Four Letters Re: Pistol Holster Recommendations for Women

Jim,
Bill from Ohio has a number of great observations about carry issues for females. Among the issues he mentions about hip holsters built for men:
1) Because of a woman’s hips they tend to cause the butt of the weapon to dig-in to a woman’s waist
2) Because women have hips, upon which they wear their belt they have less room to lift the weapon before it impinges into their armpit.
3) Because of factors 1 and 2 the FBI cant further complicates a natural draw for women.
I’d like to mention a holster made by Blade-Tech that addresses all three of these issues.

The offset allows for a normal vertical weapon carry by offsetting the distance from waist to hip. The drop isn’t a dramatic drop like a thigh rig — it just gives the woman a holster to armpit distance more comparable to what a man experiences. Finally the cant is fully adjustable to include straight drop, FBI, and even muzzle forward.
I have no financial relationship (other than being a customer) with Blade Tech. Just wanted to point out this groundbreaking product. – Keith in the Inland Northwest

 

Jim,
As a follow-on to Pistol Holsters for Women, my wife had good luck with a Galco Lady Gunsite for a full-size 1911. This holster has an angled belt attachment, holding the gun vertical with the grip away from the body. This is not an effective concealment rig, as the gun sticks out from the body. It can get in the way until you get used to it. And of course, they don’t make ’em anymore. – Simple Country Doctor.

 

Sir,
In the recent letter regarding Holster Recommendations for Women, I found that I could understand that there is a problem, but was having a hard time visualizing it. A quick Google turned up an article on the subject. It does not offer the exact same solutions to the problem, but it does have diagrams.

As a guy, I found this very useful to understanding the problem. It is probably a lot safer than harassing the next female police officer I see with endless questions about her firearm. Somehow I doubt the officer–or my wife–would appreciate me pointing/shifting/tugging on the officer’s gear and person just to satisfy my curiosity about this problem. – Jeff

 

James:
Bill in Ohio brings up nearly everything I was going to write about yesterday (but killing blackberries and renovating the spring got in the way). His descriptions of the various holsters and how they fit on women is spot on and I doubt I could have described them as well. Everyone needs to read them very carefully, and learn!

Unfortunately, I learned all that the hard way. For over 30 years, I have carried a pistol when horseback riding, and I can assure you that as a 5’3″ woman, with hips and breasts, it is no easy thing. And over the years I have come to the conclusion that the traditional thigh-tiedown type holster works best. The cowboys had that one right!

There are a couple of reasons why I use this set up. First off, it’s easy and comfortable, even if you carry a good-sized pistol (in this case, a Dan Wesson .357 with a 6.5-inch barrel.) The only problem I ever had with it was that the Pachmayr grip rubbed a hole through the lining of my long riding coat. So I covered that place with Cordura.

The second reason is that while I was trying out various ways of packing that pistol, I had that big pistol at the small of my back. That worked okay, once I worked out how to get rid of the “bounce” when going faster than a walk. (I had to wear the belt so tight it was uncomfortable) But that wasn’t the worst part. The worst part was taking a bad fall one day, and landing on the damn thing! Ouch!

So, I nixed the belt/small of the back idea, and went back to the thigh holster.

I do sometimes carry a smaller pistol (9mm Ruger with a 2-inch barrel) at the small of my back. I rigged a fanny pack with a synthetic holster, and that works well.

I have often wondered if anyone has tried to modify (or if someone already makes) a holster integrated with one of those neoprene back support belts. It would seem to me that this would work very well. Something like a pancake holster sewn onto the belt at the small of the back. It would be comfy, wouldn’t bounce, and if done right shouldn’t be too difficult to draw. So, unless someone comes up with a better idea, I’m sticking with my thigh tie-down.

Oh, something else in regards to packing a weapon when riding. You should always keep your weapon on your person! If you get dumped (or your horse takes off while you are taking a leak.) you do not want to be without your defense. I also carry water, a couple power bars, a small first aid kit, and a Leatherman in my fanny pack as well.

Many of my riding friends have made fun of me over the years because of all the stuff I carry with me. I have big saddlebags, stuffed with everything I might need. But all that teasing sure stops in a big hurry when someone needs something that I happen to have! ( Like toilet paper, a tampon, a shovel, or even my gold pan!) I also take a lot of flak for usually riding the smallest horse with the most gear.

