Car Holsters Guide - Everything You Need To Know

Ever wondered about using a car gun holster for easier access while driving? It's certainly a good idea, as it is not easy to draw while sitting, and especially while belted into a seat.

It's certainly a good idea to contemplate a car holster for exactly this reason. This guide will tell you everything you could need to know about car holsters, including what kinds there are, how they're used and what to look for in a car holster.

Types Of Car Holster

There are a number of variations on the car holster available, though they tend to fall into two distinct categories, namely a strap-mount car holster or hard mount. Hard-mounted car holsters are either a holster mount system that mates with a holster or a holster designed specifically to be hard-mounted to the surface of one's choice.

The former are vastly more versatile, as this type of car holster gives you the option to remove your carry holster and dock it to the mounting system while driving. This eliminates the discomfort that you may encounter while driving with a pistol and holster on your person, which can take a bit of creative adjustment. This can be especially true for people who carry inside the waistband, and even more so if they carry at the small-of-the-back position.

Strap-mounted car holsters are a little more simple. These attach by means of an adjustable strap and clips or hooks. Essentially, you find a point in the car where you'd like to attach the holster. You attach each clip or hook to the appropriate points (usually directly above and below the holster itself) and cinch down the strap. This creates the requisite tension.

Strap-mount holsters usually - not always, but almost always - employ a generic nylon pouch holster. A thumb-break strap is usually included, though not in every instance. This gives the holster itself a modicum of retention.

These aren't the only methods for car carry but they are certainly the best.

There Are Also Gun Safes For The Car

There are also a number of gun safes for use in cars, including gun vaults that are installed in the cabin or the trunk should one desire.

These also vary in design. Some portable gun safe designs are little more than a small lock box. A few of these designs also include a tether cable to secure the box to an interior component; under the driver or passenger seat is a common location for such gun safes to be deployed.

Gun vaults for the car can require installation, though it depends on the precise design. Some are designed to drop into the center console without issue. Others may require a bit of custom work to fit in the appropriate location.

Though these are certainly a good place to store a pistol or long gun (with the appropriate size of gun safe) or other valuables whilst outside of the vehicle, they can also be difficult to access quickly. In any situation where you may have to USE your gun, every instant counts, which such storage systems may cross purposes to in some instances.

What To Know About Strap Mount Holsters

Strap mount car holsters are certainly an available option for car carry. They are very intuitive to use and are easy to conceal or locate in a convenient position.

There are, however, a few things to be aware of. As mentioned above, they often feature a thumb-break or other snap retention feature. The reason is that these holsters are almost universally of the generic nylon pouch variety and as such, lack much in the way of retention. If you left the retention snap unfastened, your gun could be worked loose due a jolt of some kind.

Granted, it would take a very sharp knock indeed to knock a a gun loose from one of these holsters, but it still is worth bearing in mind that you may have to check your gun every time you hit a pothole. People who drive off-road with any kind of frequency may also want to keep this in mind.

Additionally, you'll have to take your gun out of its holster to place it into a car holster if carrying, and vice versa. Not everyone wants to be seen handling a gun, especially in the parking lot of an employer that isn't necessarily carry-friendly. Alternately, you'd have to leave a gun in the car if you don't carry on your person or have a dedicated car gun to go with your carry piece.

Holster Mount Systems Offer Great Versatility

On the other hand, holster mount systems are far more versatile in that they allow you to simply dock your holster with a mounting system. This allows you to locate the holster wherever you want, much like their strap-mounted counterparts.

This does require purchasing a holster that's compatible with the holster mount, however. You can either carry with that holster or remove your pistol and place it into the holster that's docked with the mounting system.

Holster mounts do require mounting to a hard surface, which some people can be antsy about when it comes to their cars. However, the mounting will be far more secure, and the holster retention will be as well.

That said, the holster mount variety of car holster offers the greatest degree of versatility, quality of retention and fit as they use a holster made for your specific make and model of pistol.

Additionally, since holster mounts allow use of a passive retention holster, they are also far easier to draw from. If you ever need your gun in a hurry - which you certainly may - that is a vital consideration to make.

Picking A Car Holster

While choosing "the best car holster" is partially subjective, there are certain things that aren't subjective. A car holster has to be able to safely hold your firearm. A car holster should be able to be located in a location that conceals it from view; some jurisdictions legally require any loaded firearms be hidden from view.

Additionally, a car holster should make it easy to access the pistol should that be necessary.

The best car holster has the above attributes. If you're going to have a gun in the car, those are the functions to look for.