Purpose of a Drop Leg Holster?

[BushmasterFanBoy]

I currently have a Safariland 6004 holster that I use with my Kimber Warrior. I like the fact that my draw is considerably faster with the drop leg than it is with a conventional holster. What I don't like about it is that it's heavy and clumsy. When I run with it on, it shifts around. Furthermore when I carry my AR-15, I have the carbine hanging on my hip, so the holster interferes with my preferred method of carry.

Basically I was just wondering why I see so many people who carry guns for a living using them? Am I just missing something? Thanks!

[Rana]

I currently have a Safariland 6004 holster that I use with my Kimber Warrior. I like the fact that my draw is considerably faster with the drop leg than it is with a conventional holster. What I don't like about it is that it's heavy and clumsy. When I run with it on, it shifts around. Furthermore when I carry my AR-15, I have the carbine hanging on my hip, so the holster interferes with my preferred method of carry.

Basically I was just wondering why I see so many people who carry guns for a living using them? Am I just missing something? Thanks!


The purpose of a drop leg holster is to clear your body armor and LBE kit. With as many tools that are carried "down range," the drop leg seems the most logical approach to carrying a sidearm when fully kitted up.

Ironically I find the "draw" from the drop leg slower than strong side hip holsters.

You can usually spot the tactically clueless when someone wears a drop leg without any LBE or body armor. Most of the REMF's running around at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad all sport drop leg holsters and rarely if ever wear body armor inside the confines of the Embassy. This may be all that is issued as well; not everyone gets strong sided hip holsters issued to them so it may be what is available.

[Joe R.]

As Rana stated the drop-leg holster is designed to clear your body armor.

Having said that it should not be worn any lower then needed to have the grip of the gun clear the bottom of your vest. Wearing the thing down around your knee is the sure sign of someone who is not dialed in. It's a longer movement to get the gun on target and as you have already found if you try to run (or even move quickly) the holster flops around trying it's best to beat you into submission.

My tac rigs are set up to sit about 1 1/2-2" lower then my duty holsters. This gives ample room to clear my armor and allows for a nearly identical draw stroke while making the holster much more stable during movement.

[militarymoron]

shorten the hanger strap on your 6004 and get rid of the upper thigh strap to bring it up higher. see the first section on this page:
http://www.militarymorons.com/faq/faqs.html

[C4IGrant]

shorten the hanger strap on your 6004 and get rid of the upper thigh strap to bring it up higher. see the first section on this page:
http://www.militarymorons.com/faq/faqs.html

This is good input here.

IMHO, unless your running Body Armor, drop leg holsters are not the best idea.


C4

[BushmasterFanBoy]

This is good input here.

IMHO, unless your running Body Armor, drop leg holsters are not the best idea.


C4

Thanks!

That seems to be the conclusion I have come to after using the 6004 without body armor. I guess it is a type of trial and error with gear.

[John Fettes]

I had thought (maybe wrong again) that one of the reasons for the drop holsters was to also accommodate a harness for rappelling.

John

[Rana]

"Not so much."

[rhino]

One of the reasons some 3-gun/multi-gun shooters wear them is because it minimizes the amount of belt space used. If you're carrying pistol mags, rifle mags, and shotgun shells on your belt and you don't have a belt as long as mine :D , you need all the space you can get.

As someone mentioned earlier, wearing it as high on your hip as possible minimizes any impairment on your movement, and should also put it in the best place for a speedy draw when necessary.

[shoothouse artist]

just thought i'd add that i wear a duty belt with hip draw and still have no problems with the vest interfering. i tend to wear my belt low since i've gotten a belly. I think its more of a "available space" thing as mentioned above.

i do have a safariland thigh rig, but i pulled all the slack out of it so it just barely hangs from the waist maybe 2 inches. same thing with my blackhawk holster that i think is actually made for this "not quite so low" inbetween option as well as the full thigh option

so long as the draw from the holster clears whatever is 6'oclock behind it, ah rekon'

[Harv]

I actually like the 6004 rig very much. I modded mine to ride up high and I use it for just about everything I do. The problem with most drop legs is they are worn way to low. But it is a speciality piece of equipment built for a specific need.

It's that whole.."mission drives the gear train" thing....

[Turnkey11]

I just bought a lefty M9 6004 in FDE, will be modding it when I get time at work this week. This isnt going to be a work wear holster but for play at home, just got a good deal on it at the PX here.:D

[Obiwan]

One real concern is with "Muscle Memory"

If you generally run a belt holster for duty/concealment, then switching to a drop holster can make for some "awkward moments in training" while groping for your weapon

The few times I have used a drop holster I still found myself reaching for the belt holster position every time

Probably something you could overcome (in time) ...but one more variable in a situation where less decisions is best

[SOWT]

I worn both shoulder and thigh holsters while deployed.

The problem I had with the (cheap) military shoulder holsters is they get real uncomfortable when you are not wearing body armor. Most of my time is spent as a FOBBIT, so the shoulder rig gets lots of staff time.

We first started using Blackhawks thigh holsters, and they were a small improvement over the shouldder rigs, but not much. The new holsters were just received are a vast improvement (Sherpa's I believe).

For me, the thigh rig is more of a convenince (sp?) thing. I can take the battle rattle off, and still keep the weapon on (Bosnia and Kosovo deployers know the deal).