Comparison of Pistol Holster Styles

There are almost as many styles of pistol holsters as there are styles of pistols. Pistol holsters are generally categorized by function -- sporting, concealment, tactical military and service duty. They can be further categorized by where they are worn on the body, such as shoulder holsters and ankle holsters. Pistol holsters are made from a variety of materials including leather, ballistic nylon and molded plastic. Leather is traditionally used for many of the sporting style holsters, but nylon holsters have become the most popular material for all other style holsters due to its inherent advantages -- it is inexpensive, lightweight and unaffected by wet conditions.

  1. Sporting

    • The sporting holster is the most common style of pistol holsters. Sporting holsters include the western gun holster (also called a cowboy action holster) and the fast-draw holster. Most sporting holsters are worn on the hip; some are a drop-leg design. Sporting holsters have varying levels of retention (amount of force required to remove the pistol from the holster) based on their intended use. A fast-draw holster used in competition events will allow maximum access to the pistol, whereas a holster used for hunting will have a high level of retention to prevent the pistol from falling out while climbing or being snagged while moving through the woods.

    Concealment

    • Most concealment holsters are made for small- to mid-sized pistols. The primary use is to keep the pistol secured and undetected. Concealment holsters may be worn as shoulder holsters, ankle holsters or pocket holsters, for example. Holsters that are clipped to the belt with the pistol worn inside of the waistband (IWB) are also considered concealment holsters. Law enforcement officials may use an ankle holster, in addition to their duty holster, to hold a concealed backup weapon. Nylon is the predominant material for concealment holsters because they are usually worn close to the body, so they need to be both comfortable and impervious to sweat.

    Tactical Military

    • The primary concern for tactical military holsters is level of retention and protection from the elements. For tactical military holsters, retention is not usually an issue. They are commonly designed with some sort of protection, usually in the form of a flap or other device, to make the pistol secure from being caught on obstacles and to protect the pistol from rain, mud and other conditions. Tactical military holsters need to be lightweight and withstand all kinds of abuse, so they are made of either nylon or molded plastic.

    Service Duty

    • Duty holsters are primarily worn by law enforcement. They are designed to be visible, attached to a belt and worn on the dominant side of the user. Duty holsters have secure retention, for example a thumb strap, to prevent a suspect from obtaining the pistol and disarming the wearer. Law enforcement may also use an IWB (inside the waistband) holster as a concealed backup.

    Considerations

    • There are other factors to consider when choosing a holster. Prices can range from $25 for simple, functional nylon holsters to thousands of dollars for specialty holsters made from exotic leathers. Depending on the style of the holster, you may need to consider comfort and how easy it is to adjust. You cannot use most concealment style holsters unless you have a concealed weapon permit. However, a shoulder holster worn on the outside of clothes and not covered by a jacket is not considered concealed -- this is a popular method of carrying a pistol because of comfort and easy access.

    Caution

    • Regardless of the style of pistol holster, a pistol should never be holstered in the locked-and-loaded state. This is dangerous for both you and others, and has been the cause of many shooting accidents.