It's 2018 and it seems like everyone is now making "the best holster ever" and it may start getting very confusing when you start comparing brands. I remember buying my first holster and being extremely overwhelmed by the options on the market and what was going to work best for me. The answer is that there isn't a one size fits all holster and that's why there are so many options out there. From leather to hybrids to kydex the options are just about endless. But...here's why we do what we do here at Legacy Firearms Co:
1) SAFETY
As an instructor who has seen thousands of students come through my classes not only do we need to teach about proper gun safety but also about proper gear safety. The holster you choose can literally be a life or death situation. Although we do make hybrid holsters we specialize in kydex. At the end of the day a properly made kydex holster is hands down the safest option for carrying your firearm. It does not flex like leather, it fully protects the trigger guard, and if made right it is extremely comfortable. Two words I mentioned are most important though, trigger guard.
On today's modern day firearms there is rarely such thing as an accidental discharge. It almost always comes back to the person who was handling the firearm. If you use the operating system correctly a firearms will not go off unless you tell it to. However make sure you understand your firearm and how it works to ensure that you are carrying it properly.
So how can a holster be unsafe? If you look closely at some manufacturer's holsters you will see the trigger is sometimes not completely covered meaning something could get into the holster and cause the trigger to be depressed. Some manufacturer's materials they use (especially in the leather world) will also wear down and as you reholster could end up pulling the trigger because it isn't as rigid as day one or they just used subpar material in the first place. There is such thing as subpar kydex as well. That's why we only use .08 thick kydex while many companies are using .06 to save a few dollars.
We encourage you to do your research when choosing a holster to ensure that not only is the right fit for you but number one should always be safety. If you can pull the trigger while your gun is in the holster I would highly encourage you to throw it in the trash and check out what we have to offer. I have a stack of those type of holsters that local customers have left here after picking up one of ours.
2) FIT AND FINISH
Not all holsters are created equally. In fact, even some of the "brand name" holster makers out there aren't putting the engineering that is needed into making proper gear. The biggest stigma that kydex holsters get is that they will wear on the user's gun. Although yes, every holster out there will cause "holster wear" we make sure to take the preventative measures to ensure that it is as minimal as possible.
Properly made kydex holsters get their retention from one place and one place only, the trigger guard. By allowing kydex to fall slightly into the trigger guard it creates a point that the gun is secured into the holster and it will take a slight tug to get it out. The issue is that the tug may feel like they can't even get their gun out or that they don't feel secure with how loose the gun is in their holster. That's why every one of our holsters (except the Apollo minimalist) comes with adjustable retention so that the user can adjust the type of retention that work for them and their setup. Most of our holsters can be adjusted to the point of barely able to get them out all the way to them falling out if tipped upside down. We recommend putting blue loctite on your hardware after you have figured out where you want your retention to be.
When a kydex holster is properly made nothing else should be making hard contact with the inside of the holster. Every one of our molds is prepped to ensure that is the case. Whether it is the ejection port, the safety, the slide catch, or any number of other controls that come on today's pistols there is a channel for that control to slide through so as to not cause premature wear, unnecessary retention, or a poor fit and feel to the holster.
The first thing to usually break on a holster is the hardware that was used. Today there should be no excuse for using sub-par hardware on a holster when there are so many great options available. Yet, there are still manufacturers using kydex as their belt attachments or clips that don't secure properly to their belts. The last thing you want to present to the bad guy when you go to pull your gun out is a holster along with it. That's why we have thoroughly tested and continue to test the attachments that we use and offer.
Lastly, the finish on the edges of the holster are a true tell-tale sign of quality. It's not the first thing you should look for but it can affect comfort. If the edges are left unfinished with tooling marks and jagged edges it is something that your skin may come in contact with everyday and cause the holster to bother you. At the end of the day our goal as a premium holster maker is to try to make the gun not become an inconvenience to have on you.
3) USING YOUR HOLSTER
We carry firearms not to kill bad guys but to ensure that we aren't killed by them. So one of the most important aspects is your holster actually working for you to use it if ever needed. When taking a look at what holster you are considering take a good look at how accessible your gun will be if you ever need it. A lot of manufacturers that aren't putting the time into testing their products aren't really concerned with the end result of you actually having to use your holster. Every one of designs are to ensure that if you need your firearm it will be accessible to you.
The average self defense situation last 3 seconds yet most people haven't even trained to get hits from their holster in 3 seconds. How well is your holster helping you achieve that? Your holster should allow you to get a full firing grip on the firearm before you even start to pull it from the holster. If it was designed to ride too low that isn't going to be possible. If it rides to high it will become unstable and not stay secured where you want it. By incorporating some of the best mounts on the market we have been able to achieve adjustable cant and adjustable ride height which ensures you being able to setup your holster properly and safely.
4) CUSTOMER SERVICE
We pride ourselves on customer service. We understand how challenging and overwhelming it can be finding the right holster to carry with. There isn't a one size fits all option even though many companies would like to say they've discovered the magical solution. In fact it's quite possible you'll end up with a drawer full of holsters before you find the one that works perfect for you. I'd like to say we have that option here at Legacy Firearms Co for every single person but I'd be lying to you if I said that was the truth. You're attaching a 3lb piece of steel to your body and trying to find a way to make it comfortable. It's not always the easiest task in the world.
With all of that said we are here to answer your questions, to try to find the right solution for you, and to get you safely carrying your firearm. With a less than 0.01% return rate we pride ourselves on making customers happy the first time. If there is ever an issue with your holster know and understand that we will gladly take care of it for you. Whether if for some reason it doesn't fit your gun or 5 years from now the clip on it breaks your LFC holster is covered by a lifetime warranty. (Please see our warranty and returns page for full details)