Drop Leg Holster

[Jozenbau]

Up until recently I’ve only owned firearms as personal protection, so I’m still a little ignorant on a lot of things. I’ve been interested in doing tactical type training/shooting. So at risk of asking stupid questions, I still have to ask. Do you use drop leg holster to carry another or is that your only sidearm?

 

[Cameramonkey]

Up until recently I’ve only owned firearms as personal protection, so I’m still a little ignorant on a lot of things. I’ve been interested in doing tactical type training/shooting. So at risk of asking stupid questions, I still have to ask. Do you use drop leg holster to carry another or is that your only sidearm?

There are no stupid questions, only stupid people.

But seriously, a drop leg is used for keeping your sidearm clear of things like backpacks, body armor, etc. or to be easier to access while mounted. (sitting in a seat like in a car, tank, etc.) Traipsing around EDCing in a drop leg in street clothes will get you mocked and ridiculed.

 

[9mmfan]

I have never used a drop leg holster. OWB. Strong side carry or shoulder holster. Occasionally IWB.

I don't see the point in a drop leg holster unless your truly in a tactical situation carrying loads of equipment on your load bearing vest.

 

[CPT Nervous]

I hate drop leg holsters for a multitude of reasons, but as others have stated, they have a purpose. If you're only carrying a handgun, I do not suggest you carry it in a drop leg.

If you have to unholster your gun while running, how do you suppose you're going to do that with your gun attached to your thigh? Plus it just looks super douchey.

 

[Sigblitz]

I've noticed most canine officers use them. It's easier for the dog to retrieve the gun for his handler.

 

[Jozenbau]

Well I guess I should have specified haha. I do not intend to use one to carry on the street. I was curious it’s use in tactical situation if it was a second sidearm. The being lower to be out of the away of other equipment makes perfect sense though.

 

[Sigblitz]

Seriously though, I like them. It's at a natural reach and more comfortable. And if you're slinging a rifle, it's not in the way.
I wouldn't wear one in public, because yes you look like a douch and you lose the grey man.

 

[Dead Duck]

I would use a drop leg holster but I'm not a mall cop.

I'd like to train with one just to see how beneficial it would be while wearing plates.

 

[Sigblitz]

I would use a drop leg holster but I'm not a mall cop.

I'd like to train with one just to see how beneficial it would be while wearing plates.

Denny's waitress?

 

[Dead Duck]

Denny's waitress?

That's me.

 

[STFU]

Denny's waitress?

I can always count on INGO members to make make me laugh at 0645...hilarious.

 

[STFU]

Would a drop-leg be more comfortable or worth it while hunting or would it get caught up on brush too easily?
(Obviously depends on where you are hunting but...for those who have tried.)

 

[Jozenbau]

Would a drop-leg be more comfortable or worth it while hunting or would it get caught up on brush too easily?
(Obviously depends on where you are hunting but...for those who have tried.)

I have no experience with it of course but from what people have said I would think it would be more comfortable if you’re sitting for a long time. I would bet that the size of the firearm would determine how likely it is to be a hassle on grabbing, swinging weight, etc.

 

[Winamac]

My experience on a daily basis with a drop leg holster was while I was deployed for almost a year with my squadron in the USAF in 2010. We were issued Beretta M9's. Obviously we were in a real world tactical situation. The biggest down side(no pun intended) to a drop leg that sticks in my mind was. They tend to pull your pants down on one side (in my case right side). I was constantly pulling my uniform pants up on the right side. We got to the point that we only wore the drop leg when going outside the wire. When we were inside the wire we generally wore the shoulder holsters. That was just my experience others may be different and I am by no means the expert on the matter.

 

[MCgrease08]

Application and mission drives equipment choices.

What type of classes are you interested in taking? Rifle marksmanship where you are focused on the fundamentals and shooting from common positions like prone, seated, standing, etc.? Or a carbine class with lots of shooting on the move and more varied positions? Will the course require you to transition from rifle to pistol?

What type of load out do you like to use? Are you hanging gear off a full plate carrier, battle belt, chest rig or some combination of those? What is your current holster set up?

Maybe you don't know the answer to many of these questions. Many folks don't when they are just starting out. That's why it's important to take classes, run different gear, and find out what works. You can see what others use, but ultimately it has to work for you. You only find that out with practice.

