Options for a Car Handgun Holster

I may have mentioned this before, but I originally got my conceal carry permit and Glock 27 when I started working in a rougher part of town.  I had/have never had any particular incident, but as many guys will tell you, I have had the spidey (as in SpiderMan) senses go off a couple times before I was carrying that I felt unsafe.  Typically I am carrying my baby Glock in a Serpa holster on my strong side.  It works well there and is very comfortable.  Plus, it will easily conceal under my clothes most of the time.

Now that it is winter, I am wearing so many more layers of clothing to keep warm.  Plus as I am in my vehicle, I am wearing a seat belt.  The realization came to me yesterday as I could feel my cell phone ringing and I was frantically unbuttoning my coat, taking off my seat belt, and pulling up my sweater to get to the phone.  Even then, it was not easy or fast.  Imagine if I had to get access to my pistol if someone was approaching my car or trying to car-jack me.  It would never happen quickly.

After going through these various scenarios in my mind, I spent some time looking at car handgun holsters.  These are typically holsters that can be mounted in your vehicle so you have quick access to your pistol.  They are unencumbered by clothing or seatbelts.  I was surprised at how many different types there were.  The major difference were where and how you would mount them.  Below are some options for a pistol holster for your car.  Just like there are 1000s of holsters for your hip and you may love some and hate others, same goes for vehicle seat hostlers.  You will need to think about your application and preferences and go from there.

By Your Knee Holster
This holster is mounted in your drivers side near the floor on the side of your console.  It allows for easy access to your pistol as you simply reach down with your strong hand.  The downside is that it is close to your gas pedal foot.  If get in and out of your car frequently, you may hit it often (especially if the foot area of your vehicle is rather small).  I know in my truck, because of the snow and salt, my carpets on my drivers side are always wet and full of slush and salt.  Not a great place to keep your expensive pistol!  While it is concealed pretty well, you would have to make a downward movement in your car to reach down and get it.  It may telegraph to a bad guy what you are doing.  Also, if you are on the heavier side, reaching down that far may be like doing a sit up in your car!

In Your Console Holster
If you have a large center console such as are in many full-sized SUVs and trucks, you have a couple options on how to mount this holster.  It can be mounted on the cover as shown.  Some owner prefer to mount it barrel down inside the console box.  I do like this application as it is easy to get to your gun.  You can often lock these consoles for added security, in the place of a vehicle pistol safe. The downside of this application is if you keep lots of junk in your console, your gun may not fit! Plus, if you are sitting in your vehicle, every bad guy is going to see you open your console.

Between the Seats Holster
This is a variation of the by your knee install, but better. Again your have quick access to the gun, but you can be more discreet about it. Being able to use this mounting is going to depend a lot on the layout of your vehicle. Some have a large amount of space between the seats and will make this easy, especially if you rarely have someone riding in the passenger seat. If your car has limited space between the seats, you can also mount it more forward of the seat on the side of the console, similar to this picture, but even further forward (maybe near the shifter in this picture).

On the Seat Back Holster
This holster is mounted around the base of the seat itself. I am sure you can understand why I think this is the least desirable mounting point. The gun is effectively behind you and in between the door and seat. You would need to draw across your body pretty far to get this gun out. I suspect that your seat belt may prevent you from making that motion. You can easily test this position by using an old belt or nylon tie to mount your existing holster around your seat.

Between Your Legs Car Holster
I am divided on this style of car seat handgun holster. On the one hand, it would be very easy to draw this gun discreetly as you can have your hand in your lap and easily reach the gun. It is hidden from view if someone looks into your vehicle better than all the mounts except the console holster. Unlike all the other options, this one is not permanently mounted to the car. On the downside, I am not sure I want to sit on the strap that holds it in place. That is an awfully large buckle! Plus, just like the by your knee holster, I suspect I would hit that thing every time I would get in my vehicle. I would be both frustrated and irritated that I was getting it dirty/wet.

As you can see, finding a car handgun holster is really a personal choice. It depends a lot on the type of vehicle you have and frankly your physical build. Take some time to play with your options by even taping an old standard holster in place and see if you like the position.