Propper Holster Attachment to hip? Propper belt? Any Advice?

Hey all!

So my holster is really starting to get annoying. I have a cheap plastic holster(fabric for my gun, plastic curved paddle for my right hip) that clips on around my belt and this thing doesn't stay put unless I squeeze the s*** out of myself. It is NOT a gun belt. Is this the norm? Do I have to sufficate my waist in order to keep it secure? I'm a relitively small guy- very little fat on my waist. Maybe i'm just more sensative to it?

The holster is designed for a 1911 but it holds my EAA Zastava M88 9mm just fine. It's a heavy gun, but something still seams off. I carry with the paddle underneith my jeans, against my underware. Now I know the clip/slot on the paddle for a belt would be more secure if there were a larger belt there. But is there a way to tighten it up without it..um...hurting? Even if I used a gun belt or otherwise wider belt?

Thanks very much in advance!

Belt and holster.

Hey "Z" I know what you are dealing with. If you are going to stick with that holster you need a wider more rigid
Belt. The best belt for this in my opinion is a riggers belt. The best riggers belt I have seen for the money is 5.11
TACTICAL. They have different width and thickness. the one I use is good for open or conceal holsters and is
comfortable enough to wear everyday of course. My belt is style 59409 but there is one that is wider and heavier
if you need. You may want to get a holster with a bigger paddle and maybe glue a thin layer of dense foam to the
inside. My recomendation is Blackhawk Serpa II. You would probably pay about $70.00 for both and not be
disappointed.

Zastavarian said:

So my holster is really starting to get annoying. I have a cheap plastic holster(fabric for my gun, plastic curved paddle for my right hip) that clips on around my belt and this thing doesn't stay put unless I squeeze the s*** out of myself. It is NOT a gun belt. Is this the norm? Do I have to sufficate my waist in order to keep it secure? I'm a relatively small guy- very little fat on my waist. Maybe i'm just more sensative to it?

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No, it just sounds like you have a cheap, ill-fitting, badly-designed holster.

Cheap doesn't necessarily mean the same thing as "inexpensive". There are plenty of reasonably-priced holsters out there that are VERY comfortable. Why spend $15-20 on a crappy holster that youll replace three or four times before you get one that works, when you could spend $35-50 on one that is designed properly, and get it right the first time?

I'm a pretty skinny guy myself--5'11", 175lbs. I don't have much cushion on my sides or hips, and if I'm carrying a heavy piece on my hip, a bad holster can actually be less comfortable than "Mexican Carry"...

Zastavarian said:

The holster is designed for a 1911 but it holds my EAA Zastava M88 9mm just fine. It's a heavy gun, but something still seams off. I carry with the paddle underneith my jeans, against my underware. Now I know the clip/slot on the paddle for a belt would be more secure if there were a larger belt there. But is there a way to tighten it up without it..um...hurting? Even if I used a gun belt or otherwise wider belt?

Click to expand...

Although you are not carrying a full-sized all-metal handgun (the Zastava M88 probably falls into the "compact" category, being 28oz empty, having 8+1 capacity, and a3.6" barrel), it looks like, with it's longish grip, it might be a little butt-heavy which means it is simply NOT going to be comfortable in a holster that isn't fit to the gun, or secured firmly to a belt.

I'd suggest you looks at holsters made for the Colt Commander or Government Model that are more fitted to the gun, and have a good paddle. Pretty much ALL the Galco paddles and Bianchi paddles are comfy and secure, and of course if it will fit a Serpa, the Serpa paddles are VERY comfortable.

I too, own a butt-heavy 1911 (a double-stack Para Ordnance S-14.45) and it is a joy to carry in a Serpa. The Serpa Paddle is the most secur paddle I've ever seen, and it is wide enough and angled perfectly, so that it spreads the weight of a heavy gun on your belt, and doesn't poke or gouge my side or hip.

Also, you might consider some of the leather holsters that spread out the attachment points (instead of a single clip) like the Galco Gladius or Side Snap Scabbard. I have a SSS, and it is VERY comfy, but with no retention I only use it for CC...

But the fact is, that no matter how well-designed your holster is, it won't be comfortable or stable if you don't hang it on a good, stout, strong belt.

I cover some of this issue in every CCW class I teach. So far, seems to be some good information already posted, but I'll add my 2 cents anyway.

Holsters are just like firearms....cheaper IS NOT better, it's often much worse. Spend some good money for some good gear and it should last you for some time. Cloth holsters are an absolute no-go, unless they're pocket holsters for pocket pistols and even then they can be sketchy as they can hang up a bit or allow a firearm to seat too far in a pocket or holster.

I demonstrate why we don't suggest paddle holsters in my class, though I prefer the easy-on, easy-off of the paddle holster. I use a Blackhawk Serpa myself. Many paddle holsters, including the Blackhawk, often allow a lot of vertical movement which means if you get into an odd position or a BG attempts the gun-grab it can be pulled upward. A lot of manufacturers have corrected the easy removal by adding secure-tabs (the Blackhawk has these and I think the Bladetech does as well) to keep the paddle from coming completely off. Fortunately some come with both the paddle and belt attachments.

The same rules that go for kydex tend to apply to leather. You'll want to spend good money and find something that wears on YOU well. What works for me may not work for you.

Always purchase equipment built for your specific firearm. Try to avoid using a 1911 holster for a pistol that's not a 1911.

A good trustworthy belt is absolutely vital to your comfort and wear-ability. I tend to suggest a sturdy thick leather belt built to handle the weight of a firearm. A WM belt might get you by, but it's not going to keep you happy for long...I've been down this road.

