Girl, lets be safe
A GUIDE TO CARRYING A FIREARM SAFELY
Unfortunately, just because a product is sold, doesn't mean it's safe. When it comes to carrying a lethal tool, we want to make sure we are carrying it in a safe way to prevent the potential for unintended discharges.
FIRST, HOW DO UNITNENDED DISCHARGES HAPPEN?
Unintended discharges or negligent discharges (NDs) are a result of pulling the trigger when that was not the intent. This can happen via poor trigger finger discipline or a foreign object compressing the trigger. This is why it is crucial to understand and implement the Four Universal Safety Rules (link coming soon), have trigger finger discipline, have adequate trigger protection for when the gun is holstered, and to take the time to reholster safely.
EXAMPLES OF HOW NDs HAPPEN
TRIGGER FINGER DISCIPLINE
It is crucial to have your finger not only off the trigger, but also high and ON the frame of the firearm when you are not ready to shoot. There are essentially four possible places you can put your finger when holding a gun, only one of them guarantees your finger is away from the trigger.
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Position One: Finger inside the trigger guard. This is the worst position for your finger to be when you are not ready to shoot. The possibility of your finger slipping and decompressing the trigger is far too great.
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Position Two: Resting on the trigger guard. While better than option one, the risks of slipping and hitting the trigger are still far too great.
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Position Three: Allowing the finger to float around outside the trigger guard. This is mostly equal to option two in terms of risk. The issue with this position is that the brain has very littls reference to know how far your finger is from the trigger. It could be far away or right next to it. The brain cannot feel this space.
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Position Four: High on the frame of the firearm. Having your finger on the gun, away from the trigger allows you to know exactly where your finger is in relation to the trigger. Feeling the frame definitely tells you, "My finger is not on the trigger". The best method is to press into that spot to give positive feedback so your brain knows exactly where your finger is in relation to the trigger.
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Why does this matter? We want to build these habits so it becomes automatic. If you ever find yourself in a high stress environment, like facing a threat, you are not going to be aware of where your finger is. Your brain is not going to focus on that tiny detail when there is a present threat. It will resort to what you naturally do.
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TRIGGER PROTECTION
Not all holsters offer the same amount of protection when it comes to keeping the trigger from being compressed unintentionally. There are three common types of holsters that are sold: soft holsters, leather holsters, and hard sided holsters. Some can be a hybrid of these as well.
Soft holsters are made of soft materials and are typically universal holsters, meaning a wide variety of firearms can be used in the same holster. These offer some of the least amount of trigger protection. I like to share an example that demonstrates why soft holsters aren't a safe option --> In 2018, a man was playing with his dog on his couch. The man was wearing a belly band as a way to carry his firearm. While playing, the dog managed to not only disengage the safety on the firearm, but also compress the trigger through the fabric of the belly band and send a round through the owners leg. Don't believe me? Here's the article.
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Leather holsters are a step up from soft holsters. Some are made for specific gun make/models and some are universal. A good quality leather holster can maintain shape and function for a certain amount of time but they will eventually soften and pose a risk to accidentally decompressing the trigger. Check out this article where are guy shot his hip while getting into his car.
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Kydex holsters are king. A good quality Kydex holster will offer full hard sided trigger protection on both sides of the trigger. As long as the gun is holstered correctly, there is very little chance (we don't use absolutes) that the trigger can be decompressed. Here are a few different styles of Kydex holsters that offer full trigger protection.
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REHOLSTERING SAFELY
There is no reason to jam your gun in a holster really fast. There are items in our environment that can cause the trigger to compress upon reholstering and we need to make sure there are no obstructions when doing so. Common items such as draw strings and clothing can find their way into the holster and provide enough resistance/tension to compress the trigger.
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If you are reholstering and you feel resistance, STOP, pull the gun out, check for and clear obstructions, then reholster. There has been multiple instances of this happening, even to professionals. Check out this video for a real life example.
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THE SAFEST
Position One
Position Two
Position Three
Position Four
THIS IS WHY WE SAY NO TO SOFT HOLSTERS
LEATHER IS FOLDED UNDER THE TRIGGER
Dark Star Gear
T.REX ARMS
Flashbang
Trigger Guard
WHAT MAKES A GOOD QUALITY HOLSTER?
A good quality holster meets all of the following characteristics:
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Made of a rigid material (Kydex)
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Made for your firearm make and model
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Maintains an open mouth even when the gun is not in the holster
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Covers the trigger completely on both sides
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Allows for one handed draw
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Allows for one handed reholster
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Has adequate retention on your firearm
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Note: be mindful of holsters that accommodate a light. Depending on the width of the gun vs the width of the light, there may need to be a gap for the gun to fully be seated. There was a gentleman who had a light on his firearm. His specific holster had a gap around the trigger because the light had a larger width than the gun. A kid stuck his finger in the gap and pulled the trigger. Just something to be aware of.
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RETENTION WITH KYDEX VS SOFT HOLSTERS
POTENTIAL GAP WITH FLASHLIGHT
HOW DO WE ENSURE SAFE CARRY?
The safest place to carry a firearm is on body. Keeping your gun on you ensures that it is always in your possession, you know where it is at all times, and offers quickest access should you ever need it to defend yourself or a loved one.
I will forever state that on body carry is a must with kids. We absolutely need to be in control of our firearm with kids in the picture otherwise the gun can get up in tiny hands that don't understand the dangers of firearms. Unfortunately, every year lives are accidentally taken because a gun was left within reach of a child. In 2014, a 2 year old shot and killed his mom at a Walmart because her firearm was in her purse, which was in the cart with her child. You can read this story here.
In addition to wearing the gun on body and having a quality holster, a solid foundation for the holstered firearm to be attached to is a must. If the foundation can't support the weight of your firearm, then the entire holster/gun can sag or fall off your clothing. A sturdy gun belt offers a solid foundation. There are other quality setups like the PHLster Enigma that offer a solid foundation as well. The key is knowing what to look for; we want to make sure the material the holster/clip is attached to wont sag under the weight of the gun. It also should not stretch so much that the foundation becomes loose therefore allowing the gun to sag as well. Some of our favorite belt brands are Mastermind Tactics, Blue Alpha, Groove Life, Agonic, and Kore Essentials.
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Lastly, we need the ability to attach the holster to the foundation. This is usually achieved by using clips. However, not all clips are created equal. In general, plastic clips should be replaced with metal clips as plastic ones can break or don't offer enough tension to grip onto the foundation. Our favorite clip brand is Discreet Carry Concepts (DCC). Pull-the-Dot soft loops are also a great option.
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WHAT A SOLID FOUNDATION LOOKS AND DOESN'T LOOK LIKE
DCC
Pull-the-Dot
Plastic Clip
Tension
WHY KOA ATHLETICS?
How are our leggings the safest on the market? Our leggings require the use of a third party holster and belt. Not only does this allows you to customize your needs for carry, but it offers the ability to carry safely AND comfortably. This means you can cater your holster to your personal firearm and body type.
SAFE PRACTICES TO MAKE AUTOMATIC
Never ever take the gun off and set it somewhere even if just for a quick moment. We are human and can forget even the simplest things. In 2023, a Texas superintendent resigned after having accidentally left his gun in a school bathroom where a student later found it.
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My motto is, if the gun is not on you, it's in a safe. Period.
​Also, be mindful of ways your safe can be opened. Many modern safes come with keys, fobs, apps, etc. Make sure your child can't access your safes via these means.
I made you a safety guide for easy reference :)
Feeling overwhelmed?