different handguns, and it’s my hands down favorite IWB holster.  No other holster that I’ve ever tried conceals as well and as comfortably as the VM-2.

Here’s the problem with the VM-2: the wait time to get one.  At the time of this writing, Sparks was on a 16 month wait time.  Your other options include going to one of 2 or 3 Milt Sparks distributors or going to my favorite, Ebay.com.

My personal recomendation would be Ebay as you may pay more for the holster, but you’ll get it in a week versus a year.  I’m kind of impatient and can’t wait an entire year for a holster.

Here are some VM-2 models for sale now: Milt Sparks VM-2.

Swedish firearms designer George Kellgren was hired to create the P-11 design.  Kellgren wanted to reduce the overall weight so he created a polymer frame that mated to a steel frame with steel internals. The result was a handgun that weighed only 20 ounces when fully loaded.

The P-11 was designed primarily for concealed carry by civilians and law enforcement officers. The original P-11 was chambered for 9mm and came with a 10 round magazine.  An additional 12 round mag is available as an aftermarket item. The initial success of the P-11 in 9mm prompted Kel-Tec to produce a similar version in both .40 S&W and .357 Sig.  The .40 cal series was called a P-40 while the .357 Sig version was called a P-357.  Both models mated the standard P-11 polymer frame with a larger, heavier slide.  Due to the low weight, both the P-40 and P-357 produced substantial recoil and were somewhat difficult to control.  As such, both models were discontinued in 1994 with only a few thousand of each being sold.

Marketed as the lightest 9mm handgun currently in production, the P-11 makes a great choice for concealed carry. It works well in a number of gun holster configurations including IWB, on the belt, and on the ankle. About the only carrying method that may or may not work would be pocket carry as it’s a little big for most pockets.

The Kel-Tec P11 is an good choice for CCW or self defense.  It has enough rounds to take care of most issues, yet is light enough to tote around all day. Probably the one complaint with the P-11 deals with the long, heavy trigger which comes in around a 9lb pull.

This site has a number of discounted holsters for the Kel-Tec P11.

The Millennium line includes several innovative safety features including a positive firing pin block as well as the “Taurus Safety Latch”, a transfer bar safety which prevents firing of the pistol unless the trigger is pulled. Together these safeties assure that the pistol will not fire if it is accidentally dropped; selected models have been certified as satisfying the California Drop safety requirement. All Millennium models also include a slide-mounted safety lever.

The Millennium Pro is generally considered the 3rd generation of the Taurus Millennium series.  While each of the generations looks similar, they are fairly different.  However, the largest differences can be found in the Mill Pro series as compared to the first two generations. The Millennium Pro model has a number of enhanced features including a higher magazine capacity, lighter frame, more ergonomic grip, loaded chamber indicator, integrated accessory rail.

From a holster perspective, nearly all the PT Millennium Pro series are built on the same frame (PT-111 Mill Pro, PT-140 Mill Pro, PT-145 Mill Pro).  As such, most any pistol holster for any of these models will fit any of the other models.  For example, a holster for the PT-111 Mill Pro will usually also fit a PT-140 or PT-145 Mill Pro

It’s important to point out that there are substantial design differences between the Mill Pro series and the standard Millennium series that will affect holster fit.  As the Pro series had an picatinny rail and the standard Millennium series doesn’t, the holsters are not interchangeable between the two.  A holster for a Mill Pro series will most likely fit a standard series, but not vice-versa.

Personally, I’ve found the Taurus Millennium pro series to be an first-class value for the money, offering features and performance that are generally found on more costly handguns.

Here is some more information on gun holsters for the Taurus Millennium Pro

While not extremely small, the Judge is small enough to carry in a concealed manner and makes a great self defense weapon. A face full of .410 pellets at close range will certainly dissuade most any would be attacker that they need to move along. The main issue that Judge owners are facing right now involves the lack of gun holsters that are currently available for the Judge. Truth is, there aren’t that many on the market today. Holster makers generally build holsters off of aluminum guns that are exact duplicates of the real weapon. These duplicates are usually called blanks or molds. Unfortunately, it takes aluminum mold companies some time to acquire a real weapon to mold off of, and then the molding process itself way take several weeks as it’s done with precision CAD machinery.

In many cases, until the gun molds are available for holster companies, many leather makers will try to find a comparably sized existing handgun that will crossfit with the new handgun on the market. Unfortunately, the Judge is so unique dimensionally, that a crossfit doesn’t exist. Add the fact that Taurus recently introduced a longer barreled version that will accept 3″ .410 magnum shells, and crossfitting really becomes a problem.

However, if you currently own a Judge holster and are still searching for a holster, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel for you. A select few custom holster makers are utilizing a real Judge handgun so they can start producing holsters for it. There aren’t that many, but a few do exist. I’m sure that mainstream holster makers will soon adopt the Judge, but, until then; you’ll probably need to settle for a custom holster.

For more information on these holsters, follow this link:=> Taurus Judge Holster.

Concealed carry holsters include a number of different holster styles such as pocket holsters, ankle holsters, inside the waistband holsters, and belt holsters.

Depending on a number of variables, each style of concealed carry has different strengths and weaknesses. At the same time, with proper selection, nearly any of those holster styles would work for concealed carry. Some of the variables that come into play with concealed carry holsters include the following:

* size of the weapon
* body type
* climate

Let’s a take a second and talk about each variable individually, although they all somewhat tie together in the end.

