Ankle holters: Practical or not?
08-07-2011, 03:56 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,905
Ankle holters: Practical or not?
I was in a meeting last week and noticed the tip of an ankle holster peaking out under one of the other company's guys slacks. When we broke for lunch and I caught him while we were away from the others and asked him about it. He had a Kahr CM9 tucked into a Desantis Apache.
I was actually surprised to see a guy carrying in the corporate setting, let alone in an external meeting out of state (meeting was on OUR campus). Pleasantly surprised though, since I knew I wasn't the only one at the table "packing".
But at any rate, the real question I have is:
How practical do you really think ankle holsters are? Is it an illusion of security, since you'd be carrying a weapon that you couldn't actually access?
During the meeting, I was thinking about how easily I could draw my Ruger LCP from my pocket, but couldn't think of an efficient way to access an ankle holster.
I totally understand the advantage for LEO's carrying a backup weapon in an ankle holster, but for civilian concealed carry, it doesn't make sense to me? Having a primary on your hip, then drawing a backup from an ankle holster from behind cover is one thing, but I can't imagine being confronted in the street, and needing to reach my ANKLE to access my primary weapon.
I've thought about using an ankle holster tucked in the top of my boots (I wear western "cowboy boots" 90% of the time), but I just can't get past how difficult it would be to access the weapon?
I was actually surprised to see a guy carrying in the corporate setting, let alone in an external meeting out of state (meeting was on OUR campus). Pleasantly surprised though, since I knew I wasn't the only one at the table "packing".
But at any rate, the real question I have is:
How practical do you really think ankle holsters are? Is it an illusion of security, since you'd be carrying a weapon that you couldn't actually access?
During the meeting, I was thinking about how easily I could draw my Ruger LCP from my pocket, but couldn't think of an efficient way to access an ankle holster.
I totally understand the advantage for LEO's carrying a backup weapon in an ankle holster, but for civilian concealed carry, it doesn't make sense to me? Having a primary on your hip, then drawing a backup from an ankle holster from behind cover is one thing, but I can't imagine being confronted in the street, and needing to reach my ANKLE to access my primary weapon.
I've thought about using an ankle holster tucked in the top of my boots (I wear western "cowboy boots" 90% of the time), but I just can't get past how difficult it would be to access the weapon?
08-07-2011, 05:10 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 970
As long as the criminals don't see you as the initial threat, you should have time to draw your weapon with practice. This means that some of your scenarios where you are being attacked you might as well be unarmed.
08-07-2011, 05:30 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: central and east texas
Posts: 4,894
it takes time to get it out of your pocket too, if you are ambushed with an AK in your face, ya wouldnt be able to make it to the pocket or your boot. tis better to be armed than unarmed in any event.
08-07-2011, 05:47 PM
#4
Spike
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Alabama
Posts: 11
I wear one on duty every day with a glock 27 in it... that said I always carry off duty, but never on the ankle. I would rather not have to deal with trying to get a pants leg
out of the way to draw, plus I don't want to have to drop to a knee to draw when I probably need to stay upright to keep myself mobile and myself between the threat and my family.. YMMV...
out of the way to draw, plus I don't want to have to drop to a knee to draw when I probably need to stay upright to keep myself mobile and myself between the threat and my family.. YMMV...
08-07-2011, 06:06 PM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,679
To carry a primary weapon in an ankle holster is about as useful as tits on a boar hog. Though I guess it's better than not having one at all..... Kind of like having a 25, better than nothing.
To carry a back up weapon in an ankle holster makes perfect sense.
To carry a back up weapon in an ankle holster makes perfect sense.
08-07-2011, 10:08 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,905
Based on these other comments, I feel better that I'm not just totally off my rocker thinking ankle holsters aren't practical.
I guess my philosophy for my concealed carry is focused around protecting "me and mine", not necessarily anticipating to draw in the instance to protect someone else (i.e. entering a situation that I wasn't necessarily initially engaged in), so I'm expecting to be too close to my attacker to have time, as others have mentioned, to drop to my knee (making me totally stationary and vulnerable), lift my pant leg, and draw my weapon. Drawing from my pocket while backpedaling into safety is a lot more enticing than all of that jazz...
