More on Handgun Holsters

Holsters are designed to be used with specific handguns. Therefore, purchase your gun first and then purchase the holster for it. When selecting a holster, here are some things you might want to consider.

• There are two types of holsters.
• With a manual holster, you fasten the gun in the holster yourself.
• With an automatic holster, the gun is fastened in the holster automatically.
• There are four levels of security restraint.
• Level 1 holsters keep the gun in the holster through friction only.
• Level 2 holsters use friction plus an additional restraint. This restraint could be a thumb strap, a flip-up strap, an automatic lock, or some other device.
• Level 3 holsters use friction plus two additional restraints.
• Level 4 holsters use friction plus three additional restraints. However, it is unlikely that a civilian would need this level of restraint.
• Some states have specific holster requirements that depend on whether you are carrying your handgun concealed or unconcealed/open. For example, your state might require either a belt or shoulder holster for open carry.