I am.by no means an expert, but I have taken my fair share of both pistol and rifle training classes. Iwould recommend starting with a minimalist approach. For a defensive pistol class that means using your EDC rig (pistol on the belt) and maybe a couple of extra mag carriers. I see guys running battle belts in defensive pistol classes, and that's fine, but I don't envision many scenarios where that's what I would be wearing when I find myself having to fight with a pistol. I train with the gear I use everyday.

A battle belt works great in a rifle class if you don't need to carry a huge load out with a bunch of tacticool accessories. Battle belts can also be set up to accommodate a regular belt line pistol holster or work with a drop leg.

Some guys like to run plate carriers and chest rigs which may interfere a bit more with a holster on a belt. I have never personally run into this issue so I just wear my pistol in a Safariland ALS on the belt.

Personally I have zero need for a drop leg holster. When I have seen people wear them they generally don't fit well and the gun or holster is flopping all around when the wearer is moving. I like a stable platform.

The bottom line is that you don't know what works for you until you try different things. I would rather start out simple and find out that I need a piece of gear rather than start with a bunch of gear and find out I don't need it at all.

 

[Old Dog]

I use a drop leg when hunting big game and using a rifle. I gives me the opportunity to use the rifle or pistol and is comfortable while sitting on a stand. It does tend to pull my pants down and bang against my leg when walking, effect of DE 44 mag.

 

[Jozenbau]

Application and mission drives equipment choices.

What type of classes are you interested in taking? Rifle marksmanship where you are focused on the fundamentals and shooting from common positions like prone, seated, standing, etc.? Or a carbine class with lots of shooting on the move and more varied positions? Will the course require you to transition from rifle to pistol?

What type of load out do you like to use? Are you hanging gear off a full plate carrier, battle belt, chest rig or some combination of those? What is your current holster set up?

Maybe you don't know the answer to many of these questions. Many folks don't when they are just starting out. That's why it's important to take classes, run different gear, and find out what works. You can see what others use, but ultimately it has to work for you. You only find that out with practice.

I am.by no means an expert, but I have taken my fair share of both pistol and rifle training classes. Iwould recommend starting with a minimalist approach. For a defensive pistol class that means using your EDC rig (pistol on the belt) and maybe a couple of extra mag carriers. I see guys running battle belts in defensive pistol classes, and that's fine, but I don't envision many scenarios where that's what I would be wearing when I find myself having to fight with a pistol. I train with the gear I use everyday.

A battle belt works great in a rifle class if you don't need to carry a huge load out with a bunch of tacticool accessories. Battle belts can also be set up to accommodate a regular belt line pistol holster or work with a drop leg.

Some guys like to run plate carriers and chest rigs which may interfere a bit more with a holster on a belt. I have never personally run into this issue so I just wear my pistol in a Safariland ALS on the belt.

Personally I have zero need for a drop leg holster. When I have seen people wear them they generally don't fit well and the gun or holster is flopping all around when the wearer is moving. I like a stable platform.

The bottom line is that you don't know what works for you until you try different things. I would rather start out simple and find out that I need a piece of gear rather than start with a bunch of gear and find out I don't need it at all.

Thanks a bunch for sharing your experience. Definitely helps. I like the idea of not buying somethin I won’t need haha.

 

[ditcherman]

Thanks a bunch for sharing your experience. Definitely helps. I like the idea of not buying somethin I won’t need haha.

You need to work on that attitude of yours if you think that's what you think being an operator is all about!

Apply purple as necessary.

 

[ditcherman]

Would a drop-leg be more comfortable or worth it while hunting or would it get caught up on brush too easily?
(Obviously depends on where you are hunting but...for those who have tried.)

I like using my Safariland 6004 series which is a little shorter than an old school drop leg if I'm correct. It seems plenty secure to me, YMMV. Caries either a 5.7 or FNX 45 Tac, doesn't flop, doesn't sag with my 5.11 belt. My hunting consists mostly of walking through woods creekbanks and brush to flush coyotes.

 

[Jozenbau]

You need to work on that attitude of yours if you think that's what you think being an operator is all about!

Apply purple as necessary.

Because I don’t buy things I’m not gonna need or have a use for? I don’t understand.