I guess my philosophy for my concealed carry is focused around protecting "me and mine", not necessarily anticipating to draw in the instance to protect someone else (i.e. entering a situation that I wasn't necessarily initially engaged in), so I'm expecting to be too close to my attacker to have time, as others have mentioned, to drop to my knee (making me totally stationary and vulnerable), lift my pant leg, and draw my weapon. Drawing from my pocket while backpedaling into safety is a lot more enticing than all of that jazz...
08-08-2011, 09:15 AM
#7
Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern California
Posts: 18,382
I carried a Ruger 357 SP101 as a backup weapon on duty in an ankle holster while wearing boots for a year or so. You get used to the extra weight on one ankle. Only 1 guy (another cop) ever noticed the pistol. During that year or so that I carried it, I found that it was slow to draw and I had to be careful when running after bad guys. A few other deputies tried carrying backup pistols in ankle holsters and we all came to the conclusion that it was a liability if we ever got into a wrestling situation on the ground, was slow to draw and the disadvantages outweighed any advantages (i.e. the bad guy could get control of an ankle gun).
Off duty, I've carried full and compact size Glocks, SIGs and other pistols in a fanny pack for years. I found that was a very comfortable way to carry almost any size pistol and I didn't have to sit on a wallet. I found with practice that I could draw a pistol from a fanny pack fairly quickly. The velcro packs are quicker on the draw but not quite as secure. The zipper fanny packs are a tad slower but seemed to be a little more secure. I compared draw speed with several other cops at an instructor class and found the fanny pack was consistently quicker than a shoulder holster (they need to be strapped down to your belt for decent speed) but not as quick as a good belt holster. The ankle holster was the slowest method of concealed carry. The obvious drawback to this method is that people who know what a gun bag is will know you're carrying.
I did have one partner who wore cowboy boots and carried a backup pistol in an inside the boot holster for years. He didn't run much but felt like it was secure enough. His draw was still slower than a fanny pack or any other method of carrying a backup pistol concealed.
I know everybody who carries strives to avoid physical confrontations as in there's at least 1 gun present in a fistfight, shoving match, etc. Besides determining your draw speed, I would recommend you figure out how secure you think the method of concealed carrying will be if you get in a wrestling match or have to run. Hopefully this helps some.
Off duty, I've carried full and compact size Glocks, SIGs and other pistols in a fanny pack for years. I found that was a very comfortable way to carry almost any size pistol and I didn't have to sit on a wallet. I found with practice that I could draw a pistol from a fanny pack fairly quickly. The velcro packs are quicker on the draw but not quite as secure. The zipper fanny packs are a tad slower but seemed to be a little more secure. I compared draw speed with several other cops at an instructor class and found the fanny pack was consistently quicker than a shoulder holster (they need to be strapped down to your belt for decent speed) but not as quick as a good belt holster. The ankle holster was the slowest method of concealed carry. The obvious drawback to this method is that people who know what a gun bag is will know you're carrying.
I did have one partner who wore cowboy boots and carried a backup pistol in an inside the boot holster for years. He didn't run much but felt like it was secure enough. His draw was still slower than a fanny pack or any other method of carrying a backup pistol concealed.
I know everybody who carries strives to avoid physical confrontations as in there's at least 1 gun present in a fistfight, shoving match, etc. Besides determining your draw speed, I would recommend you figure out how secure you think the method of concealed carrying will be if you get in a wrestling match or have to run. Hopefully this helps some.
08-08-2011, 09:38 AM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Warren MI
Posts: 450
I carry a Glock 19 in my waist band and a ruger lcp on my ankle as a back up, there have been occasions where a iwb holster was not possible and I just wore the ankle holster, it wouldn't work in all situations but it's better than not carrying anything at all.
08-08-2011, 11:12 AM
#10
Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern California
Posts: 18,382
I agree with Marquismarc and scotty coyoteon this--Having any gun is better than not carrying anything at all. At times, I have carried a Walther PPK in the front pocket of my slacks. Sometimes the situation and dress code restrict your practical choices.