Republished here from social media with permission of Talon Defense. Brought to you by Propper International.

Chase Jenkins

The holstering process is the draw stroke in reverse. We holster after a proper post engagement or during a de-escalation of force. Either way, the gun must be secured in the holster. Issues can and will arise if the gun is not secured. Proper holstering must incorporate securing the gun.

Also of note, it amazes me that we still talk to folks that are unaware of this but, the suede lining inside the holster (specifically the Safariland duty line) will swell when exposed to rain or heavy moisture. It can prevent a smooth and proper draw of the weapon. Recently we ran a course in heavy rain…and a student with a 2011 in a Safariland duty rig was unable to remove his gun during a drill. I’ve seen the gun be difficult to remove but this one was almost completely locked up. It took both of us to remove it. It was fairly new and the rain was heavy.

I believe Safariland makes the best option for duty but it is something to be aware of.

If you are not roped in by SOP then opt for the holster options that don’t have the thick suede lining. Some of the duty line holsters have little to no lining. It’s been my experience that these work best in the rain and humidity.

The student in this image works for a large and progressive agency on the west coast. He is about 4 years shy of retirement. He is in the shit every day. Good dude. hard cop. He’d never heard of this issue. They don’t get much rain and very little humidity [where he’s from].

Know the pros and cons of your equipment.

A couple of salient points:

• Waterproofing measures of some sort (like a silicon spray) are an effective way to treat this issue. As Chuck Haggard of Agile Defense said, “Back in the day when cops carried holsters made out of 100% by God American dead cow we knew you had to dress the inside of the holster with something like silicon spray, or specifically made holster dressing.”

• The officer in this image is restricted by his agency to this particular Safariland holster, and to the rotating hood only. This is an almost brand new holster but from an older line. Policy and procedure do not allow him to use an ALS holster.

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