Reholstering - Ease, Practice, Holster selection

[Craig_AR]

A recent thread moved into a side issue on the process of reholstering after firing your handgun. I thought a thread on just that topic would benefit us. A quick search of THR for the word "reholster" showed almost all of the threads are about appendix (AIWB) carry.
Aspects that may be worth discussion:
Should we practice the movement?
Why should you need to use it?
Where can you practice?
Should you have to look at the holster, or is it ok to reholster without looking?
Does carry position make a difference, e.g. pocket, shoulder holster, OWB, IWB, AIWB?
Considerations for holster selection.

My recent awareness began six months ago when I finally began tactical self defense training with my handgun. My instructor requires all participants use a holster that stays open while empty to allow ease of reholstering. He also has us practice the process during training and IDPA-style competition.
YouTube study has given more information, such as John Correia insisting a SD holster MUST stay open, avoiding holsters that collapse (my Robert Mika pocket holster does not collapse). Many other YouTube instructor(?) videos give special attention to reholstoring without muzzling yourself when carrying AIWB.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

Anyone who has had handguns training already knows the answer to all these questions. Get that training, and all your questions will be answered.

 

[Kleanbore]

Anyone who has had handguns training already knows the answer to all these questions. Get that training, and all your questions will be answered.

Many of those who have done that might have appreciated the opinions of theres before choosing their holsters.

Do you have anything helpful to offer?

 

[Craig_AR]

Anyone who has had handguns training already knows the answer to all these questions.

An awful lot of handgun owners who have taken only a basic safety and shooting course on a range, such as the NRA Basic Pistol Course, will tell you they have had "handgun training." They don't know what they don't know.

 

[labnoti]

What does "stay open" mean? How far open? Would you specify a requirement for a rigid kydex holster or is a soft holster acceptable as long as it remains open enough to insert the muzzle and gun without using the support hand to open it?

Also, I would expect there to be a difference between an early training holster and concealed carry holster. For introductory and beginner classes, it could make sense to have students use a rigid OWB belt holster while they're still learning to handle the gun. Moving to concealment holsters, adding a concealment layer, using things like appendix or cross-draw and shoulder holsters are progressions that instructors don't want to deal with on a firing line of beginners. That doesn't necessarily mean that they should be 'prohibited' or advised against as generally bad practice for everyone.

 

[labnoti]

The most meaningful advice I can offer is not to rush reholstering. Some people, when they begin to add speed to the process of drawing and firing, instinctively try to reholster fast as well. When they learn to draw without looking down at their holster, they might also attempt to reholster without looking at it. This is ill-advised. In a non-practice incident, it is better advised to keep the firearm unholstered until the situation has been resolved so that you can take your time to carefully reholster while looking at what you are doing.

 

[GBExpat]

The most meaningful advice I can offer is not to rush reholstering. ...

IMO, an excellent bit of advice!

===

Almost all of my carry time involves one of several pistols in a DeSantis holster protruding from the right-rear pocket of my 501s.

Early-on after studying the issue with my, at the time, new-to-me-style holster I realized that the only truly safe way to reholster pistols in this configuration involved actually removing the empty holster from the pocket to re-install the pistol and then put the combination back into the pocket.

 

[Telekinesis]

I guess I should start with the obligatory “get good training” comment. Look for classes that do a lot of reps from concealment and have good student/instructor ratios. Getting good feedback from an instructor on what you’re doing right and what you can improve on is invaluable.

With that out of the way...
Yes, reholstering should definitely be practiced, but so should drawing. I would recommend doing dry practice as often as you can - and make each step deliberate. Putting the gun back in the holster is just as important as taking it out. Don’t focus so intently on the steps of the draw and then just slam the gun back in the holster. Ideally, reverse the steps of the draw.

Being able to draw and holster safely and quickly is all about repetition (same thing with reloads and malfunction clearances). If you take some time and do 5-10 reps a day, that’s 150-300 reps per month. Remember, Practice makes Consistent, perfect practice makes perfect. Treat it as practice where you focus on getting the steps of the draw right, rather than just speed. Speed will come.

Also remember that drawing from concealment is going to be different than drawing from something like a retention holster on a battle belt. I find that while there are obviously commonalities, each gun is a little bit different depending on how it is carried, and each position is a little different depending on which gun I’m drawing. Start with your most likely to be carried gun/position combination, and then start expanding to others. Once you get good with that, start working on drawing with your support hand.