Take care, and my thoughts are with your family. I hope Memsahib is on the mend! – Mrs. JD

JWR Replies: Like you, I am not an advocate of “small of back” (SOB) holsters. They are particularly risky when riding a bicycle, motorcycle, ATV, or horse! You are fortunate that you didn’t take a harder fall, or you might have suffered a spinal injury. I have read accounts of a few law enforcement officers that had severe injuries because of SOB holsters. I’m not willing to take that risk.



Odds ‘n Sods:

We saw this one coming: U.S. Rescue Seen at Hand for Two Mortgage Giants. The Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB) continues to grow!

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Season 2 of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (TSCC) begins tomorrow (September 8, 2008). In agreement with the fans at The Sarah Connor Society, I consider it is the best quasi-survivalist show on television. Don’t look for many useful preparedness tips, but at least it is entertaining and motivational for those of us with the preparedness mindset. Meanwhile, the fourth feature film in the Terminator movie franchise (“Terminator: Salvation”)–starring Christian Bale and Sam Worthington–is now in production and is scheduled for release on Memorial Day weekend, 2009. This new movie is set almost entirely in a post-nuke future, as the human race battles Skynet and its Terminators. It should be good.

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Eric sent us some more “punch to the gut” economic news: U.S. House Price Decline Could Be Worse than Great Depression, Credit Crunch: The Sequel, Banks: Dominoes Ready to Fall, Banks borrow more from Fed; Wall Street takes pass, and FDIC chief is facing exceptional challenges. Somehow, the premise of my novel is starting seems less fictional, with each passing day.

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Blazer sent us this: Another Friday, Another Bank Collapse. Nevada is one of the states suffering the most from the housing market collapse, so this comes as no surprise.



Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” – John Wesley



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 18 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include:

First Prize: The writer of the best contributed article in the next 60 days will be awarded two transferable Front Sight  “Gray” Four Day Training Course Certificates. This is an up to $4,000 value!
Second Prize: A three day course certificate from OnPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses.
Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing

Round 18 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entries. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.



Hurricane Iniki – Some Lessons Learned, by B.

Hurricane Iniki, which struck the island of Kauai on September 11, 1992, was the third-most damaging hurricane in U.S. history and provides some valuable insights into how people react when an entire self-contained community loses most of their creature comforts. By way of background, Kauai is the fourth largest island in the Hawaiian Archipelago. It, along with a small, privately-owned island off its western coast make up the County of Kauai. The population in 1992 was about 50,000.
On September 11, 1992, Hurricane Iniki made a direct hit on the island with winds upward of 150 miles per hour. Approximately 70 percent of the buildings on Kauai were destroyed or damaged. Telecommunications and electricity were lost and not entirely restored to all areas for six months. Due to early warning and good Civil Defense planning, there were only a handful of deaths attributed to the hurricane. The hurricane missed the rest of the state except for brushing the leeward coast of Oahu.
National Guard troops from other islands were on Kauai eight hours after the hurricane had passed. Within three days, there were approximately 1,000 National Guard personnel on the island. The command and control element reported directly to the mayor of Kauai County and to the Governor. These lessons learned are from the personal recollections of a member of the command and control element.

Most striking was the number of relief agencies that arrived on-island within a week to two weeks after the storm. At one point there were 5,000 relief workers representing 80 different governmental agencies and private organizations supporting a population of 50,000. The 1:10 ratio of relief workers to residents was one reason that there was almost no looting or lawlessness in the aftermath of the storm. This ratio of 1:10 would be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve in more densely populated areas or disasters that affect larger geographical regions (as we saw following Hurricane Katrina) . In New Orleans, the military response was initially focused on rescue or recovery and not on law enforcement.

Military planning is built around “operating systems” i.e. maneuver, communications, etc. To facilitate planning, the operating systems inherent in all civilian communities were identified, assessed and tracked to determine their current status to coordinate support and to help estimate how long before each system would be brought back on-line.
These systems were:

  • Water
  • Food
  • Communications and electricity
  • Sewage treatment and waste disposal
  • Traffic control and public safety
  • Medical Services

Each of these operating systems presented unique challenges and insights as they relate to disaster planning.
Water – There are few private wells on the island. The County owns the water system, which consists of reservoirs in the mountains and some wells that service the drier parts of the island. The first priority for Civil Defense was to install generators at all pumping stations. In most areas water was back on-line within 3-to-4 days.
Food – MREs, supplied by the Federal government, were available within a few days after the storm. They became the main source of calories for most people. However, the novelty of eating MREs quickly wore off and distributing food became a high priority. Feeding stations serving a hot lunch were set up at various locations around the island using military cooks and idle chefs from the various resort hotels. However, headcounts changed daily and it was difficult to ensure that sufficient food was available at each location.