Handgun size – While this may seem unimportant on it’s face, it becomes very important in terms of concealment and comfort.  The bottom line is larger weapons are more difficult to conceal, no matter what steps to you. The size of the weapon will play a direct role in how effectively it can be concealed as well as how comfortable it is.  Rather than try to conceal an oversized weapon, choose a weapon that is moderately sized and then select a concealed carry holster.

Body type – Body type can also play a direct role in the types of holsters that you will be able to use in concealed carry.  If you have or are growing a spare tire (like me), IWB carry may not be a good option as it will be difficult to conceal the handgun.  If you have a thin build, you may also be faced with the same problem.  How do you get around it? Review your options with other types of carry. There are some really nice OWB holsters that conceal very well under a T-shirt. I have personally found that front pocket carry works best for me as it’s easy to put on and virtually disappears.  You may need to spend some time testing, but I’m sure a carry method that works for you can be found.

Weather & Climate -  The climate where you will be carrying concealed can and will play a role in your gun holster selection.  Warmer climates mean less clothes, which means you will have to conceal a handgun under a T-shirt or in a pocket. Warmer climates generally means shorts so ankle carry is also eliminated as a possibility.  Cooler climates don’t really pose a problem as more clothing means it’s easier to conceal a pistol. Rapidly changing climates can cause even bigger problems.  Take climate and weather into account as you search for holsters and realize that you may have to pick up more than one holster to meet those needs.

Hopefully, you will find the information presented here beneficial as you start shopping for a concealed carry holster.  Try to find the best method and holster that fits your personal preferences.

For more information on this topic, visit Concealed Carry Holsters.

Posted in Uncategorized Tagged: concealed carry, concealed carry holsters, concealment holsters ]]> http://concealedcarryholsters.wordpress.com/2008/09/28/concealed-carry-holster-basics/feed/ 0 5593907a http://concealedcarryholsters.wordpress.com/2008/09/27/holsters-for-the-ruger-sr9/ http://concealedcarryholsters.wordpress.com/2008/09/27/holsters-for-the-ruger-sr9/#comments Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:05:40 +0000 5593907a http://concealedcarryholsters.wordpress.com/?p=34 ]]> Introduced by Ruger in October 2007, the SR9 was Ruger’s first attempt at a striker fired pistol. It was designed for civilian carry, self defense, and law enforcement use. With this striker fired design, the SR9 has a pre-set trigger similar to a Glock, where the striker is partially cocked during the reloading cycle, and then fully cocked when the trigger is pulled. Like the popular Ruger P90 series, the SR9 features a fiberglass reinforced frame that is very rigid and resists the flex that usually occurs as the weapon is fired. The SR9 has a steel slide that is available in a brushed or black finish.

A new feature for Ruger, the SR9 has a removable and interchangeable backstrap system that allows the shooter to adjust the size of the grip. This model also features a picatinny rail for mounting lasers and flashlights, along with an ambidextrous manual safety, loaded chamber indicator and striker indicator.

Like many Ruger pistols, the SR9 has a magazine disconnect, so the weapon cannot fire without the magazine in place. Ruger has also noted that if the SR9 is dry fired without the magazine in the gun, it will cause unnecessary wear to the striker block. Should you not like the magazine disconnect feature, it can be deactivated by removing the disconnect link.

Ruger discovered a possible problem where the SR9 could potentially fire if dropped while the manual safety was off, so they initiated a recall in April of 2008. Ruger has designed a new trigger group that eliminates that problem and will most likely be retrofitting most all SR9 models.

As the SR9 has become more popular, more and more holster makers are now producing models for the weapon. In terms of styles, holster makers are doing most every holster style including belt holsters, IWB holsters, and shoulder holsters. Due the the overall size of the SR9, it’s best suited for outside the waistband carry, although IWB is a possibility as well.

Ruger SR9 Holsters

Concealed Carry Holsters

When the first Kahr pistols appeared on the market in 1994 they were constructed entirely of carbon steel, but criticized for their excessive weight which is a disadvantage in a weapon intended for concealed carry. Kahr attempted to address these concerns by introducing pistols which were physically smaller, as well as a line of polymer framed models. The PM series combined both these approaches, introducing polymer framed pistols that were also the smallest Kahr models ever produced. The PM9 was the first of this series. The polymer frame makes the PM9 11% lighter than it’s carbon steel brother.

The PM9 series pistol is manufactured with a stainless steel slide which rides on steel inserts within a polymer frame. PM9 pistols are known for having fairly smooth and consistent DAO trigger pulls at approximately six pounds, with large and easy to see sights in various configurations including night sights.

The PM9 is chambered for 9mm and carries comes with a 6 round and 7 round magazine. The 6 round mag is flush fitting while the 7 round version has a one round extension.

The size of the PM9 opens up a number of carrying options including IWB carry, belt carry, pocket carry, and ankle carry.  The pocket and ankle carry option are interesting options as those carry methods are generally reserved for small handguns.  The PM9 is small enough to carry in a front pocket (my preferred method for this weapon) or be worn on an ankle holster.

For more information on the various holsters that are available for this weapon follow this link: Kahr PM9 holsters.