Concealed Online Reviews | How to Choose the Best Holster For Concealed Carry

Here at concealedonline.com we know that choosing the right holster can make all the difference. Picking the right holster is as important as picking the right weapon. The best ones combine good concealment with unimpeded access to your gun. Remember: when it comes to a holster, cost alone should never be high on your priority list. You don’t have to break the bank, but cutting corners on this vital gear could cost you more than just a few bucks.

Your holster is the interface between your gun and your body. A substandard design could cause discomfort, a compromised draw, or losing your CCW altogether. Holsters come in many different shapes, sizes and styles.

 

There are so many, in fact, that we couldn’t possibly cover all of them in one article. So we’ve boiled it down to the five most important criteria to consider:

RETENTION

Most incidents that require you to draw your CCW will be sudden, close-quarters confrontations. That’s why retention is an important consideration, as in, making sure your weapon stays in your possession at all times. Losing it during such an encounter could spell disaster.

Retention devices include internal ones inside the holster or thumb breaks that help you secure your weapon if you’re engaged in a hand-to-hand altercation. Holsters that lack shape molding or retention screw pressure may not secure the CCW properly under these stressful circumstances. Retention systems that require a manual release are always preferable and highly recommended.

A good holster will be formed to a specific handgun and will maintain its form. A holster that is poorly fitted can cause the weapon to become easily dislodged, so it’s imperative to choose a quality leather or Kydex holster that matches precisely the contours of your handgun.

Proper fit holds the gun in place and prevents slippage. Molding around the trigger guard will lock the weapon in place and is found in most Kydex holsters. Adjustable screws let you customize how much pressure you need to draw your weapon without it flying out of the holster or out of your hand.

The BLACKHAWK SERPA is a holster you might want to look into.  It’s made from engineered thermoplastic which makes it both lightweight and durable. But what sets it apart is the Auto Lock feature, engaging the trigger guard upon holstering, effectively locking the gun in place. This safeguards your gun from an assailant yet still allows you an effective draw, which is the next criteria on our list…

EFFECTIVE DRAW

Under duress, you should be able to quickly access and present your handgun with ease. The holster needs to combine both a comfortable, complete grip on your handgun while still allowing you the ability to release any retention devices. Your draw stroke should be straight-line, pointing downrange, while lining up your sights.

CONCEAL-ABILITY

Seems obvious that you’d want a CCW holster that allows for the best concealment, but you’d be surprised how this little detail always seems to slip through the cracks.

The element of surprise is high on our priority list when responding to an attacker, so choosing a holster that allows for proper concealment is paramount to getting the upper hand. It also enables you to avoid awkward situations where your handgun may be inadvertently exposed to the public leading to a confrontation with law enforcement that has the potential to turn tragic.

 

TRIGGER GUARD

A good CCW holster should adequately cover the trigger guard. Plus the material should be rigid enough to ensure any object it comes into contact with can’t depress the trigger. You will also want to be sure that the holster design accommodates the safety.  A bad holster could disengage the safety on your pistol which could cause the weapon to fire unintentionally.

 

RE-HOLSTERING

When the gun is removed, the holster mouth should remain open and rigid. A reinforced throat will allow for this, and will especially come in handy when re-holstering with one hand.  The CCW holster you buy should allow for rapid one-handed drawing and unassisted re-holstering.

At concealedonline.com we got your back when it comes to concealed carry holsters. Our discriminating standards insist that the best holsters balance both concealment and accessibility, but still retain enough comfort to wear well in everyday situations. Buy smart, be safe!

Concealed Online Reviews | Getting “Made” – What To Do If Someone Spots Your CCW

What if someone notices I’m armed? Can’t happen to me! I’m careful with my CCW!

Oh yeah? Wanna bet?

Common sense clothing and carrying methods all but ensure no one will ever know you’re carrying, but it can still happen.

I’m going to assume you’re NOT the type who goes around wearing NRA or 2A T-shirts.

Even so, you still might get “made” and not even know it. Let’s explore…

NO!

DROPS
Law enforcement has a long history of responding to this kind of call which they commonly refer to as “DROP” reports.

As in: “hey officer, someone just dropped a gun in a bathroom stall at Starbucks!”

How to remedy this awkward, embarrassing, and potentially dangerous situation?

WRONG!

Toilet Tip: instead of letting the gun/holster DROP to the floor (along with your pants), hang on to your hardware with one hand while your other hand tends to your, uh, TP needs 🙂 Another option: use a handicapped stall which is designed to offer maximum privacy, meaning less of a chance someone will see your CCW when you’re “doing your business.”