Communications and electricity – In 1992, there were few cellular phones. Nearly everyone relied on land lines for their telephone service. The hurricane downed perhaps a third of telephone/electrical poles on the island. Crews were flown in from as far away as the east coast and worked months to repair the damage. Replacement poles were obtained from the mainland and shipped to Kauai. Reportedly, the base yards in several western states were emptied of poles to support the recovery operation for a community of 50,000. It should be noted that Hurricane Andrew had hit Florida three week before Iniki and the two areas were competing for some high priority items like telephone poles and the, much prized, blue plastic tarps used as temporary patches for leaking roofs. There were microwave relay sites on the island to transmit communications signals from Kauai to the other islands and, then, worldwide. Some of these sites had only minor damage and were quickly repaired. Others were destroyed and replacement equipment was flown in from Oahu or the mainland. Within a week. telephone service was available to the public via mobile phone trailers that were set up around the island. However, telephone service to individual homes, like electricity, was delayed for up to six months as crews replaced downed poles.

Sewage treatment and waste disposal – Kauai is a mix of public sewer systems and [private] septic systems. FEMA provided generator support to the Kauai County sewage treatment facilities and sewage never became a major health issue. Waste disposal was more challenging. The hurricane created a lot of destruction and debris. County sanitation workers had been furloughed to take care of their families. The County landfills were initially closed. People began to dump trash along side the roads. About three weeks after the storm over 1,500 active duty soldiers were brought to the island with their equipment and went door-to-door cleaning up yards and hauling away debris. A new landfill with an expected life of ten years that had been opened shortly before the storm was completely filled within a couple of months.

Traffic control and public safety – It became apparent within the first few days that the Kauai Police Department was overwhelmed. A decision was made to free-up police officers whenever feasible to take care of their own families. Restoration of electricity to key intersection was given high priority so that traffic signals would be operational. Interestingly, there was little civilian traffic for the first week since few businesses were operating and most of the roads were blocked by downed poles. A military police unit was flown in to provide traffic control as needed. However, as conditions improved, people adapted to driving without traffic lights and were generally courteous to other drivers when arriving simultaneously at intersections. Few accidents were reported. Looting was minimal due to the large presence of the military. The Honolulu SWAT deployed to Kauai and operated at night in high priority areas such as near jewelry stores, banks, etc. Two looters were arrested within the first week following the storm. In what amounted to lighting justice, they were charged, tried and convicted, and incarcerated within a week. The case was widely publicized and served as a great deterrent. The fact that access to the island was tightly controlled for the first month also stopped any outsiders from taking advantage of the situation. The lesson learned is that highly visible military and police presence coupled with quick convictions served to keep criminal activity at a manageable level. However, the local police department, as we saw in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, is probably incapable of maintaining law and order.

Medical – All medical personal who live on Kauai were affected by the hurricane and, with the exception of emergency rooms, normal medical support ceased. State and County Civil Defense had air evacuated most expectant mothers and dialysis patients to Oahu a few hours before the hurricane struck. Interviews with doctors from the various relief organizations uncovered a pattern of medical emergencies. The first few days saw broken bones from falling off roofs, nail punctures and similar wounds. After about a week, diabetics and people on mood altering prescription drugs started to show up at the clinics looking for medication. These were followed by people who had ran out of medicine for chronic maladies like high blood pressure and epilepsy.

Drug addicts presented a special problem in that their regular supply was disrupted. No illegal drugs were getting on the island because the airfields and seaports were controlled by the military. Initially, addicts turned to known drug dealers and, if necessary, broke into the dealers’ homes looking for drugs. As a last resort, they started to appear at medical aid stations. Typically this occurred 7-10 days after the storm.

