High Noon Concealment Holsters

 

by Jeff Quinn

photography by Jeff Quinn & Boge Quinn

March 17th, 2004

 

 

 

With most of the nation now allowing its citizens to actually exercise their God-given right to self protection as guaranteed in the Constitution, more people are looking into the best ways to carry a handgun concealed. Concealment of the weapon of choice is a very important factor. While some states allow the open carry of a handgun, most frown upon people carrying their weapon out in the open for all to see. Also, from a tactical standpoint, it is best if everyone does not know that you are going heeled until the firearm is actually needed to resolve a particular social situation. Those of us who carried in violation of state laws for many years are aware of the need to be certain that the weapon is concealed, but many who have just started packing have a somewhat careless attitude about the concealment aspect, since they have a permit to carry. This attitude could not only jeopardize their permit, but could get them killed. It is very important to keep the fact that you are packing a secret from the bottom feeders in our society, and to not unduly upset the congregation at the local church picnic.

There are many good concealment holsters on the market, and most will suffice for the purpose. However, some are better than others. Two of the best are the subject of this article, and are made by High Noon Holsters in Palm Harbor, Florida. High Noon produces several styles of holsters, from either cowhide or horsehide, to fit just about any concealed carry need.

The holsters reviewed here represent two of the most popular ways to carry a concealed handgun. The first is their Tail Gunner, which carries the firearm inside the pants. The inside holster system is a very good way to conceal a medium to large sized weapon, allowing the lines of the clothing to very effectively hide the gun. There are many of the nylon clip-on cheap inside holsters available on the market, and they are nearly worthless.  The high quality inside the pants holster was developed by Bruce Nelson many years ago and marketed extensively by Milt Sparks. The Tail Gunner is an improvement on Nelson’s tried and true Summer Special design.

While the cheap nylon inside the pants holsters will carry a gun, they allow it to shift around while carrying, and you pretty much have to unfasten your pants to re-holster the weapon. If you cinch your belt down tight enough to keep the gun from shifting, then your pants can fall down after you remove the gun, which can be quite embarrassing. The Tail Gunner is a totally different holster. It is built from quality stiff horsehide that securely holds the weapon, while allowing easy one-hand re-holstering of the weapon. The horsehide is rough-side-out, which helps to keep the holster from shifting. That which separates the Tail Gunner from other high quality inside the pants holsters is what High Noon calls the stabilizer wing. The wing is a section of leather to the rear of the holster which serves to hold the butt of the gun in tighter against the body, aiding both concealment and stability.

Another feature of the Tail Gunner that I especially like is the slide guard, which is an extension of leather that keeps the slide and rear sight from contact with the wearer’s skin. If you have ever carried a gun inside your waistband, you know what I am talking about. The slide guard is a great feature that prevents the gun from cutting the skin, and protects the gun’s finish from wear and corrosion.

The Tail Gunner also has a tension adjustment screw to regulate the tightness of the holster on the gun, and replaceable belt straps to accommodate various belt widths. The belt straps are available in tan or black finishes.

One of my favorite features of the Tail Gunner is the sewn in plastic molded sight track. It effectively prevents the sight from scraping away the leather, and protects the sight from wear. It should be a feature on everyone’s concealment holsters, but it is not. It is a great idea, and it works.

The second holster reviewed here is the Pocket Grabber, which is a pocket holster built from quality leather that has a synthetic rubber covering stitched to the outside of the holster. This material further helps to break up the outline or print of the gun, and is textured to grip the inside of the pants pocket. This helps the gun to come out smoothly, while leaving the holster in the pocket where it belongs. The problem with most pocket holsters is that they come out of the pocket with the gun, which can make for an awkward moment if the gun is needed in a hurry. The Pocket Grabber solves this problem, leaving the holster in the pocket when the gun is drawn, and also allows easy re-holstering of the weapon after the situation is resolved. For small revolvers and autos, I like pocket carry. It is very natural to stick your hand into your front pants pocket. If a dangerous situation seems to be possible, you can casually place your hand on your weapon, and no one is suspicious. The Pocket Grabber keeps the handgun positioned correctly for quick accessibility if needed.

I have used both of these holsters for a couple of months now, and find them to work very well. I have carried my .38 Smith & Wesson in the Pocket Grabber, and my Glock model 19 9mm auto in the Tail Gunner. Both holsters work extremely well for their respective purposes. The Pocket Grabber is made for most small autos and revolvers, and the Tail Gunner is built for most small revolvers and medium to large autos.

High Noon sells directly to the consumer from their website. Look for future reviews of their quality products here on Gunblast.

For more information on the complete line of High Noon holsters, go to:   www.highnoonholsters.com.

They are well-built from quality materials, and are very reasonably priced. I recommend them.

Jeff Quinn

 

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Click pictures for a larger version.

 

High Noon's "Tail Gunner" inside-the waistband holster.

 

 

High Noon's "Pocket Grabber" pocket holster.