Holsters & Holders

To the novice, a gun holster is a leather gun shaped pouch one wears on the side of their hip. The the informed, they know that a gun holster can be nearly anything you can imagine. A gun is but a tool and for every job there exist its proper tool. The same can be said for most gun accessories. Different jobs require a different holster. Is speed required for this particular job as you fancy a quick draw scenario? Or perhaps concealment is what is called for to accomplish this particular mission. Maybe firepower is needed and for that, your standard ankle holster simply wouldn’t do. The options are many, but make no mistake about it. A holster by any other name is still a holster.

Though it may look "cool" when you see the detective character do it in the movies, it's never been a practical approach to keep a handgun concealed by tucking it into one's waistband.  Hence why since the dawn of the invention of the first handguns ever produced, there have been holsters designed specifically to both carry them conveniently and conceal them from plain sight.

Before you get to excited in thinking that are going to settle the great holster debate once and for all time, we should probably tell that we here at DNA Tactical do not believe in telling you what’s best for you. Rather, we believe in educating the American shooter and letting the informed lover of 2A liberty decide for themselves. After all, it will be your life and the lives of those you love on the line when you need it most. The truth of the matter is that the best gear is the gear you know and trust. It is the gear designed for the job at hand and not the opinions of some “expert” on an internet forum. So let’s jump right into waistband v. shoulder v. ankle, the great holster debate.

Interchangeable combat and tactical gear has made huge strides over the past 17 years. Perhaps it’s due to the nation being at war for the past 17 years and what better test to evaluate combat gear’s effectiveness than, well, combat. Lessons from the battlefield taught infantry types the need to customize their gear for max effectiveness rather than embrace the standard operating procedures handed down by some butter bar 2nd Lieutenant. In the end, if you are going to win the fight of your life you need to know your gear as if it were a part of your own body. You should train with your gear like you intend to fight so that when the snap and crack of a bullet flying overhead rings out you are not struggling to find your extra magazines or ammo. Want to win the fight of and for your life when it happens? Customize your gear for the fight ahead.

Somewhere in this freedom loving land of America is a passionate supporter of the 2nd Amendment who always wanted a gun around their ankle. For them it seemed functional, comfortable and the thought of dropping to your ankle and taking out the bad guy movie style was a dream come true. The only thing stopping this patriot from purchasing that ankle holster was some yahoo on an internet gun forum claiming to be an expert. Screaming about all their credentials and how that was the worst idea in the world deterred this would be happy owner of an ankle holster. After all, if someone on the internet says they are an expert it must be true. Here’s the truth my friends. When it comes to everyday carry you are your own expert. What’s the right holster for you? You likely already know.

I had spent my whole life shooting and hunting and camping and backpacking. I shot for fun on the range and in wilderness in northern New England. I hunted small game with rifle and shotgun and big game with revolvers. I never really liked camping (parking my car or motorcycle at a campsite and pitching a tent there and walking in the woods), but I loved to backpack ...

How much time do we spend researching a firearm that we want? Does endless sound about right? We read magazine articles. We read online and print reviews and comparison tests. We go on countless gun forums where "experts" will praise or revile the same weapon countless times. We talk to friends and strangers about their experiences with the gun. 

When planning to purchase a holster for your firearm, it is vitally important to purchase a holster which properly fits the required revolver or pistol, and will safely and securely retain the weapon during the type of activities envisioned while wearing it. Often times, people will shop for exactly that and essentially overlook a very key element…COMFORT. If comfort isn't taken into account, the wearer will be desiring a whole new holster within just a few weeks or even days. Buyer beware! Ignoring this element will lead to severe frustration (i.e. ‑ Holster Rage) and is entirely preventable from the beginning.