I’ve heard different rationals regarding looking or not looking while holstering. It seems that most discussions that I’ve heard for not looking while holstering come from LEO type of situation where you might draw your gun but later have to holster and transition to something else (less lethal, handcuffs, etc) while there is still a threat (but not necessarily a lethal threat) - so you don’t want to take your eyes off of the threat. Most of those situations would also involve unconcealed holsters that likely have a clear path for the gun (is no cover garment to clear).

That said, I think it is important to be able to holster without looking, even if as a non LEO I don’t think it is likely that I will be in a situation that absolutely requires me to do so. Who knows, it may be dark. I practice both looking and not looking while holstering, but prefer to look when possible. If you’re not looking while reholstering, make absolutely sure that your cover garment is well clear of your holster (which again, should already be part of your draw).

I think a holster that stays open without the firearm present is extremely important. This is a requirement if you want to be able to holster one handed or without looking. It doesn’t necessarily have to be kydex (there are some good leather holsters that will stay open) but it’s easier to find a kydex holster that will remain open.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

All of the training I've taken has stressed quality equipment (IOW no Uncle Mike's, no DERPA, no sticky holsters and no Urban Carry). Most of them stressed being able to holster one handed more than without looking.

When I worked as an armed guard we were taught to reholster without looking in case we had to put our gun away and hand cuff someone (as if).

When I went through the armed certification I asked the instructor multiple times under what circumstances I would be expected to handcuff someone. They refused to answer which was all the answer I really needed. It was a course requirement though so I did it their way and the habit has stuck with me.

I don't rush reholstering but I won't use a holster that takes both hands to reholster. The only exception to that is a pocket holster. I'm not shoving a loaded gun in my pocket under any circumstances.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

Many of those who have done that might have appreciated the opinions of theres before choosing their holsters.

Do you have anything helpful to offer?

Yes, my recommendation to the OP as well as to everyone else who buys a gun to carry is as I stated, get training specific to that firearm so all his questions would be correctly answered.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

An awful lot of handgun owners who have taken only a basic safety and shooting course on a range, such as the NRA Basic Pistol Course, will tell you they have had "handgun training." They don't know what they don't know.

^^This^^

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Yes, my recommendation to the OP as well as to everyone else who buys a gun to carry is as I stated, get training specific to that firearm so all his questions would be correctly answered.

Training is too broad a term.

Training specific to that firearm is still too broad of a term.

I think a basic personal defense class as opposed to a basic CHP class would probably answer most of the questions asked in the original post

 

[jmorris]

Should we practice the movement?
Why should you need to use it?
Where can you practice?
Should you have to look at the holster, or is it ok to reholster without looking?
Does carry position make a difference, e.g. pocket, shoulder holster, OWB, IWB, AIWB?

To be proficient at any activity one must practice.

Because to carry a firearm, one must first put it somewhere.

Anywhere that is safe and is allowed. I have done it more at home than anywhere else, with unloaded (or inert “dummy” rounds) firearms and magazines.

Lot of holsters I couldn’t look in as I holster, SOB for example and would say it’s certainly OK to do so without. Safety on if applicable and finger outside the trigger guard.

Yes and no. I don’t carry a firearm in my pocket in the same condition I might carry one in a holster, so yes but the reason for that is safety and that’s the goal whenever I have a firearm, so no.

 

[FL-NC]

Given the designs and materials available today in selecting a holster, a user should be able to re-holster efficiently, with 1 hand, and not need to look at the holster to do it. Anything that prevents the user from doing this "matters".

 

[herrwalther]

I have noticed in my holster selection there are 2 things I like that help me reholster. The first, is the holster's ability to stay open. With older leather holsters IWB, they collapse between your pants and body without any reinforcement. This design almost forces you to use a second hand to open the holster, to insert the firearm. These kinds of holsters should be avoided. Fortunately, these are relatively uncommon given the rise of kydex and hybrid holsters.

The other is a top flap of some kind, usually referred to most holster makers as a swear shield. The sweat shield can hold up your cover garment while your firearm is drawn. Cover garment is everything from a T shirt to a jacket, covering your concealed firearm. You can tuck your cover garment behind the sweat shield, making sure it is out of the way when you reholster.

 

[1911 guy]

Most handgun owners have never been trained in proper and safe draw or holstering. Yes, a holster should stay open, no you shouldn't holster without making sure there is nothing obstructing it. Stuff getting inside a trigger guard makes bad things happen.
Clint Smith and a few others have good youtube videos on some of these basics. Practice properly and practice slowly.