PRINTS
Another, more common, way to get “made” in public is when someone notices the outline of your gun through your clothes or you reach up/bend over for something.

We call this “printing.”

First thing to do is make sure you have the proper holster for optimal concealment.

An inside-the-belt thumb-snap version covered by a loose fitting shirt or blouse should do the trick.

REALLY GOOD!

But still, it can happen to the best of us…

REALLY BAD!

In any of the above cases, make sure you check your ego at the door and do the right thing…

First… say you’re sorry to the person or persons nervously staring, eyes agape, at your CCW.

OOPS! NOPE

Next, offer to show them your permit. If they want to see it, don’t make any sudden moves. Pretend you’re in a slo-mo scene from a movie and produce your permit at the speed of molasses. And if you’re confronted by a police officer, keep your hands raised in front of you and ASK them if you can show them your permit, or… better yet… tell them where they can find it (preferably, your wallet) and let THEM do the honors.

Drops and prints are the two most reliable ways of telling if someone is armed.

If you happen to be on the receiving end of this unfortunate revelation, follow the tips above and you’ll be just fine!

Concealed Online Reviews | 3 Worst Gun Myths On the Internet

“Google it!”

These two words can be a blessing and a curse.  When it comes to guns, concealedonline.com has some serious pet peeves about the supposedly “good advice” you’ll find on the internet.

Here’s a list of our top 3 bits of bad gun advice you’ll regularly find online:

MYTH #1: Concealed Guns Should NEVER Be Carried with a Round in the Chamber

For safety reasons, a myth has been circulating that you should always carry with an empty chamber.

Well guess what?  There’s no way you’re going to have enough time to draw your self-defense handgun…

… rack a round, and effectively respond, ESPECIALLY if someone is coming at you!

Want proof?  Just look at Tueller Drills. They’ve shown that it takes only about ONE AND A HALF SECONDS for an attacker to cover 21 feet!

That doesn’t give you a whole lot of time to defend yourself, ESPECIALLY if your weapon has an empty chamber.

And this dovetails nicely into our biggest complaint about carrying with an empty chamber.  It’s a bad habit that leads to complacency.  When you ASSUME your firearm is unloaded, you get lazy, and laziness can lead to tragedy.

MYTH #2: As Long As Your Concealed Carry is UNLOADED, it’s Okay To Mess With It

We’re not even going to define what “mess with it” means, but it goes something like this…

“DON’T WORRY, I NEVER KEEP IT LOADED.”  Famous last words…

People routinely shoot themselves or someone else accidentally because they fail to observe the single most important rule for gun safety, namely:

Guns should ALWAYS be treated like they’re loaded AT ALL TIMES!

Every day you hear in the news about people who’ve shot themselves or others because they normally carry with an empty chamber and forgot that they chambered a round.

If you keep your firearm loaded and ready to fire, you don’t have to pretend your gun is loaded at all times.  You know it is and always treat it that way!

MYTH #3: At the Range, You Should Only Train For Head Shots

Head shots are easy on the range.  But in real life, you rarely have time to aim for the head…unless, of course, you’re John Wick…

.. or a trained SWAT sniper with superior shooting skills!

If not, you will want to remember these two words… CENTER MASS!

Firing for center mass allows for INACCURACY.  If your hand is shaking or you fire from an unsupported position, hitting the center part of a target affords you the greatest chance of the bullet landing somewhere that stops an imminent attack.

In conclusion, here’s something we at concealedonline.com feel bears repeating: if you’re not prepared to use deadly force to protect yourself, don’t carry concealed!

Concealed Online Reviews | 3 Dead Giveaways That Someone is Hiding A Gun

IS THAT A GUN IN YOUR POCKET, OR…. ?

Certain behavioral tics can tip you off that there’s a gun violator in your midst. That is, if you know what to look for!

In this blog, team concealedonline.com lays bare the most common giveaways.

1. Constantly Checking To Be Sure It’s There

Gun violators have a bad habit of continually touching…

… fidgeting…

… fingering…

… or somehow adjusting their (supposedly) hidden weapon.

They do it over and over, as if the gun could miraculously move on it’s own! This neurotic checking and rechecking can manifest as bumping the weapon with a hand, wrist or elbow – depending on what type of holster is being worn.

The most obvious offenders will nervously palm the weapon, thinking no one could possibly have noticed! Of course, if you’re observant enough, YOU WILL DEFINITELY NOTICE!

2. Weird Walk

Gun violators often adopt an unnatural gait or posture that reveals they’re carrying a hidden weapon.