Medical challenges provide some of the most relevant lessons learned for people interested in preparing for a breakdown in local, regional or national government. As any infantryman will tell you, the welfare and location of the unit medic is always on your mind. If you don’t believe you have any skills to offer a group, you should develop your first aid and medical skills. There will always be a need for a “doc” to take care of group members. Research and build your own medical kit. Talk to emergency room workers and find out how they triage incoming patients. Research and memorize the checklists that first responders use as they assess patient needs and prioritize casualties. Research the process doctors use to diagnose patient complaints and symptoms. Medical equipment and a confident air could be your passport to safety. One of the most prized items turned out to be generators. Without the immediate influx of generators from FEMA and the military, life of Kauai after the hurricane would have been much tougher. Generators pumped water, cleaned sewage, provided electricity to medical facilities, and refrigerated perishable food that had been barged and flown to the island. In many instances, relatives of Kauai resident living on the other islands or the mainland bought generators and have them shipped to the Kauai. Military and civilian generators arriving at the port on Kauai were occasionally stolen by enterprising homeowners who simply backed their trucks up and drove off with a generator that had been off-loaded and staged for pickup by the legal owner. Apparently some local residents felt that it was worth the risk to provide refrigeration and lights to their families. The willingness to risk jail to obtain a generator can likely be traced to the desire to eat fresh food. MREs quickly lost their savor, especially for children.

Kauai residents would tell you that the most stressful time came immediately after the hurricane when all communication was lost and people were restricted to their immediate neighborhoods by the downed poles and trees. They simply did not know if they were going to get any help because they did not know whether the other islands had been hit by the storm. A communication plan that is well thought-out ahead of time would be a great psychological boost following a catastrophe. In addition to a good electronics, something as simple as a bulletin board that is updated every few hours would help the cohesiveness and bonding of the group.

Finally, I need to say something about the way people reacted and adjusted following the storm. In 1992, people in their 70s and 80s had lived through the Great Depression and World War II. They proved to be tougher than one would expect . They usually had a better attitude and often adapted better to living without television, electrical light and refrigeration than did many younger people. Military people found the duty easier than most field training exercises. Military veterans had often endured tougher times and also quickly adapted. In general, the more outdoor oriented people were, the easier their transition and recovery. Some folks could not cope with the dramatic changes in their routine and committed suicide. Others left the island; never to return.



Letter Re: Airsoft and Paintball Groups for Small Unit Tactics Training?

Gidday Mr Rawles,
I was just wondering whether or not it would be wise for me to join a tactical Airsoft club in the future. Due to the current political climate in New Zealand training with live firearms, and so forth is frowned upon and could get you labelled as a “terrorist”.
However there are a lot of Tactical Airsoft/Paintball groups throughout the country and I was wondering whether it would be a wise move for me to join one of these clubs to gain some tactical skills/experience? Or is it better to avoid groups all together? – S.S. in New Zealand

JWR Replies: I can’t speak to the potential OPSEC or legal issues, but I can talk about the value of the training. In my experience Airsoft and paintball are fine for learning some aspects of camouflage and small team tactics. The fatal flaws of both, however, are that:
1.) Since paint balls and Airsoft pellets have hardly any penetration beyond five yards, people start to subconsciously equate concealment with cover.
2.) Because paint balls only have limited range, people start to subconsciously think of anything beyond that range as “safely out of range” (for maneuver in the open.)
If you can regularly remind yourself about those shortcomings and adjust your training regimen accordingly, then you’ll find that they provide somewhat worthwhile training. But it is essential that you integrate high velocity ballistic realism. This means declaring anyone that blatantly stands up in the open at 50+ yards “dead meat.” Ditto for anyone that mistakenly takes “cover” behind bushes. Again, concealment is not cover!



Odds ‘n Sods:

Bill N. recommended bookmarking the National Weather Service Doppler Radar Maps Page.

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The latest big dose of Gloom-und-Doom from SurvivalBlog’s Economic Editor: House Price Crash Goes Global, In the Eye of the Credit Crisis Hurricane, GM, Ford, Chrysler on Sales Collapse Risk Bankruptcy, Purge the [Financial] System of its Failures, Two Wall St. Brokers Accused of $1Bn Subprime Fraud, GMAC To Cut Staff, Close Mortgage Operations to Cut Costs, I Want To Scare The H*ll Out Of You, Tice: Huge Stock Decline Ahead, Lightening The Mood With A Deflator (The Mogambo Guru), Pick-A-Payment Loans Turn Poisonous, and The Stagflation Squeeze.

