Holsters 101
(12 Photos)
If you think there's a wide variety of handguns to choose from these days, wait until you get a load of all the holsters and retention systems folks have devised for carrying them. While it's not possible to review every option on the market, here is an introduction to some of the more common holster types available.
Posted by: B. Gil Horman
Cross Draw Holsters
This style of holster places a handgun on the weak-side of the body with the grip facing forward of the body so that the handgun can be drawn by the strong-side hand. The shooter reaches across the torso to grip and draw the pistol, thus the name crossdraw. This approach may seem counter intuitive by today's standards, but it made perfect sense back when the system was first invented. It provided a way for individuals riding horses to comfortably wear and draw long-barreled revolvers, since the revolver was essentially resting in their laps when sitting in the saddle.
Today, cowboy-action shooters can still find replicas of the original crossdraw holsters, like the Texas Throw-Down (Left) from Wild Guns Leather Co. of Texas. Modern crossdraw holster designs include the DeSantis Dual-Angle Hunter (Upper Right), and the Bond Arms Driving (BAD) Holster (Lower Right). The advantages of the updated crossdraw holster include a high level of comfort for extended periods of time spent in a seated position, and ease of access for a weak-hand draw in an emergency. The disadvantages of this holster style include an extended arch of travel that can sweep objects to the shooter's side, and a longer reach with the dominant shooting hand to retrieve the gun. Like the small-of-the back holsters, the crossdraw requires practice to become familiar with and to use properly.