For instance, if they happen to be packing a long gun in their pants, they tend NOT to bend at the knees. They may also walk funny, hands on hips, due to a weapon secreted away!

A distinctive Quasimodo-like, hunched-over manner of walking is also a good way to identify a stashed weapon.

3. “Printing” 

An alert observer can spot the bulge of a weapon – called “printing” – the outline of a handgun underneath clothing.

When a gun violator walks, be on the lookout for a bulge or gun butt visible as the weapon moves back and forth… or you might notice a bulge under the armpit (in the case of a shoulder holster).

So there you have it, the 3 most common giveaways that someone has a concealed weapon on their body.

Team concealedonline.com hopes you’ll remain ever-vigilant!

Concealed Online Reviews | 3 Deadliest Civil War Weapons

In the entire history of America, the Civil War was by-far the most deadly, with over 600,000 killed and 1 million (plus) wounded. Compare that to WWII where we lost 400,000 with around 700,000 wounded!

And what makes these comparatives even more mind-boggling is that some of the most deadly weapons – fighter planes, bazookas, tanks – were still decades away from being invented! That said, the Civil War had its share of lethal weapons, so let’s take a look at the top 3 deadliest:

1 – GATLING GUN

Hands down, THE deadliest weapon available at that time. The first multi-barreled machine gun was invented by a doctor of all people. But hey, his intentions were good since Gatling thought it would make the operator so lethal, it might actually make wars obsolete (irony sucks, doesn’t it?)

This bad boy was a .58 caliber, six-barreled gun featuring a hand crank that rotated the barrels. It could fire six hundred rounds a minute (the same as 150 soldiers), and the rotating barrel is alive and well today in modern-day gatling guns as well as co-starring (alongside Arnold) in the “Terminator” movies.

2 – HENRY REPEATING RIFLE
Two words: Assault Rifle. The fastest-firing weapon a soldier could wield at the time.

The Springfield 1861 could only manage 2-4 shots per minute. The Henry Repeater, on the other hand, could spit all 16 shots in its magazine in under a minute.

Oh, and unlike the Springfield, which used separate black powder, a percussion cap and bullets, the Henry combined all three in a single .44 caliber metallic cylinder, basically the modern ammo cartridge used today.

3 – LEMAT PISTOL
Two-guns-in-one. The most lethal (and weird-looking) handgun of the Civil War.

The LeMat was a nine-cylinder .42 cal that held 50% more rounds than a standard revolver. Design-wise, it was a bizarre sight to behold, with a SECOND single-shot barrel that fired shotgun rounds! A switch on the side let the shooter toggle between handgun and shotgun modes!

Concealedonline Reviews – John Wick’s Top 3 Tips for Concealed Carry

Super-assassin John Wick never leaves home without strapping on his trusty concealed carry.

But that’s not one of ’em.

Nope… not that one either.

Yep, that’s more like it.

Anyway, here’s a few choice tips he shared during some downtime before embarking upon his latest international adventure.

[***Approved by the High Table international assassin’s guild.]

If You’re Armed, Always Be Armed
If you conceal carry, you’re at a disadvantage. You don’t know where or when an attack may come from.

You react. You don’t act. For you, it’s all about self-defense, not self-OFFENSE.

Which means you must be forever prepared… forever-vigilant… forever ready for anything.

But not like this. A hand is good. A handGUN is better.

Point being, when you don’t know where or when the attack’s coming from, there’s only one thing to do…

… always be armed.

If You Aren’t Prepared To Use Your Concealed Carry, Don’t Carry
Don’t bluff. If you carry, you better be certain that you can and will use deadly force in a legitimate self-defense situation.

As JW perfectly put it: “If you hesitate at the moment of truth, prepare to become a victim.”
Those who hesitate will very likely be disarmed by their attacker, only to have their own weapon used against them. On the other hand, if the attacker realizes you mean business, he will be deterred.

If you’re ready and able to do what must be done, the likelihood is you will never actually have to do so.

Don’t Let The Gun Make You Stupid
If you carry, you carry a great responsibility. You are held to a higher standard of conduct.

You are expected to avoid, not seek out, situations that could quickly escalate and, with a deadly weapon at hand, turn deadly.

To quote JW: “Remember that stupid road rage incident you had last week? Good. Knock it off.”

Your CCW carries with it the power of life or death. That power belongs in the hands of responsible people who understand consequences.

Concealedonline Reviews – What’s The Point of Hollow Points?

