Off-Duty Carry

CARRY-2B

Pockets And Purses.

When I started my career, the fanny pack was all the rage. Though the man-purse was convenient, it wasn’t exactly fashionable. More importantly, unless you were on vacation at an amusement park, it simply screamed COP! Then firearms companies got smarter and started making quality handguns smaller and lighter. But there’s more to carrying one of these little guns than just stuffing it into your pocket.

You should always dedicate the pocket to only carrying the gun — nothing else. Keys, change and your lucky crystal charm all have a way of getting into the triggerguard and causing bad things to happen. You should also carry the gun in a pocket holster every time it goes into your pocket. This protects the gun and your clothing, keeps the gun from printing and keeps that “Oh, there it is” lost mini-pocket knife from finding the trigger. And believe me, it will.

Galco is well-known for their top-quality design and production. Their handsome and stylish Del Holster Handbag allows a woman to carry a handgun safely and securely, but still allows fast, sure access.

Handbags

Simply put, American female fashion doesn’t lend itself to concealing a gun. Pocket and even belt holsters are difficult for many women to wear, but one thing most women carry is a purse of some kind. I realize I don’t usually carry a purse, so what am I doing talking about this? Since we’re exposed to manufacturers who make all sorts of carry-gear, we’re also exposed to options made for women. And luckily there are several good companies making handbags designed for carrying handguns. One of the best is Galco.

Notice I said they were designed to carry the handgun. A purse built for concealed carry should have a dedicated space for the handgun — keys, cell phones, handcuffs and pepper spray need to find their own place. The gun pocket must be secure and keep the gun from being easily discovered, but it also has to be accessible while the wearer is carrying the purse — in the real world, not in one of those photos where a model is posing.

I’ve seen female detectives come to the range to qualify while carrying a regular purse, with their gun stuck in the main pocket. When told to draw the weapon, they have to take the purse off their shoulder then dig around and rummage to find where the gun is hiding. Galco offers a full line of women’s handbags, giving female officers plenty of options for carrying their gun off-duty or in plainclothes work.

One of Galco’s best sellers is the Del Holster Handbag. I had several female officers tell me this was their favorite model. The Del is a beautiful, square-shaped bag made of glove-tanned leather. It has pockets where needed, a side-entry holster compartment with a locking zipper and comes in tan, black or chocolate brown.

There are many ways to carry off-duty. Be prepared to experiment, think outside the box, be creative and make sure you reach out to others to learn what they’ve found works for them. You’ll eventually build your own “box of holsters and stuff” that didn’t work, but that’s money well spent, trust me. When the dust settles, you’ll likely have some solutions for this often tough-to-solve problem, and be safer and more comfortable as you carry your gun.

Recluse offers several pocket holster options and ideas.
Their One Sided and Two Sided models offer security
and speed for pocket carry.

Recluse Holsters

I’ve been using pocket holsters for years and have found several I really like. I’m always on the lookout for something new, which is how I met Tod Cole from Recluse, LLC. Tod makes the Recluse Holster, a pocket holster with several different variations and innovations I hadn’t seen before. These are all-leather holsters, made in your choice of leather or horsehide and black or natural colors.

They’re offered in two primary models: the One Sided Holster and the Two Sided Holster. The name says it all. The One Sided model has a short pouch at the bottom to cup the muzzle. In the middle of the holster is a trigger block, which is custom-molded to each model of firearm and fits around the trigger inside the triggerguard. This keeps the holster thin and ensures the gun can’t be fired, but it still allows a simple, fast draw. As you achieve your grip, it forces the gun off of the trigger block, allowing the pistol to be pulled free.

The Two Sided Model doesn’t have the trigger block and differs from the conventional design. It has a molded inner layer, only sewn down low, allowing the two sides to expand so you can get a full grip on the gun while it’s still in the pocket. I have this model for my Kimber Solo and it works great.

It fully covers and protects the ambidextrous safety and is very comfortable to wear with jeans or slacks. As with all pocket holsters, never try to re-holster the gun with the holster in your pocket. You should remove the holster, put the gun in it and then put the holstered gun back into your pocket.
By John Russo