Benefits of Wearing an OWB Holster for Training

Of course, it's important that whenever you're out on the range training with your defensive carry gun that you're using the same mechanics, the same body motions as you would when you're actually defending yourself in the real world that could have to do with the gun that you're using. It certainly has a lot to do with the holster that you're using. when we talk about concealed carry, and presentation from that holster, whether it's concealed or openly carried here on the range. It's important remember that the mechanics, the way that you move your hand to the gun, the way that you establish your good firing grip on the gun, and then of course, the motion of the gun from the holster through the ready position, or even into a retention type shooting position. All of those things are going to be very specifically dependent on exactly where you carry the gun and the type of holster that you use. Now for a long time, I've recommended that people consider very seriously especially at the fundamental training level, wearing an outside the waistband holster when they're doing their first learning of presentation techniques. And certainly when you're trying to do all the high volume repetition of presentation from the holster directly to a shot, you do your assessment and then back into the holster. Now what's important about the outside of the waistband consideration really is safety. When I go back to this holster, even here at that four and a half or five o'clock position, after I'm dead my assessment, I visualize no longer needing the gun, I can look down and see that my shirt is not in the way of the re-holstering I'm about to do and I can get a visual reference directly down to the holster. Now you may have heard people say that you shouldn't look at your holster while you're putting your gun into it. It is true that you probably shouldn't absolutely need to, but in practice out here on the range and especially if you figure out the application of the skill for concealed carry. If you're not able to look away from your environment long enough to make sure that your holster is clear and that you can re-holster you probably shouldn't be re-holster. Again, back to the idea that the holster position and the holster type matter much more than whether you're inside the waistband or outside the waistband when it comes to practice. Let's think about it. If my shirt were untucked here, and I were carrying this firearm inside the waistband in one of these crossbreed holsters, this one happens to be the outside of the waistband snap slide holster and it's a great carry holster, if you do wear a cover garment if you have something that can cover that up with your shirt tucked in or you wear a bag your shirt than I have on right now. But it also is a great training partner for someone who carries with a super tucker other inside the waistband holster, after I simulate my startle reaction, or if I were in a position where I was saying, hey back up and I was going to a stage position. At this point, I am still reaching back behind my hip. I'm clearing that cover garment, I'm reaching down getting my good firing grip, and there's really no difference to anything I just did between outside the waistband and inside the waistband. Again, the draw stroke coming up against my body turning the gun driving out, shot, come back in, I assess make sure I don't need to shoot anymore. decided I'm going to re-holster well at this point. If this were an inside the waistband holster, you can see that first of all, I obviously looked down and I see that the holster is covered, I need to move that, that could very well be part of your re-holstering process anyway, as I come down now it's very easy for me to see the outside of the holster, know that I'm not covering myself and I can put this gun smoothly and safely back in that holster without having to dig around inside the waistband of my pants. And that's really where the danger and honestly the extra time comes from if you're trying to be safe in getting those practice reps. by carrying outside the waistband in a training environment. Even if I carry inside the waistband. In the real world, I'm getting realistic repetition with a higher level of safety. Of course using the crossbreed outside the waistband holster makes perfect sense if you use the excellent super tuck, mini tuck, or the appendix carry holster like I do inside the waistband from crossbreed. It's the same feel, it's the same re-holstering, maneuver. And of course it's the same position. That's incredibly important. The snap slide holster from crossbreed is just like all the other crossbreed holsters very durable, very rugged. Obviously it's gonna be good, it keeps the gun close to the body. If you wanna carry outside the waistband. It's a great training holster as well if you carry inside the waistband