Kydex Holster Safety And Training Tips

Today we are going to chat about a few things you can do to increase your proficiency at using a holstered firearm.  On the surface, using a holster would seem to be a simple thing.  And it is, on the surface.  But when the chips are down and a firearm is drawn in anger things can get difficult quickly.  Pressure situations can expose you if you have not put in the work.  I was reminded of this concept by a trending topic on social media, breakdancing of all things.  Let me explain.

It Is Not Enough To Just Show Up

So, the Olympics are thankfully over.  It is not that I don’t like the Olympics but I am not a big fan of the fake drama.  Television producers are always trying to find some angle for every athlete to create buzz for every event.  This is hard to do because most athletes are, well, boring.  That said, I am a BIG fan of things that go viral for all the right reasons.  Like Australian break dancer Rachel “Raygun” Gunn.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing this woman mocked on social media in some way, you are missing out.  This is the first (and only) year that breakdancing will be an Olympic event and Raygun has the distinction of earning zero points for her routine.  Zero.  It is starting to come to light that the professor who lectures on the cultural politics of breaking rigged the selection process so that her skilled rivals got iced out of the Olympics.  I can neither confirm nor deny this but if true, she deserves all the scorn she gets.

I am not a fan of people who game the system.  That doesn’t mean I am not a fan of trying out new things.  It is why we chose Kydex for our holsters instead of rocking old school leather shoulder holsters (You can check out our thoughts on that specifically here:  What you should look for in a Kydex Holster.)  Just like Raygun discovered that there can be negative consequences to claiming to be something you are not, just buying a holster doesn’t make you safer or magically give you the knowledge on how to use it correctly.  With that in mind, here are a few thoughts on basic Kydex holster safety and proper usage.

Take Your Time To Get Fast

The first step on the path to using your holster correctly is choosing the correct one.  If it does not fit in the way you want, then you probably won’t wear it.  You won’t get the reps required to become proficient with it.  The second thing you need to do is adjust your holster so you have proper retention on the firearm.  You want to make sure that your gun will stay in place when you are running and moving quickly.  Don’t even think about doing anything else until these two foundational tasks have been handled.

Once that is done, you can go in a few different directions but the plan is the same: train.  I would suggest starting with the basics and focusing on using the correct grip.  Practicing this until it becomes second nature will give you max control of the firearm and decrease the chances that you will drop it when the heat is on.  When you feel good about your grip choice, focus on everyone's favorite:  Dry fire practice.

I know this can be boring because the gun doesn’t go bang but it is free and you can do it in your garage.  In the beginning, don’t even worry about pulling the trigger, just practice drawing and reholstering.  Again, this will help you build muscle memory so you can bring your weapon to bear safely for you and innocent bystanders when you need to.

“But Jake, I already know all this.”  Great! But are you doing it enough?  I am not the fun police but you can never train too much.  Take the time to practice so you can be quick on the draw.  There are many ways to get better.

Visualization Is A Form Of Practice

If you are ever going to need to use your firearm in self-defense, it won’t be at the range or similar environment. It also won’t be in perfect conditions either.  This is one of the reasons people put a light on their guns and use a light-bearing holster like this:

(If you want to check this model out you can do that here: Pyre Light Bearing Kydex Holster option, or you can  Forge Your Own Holster from our ever growing available options).  

Start thinking about what actual situations you might find yourself in where you would have to use your firearm.  Start with locations that you go habitually, like your local gas station or grocery store.  Think about the different times of days you would go there.  There is a reason that Olympic athletes and professional football players practice visualization.  It increases performance.

Another habit you can adopt is the 10 second rule.  When you arrive at a new location, take 10 seconds before you get out of your car and look around.  Same when you are about to get back into your car.  Assess the situation in front of you because lack of surprise gives you a higher chance of success.  This is where I would also normally say to get your eyes off of your phone when out and about but I know for sure you are aware of that.  When you are aware of your surroundings and who is around you, it greatly decreases the chances of shooting a friendly if you are forced to draw your weapon.

All of these things are very easy to do, which also makes them very easy not to do.  I’m not saying that you have to train 24/7 but you would be surprised how a little bit of training and visualization every day can make you super proficient in a hurry.

(Using restraint to not put a Raygun breakdancing analogy here and a firearms pun.  You are welcome.)

Finally, inspect your holster once a month to make sure it is set at the right retention and wipe it down.  Kydex holsters don’t require a ton of maintenance but a little TLC will go a long way to making sure your holster works properly when you need it. 

Have a good one,

Jake