Leave It Holstered, aka "Stop Touching It!"

[Valvestate]

I cop a quick feel when I think my shirt rides up over it.

 

[Destro]

A. It sounds as if he was off duty, maybe it was a paddle holster?

B. The guy shooting himself and the officer misplacing his firearm are really 2 different issues. Not the officers fault the guy killed himself

 

[Light]

A. It sounds as if he was off duty, maybe it was a paddle holster?

B. The guy shooting himself and the officer misplacing his firearm are really 2 different issues. Not the officers fault the guy killed himself

It would be arguable that he might not have done it if he didn't have access to the pistol, or that maybe he took the loaded random pistol as a sign of some sort, but I agree with you. It's easy enough to kill yourself that someone determined to do so will find numerous ways.

 

[cosermann]

A police officer did this? You mean one of the few groups of people professional enough to handle firearms? Impossible I say.

 

[jgreiner]

I would argue that touching the pistol while leaving it holstered is not the same as taking the pistol out and playing with it for bathroom visits or whatever the excuse is.

In fact if you are up and down all day (in/out of a car), then touching the pistol while doing a mag check (via the crane claw) is just fine and smart to do.

Which is worse? Visiting the bathroom, removing your weapon and carefully placing it in appropriate location as to allow you to do your business, or dropping your trousers and having your EDC bounce off the floor?

Fix for both is a good retention holster. Since I started carrying the S&W 66, I dearly love the thumb snap holster I have.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

B. The guy shooting himself and the officer misplacing his firearm are really 2 different issues. Not the officers fault the guy killed himself

Really? Then why do LEOs pull on their lapels and heel rock and say "responsibiliity" as they look off into the distance when bad things happen after non-LEOs misplace firearms?

Law enforcement links the two, why can't we?

Not saying it would necessarily be criminal, but it seems an easy but for direct causation argument.

 

[You'll shoot your eye out]

My pop used to tell me that if you play with a gun long enough, you will shoot yourself. It was his way of saying exactly what Kirk Freeman is telling us.

Still, many of us are not pistoleros but gageteers. That is why many people modify and pimp-out their weapons, not to make them more user friendly but to fiddle and coon-finger. A gun is an interesting precision mechanism that reciprocates or spins and makes nice little satisfying noises and vibrations. the machining and craftsmanship is a marvel to experience both visually and manually. In short, monkeys like shiny objects.

My pop also had another saying that he would tell my mother every now and then. He would say "It's his, and he can play with it if he wants to!" Now I'm not sure that he was addressing the same subject with both bits of advise, but they both have a kind of universal wisdom.

I think that it may not be a question of whether to play with it or not, but WHEN, WHERE and HOW it is to be played with. Um..... ER...... We are still talking about guns, aren't we?

 

[cwillour]

I use a retention holster but I still do not like it touching the floor (not by falling out, but by the weight pulling my pants down past my calves and onto the ankles.) Too many times (in office or public restrooms) there is a rather disconcerting puddle or wetness in that area that I do not want on my EDC or my pants.

Most of the time I end up holding the grip (still in the holster) or part of the holster to prevent the issue when I am not at home, but when nature makes an urgent call it can be more problematic.

What am I doing wrong? (or more importantly, what do you folks do to prevent this?)

 

[PeaShooter]

I was always told that if you play with it, you will go blind.....

 

[printcraft]

A. It sounds as if he was off duty, maybe it was a paddle holster?

B. The guy shooting himself and the officer misplacing his firearm are really 2 different issues. Not the officers fault the guy killed himself

I have to agree with Destro here.......

Also, not the guns fault.

 

[ClydeB]

Just so I understand whats going on here. You are saying I should or should not do this in public?

Kevin Killian demonstrating gun spinning tricks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRPl4EWi9BU

 

[udchemist]

I do have to say that as a new Ccw carrier I'm not quite comfortable with my gun, so I def check and make sure it stays covered often, usually just pulling my shirt down. However, I usually keep my gun holstered while going bathroom. Seems like a poor choice to remove the gun.

 

[littletommy]

I pocket carry, have for many years now. I don't wear blue jeans anymore because of this, it's cargo type pants all the time, cargo shorts in the summer. I've found that, aside from being limited to the type of pants I can wear, it is the method of carry that requires the least amount of attention. I put it there when I get out of bed in the morning, I switch it from my work pants to my "sitting around the house" pants when I get home, I take it out and lay it on the night stand when I go to bed. It's that simple, and it only comes out of the pocket when I'm changing or going to bed.

 

[indiucky]

I pocket carry, have for many years now. I don't wear blue jeans anymore because of this, it's cargo type pants all the time, cargo shorts in the summer. I've found that, aside from being limited to the type of pants I can wear, it is the method of carry that requires the least amount of attention. I put it there when I get out of bed in the morning, I switch it from my work pants to my "sitting around the house" pants when I get home, I take it out and lay it on the night stand when I go to bed. It's that simple, and it only comes out of the pocket when I'm changing or going to bed.

But Dude....You have a Ruger Alaskan .44 Magnum Snub....

 

[littletommy]

But Dude....You have a Ruger Alaskan .44 Magnum Snub....

I only carry that for special occasions. But I do in fact carry it.

 

[El-Cigarro]

What IF there's a FELON in the next stall that might GRAB it???

 

[HalfCocked]

What IF there's a FELON in the next stall that might GRAB it???

As long as there no toe tapping and that's all they grab.......

 

[Lex Concord]

The more you handle your pistol the more opportunity there is for tragedy to strike.

People want to play with their guns to do "something" with it when leaving it in the holster will avoid a tragedy. Leave it alone. It will be just fine in the holster.

Touch the pistol. Crane claw the mag to ensure that it is seated, especially if you are a cop in and out of the car a lot. Just leave it in the holster and stop looking for excuses to verify your pistol is real.

But, as ATM's custom banner shows, one needs to check from time to time to make sure some gooey-fingered crumb cruncher didn't swap it with an orange-tipped fake...right

 

[Mackey]

Sorry about side tracking this post.

But regarding the unforturnate victim in the shooting. How can they say it was a suicide? Are they so sure the guy didn't understand the workings of a pistol (let alone a glock) and that he wasn't looking down the barrel as he fingered the trigger? Maybe there'll be less chance of a lawsuit against the department if it is ruled that the guy intentially killed himself. I don't know...

 

[88GT]

Totally agreement. If your using a quality holster you should ALMOST forget your carrying a gun. The weight becomes familiar and therefor forgettable.

Not quite what the issue is here though.

If he thought it was going to fall out or something, maybe it's time for a new holster, or belt, or brain

Which is worse? Visiting the bathroom, removing your weapon and carefully placing it in appropriate location as to allow you to do your business, or dropping your trousers and having your EDC bounce off the floor?

Fix for both is a good retention holster. Since I started carrying the S&W 66, I dearly love the thumb snap holster I have.

I have a great retention holster, but it doesn't solve the problem. And since I have to sit for all of my bathroom visits, I think I'm qualified to speak on this.


Do we know the firearm wasn't holstered when the LEO left it there?