Most law enforcement uses hollow point bullets for one very good reason: they pack the most punch of any handgun ammunition!

Expansion vs. Penetration

Collateral damage is a nightmare scenario for law enforcement. Precision shooting is literally a life-or-death concern in a crowd or public place where innocent bystanders could get caught in the crossfire.

The problem? Most bullets are designed to move THROUGH a target and keep on going. Which means there’s a high risk of the bullet striking an unintended target.

Hollow point ammo, on the other hand, expands upon impact, maximizing stopping power. The expansion is caused by the hollow tip of the bullet. This allows the internal organs and tissue of the target to be severely impacted.

Penetration is minimized. Collateral damage is all but non-existent.

Designed to expand, the diameter of a hollow point increases as it passes through the target. The more a bullet expands, the less it will penetrate due to FRICTION.

Concealed carriers and experienced shooters prefer hollow point bullets. Here’s why:

• Because it’s a small-arms projectile, it can be used in concealed carry guns.
• It’s perfect for self-defense… the #1 reason why most people carry concealed.
• Due to reduced expansion inherent in most bullets, the pass-through factor means that what they hit often leaves targets less impaired. Not a good thing when you need to bring your target down fast.

• Hunters want to maximize the impact of their shot. To do this, the expansion of hollow points is indispensable.

Takeaway

First, hollow point bullets expand on contact and reduce the risk of hitting unintentional targets downfield.

Secondly, almost every law enforcement agency in the country uses hollow point ammo because it’s more effective at stopping attackers. As in, lethal.

Learn More:

https://www.concealedonline.com/

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https://dotsub.com/view/41e7cc33-968d-4f8e-8a2d-fbd7a55e8bf1

ConcealedOnline Reviews – End the Debate: Revolver or Semi-Auto? Which Works Better for Concealed Carry?

There are 15 people right now at your local gun shop. Step in and ask them if you should concealed carry with a revolver or a semi-auto and you’ll get 15 different opinions.

Well here’s another opinion for you: To end the revolver vs. semi-auto debate, you need to consider your concealed carry needs, your shooting style, and a few other factors those 15 guys at your local range aren’t even thinking about.

Sure, there are already 1,000 opinions out there on forums, blogs, and in magazines…

Isn’t it time to analyze your style, needs, and goals and come up with your own opinion? Keep reading to learn more…

Let’s Talk Reliability and Concealed Carry

If you’ve been reading about revolvers already you’ve heard quite a bit about “second strike capability.”

So, if you’re firing a revolver and you have a misfire, you can just pull the trigger again.

Revolvers allow you to make this second strike. Your trigger pull advances the next cartridge.

Die-hard proponents of revolvers for concealed carry will tell you “semi-automatics don’t have second strike capability.” You know what? It’s true. A few semi-automatics allow you to pull the trigger again to re-strike the same cartridge…but that’s not even the same, is it?

But here’s the thing…

You’re going to have to look hard to find a pistol you’re willing to actually buy for concealed carry that you can’t rely on.

Think about it! Out of all the brands you’ve been looking at…

Revolvers, semi-autos, Smith & Wesson, Glock, Taurus, Colt, the list goes on…

There are few pistols from major manufacturers available today that you can call “unreliable.”

On top of that, when  loaded with the ammo you’ll use in a life-or-death situation (that’s right, the premium stuff, not low-quality home-reloaded from the hobbyist down the street with second-rate powder), you’re very unlikely to experience failure.

When you pull the trigger, it’s likely your premium self-defense ammo will fire in any modern pistol. “Second strike capable” or not, reliability in this regard is a wash.

Now what’s out of the way, let’s talk about what’s really important…

Think Recoil, Not Reliability

So you pick a revolver because of reliability…

Now you have something else to face: Recoil.

When you fire a revolver, the hammer drops, the bullet leaves the barrel and nothing else moves. All of the force from the bullet you just fired needs to go somewhere. And it heads right back into your hands.

Heavy revolvers help reduce this recoil. Most of the revolvers you’ll concealed carry don’t (simply because they are smaller and lighter).

Semi-autos are built to dissipate the force of a bulleting being fired.

Some of the force from every bullet leaving the chamber is used to move the slide back. Pressure bleeds off and moves the barrel. The motion of the gun itself and the design of semi-automatics draw away the force and pressure of firing your pistol.

What does this mean?

Pick a caliber and a pistol weight and a semi-auto will feel like it recoils less.

When seconds matter and help is minutes away, you’ll want less recoil to keep your rounds on target.

Capacity is Another Consideration

This one is short…

You can fit more rounds in most semi-automatics.

