Keeping yourself safe when you holster your firearm should always be at the top of your list. While some gun owners worry about an accidental discharge hitting someone around them, it's also imperative that you take precautions to avoid discharging the weapon when the barrel is aimed at your own body. Before you buy your next gun, think about how you'll be carrying it if you have a CCW license. You'll then want to take the holster with you to the gun shop and evaluate how safely you can holster the firearm before you choose to buy it. Here are some criteria to evaluate.
Barrel Length
The length of the barrel is important to consider for a variety of reasons. For example, if you'll be using the gun for target shooting, you may favor a longer barrel. With a concealed firearm, you'll want to practice holstering the weapon so that you can assess the barrel length. If you use an appendix holster, a longer barrel may be awkward — and, you may find that you're accidentally pointing the end of the barrel toward your leg when you feel for the holster, which is dangerous. This may not be an issue with a shorter barrel.
Trigger
The size and shape of the firearm can make it either easy or difficult to hold your finger away from the trigger as you holster the weapon. With a smaller-sized weapon, for example, there may not be much of a place to set your trigger finger, and this could mean that you're concerned about how close your finger is to the trigger ring during the holstering process. A larger firearm has more space to set your finger against the side of the barrel, keeping it away from the trigger and reducing the risk of an accidental discharge.
Safety Position
Experienced gun owners are skilled at putting the safety on their weapon while moving it toward the holster. With practice, you can complete this in one fluid movement. If the safety happens to be in an awkward position, however, this may be difficult to do. This could mean that you end up starting to holster the gun while you're still fumbling with the safety — something that could increase your risk of an accidental discharge. By evaluating how safely you can holster every firearm that you try, you'll be able to buy the one that makes you feel most comfortable.
If you are in the market for firearms for sale, contact a business in your area that sells guns.
