Looking At The Holster

Looking At The Holster

The issue is looking at the holster on the reholstering. I know....I know...we are told its bad its wrong, ect. But why? Let me lay my case out.

1). According to our research, half of all unintended discharges resulting in shooter injury occur during the holstering process.

Sure...sometimes it is due to trigger fingers not being properly indexed, but there have been many times when it has happened due to some sort of obstruction in the holster, or misplacement of the pistol into the holster.

2). If the threat was still a threat, only a stupid idiot would be holstering his pistol. Read that again guys. Please enlighten me if there is any tactical reason to holster the pistol while facing a threat because I cannot think of any.

3). Often the police guys (I was once one) will say they have to holster to handcuff someone. That changes nothing. You do not point a gun at someone and then holster to handcuff. You hold them there, proned out, face down in the dirt, until your back up arrives and he points his gun at the bad guy. Then you holster and go handcuff. So the ability to keep eyes on target before holstering is of dubious necessity.

So, is it a big deal if a shooter looks at his holster briefly prior to holstering his piece?
No, I don't think so.

Now we are not saying to sit there gazing at the kydexial splendor of your holster for hours as you slowly holster, but simply a quick glance to verify everything is as it should be before introducing the pistol into the holster.

I spent 15 years in LE service and I saw many many guys who had been drilled to NOT LOOK at the holster, still do so very briefly when holstering. It is the same principle
we see in other actions under duress. The eyes want to see what the hands are
doing.

So are instructors being foolish to tell the students that "there is no threat in the holster"? That they should keep their eyes downrange while they holster the pistol?

In my never humble and always opinionated opinion, yes. There is nothing wrong with looking at the holster when placing the pistol back into the holster. If there was a threat, your pistol would remain in action. If there is no threat, your safety is better
served by holsering safely.

When you train with S.I. you will be looking at the holster briefly prior to reholstering. Why? Because it makes more sense, cost you nothing tactically, and gives immediate feedback of any clothing/obstruction.

Thoughts?

 

Comments

[Gene]

Makes perfect sense to me.

[sbemus (nv28)]

Be deliberate in thought and action(s). Anything and everything may find its way into an open holster.Spent part of last Saturday at a carbine match pre-loading the on deck shooters.Once again met "that" guy/gal with their rig/clothing not squared away.Even admin loading/re-holstering becomes an adventure (cover garment, shirt tails not tucked in properly,conflicts with suspenders and muzzles roaming along belt lines searching for a home.
Just look/glance your muzzle into your holster.

nv28

[Bob]

Looks like another good reason for the shoulder rig.

Not that I really every look at the holster when I carried on the waist. Practice and a rigid out semi rigid holster solved that issue.

sounds like more time practicing is in order.

[Doug Frazier]

You are absolutely correct. We spend too much time trying to install counter-intuitive drills into people who just need to practice more. Why can't you let the empty mag just drop; why can't you visually confirm the magwell location when reloading; why can't you fire at the muzzle of the threat? The delay & confusion created by trying to overcome evolution/mother nature leads to fumbles, which can be far worse than losing 1/10th of a second in a gun fight.

[Gregg Greenwood]

I know I'm in the minority on this.... but this is one of the reasons I was never able to feel 100% comfortable using a striker fired pistol for civilian CCW. As much as I like my Glocks, trying to push one into a holster that is back behind my hip and partly out of my vision makes me nervous. Even more so when I think about what if I was out in the real world with a jacket on and needed to re-holster, as you said.

In my case, I decided this is an area where a pistol with a hammer is just a better idea. Sure, my HK P2000 LEM has a light trigger and could somehow get that trigger snagged on something around the holster just like a Glock or other striker fired pistol. The difference is that I holster the HK with my thumb holding the hammer down. If you practice that simple procedure, a re-holster becomes a whole lot safer. IF you have a pistol with a hammer!

[Marvin Garabedian]

Good advice. Do not try cuffing with the gun in hand as there is normally a bilateral sympathetic reflex action. When you squeeze one cuff closed you can have (under stress) a pull on the trigger by the gun hand. Leaving the trigger finger out of the guard still shows with some it goes back in during stress and cuffing. It has happen before.
Also unreinforced mouths of some leather holsters get weary after years of use and the curved upper edge can enter the trigger guard when reholstering and the gun goes off as leather is pressing on the trigger. If you have a safety, put the gun on safe before holstering. May save having another hole in your body & injuring someone nearby.

[Gary Minter]

Gabe, I'm with you if there is a threat I need to be looking for or at, why am I even thinking of holstering my weapon? If I'm holstering my weapon I need to be sure everything is as it should be before I get the muzzle that close to my body and I am still exercising the same safety rules as if I am ready to fire.

[Chris F.]

I've experienced this situation a few times in classes and work. To me,not looking while holstering has it's place. But as with many things with training, a rigid over-emphasis has been put on it. If you're using awareness and safety, one can change his tactic and the sky won't fall. Believe me, looking at your holster can be a big help.

[Chuck Ebeling]

I partially agree. I think your eyes should be scanning the area even after the fight is over. Who knows if a BG will get a little adrenalin to pop off one last round to kill you. That could happen during that time your eyes are off the assailant(s) and looking at your holstering. That is what I call “ungood”! Also, for those of us who have an IWB kidney holster, the hoslter cannot be seen anyway. Yes I know most of you appendix carry and a few, though they may not admit it, hip carry. However not all of us have the same body type. I live in San Diego, where the weather is warm 90% of the time and I dress business casual. Light clothing is typical for the day. If I were to appendix carry it looks like I am wearing a colostomy bag. If I hip carry it looks like I have some type of spinal problem and people are offering me their handicap stickers! My suggestion? After the fight is over and your pistol is still pointed outward, do a quick check to your holster, (if it is viewable). That shouldn’t take longer than 0.3 seconds. Take a mental snap shot of your holster and clothing. If something needs to be adjusted, do it with your non firing hand. Then holster while maintaining your 360 scan. What is so hard about that? If you are worried about a bad holster causing a discharge, then why are you wearing it? You should be replacing your gear before it gets to that point. That is like carrying a firearm that you know only works occasionally. Maintaining your holster is just as important as maintaining your firearm.

[Mark E]

+1. YOU SAID IT BEST: "...a quick glance to verify everything is as it should be before introducing the pistol into the holster." I have always eye-balled the holster in any carry mode, with any holster material & on any mission. I am not L.E./military - simply a dangerous civilian.