Alien Gear Holsters Blog

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Is the streamlined P365 a bit better? Find out in our Sig P365 SAS review!

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

What's the best 9mm ammo for concealed carry? The 9mm round is the most common, but what are the ammunition brands and boxes you should look for?

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

The fit of a concealed carry gun can sometimes get overlooked in form of what's "in" at the moment. It shouldn't be...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

What IS ballistics gel? Why do we use it? How come it's the default medium for testing self-defense ammo? Read on...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Wanting to get on the .40 S&W bandwagon? Any one of these 7 .40 cal pistol models is a great starting point.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

You've decided you want an upscale 1911 but not quite custom shop; thus, you're trying to decide between a Sig 1911 vs Kimber 1911. Both are known to be great pistols, but which exactly is going to be better?

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Handgun rounds in the .38 caliber family have always been the most popular, but since some (.38 Special, .380) are a bit weak the most popular are .357 Magnum vs 9mm. Each of these rounds has a long history and pedigree of efficacy in the realm of self-defense, so that both are good carry rounds is not in dispute.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Some people wonder if .22 Magnum is a good low-recoil round for concealed carry. Is it?

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Weighing the Walther PPK vs Makarov as an old-school CCW? Both have their good points...and failings. Read on...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

How good can a 21st century Wonder Nine be? Find out in our Beretta PX4 Storm review...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

The phrase "Molon Labe," or using Greek script, ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛABE, since the phrase is actually Greek, is popular among concealed carry and gun rights activists. It's also a slogan for a number of military units around the world, including some in the American armed forces and, naturally, the Greek military.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Wondering which concealed carry guns also happen to work well with gloves? Here are a few that do...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Choosing a subcompact Glock for concealed carry often comes down to the choice of Glock 42 or the Glock 43 since those are the most compact of the baby Glocks. Each has their benefits and drawbacks, so it's really up to the person doing the shopping to make the choice.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Want a Colt 1911 pistol? Don't know which one to get? Here are 7 killer Colt 1911 pistols to consider.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

You might have discovered this bargain-priced striker pistol and wondered if the bargain was too good to be true. Is it? Find out in our SAR 9 review!

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

TLR lights sure are popular, but which model should I look at? Depends a lot on what application you have in mind...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Saw the news and can't wait to read a Smith and Wesson M&P9 Shield EZ review? Read ours here...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

A person looking for a slim, svelte carry gun is likely to weigh the Glock 43 vs Sig P365. Both are wildly popular these days and for good reason.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Given the popularity of the two pistols, a lot of people debate the issue of Glock 17 vs Glock 19 for concealed carry or just as an addition to the gun safe. Each gun has serious merits and both are among the most popular handguns on the market to date. You won't go wrong with either...but there are a few instances where one is a bit better than the other.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Do you need an FBI cant holster? What the heck is that, anyway? These questions and more about the "FBI cant," answered!

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

What makes for the best home defense gun? The same attributes that make for a great carry gun, like accuracy, reliability and being easy for you to shoot.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

What's the difference between rimfire vs centerfire? Bullet design, as well as the mechanics of how the bullet goes "bang!" Read on to learn more...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Find out if FN's tactical wonder pistol is worth the look in our FN 509 Tactical review...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Thinking of getting one or more bear guns to keep in case of bruins that are bad news? Here are 6 heavyweight bear guns that pack plenty of medicine...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Wondering if there's any benefits to a flat trigger vs curved trigger? It might not add up to as much as you'd think...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

The titillating tactical model of Beretta's APX line, the APX Combat, was in the office. How good is it? Find out in our Beretta APX Combat review...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Wondering if the upgraded model is worth it? Find out in our Sig P320XCompact review...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Wondering what you should look for in a duty holster? Here are some of the basics...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

The Masada is a fantastic new striker pistol from Israeli Weapons Industries. Find out why you should give it a look in our IWI Masada review...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

How do you clean your Alien Gear holster? Here's how it's done...

By Jake Smith | Contributing Editor

Prospective gun owners may be wondering a few things when seeking to buy a new weapon: what exactly are universal background checks, which states require them, what sort of background checks are in place now and consequently how are people still getting around background checks and committing crimes?...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Want to get started with wheelguns but don't know where to start with a .38 Special revolver? Here are the 7 best to get into, perfect for CCW and other purposes.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

How do you clean your Alien Gear holster? Here's how it's done...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

10mm vs 9mm...does that 1mm make the round better, or worse? It kind of depends on what you have in mind...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Alien Gear Holsters has two models of mag carrier, the Grip Tuck and Cloak Mag Carriers. Which should you get? Well, that depends...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Some people have asked why not, so we'll tell you.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

That first step towards becoming a daily concealed carrier begins with selecting the right gun. This can be surprisingly difficult for both first time carriers and veteran CCWs alike. Why? Because it's not just a pistol or revolver – it's an investment in security. That's why we're going to discuss several things that can help you make the best call for your first concealed carry handgun...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

If you're thinking of modifying your concealed carry handgun, you might want to hit the pause button before proceeding...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Don't believe the comments section; .380 pistols are definitely viable concealed carry guns. If you can shoot accurately, and carry good ammunition, the .380 Auto is more than adequate.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Wondering which is better between 10mm vs 40? The truth is it kind of depends on what you have in mind...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Looking for safe storage in your car? Read up on car gun safe basics...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Beretta has a striker-fired subcompact...is it any good? Find out in our Beretta APX Carry review...

By James England | Contributing Editor

Outside of every chow hall and firing range in the military there are two things you'll likely see – a barrel and a sign. The barrel is usually half full of sand but the sign is the big thing we all need to pay attention to. It says, “Clear All Weapons Here.” ...

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

The standard for concealed carry is the IWB holster, or inside the waistband. These holsters tuck inside the waistband and are easily covered up with a shirt, whether tucked in or not.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

What shooting distance should you practice at? Whichever distance is hard for you.

By Sam Hoober | Contributing Editor

Learn about Ruger Revolvers, in Alien Gear Holsters' guide to Ruger's wheelguns.

By Travis Pike | Contributing Editor

The Caliber wars were a brutal time, a bloody time, a messy time. The caliber wars were waged across the internet, through the videos of Youtube, on the forums of places like Defensive Carry and AR15.com. Articles proclaiming the new wonder gun in this caliber or that caliber, would have comment sections that devolved into full blown wars. These wars were waged most often by the proponents of 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP, and occasionally the revolver aficionados ...

By Jake Smith | Contributing Editor

The idea behind the first Colt handguns was inspired more by sea spray and carved pine than by metal and gunpowder. Sixteen-year-old Samuel Colt, aboard the swaying deck of Corvo en route to Calcutta, was inspired by the wooden mechanics of the ship and translated that idea, a revolving cylinder repeater for firearms, into whittled pine.

By Sam Hoober | Senior Editor

It is reasonable to assume that time spent at a range, for most people, has them shooting under very ideal conditions. Perhaps they are rested, have a perfect stance, and are barehanded. But winter is coming, and that means more layers on your body, and not only jackets and hats, but gloves too. ...