Holster selection seems to be just as easy as walking into the local sporting goods store grabbing the first one off the rack that "fits" your gun. right? that depends. what is the primary function this holster will it be for,, range? competition? concealed carry? hunting?
For this discussion we will focus on the waist band concealed carry, though not small of back. An ideal carry holster will be one that has great retention yet will give fairly easily when it needs to be employed. A holster that has a reinforced mouth. And one that has loops that match the width of your belt.
The three main materials used for holsters are leather, Kydex and Nylon. Leather has been around for centuries used of course for just about everything. A leather or nylon holster regardless of it being IWB (inside the waistbelt) or OWB (outside the waistbelt) needs to have a reinforced mouth. either multiple layers of leather (for of course a leather holster) or reinforced with some type of rigid polymer (for either leather or nylon). Kydex of course is a rigid polymer without the issues of leather or nylon. Though Kydex brings a glaring issue of it's own, it's rigid. While leather and nylon conform to the body Kydex does not. Now as far as retention is concerned, leather does a great job if the holster is made by a reputable holster maker. Kydex, the same. Nylon, not so much. Nylon is definitely not one of my favorites for concealed carry, it just doesn't have the passive retention that Kydex or leather can give.
For the question of why the reinforced or rigid mouth? During a confrontation there are many different variables that are an X-factor. If you have a young child in your arm, or say your arm is injured. Either way it will be near impossible to re-holster when the mouth of your holster collapses together. Again why is this important? For a concealed carrier you are (hopefully) the good guy in the scenario. you draw, complete the business and re-holster with speed. You do not want to be the one fingered as the aggressor. although once Law Enforcement arrives you can properly inform authorities your part in the confrontation. So if it is that your arm is full and you need to re-holster it can be done one handed.
Why retention is important should be self explanatory. Under your cover garment, out of the sight of public view. There should be no reason to have an active retention system. Not to say that if you feel you need an active system you shouldn't have one. But, if the bad guy doesn't know you have it he doesn't want it. Anyway, having good retention is crucial if a confrontation does not call for the employment of your firearm. That it will stay put during a scuffle or cartwheeling to cover. Active retention comes with it's own brand of trouble. It takes more time to get your tool into action if the element of surprise is not on your side, which of course is a majority of the time in a defensive situation.
Again, the reasoning for a holster loop to fit the belt is for just that, fit. either IWB or OWB if the loops are too big you have slop and movement which could let wandering eyes watch you adjust. Or simply make it difficult to release your handgun from the holster when you need it. You are going to have enough issues clearing your cover garment you don't need to add to the few milliseconds of precious time you may not have.
In closing, A good holster is found with research. Yeah, you need to find what is going to be best for your style of carry. Whether you have the ability to carry OWB with a jacket or outerwear. Or IWB if a little more discretion is needed. Or perhaps both for different seasons. Make sure it is an EXACT fit to your gun. Very few universal holsters out there will be sufficient for carry. they can be sloppy or to tight and just won't give you the level of confidence needed to know you are ready for whatever this world throws your way.Thanks for Watching and reading!
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