Higher capacity without reloading (and faster reloading time) is paramount to nearly everything else in life or death situations.

You’ll be trained to carry concealed, you’ll be prepared to fire (hopefully), and even then, in most “must shoot situations” not all of your rounds will make it to target.

Studies show that most of the time simply having a weapon, firing a single round, and hitting your target just once will protect you and your family. Armed assiliants are rarely prepared for bystanders who are carrying concealed.

But at the end of the day would you rather be prepared to reload quickly? Armed with a magazine of 10 rounds you can reload in under 2 seconds? Or do you want to fire 5 or 6 and end up stuck reloading a revolver?

But What About Complexity?

Revolvers are easier to fire.

They are simple, with no-frills operation.

Put rounds in, close the cylinder, pull the trigger. Rinse and repeat.

Semi-automatic pistols have more steps. Insert mag, rack the slide, safety, shoot…

Revolver fans love simplicity. There’s less to go wrong and (importantly for some) fewer steps to “learn.”

But if you’re carrying concealed, you’re going to be training anyway, right?

How Do You Choose?

Here’s the bottom line…

Semi-Automatics give you more rounds, less recoil, and improved reloading time. Do you need to worry about duds and second strike capability? Maybe.

Are revolvers easier to operate? You bet.

At the end of the day you need to choose the concealed carry pistol YOU feel most comfortable with. That’s how we can all end the revolver vs. semi-auto debate.

Concealed Online Reviews – Temper Control: How NOT To Lose It When Carrying Concealed

Attitude Is Everything

People who carry concealed have 2 VERY distinctive bad habits:

An inflated sense of self-confidence…

A fear that everyone KNOWS they’re carrying!

 Not good.

They can also act in a way that makes it really easy to figure out that they’re hiding something.

Also not good.

On top of that, they tend to have a quick temper and get ticked off if you so much as look at ’em funny.

 Really not good.

Remember fellow CCW community, the minute you get angry, impulsive or rash, your ability to think straight goes right out the window. Focusing becomes harder and emotions take over any attempt to act natural, remain cool, calm and rational.

Carrying concealed should NEVER be for purposes of punishing or intimidating someone! Period. Full stop.

A good rule of thumb is…

Learn To Mind Your Own Business

AVOID the wrong kind of attention!

You’ll be a lot less likely to stick your nose in something that could trigger (pun intended) an unfortunate altercation. Plus, by managing your emotions, you won’t stand out and make people around you feel like you’re packing heat!

At its core, self-defense is an art that must be mastered to respond appropriately and effectively to dangerous situations. Always remain reasonable, friendly, humble and thoughtful… the most important things to remember if you elect to carry concealed.

Concealed Carry – How To Run and Gun While Carrying Concealed

Carrying Concealed While Doing Your Daily Jog

We at concealedonline.com support a healthy lifestyle… but running with a loaded firearm can be bad for your health!

All that bouncing around can be a big problem for most holsters.

Securing your gun is something most traditional holsters offer. But a standard holster doesn’t provide proper trigger protection if you run with a gun.

Accidents WILL happen when there’s a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on!

Whether at the gym or at your local park, here are a few “Don’ts” for carrying concealed when excessive movement is in the mix:

Don’t Cock Your Gun

Stating the obvious, right? Well, yeah — but you’d be surprised how many joggers do just the opposite.

Better to keep the safety on your handgun even when the holster has some form of trigger guard which could accidentally set off the weapon with excessive vibration.

Don’t Wear A Short Jacket

Longer jackets suck for running but offer the ability to position the weapon further from your body.

OWB holsters work great with sweatshirts or hoodies and are perfect for keeping the concealed gun away from your body while running.

Don’t Carry A Big Gun

Big guns do not conceal well.  Compact firearms are easier to hide while maintaining an athletic lifestyle.

For instance… this might be a little too conspicuous…

Don’t Use An Ankle Holster

The cons outweigh the pros of an ankle holster… literally.

All that extra weight on your legs is bad for your knees, plus the fact that most of the shaking starts in your legs will definitely shake loose your gun.

Better to go with any form of shoulder, tank top or waistband holster. They work wonders at keeping the gun away from your body, hiding the weapon, and causing as little discomfort as possible.

Don’t Underestimate the Bad Guy

Bad stuff happens to good people anytime, anywhere. Better to be prepared than to let your guard down when you’re out doing your daily exercise regimen.

We at concealedonline.com support a healthy, concealed carry lifestyle.

ConcealedOnline.com Reviews Concealed Carry Course