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And if all the preceding cheery news and commentary wasn’t enough for you, Krys in Idaho found this British article that illustrates that the stock market problems go far beyond our shores: Wall Street open: Share rout continues as jobless figures disappoint. Krys also found this piece to ponder: Volcker Says Finance System `Broken,’ Losses May Rise



Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Anybody moves, and they’re dead meat! (Pause, as he hears many vehicle engines approaching.) Oh, no, I think we’re all dead meat!” – Adam Cockburn as Jedediah Jr., in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (Screenplay by Terry Hayes and George Miller)



Note from JWR:

The high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is now at $400. The auction for a mixed lot that includes: Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried foods in #10 cans, (donated by Ready Made Resources–a $320 value), a NukAlert radiation detector, (donated by KI4U–a $160 value), a Wilson Tactical COP tool, (donated by Choate Machine and Tool Company, a $140 value), a DVD of 480 E-books on Alternative Energy (donated by WK Books–a $25 value). The auction ends on September 15, 2008. Please e-mail us your bid.



Letter Re: Controlling Your Inner Gun Nut–Balanced Preparations are a Must

Hello Jim,

Like many readers I have always been somewhat of a gun nut. Back when I was young and single I spent a lot of money on guns and ammo including items I didn’t really need that have since accumulated over time. I was single and had money to spend. Fast forward to the present with wife and kids and money is tight. There is not much left for prepping. So I decided to take stock of what I really need for my core battery of weapons/ammo and sell the rest and use the proceeds for prepping. Here are some lessons learned:

It’s important to have balance in your preparations between weapons and everything else. An M1A battle rifle is no more important than a Troy-Bilt tiller or a good pair of Danner boots. Ammunition has appreciated greatly in value and been an excellent investment (although [that was] not my original intent). My stocks of 7.62x54r, 7.62×39 and .303 British have at least doubled or tripled in value. A friend recently stated that Portuguese 7.62 NATO [ammunition in sealed battle packs] would have been a much better investment than gold. It would be nice to hold onto this ammunition longer and allow it to appreciate some more but there are other critical supplies that take precedence. You are correct when you state “tangibles, tangibles, tangibles” as a store of value. Hope this provokes some thought. – Jeff in Ohio

JWR Replies: Your observations are spot on. Prioritizing and logistical balance are crucial.

I can personally attest that Portuguese 7.62 NATO battle packs were indeed a great investment. Because of the Memsahib’s recent large hospitalization expenses, I’ve been forced to liquidate many of my tangibles. For example, I recently sold two cases of “Port”. (Each wooden case has 1,000 rounds, packed in 200 round battle packs. Each case weighs about 65 pounds.) These cases cost me $180 each in 2001. I just sold them for $475 each, and I’ve seen them recently sell for as much as $500 each. It is notable that there are very few bonds, stocks, or other investments that have appreciated so well in four years. My only regret is that I couldn’t afford to buy 30 or 40 cases at $180 each! As some of the characters in my novel often lament: “Oh well. Hindsight is 20/20.”



Letter Re: Pistol Holster Recommendations for Women

Dear James,
The recently given today about pistol holsters is fine….fine for men! And this is in no way criticizing the author – I just wanted to make a few continuation points on this subject that I think need to be addressed, in order for your readers to develop more well rounded preparations.

What often gets neglected in the firearms world is the plight of women. Women, in general, are not taken in to consideration when it comes to weapon and equipment design, and are usually talked down to by many in the industry, especially counter persons in gun shops.

Granted, some steps are being taken to correct this – I think the S&W M&P [semi-auto] pistol is a step in the right direction, with its various sizes of replaceable grips, and its torque absorbing design (in regard to shooting the .40S&W round.) But this is just start, and is by far not the norm in the industry.

In my opinion, nowhere are women more ignored than with proper pistol holsters. What works for men rarely works with any comfort or ease for the majority of women, and there are a few factors that need to be taken into consideration when the women readers of SurvivalBlog choose their gear (or a well meaning significant other does it for them.)

First – Women’s waists are approximately 2″-to-4″ higher than men’s. You can take a man and woman of the same height, stand them next to each other, and note where the belt line is. You’ll see it immediately once you know to look. This creates your first problem with any kind of 3-o’clock carry position. What ends up happening is that when the lady attempts to draw the pistol, she ends up drawing it into her armpit. It’s slow and uncomfortable for her. Look close at the next female police officer you see who’s department requires her to carry a standard issue holster in the 3 or 6-o’clock position. You’ll note how much higher the stocks of the weapon are in regard to her armpit, and how cumbersome that would be if you had to carry that way.

