Concealed Carry Corner: Holster Selection and Accessories

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we took a look at how to choose a carry gun that’s right for you. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. So now you have a carry gun but what’s the next step? What are some options to carry your new handgun in and what are some of the most important things to buy right off the bat? Let’s take a closer look at holster selection and accessories for concealed carry.

Holster Selection

When it comes to carrying your new concealed handgun, one of the most important choices is what type of holster you should carry it in. Most gun shops will try to push some sort of universal holster to help their bottom line. After working as a gun counter salesperson for years, I know most shops want to sell as much as they can with guns because the accessories are where they make their money. Some shops carry high-quality Kydex holsters for your specific model firearm, but the vast majority will have cloth with a limited Kydex selection. Some of you may not know what kind of holster to purchase.

Kydex, Leather, or Cloth? 

One of the biggest choices is what kind of holster you want to carry with you daily. Kydex has its benefits, while others prefer leather holsters and the individuals who are on a strict budget will sometimes carry cloth holsters because they are the most economical. My personal choice has to be Kydex holsters. They require little to no maintenance on a regular basis and the most important thing to do in terms of maintaining them is to check the screws to ensure they are tight and clean the inside of your holster out from caught lint and debris that could scratch your gun. There is a common myth that Kydex holsters can scratch your gun which simply isn’t true. In 99% of cases, it was actually material caught inside your holster that caused damage to your gun rather than the actual Kydex material.

Leather has that classic look and during the hot summer months can be a bit more forgiving and not rub dig in as much as Kydex. Leather has an ability to bend and flex with the body while keeping its internal structure which can lead to an overall better experience. It's never a bad idea to condition your leather occasionally and clean it just to keep the leather from drying out or losing its rigidity. Over time, leather holsters can eventually become floppy and lose their structural integrity which can lead to your carry gun accidentally going off but that typically takes years to actually happen. Leather is a great alternative if you live in a hot area of the country and want something that will flex just a little instead of digging into you.

The final choice is the “universal” style holster which is commonly called the cloth holster. These are famous by companies like Uncle Mike’s holsters that offer holsters to customers that fit a number of handgun models. In theory, this sounds like a fantastic option but the reality is it can be dangerous since the gun is freely able to move around and shift inside the holsters most of the time. There are a number of cases online of accidental discharges caused by these cloth holsters and they are not the best options for daily carry. Out of all the options I would be the least likely to recommend cloth holsters since they are cheaply made and your gun shifts around throughout the day. It may be the cheap and easy option but it's certainly not the best choice.

Ammo Types

When it comes to ammo choices, the sky is the limit with a number of companies offering self-defense rounds on the market today. The most common question I get from new people carrying guns is if they really need self-defense ammo or if they can use regular ball ammo intended for range use. The problem with range ammo is it continues to go through someone with little energy transfer. This ultimately leads to you punching holes into people but the bullets pass right through and continue past your target towards the unknown. It's important to remember you are responsible for every round fired so those rounds that continue on after going through your target are still your concern so it's better to have rounds that will transfer all their energy.

Having a factory-made hollow point or hybrid rounds like the Hornady Critical Duty is the best way to go. My personal favorite self-defense rounds are the Federal HST 124gr +P or Hydra Shocks. I will also carry the SIG V-Crown 124gr self-defense rounds. These have excellent velocities and energy transfer numbers and they work flawlessly through every carry gun I own so it's easy to confidently buy them every time. If you have ever tried your carry ammo through various guns it's important to put 5-10 rounds through your carry gun at the range to ensure they cycle properly and there aren't any feeding issues. The vast majority of self-defense rounds will be reliable and have sufficient energy transfer but it's never a bad idea to do your homework on self-defense rounds before making a final decision.

Overall Thoughts

When a gun store employee is telling you what to get, it can be rather convincing to just buy everything all at once. The reality is you will replace almost every piece of gear you buy at the gun store in most cases with something else ultimately wasting money. It's always good to do your research and buy what you want to ensure it fits your gun perfectly instead of making due with what your local gun shop had. What do you guys think is the best way to build out your carry gear? Let me know your stories down below in the comment section. If you have questions about carrying concealed or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and I'll see you next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.