how much of pistol covered OWB?

[cheezy]

I'm looking at OWB holsters, really tight to the body. A lot of designs that i've seen leave the muzzle uncovered. My thinking is that it could leave the weapon open to scratches/damage? I was looking at some of the Don Hume slide/ Barsony holsters. Maybe a pancake style holster? I'm really new to CCW, and am going through the learning process like everyone else :) So far I've had good luck with Remora, and Blackhawk pocket holsters, but i want a tighter/secure fit. I'm not so sure about IWB like Supertuk at this time.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[sioux565]

If you are worried about your carry gun getting dinged up then leave it in the safe. If you carry your gun daily, it will show wear over time and there is no way around that.

[danv]

+1
If it's a collectors item, keep it in the safe. If you wear it consider it a tool, not a collectors item. Tools get dirty and scratches some times.

[cheezy]

That's hard for me! Old school, didn't grow up with much, and try to keep my stuff nice. Really hard to change :)

[retsupt99]

None of my holsters expose the tip of my firearm, and they all ride tight against the body. (High Noon and Fist holsters)

[danv]

You can still keep it nice. I try and keep all my belongings in nice condition but something you use everyday in such a manner will get some dings, scratches or dirty at sometime or another. I try to keep everything in "new" condition but I do realize that actually using something does put it at risk of getting scratched etc.. I respect your position completely cheezy, but it's just the nature of the animal that when you use something you are not going to be able to keep it in new condition forever.

I feel the same way about a new car. I'm one to park a new car way out in the parking lot hoping to keep it from getting dinged in the parking lot but also realize that just by using the car on a daily basis it is eventually going to get scratched, dented etc...

[jaynole]

There is a guy out of Jacksonville Fl. that makes custom OWB and IWB holsters. Not sure if he has your blue gun or not. http://www.pantherconcealment.com

I have a couple on the build list for my HK45c. You can read plenty of reviews at the Florida Concealed Carry forum in the holster section. People seem to rave about them.

"The key to freedom is the ability to defend yourself"

[cheezy]

I'm not totally obsessive about my stuff, but i'm not sure how comfortable i'd be with the muzzle exposed owb. I tend to bang/bump around into stuff when i'm working around the garage and yard, so if it's on my hip, i think i better have it covered. Like i said, i've only been cc for over a yr now, and have bought some different pistols as my preferences are changing. I don't have a lot of cash for holsters, but i don't want a drawer full of junk either. This site has been a great source of knowledge for me, i spend a lot of time here, lurking and learning as i go. which would be more protective, kydex or leather?

[aus71383]

I don't like the muzzle sticking out all over the place - but I also don't like a closed end holster. It's nice to be able to let it air out, wipe it down, make sure it's clean, etc...

There are plenty of holsters that don't have the muzzle/front sight exposed. Keep looking around. I recall a recent thread that was wondering about this same thing - might have had a poll attached? Anyhow - do a search for whatever is on your mind, and I'm sure you'll find lots of results.

Austin

[chiefjason]

Either leather or kydex will protect the gun from the outside. What you want to look for is a pancake style or scabbard style instead of a beltslide style. I do a lot of OWB hybrids and and some leather, I have transitioned a lot of mine to full coverage kydex after requests for them. For some compacts and most sub compacts it's not a big deal. For full size guns it's a bit more work. A lot of the big name hybrids lean more towards beltslides and open bottoms. They are a lot easier to build as well as a touch cheaper. You can streamline the size of the kydex to work for all your holsters instead of using different sizes. I just use about 3 different sizes to cover what I want to do.

[BurgerBoy]

I carry in a Vega Holster OWB. It covers the whole gun but the barrel end is open. It fits real tight against your body.

Vega Holster

[WoodLark]

The most serious issue with a holster that does not cover the muzzle is not scratches, dings, etc. When you sit down or brush against something, it could push up on the muzzle and cause the weapon to come out of the holster.

[BurgerBoy]

You're right - that has happened to me before. That's why I carry a thumb break holster.

[pmspaul]

The holsters I've settled on for OWB are made by Zlogonje - Zlogonje.com

He does excellent work, and has great customer service. His holsters ride high and tight, cover all of the slide and muzzle and have an open bottom like you want. Pricing is reasonable as well.

[Richard58]

All my OWB holster have some sort of retention system if their going open carry.