Second – Women have hips, and women have rear ends that curve outwards. And isn’t that why most men like them? We can’t deny that we know this, it’s what us men are always getting backhanded for staring at, so no excuses! Where this effects holsters is: a) 3-o’clock carry, because of the hips, ends up flaring the barrel of the pistol out, and causing the stocks to dig into her side – and it just gets worse when she sits down. b) Attempting to move the holster to some sort of kidney carry or small of the back is right out to to the curves on her rear end. c) Trying to carry IWB holsters just exaggerates the problem, regardless of clock position.

Third – Most holsters set up for strong side carry have what’s called an ‘FBI Cant.’ All this does is create even more problems on the draw stroke. What you usually end up seeing women do is roll their shoulder forward as they draw in order to compensate for the odd angle. Another discomfort factor. And lest not forget that some women have breasts (no really, it’s true), and that cant and carry method can be very uncomfortable.

So, the question now is: what do we do about all of this?

Here’s a base point: The only flat spot on most women’s waists (note that I said most – some women have flat rear ends and flat hips, but it’s far from the norm) is the inguinal channel. That’s the spot right where the leg meets the torso, and is commonly referred to in the gun world as the appendix carry position.

Many women find this the most comfortable place to wear a holster, both standing and sitting, should they choose to carry on their belt. One issue when choosing a holster is the proper cant angle, as the FBI cant will not work with this method of carry. One hint is to look for a cross draw holster set up for left-side carry (for the right-handed shooter), and [then instead] wear it on the right side of the body [, just to the right of the belt buckle].

There are a few companies I know of that will make such holsters in polymer, at the customer’s request:
Comp-Tac
Hoffners

And there are a couple of leather holster makers that will custom make them, as well:
Milt Sparks
C. Rusty Sherrick

Expect to pay, and expect to special order. And in the case of leather makers, expect to wait a long time. As I said in the beginning of this, the industry is not catering to the needs of women.

Next option, shoulder holsters. I’m not a fan of them for a number of reasons, but for some women it really is their best option.

Now, why is all of this such a big deal? For starters, all of us should care about the women in our lives, and women should care about their own lives. Seems pretty much like common sense, but my observation over the years when it comes to women allowing their men to buy their guns and holsters for them is this: It’s much like allowing your man to buy your underwear for you. He’ll buy what he thinks you look good in, not what functions for you in a practical manner. Many women will also go with what their father, brother, husband, boyfriend, or stranger at the gun shop recommends, because most women simply aren’t as experienced with such things, and will trust who they think knows more about it.

But the problem comes in when they try to train with ill-fitting gear, or to use it on a day-to-day basis. They end up fighting it the whole way, and many eventually give up on it. This doesn’t serve any of us well! If things ever get as bad as well think they might, we will need very set of hands available, to do as many jobs as they can. Your wife, grandmother, girlfriend, sister, daughter, etc., may be the only other adult on the spot that you trust. She may be who you rely on to defend you, or defend your children, or defend herself. And it probably won’t be during open warfare! It will probably be during the next extreme batch of weather or economic conditions, or when some evildoer decides to target you. She will probably have to carry a pistol concealed, everyday, all day. And she will need to do so as comfortably as possible, and with as much practice as possible beforehand. It will need to be on her person, and ready to go at all times. And if she can’t do so practically, she may just opt out of it all together in order to function, and that opens you, your family and her up to all kinds of potential risk.

Get the right gear for the right application! Yes, sometimes we all need to make due, and obviously lack of a proper holster should not be used as an excuse to loose a fight. But we should be getting proper gear now, while we can, and while we need to fire a few thousands rounds in training. And knowing what “proper” is….well, that’s half the battle! – Bill from Ohio

JWR Replies: Thanks for those comments. Just one proviso: Positioning a holster or magazine pouches forward of the hips makes crawling when prone very difficult. Plan accordingly. For post-TEOTWAWKI tactical carry, consider wearing a Y-harness or a load bearing vest. Not only will it distribute the weight of the belt more evenly, but you can also un-buckle your pistol belt when you need to low crawl, and not lose it.



Odds ‘n Sods:

Dave S. flagged this: Greek youths rob supermarket, hand out food

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More economic cheer, gleaned by SurvivalBlog’s Economic Editor, Cheryl N.: Fed Imposes Financial Sector Imperialism Over US, HSBC Super-Rich Clients Moving Into Cash, No Credit For Central Bankers by The Mogambo Guru, Ponzi Dynamics Still At Play, Gustav Hits US Economy, More Impact Due to Weaker Economy, and Intaxicating Rebate Checks–The Mogambo Guru.

