Buying a Suppressor – Easy Tips
Yes, suppressors are perfectly legal. Yes, anyone who can legally buy a gun can also buy a suppressor—it just takes more paperwork and a donation to Uncle Same in the amount of $200. Alan explains the basics of suppressors and how to buy one with minimal pain and suffering.
The Revolver .32 H&R Magnum Makes a Comeback?
Roy explores a new offering from Charter Arms - a revolver chambered in .32 H&R Magnum. After losing attention to the .327 Federal Magnum, many thought this caliber would fade away, but like shooting .38 specials in a .357 Magnum wheelgun, shooting the H&R can be a lot more enjoyable and perfectly adequate for defensive use.
The Right Grips Can Make All the Difference
The right grips can make all the difference. Sometimes, original factory designs (primarily on older guns) are just… wrong. Other times, individual hand size and shape don’t quite mesh with the shape of your particular gun. Whatever the reason, customizing grips can make a big difference in how well you handle and shoot your handgun.
Bold Take? If You Draw Your Gun, You’ve Failed
Steve Tarani, Gunsite and independent instructor, is one of those guys you’ve seen wearing a dark suit in the background of presidential photos and such, so he knows a thing or two about protecting people from threats. Here’s an interesting article on how protective services measure success. Hint: if guns are involved, they’ve failed somewhere along the line.
Handiest Bench Block for Gun Maintenance?
This nifty little accessory from OTIS Technology is one of those things I end up using all the time. It’s made from hard rubber, so it won’t mar your firearm and has 11 holes for driving out pins and such. Different “groove” cutouts on both sides keep things like barrels, slides and frames still while you're cleaning or doing routine maintenance.
What Can You Learn from the Police About Switching to Handgun Red Dots?
Massad Ayoob shares some lessons from various police agencies about making the switch from iron sights to red dots. Yes, there are some mechanical considerations, but different folks benefit from three different revised draw-and-shoot techniques.
| The Good |
| Does most of the things a pocket holster should do: protects the trigger, hides the outline of your gun, keeps pocket junk out of the action, and generally stays in the pocket when you draw. |
| The Bad |
| The material is too soft. With a magazine heavy semi-automatic, it tends to bend and rotate in your pocket. |
| The Ugly |
| It can be really difficult to draw when your gun, and the holster, have both turned upside down. |
| Our Rating |
 One Nun. |
The Uncle Mike’s Pocket Holster
Uncle Mike’s Pocket Holster
Suggested Retail Price: $12.95
We wanted to like this pocket holster. It’s soft and squishy, feels great, and is really comfortable in the pocket.
But we didn’t. Like it, that is.
The Uncle Mike’s Pocket Holster takes a universal approach to size and fit. It’s offered in four different sizes as follows:
18744-1Small autos (.22 – .25 cal.)
28744-2Most .380s
38744-32″ 5-shot revolvers; Sigma .380
48744-4Most sub-compact 9mm/.40 autos
So there is no custom fitting for a particular gun. You take your best guess at the right size and go from there.
The material is fairly thick and has a rubbery-suede feel. Is that even a valid description? We’re not sure, but that’s what it feels like. It’s an open top, sealed bottom design and there is a band of non-slip material at about the half-way mark to help the holster remain in your pocket when you draw.
On the plus side…
- The material is sturdy enough that we’re confident the trigger is protected
- The bottom (on our model for mid size semi-auto’s like the Walther PPK) is sealed and does a perfectly acceptable job of keeping pocket lint and leftover Tater-Tots out of the action of the gun. And no, we really don’t keep Tater-Tots in the same pocket as our gun! We store them in our other pocket of course! Duh.
- It’s comfortable. The gun is protected and it feels good in the pocket.
- We had no issues with sweat, or spilled Coke, penetrating the holster material. So hit all the drive-thrus you want – no problem.
On the not-so-plus side:
- This holster, like other Uncle Mike’s models, has very little structure. You wouldn’t think that’s a big requirement for a pocket holster, but when it folds from the weight of the gun, you can have trouble with the whole rig rotating in your pocket. We did most of our testing with a Walther PPK, which, as a steel gun, has some weight to it. Add a full magazine and you have a strong tendency for the grip end to want to follow that gravity rule and find its way to the bottom of your pocket. Not good. In fairness, this problem would not be as severe with a polymer gun like the Kel-Tec or Ruger LCP.
So all in all, we would elect to pass on this one and spend a few more bucks on something a little more substantial. In our next pocket holster review, we’ll be taking a close look at the DeSantis Nemesis Pocket Holster.
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| The instability issue really caused me to fear for my manhood. I found that with normal day-to-day activity, in a variety of pocket styles, the holster had a tendency to rotate so my gun was pointed right at, well, my gun. | I tried it in my purse and didn’t have great success. The non-slip band was not tacky enough to keep the holster in the purse pocket when I tried to draw. I do realize the holster was not designed for this use, but wanted to offer up the feedback to my lady friends out there. |
Read about more carry styles and over 120 different gun holsters in The Insanely Practical Guide to Gun Holsters – available at Amazon.com! Learn more about our Insanely Practical Guides!
