Uncle Mikes

I've got a couple of Uncle Mike's holsters. I think you are correct in them being sturdy and comfortable. I use one occasionally. I just prefer leather.

I have a few in a drawer somewhere. Don’t hate them. They do the job. Like Mokin above I just prefer a quality leather holster.

My only Uncle Mike's holster (IIRC).



I had to mod it to take that spare mag, but that was not a big deal. Perfect for the task & I've been carrying it for 15 years.

O'course that pic was taken long ago, but it still looks almost as good.

I have a few for everything big and small.

They do a decent job.

I use a couple for house guns and one for the truck gun - just to keep the loaded pistol and extra mag together and handy to grab. I don't think I've ever carried in one.
No hate here.

As a guess, and only a guess, it's the lack of being specific.
Now, the hate on the belts and pouches I don't grok at all.
Ok, the cheaper belt has a weaker buckle, but a few dollars more gets you usable gear.

I have to wonder if there is a "stigma" attached due to use by corrections and security personnel. Except that such agencies often use even less-expensive gear.

I've got UM stuff, and in some quantity. It's not the first thing I reach for, but not the last, either.

I bought a NY dept of corrections model 10-10 w/ old UM rubber finger groove grips that I really like. They fit my hand perfectly.

I have an UM black velcro belt that works pretty good for holding the weight of a fullsize and holster. I also have an UM shotgun sling stud and swivel, which isn’t the best but it’s not too bad.

As for their holsters, I’ve never tried one of theirs. Just me, but I don’t prefer nylon holsters, regardless of brand. I prefer kydex or leather.

I have used Uncle Mike's equipment for 30 years. I prefer the older US made stuff, but the OWB/pocket holsters and ammo holders have been perfectly serviceable. They are great for OC around the property, hiking, or exploring the boonies.

I have a few and most of them are the earlier "Made in the USA" versions. There was a mail order place I ordered from and they had Uncle Mike's really cheap so I stocked up on them whenever I got the chance. Use to carry my Beretta Model 70S in one on many a backwoods hike and it held up very well. Found the shoulder holster at a gun shop I use to frequent in a box of mix and match holsters. Took me awhile but I managed to get the straps sorted out and it's a very comfortable set-up, even carrying my S&W Model 686 for hours on end.

I use an Uncle Mike’s #3 for pocket carry. It works well at protection but not so well at retention. That’s actually not bad for drawing from the pocket but I’m careful where my finger is placed during retraction.

Why the hate? Because they aren't uber-expensive custom made leather holsters. I started with them for revolvers i took as my hunting sidearm and also for some semis I carried. Right now, one of them is securing my M&P 9mm in my truck console; they ain't pretty but they are very functional..

I suppose it depends upon what you expect from one. My very first holster was Uncle Mike's, for a Ruger Blackhawk. It was just a nylon pouch shaped vaguely like a gun with a 7.5" barrel. The gun more-or-less floated in the middle of the thing, and the whole works flopped around annoyingly when I walked. Taking the gun out was usually a two-handed operation, with one hand drawing while the other hand held the holster down. After six months or so the stitching started to come loose, and as I'd spent something like $10 on it, I just tossed it into a box and forgot about. It's disappeared in the mists of time, and I don't miss it.

Now when I go afield with a big Ruger, it's usually in a Milt Sparks holster made specifically for the gun. It's secure, protective, easy on the draw, and should last forever. It's also a constant source of subtle joy which I appreciate any time I look at it or use it.

So at least for me, it's not that I hate Uncle Mike's, it's just that they're not especially good for my purposes and that they don't do anything to further my enjoyment of this hobby.

I suppose they are a lot like Glocks to me. They have their purpose, but that purpose is not mine, and anyway they are soulless and ugly.

Having said that, I do have a nylon pouch containing a gun in my get-home bag. It's not Uncle Mike's, but it might as well be. Its only real job is to protect the gun while it rattles around in the bag, and also not to rust the thing the way a leather holster can. In that sense, Uncle Mike's are perfectly appropriate..

bikerdoc said:

I got over 2 dozen holsters. Mostly paddles in Kydex or leather and a few belt types in leather with retention strap.
Got an nylon Uncle Mike's with belt clip and retention strap in a trade. Sturdy looking and comfortable.
Never had one and it seems they are not well thought of here.
Seems well made and sturdy.
Why the U M hate?

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I agree, I have a couple of the Nylon with Belt clip. Thumb hook and magazine attachment and they work well for Outdoors and hunting. Sturdy and light weight, well made.

I probably qualify as a hater. The only Uncle Mike's I still own is a pocket holster. Their belt holsters are awful. The flop around on your belt and rarely fit your handgun well. Draws are frequently a two-handed affairs of not rustling matches. The cloth holds dirt and grit and thus wears the finish faster than leather or plastic in many cases. And for just a few dollars more you can have a good holster like a Safariland 567 that is infinitely more useful and more comfortable.

I like to use the ones with the mag pouch mounted to the back of nightstands and end tables to hold SD handguns. They also make a nylon one that a belt goes through that I like for a Shield45 but I like a leather one also.