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I generally agree with Bill Gross, but his recent suggestion smacks of socialism to me: U.S. Must Buy Assets to Prevent `Tsunami,’ Gross Says. (A hat tip to Krys in Idaho for the link.)

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The recent mention of newspaper fire log rolling machines prompted Eric to mention this one from Taylor Gifts, and this one from Lehman’s. OBTW, if you ever order anything from Lehman’s since they are one of our Affiliate Advertisers, we a get a teensy piece of the action, but only if you order using this Lehmans.com link. Thanks!

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A reminder that the WRSA has another “Grid-Down Medical Course” scheduled in Everett, Washington, September 12th to 14th. Their training is inexpensive, and highly recommended.





Note from JWR:

The high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is now at $370. The auction for a mixed lot that includes: Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried foods in #10 cans, (donated by Ready Made Resources–a $320 value), a NukAlert radiation detector, (donated by KI4U–a $160 value), a Wilson Tactical COP tool, (donated by Choate Machine and Tool Company, a $140 value), a DVD of 480 E-books on Alternative Energy (donated by WK Books–a $25 value). The auction ends on September 15, 2008. Please e-mail us your bid.



Letter Re: Holster, Sling, and Web Gear Recommendations

Howdy Mr. Rawles!
Before I begin, I’d like to offer my congratulations on your fine novel being republished. I’ve read it once myself, then again to my family (I hate television, reading is good family entertainment) which should be considered high accolades in itself. Currently my copy is in the Pacific Northwest, bound for the midwest next, as it continues to travel the country within my circle of friends.

I read the posted letter by R.P. on 26 August, and associated recommendations on holsters, slings, and web gear, and thought I’d offer some discussion on the matter:

The main reason pistols are currently worn on thigh rigs has less to do with ‘CDI’ [“Chicks Dig It”] factor and more to do with accessibility. When one wears a vest festooned with pouches, the bulk of these tend to hinder proper presentation of the pistol when the holster is worn conventionally on the pants belt. That is, if the pants belt can even be seen, as most wear their vests low enough to preclude such. The addition of body armor only exacerbates the situation. The pistol, therefore, is typically moved elsewhere – mostly onto a thigh rig or integrated into the vest itself. This is far from a new style though – the old leather 1911 holsters hung down from the frog clip to accomplish the same purpose.

As you noted, thigh holsters typically aren’t comfortable while ‘on the move’ . They are good for one thing though, and that’s an assault. Thus the reason that laden troops are often seen with them – those troops are equipped for an assault. Additionally, a conventionally mounted holster will typically interfere with a ruck waist belt. If not precluding ruck use entirely, at a minimum compromising comfort.

I’ve been working through these issues for years, and have come to some conclusions:

No one rig will ‘do it all’. Compromises abound and are mandatory. For the vast majority of time (as it applies to me) a light vest, at the
most, is all that is called for.

I am not personally a fan of the heritage [LC-1/LC-2 series] deuce gear. Not that the concept is wrong, bad, or anything else – but the ALICE clips (or as my associates and I came to call them, “meat hooks”) really did need to be jettisoned. They rub body parts raw, blistered, and cause other similar problems when used for any significant length of time. As well, the magazine pouches were designed more for extreme magazine retention and protection (security) than allowing a speedy reload, and the closure hardware on them never was very robust. When I had evolved my deuce gear as far as it would go, my pouches were all lashed to the pistol belt with gutted paracord. Using the grommets of the belt and the freshly-emptied ALICE clip slots on the pouches, paracord can be worked tight enough to prevent pouch movement laterally and vertically. Another consideration is that by using paracord, there is less metal to clink against other items. This technique worked well in my opinion, and happened to be identical to the way – in both layout and attaching – one of my closest friends independently evolved his LBE in Ranger school. If one is really attached to that generation of equipment, then I recommend this method of pouch attachment, as it is a quantum step up in comfort! Just make sure that the knots are oriented away from your body and melted somewhat, to prevent them from coming loose and the paracord sheathing from unraveling.

In my opinion the new generation of MOLLE load bearing vest (LBV) is superior to the old deuce gear – of course allowing that everyone is different. Not only are the MOLLE vests superior in comfort, but the modularity offers the capability of repositioning your pouches to find the placement where they feel best for that individual. I personally prefer the slightly older models that use two buckles in the front, as opposed to a zipper. Conveniently, these vests are low enough in cost that purchasing one per rifle, carbine, or shotgun isn’t cost prohibitive.