I strongly suggest the security of the belt attachments on all holsters over the paddle, but it's personal preference if you want to stay with a paddle. If it works for you, stay with it until you have a reason not to use it any longer. Part of that is because I've discovered that some paddle holsters are truly uncomfortable once weighted with a pistol and others just don't feel secure. Keep in mind that I do personally use paddle holsters from time to time. Blackhawk has a new modular railed set up for magazine holders and tactical lights that I want to see put into their actual pistol holsters.

REALteach4u said:

Many paddle holsters, including the Blackhawk, often allow a lot of vertical movement which means if you get into an odd position or a BG attempts the gun-grab it can be pulled upward.

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If your Serpa has more than 1/8" vertical travel when you pull on it, you need to adjust the hooks on the inside of your paddle. They are adjustable to fit any belt from about 1" to 2"... Mine doesn't have any play in it at all, except for the play of my belt and slacks, which isn't much at all. My paddle mount doesn't move any more than the belt-slide mount on a Serpa, and it's a LOT easier to move on and off...

Thanks guys!

I tried going with a thicker, slightly wider belt last night when grocery shopping. Although the belt was only slightly wider and a little thicker than the flimsy leather one (the one I complained about), the difference was night and day. It didn't require as much tension to remain stable and secure so I didn't have to squeeze myself. As for the paddle on the holster, I really payed attention to it to anaylize it's comfort, er...lack there of. It seems that after a short while, I notice my right hip bone pushing into the center of the paddle with every step I take. This, as you can imagine, gets quite annoying. I've also noticed that my gun (EAA Zastava M88 9mm) is slightly loose in the holster. I know I've been advised that cloth holsters are a no-go but money permitting, this will have to do for a little while longer. My only functionality problem with the holster on the gun-side was where the fabric met the backing plate by the anchors of the paddle. it was too thick and could actually depress the clip-release and the magazine would creap out of the butt, in which i'd notice and slide it back in till the "click". I knew how dangerous this was so I cut a small piece out of the holster in the shape of the release button and the problem has been eliminated. The holster seems to stay in place now. What bothers me sometimes is that it'll pitch forward and backward on it's own ever so slightly, but thats only because the clips on the paddle require a wider belt, so that's understandable.

Point said, the belt made a huge difference in the mean time till I can get some better gear.

Thanks again to all!

Sry for the long post.

In general, the wider and heavier the belt is, the more comfortably the holster will ride. For casual wear, I use a Galco 1.75" double-thickness belt and the weight of my 1911 is hardly noticeable. For situations where you want a dressier belt, 5.11 makes a nice leather belt with a stiffener inside it which looks great even with a suit and will carry a pistol very comfortably. http://www.qmuniforms.com/Product/511-casual-leather-belt/P1158/200301401502

The information you have gotten on holsters is good; if you're going concealed, try something flat like a Galco Combat Master. For open carry, I like a Blackhawk Serpa. The Serpa can be carried concealed under a loose outer garment but it doesn't sit very close and will "print" under many jackets.

For Holsters I prefer Serpas and use the paddle on all of mine. if you are going to use a Leather belt look holster that doesn't adjust to the width of your belt, you should adjust your belt to the width of the loops on the holster. aim for within 1/8" as another persona said.

For belts, I've tried on a few "gun belts" that can be quite costly, but the best one I've found is made by Dickie's. It's a two hole 1 1/2" belt, you can get them at wally world for about $15-$20. It's a work wear belt and isn't really meant to be a "dress" belt, though I wear it in place of a "dress" belt. My supervisor asked me if I would mind getting a dress belt for work, and all I told him was that "dress belts don't suit my needs."

Zastavarian said:

Thanks guys!

I tried going with a thicker, slightly wider belt last night when grocery shopping. Although the belt was only slightly wider and a little thicker than the flimsy leather one (the one I complained about), the difference was night and day. It didn't require as much tension to remain stable and secure so I didn't have to squeeze myself. As for the paddle on the holster, I really payed attention to it to anaylize it's comfort, er...lack there of. It seems that after a short while, I notice my right hip bone pushing into the center of the paddle with every step I take. This, as you can imagine, gets quite annoying. I've also noticed that my gun (EAA Zastava M88 9mm) is slightly loose in the holster. I know I've been advised that cloth holsters are a no-go but money permitting, this will have to do for a little while longer. My only functionality problem with the holster on the gun-side was where the fabric met the backing plate by the anchors of the paddle. it was too thick and could actually depress the clip-release and the magazine would creap out of the butt, in which i'd notice and slide it back in till the "click". I knew how dangerous this was so I cut a small piece out of the holster in the shape of the release button and the problem has been eliminated. The holster seems to stay in place now. What bothers me sometimes is that it'll pitch forward and backward on it's own ever so slightly, but thats only because the clips on the paddle require a wider belt, so that's understandable.

Point said, the belt made a huge difference in the mean time till I can get some better gear.

Thanks again to all!

Sry for the long post.

Click to expand...

Congrats on correcting the belt issue. It surprises a lot of folks once they try the change rather than become stubborn and swear it's got nothing to do with the belt.

Since I'm not familiar with your particular firearm as others might not be, would you mind posting up a brand and model of holster once you find what works please? It may help me out in the long run should one of my students have a similar pistol.

You'll be glad to get into a higher quality holster. Even the Fobus paddle or belt loop version is a change. My issue with the Fobus paddle was that I have thick legs and their paddle disagreed with my leg shape...rubbing.

Keep in mind, you might find leather more suitable and comfortable, so keep your options open once your budget will allow.