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HANDGUNNINGFebruary 2020 G&A 21Drop holsters can be dangerous.HOLSTER HEIGHTRECENTLY I WAS TALKING to Guns & Ammo Editorin-ChiefEric Poole, and our conversation turned to thewriters and pistoleros of yesteryear. We both consider ourselveshistory buffs when it comes to firearms, sothis line of discussion is common. Poole mentionedthat he was re-reading Bill Jordan’s“No Second Place Winner,” and recalledthat Jordan had some very specific ideaswhen it came to holster design andpositioning. While some of the Jordan’smusings are somewhat dated (and fodderfor another article), his thoughts on holsterposition remain relevant, even today. Asthe conversation turned from yesteryearto today, Poole said, “I think youhave your next column here.”Indeed. In fact, this articleis not going to make meany friends, especiallyamongst those in mychosen profession as apolice officer.You see, the dropswivel holster usedby my department,and the doubleleg-strappedSafarilandfound inmany others, aremore than just ameans of carryingsecure, quick accessto a gun. They’vebecome a symbol that suggests,“Hey, look at me! I’ma gunfighter!” Except thatthey’re not. These typesof holsters are garbagethat need to be sent to thedustbin of holster history, alongwith holsters that don’t cover thetriggerguard and those offeringno retention.Yes, you read that right. Dropholsters are garbage.JEREMY STAFFORDBold words, I know. And now you want to fight me? Thepainful truth is always better than a soothing lie, so let meexplain why drop-leg holsters are less than optimal fortoday’s law enforcement officer, soldier, sailor, Marine,and others.First, let’s talk about the argument thatmany proponents default to: speed.Before we even consider drills againsta shot timer, let’s just look at the physicsof the draw. You are not likely to start thedraw with your hand on the gun. The daysof resting your hand on the butt of the pistolwhen speaking to members of the communityare long gone. (Besides, it makes you lookscared, so don’t do it.) When drawing, thefurther away the handgun is from your waistline, the further your hand has to moveto get to get a grip. Now that you’vehad to move your hand further downyour body toward your knee, you’regoing to have to bring it back upyour body to present the pistoltoward the target. Because ofthat distance, the mechanicsof the draw are also goingto be compromised withyour bigger, less efficienttorso movements necessaryto get the gun aimed. While itmight not seem like much time ordistance, a long draw time consumestime in a gunfight, a luxury you’re notgoing to have much of when someoneis trying to kill you.The next factor to take a hard lookat is our ability to control the holster.There are many times in the course ofa fighting person’s career that beingable to physically control the holsterbecomes a matter of life and death,the chief concern during a lifethreateningaltercation in which abad guy attempts to disarm thegood guy. I have taught defensivetactics and firearm retention to
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