Like R.P. and yourself, I have attended Front Sight. I’ve also attended other top-notch institutions – I typically attend at least one course per year. As such, it should come as no surprise that after significant attempts at finding “a better way”, I also advocate using a conventionally mounted belt holster. It seems we prefer the same manufacturers as well – Blade-Tech and Milt Sparks specifically. The Milt Sparks folks talked me into trying the Summer Special II and I’ve been happily using that for the last three years or so and actually prefer it to the original Summer Special. I would also add Lou Alessi to the recommended holster-maker list, as I’ve been using his leather belt holsters for the last decade or so and am quite taken by his execution of the old Bruce Nelson design, which Lou calls the DOJ holster. Specifically, I prefer the slightly modified version he made for Dick Heinie. Those can still be ordered as such directly from Lou, as Dick quit carrying them. I’ve used several gun belts over the years, but eventually stuck with the Riggers Belt offered by The Wilderness. I prefer mine with the optional 5-stitch reinforcement, to make the belt less flexible under load.

I have found that the key to proper pistol presentation when wearing a vest is to have the vest ride high enough that it doesn’t interfere with the holstered pistol; not quite as high as a chest rig, but almost. As well, when laying out the pouches for attachment, I leave a open area on my front and both sides; approximately 10:45 to 1:15, 2:00 to 4:30, and 7:30 to 10:00 are all open space. This allows unimpeded access to a properly holstered pistol, as well as the spare pistol magazines and such on the opposite hip. The open area directly to my front is so that I can assume a solid prone position without lying on full magazine pouches; I space the pouches such that they act as wheel chocks when I’m in the prone. With the vest riding at this height, other items can be carried on the belt with decent access – a knife, pistol magazines, flashlight, multi-tool, and compass for example. With all that open area though, the vest really doesn’t carry much. As I’m not employed to assault enemy positions, I don’t need an assault vest. What I do need – and what the vest provides – is water, more ammo for the pistol and carbine, navigation, communications, and a blow-out kit. If called for, a PVS-14 or PVS-7D in rigid case can be quickly and securely attached to the water carrier on the back. As the unofficial motto of my favorite school says, “shoot, move, and communicate”, this vest is geared to meet those needs. What it is not geared to meet is self-sustainability. This vest shouldn’t be confused with a rig meant for patrolling, what one would choose to wear when knowingly venturing into unfriendly areas, or anything to sustain oneself longer than a few hours. Essentially this is a vest to be worn when contact isn’t expected, just something to work ones way back to a nearby resupply.

For the applications where the light vest isn’t sufficient, a ruck is called for, as well as a vest that works well with a ruck but also has the volume capabilities for sustainability. Of course, this is a trade-off, and there are many trade-offs involved in choosing kit. As always, determined by METT-T [Mission,+Enemy,+Terrain,+Troops+Time Available]. At this time, for a patrolling / heavy vest, I’m evaluating the K171 Arktis model. It’s heavier, bulkier, doesn’t allow unimpeded pistol usage (the pistol is stowed in a cross draw integral holster and meant to provide security over speed), and favors security over speed in reloading – but it does carry a patrolling load well.

On the topic of slings, I realize this is personal preference, but I prefer different slings for different applications. On a battle rifle or a precision rifle, I prefer the Quick-Cuff from Tactical Intervention Specialists. I’d been using these slings for years before our military adopted them as part of issue sniper kit – they really are top-drawer quality. I’ve used them on long-range courses and competitions and never regretted it. It doesn’t do anything that a good loop sling doesn’t do – it just does it faster and easier. For shotguns and carbines, it’s difficult to find better than the Giles or Vickers slings, in my opinion. When set-up such that the buttplate is approximately one fist height below the chin, these work very well.

At this point though, I’d like to reiterate your admonition that training must be sought. If a trip into the Arizona or Nevada deserts, the Oregon mountains, the Oklahoma hills, isn’t a viable option at the moment, then I also advocate the Appleseed Program [rifle matches and clinics]. These fine, hospitable folks will get you spooled up on the basics of marksmanship quickly and efficiently – I should know, I’ve been volunteering as an instructor for almost a year now. All the best, and God Bless! – Bravo