Where to tie lanyard?

[mljdeckard]

Hi guys, been wondering lately, does it make any difference whether I attach my pistol lanyard to the belt or to another spot on the holster?

When I put the holster on for the day, I normally attach the lanyard to the belt, or I forget to until it dangles against my legs, then I notice it and attach it. It's easier to just attach it to a free loop on the leg extension, then I don't need to worry about it. What I am wondering is, could there be any bad things that could happen because it's not anchored to something besides the holster? My imagination is broken lately.

thanks.

 

[mljdeckard]

I am currently having a warm shiver of pleasure, in that I have FINALLY come up with a problem too unique for THR.

 

[nalioth]

I am currently having a warm shiver of pleasure, in that I have FINALLY come up with a problem too unique for THR.

No, you just asked on a holiday weekend, and haven't even gone 4 hours after your original post to crow about "stumping THR".

Don't you know that most folks here post from their workplace instead of doing their real job?

Do you think they're gonna give up quality family time for this (as much as some may wish otherwise)?

​

Since you insist. . .

Military MPs loop the lanyard around their web belt, and clip it to their pistol when present.

If I were you, I'd loop the lanyard around your holster loop and clip it to your pistol when in use. This way, you're not having to worry about leaving the lanyard behind, attaching/detaching it from your pants belt, etc.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I left my lanyard in the box. Never could answer the question.

 

[dogtown tom]

It shouldn't be bouncing off your leg, but neatly coiled.

Why do you need a lanyard?

If it's to be tacticool it doesn't matter where you attach it.
If you are military you'll be told where to attach it.
If you are LEO you probably don't use one.

Most often, I've seen them attached to the gun belt (and the lanyard stowed so as not to snag on everything you walk past).

Pistol lanyards came into use during the days of mounted cavalry. Pretty easy to drop your pistol while reloading or riding. They stayed in vogue because .mil doesn't like troops losing their toys during battle.

Look at these
http://www.tttmissionfirst.com/trrl_lanyards.html

Comparisons by airsoft guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrv61fydTuY

http://www.sheentv.com/view/713km47hs/drop-leg-holster-w-retention/

 

[Realbigo]

Always loop mine around the belt loop of the holster. I use the curly phone cord type so it stays out of the way pretty well. I started using one while working Armed Security after a guy who worked a nearby site, lost a brand new Sig 226 in a housing project.

 

[mljdeckard]

I am military, I do use one, and I am the one counseling my soldiers that they will use one at all times. No one told me to use one at all, I am the one who volunteered to teach my unit about pistol retention. They had never heard of it.

I use one as a civilian too, when open-carrying doing outdoor activities. How can it possibly be a bad thing?

 

[rcmodel]

It becomes a bad thing if the BG gets ahold of it and chokes you to death with it during a struggle.

Most are strong enough to make a fine noose or garrote.
If it won't break away from your belt or holster it makes a great handle to toss you around with too.

rc

 

[mljdeckard]

In our situation, I'm much more concerned about making sure my guys keep it tied to them. With the equipment we work with in the job we do, I'm much more concerned about accountability. A lanyard on the vest might be more of a liability, but like these guys have said, I use the newer coiled type, they aren't so thin either. Yes, they are strong, but I doubt the clip or the snap would hold under body weight.

 

[AK103K]

I use one when canoeing/kayaking or anytime I feel its a good idea to dummy cord things. I guess I'm old school, as I attach it to me, not my gear.

I either use a piece of para cord of the appropriate length, or the old style military type lanyard with a hook. I actually prefer the para cord though, as I feel its more secure.

I slip a large loop over my head and one shoulder, with the tail end down at the gun. I just stuff the loose left overs into my pants so its relatively snug to my body and doesnt hang up or catch on things. Been doing it this way as long as I can remember, and never had an issue.

 

[TexasBill]

When you mentioned lanyards, my first thought was of those worn by the RCMP and British Army officers or the ones worn on the strong side by U.S. Military Police. They look dashing but you better have some strong epaulet buttons...

Laugh, but a modern lanyard isn't a bad idea. There are a number of ways in which a sidearm can get loose and a lanyard sure beats fishing around for your pistol.

I would think the best attachment point would be the belt right behind the weapon.

 

[nalioth]

I would think the best attachment point would be the belt right behind the weapon.

Please see post #8.

I use one when canoeing/kayaking or anytime I feel its a good idea to dummy cord things. I guess I'm old school, as I attach it to me, not my gear.

Keeping in mind that Mr. Murphy is watching all the time, I'd suggest you have a good knife handy, in case you find yourself hung up in a bad place . . .

Mr. Murphy LOOOOVES "Never". . .

 

[AK103K]

Keeping in mind that Mr. Murphy is watching all the time, I'd suggest you have a good knife handy, in case you find yourself hung up in a bad place . . .

But of course, and a couple actually, but then again, that goes for anything anyway. Doesnt everyone always carry a couple of knives on them regardless where they are?

 

[PT1911]

But of course, and a couple actually, but then again, that goes for anything anyway. Doesnt everyone always carry a couple of knives on them regardless where they are?

Also be sure to attach a lanyard to each of your knives, wouldnt want to lose them either!


Seems to me that a lanyard would be useful in such cases as fishing, canoeing, rafting, kayaking, Potentially hunting, and Hiking... in a daily carry situation or military use it seems like an appropriate holster would be more advisable.

I am speaking out of pure theory having had no actual experience with lanyards.

 

[AK103K]

Also be sure to attach a lanyard to each of your knives, wouldnt want to lose them either!

Actually, anything of real importance gets a dummy cord. The river has a way of stealing your stuff.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Yeah, knew someone would bring up the ol dummy cord, useful as a training tool and when you don't/won't have the opportunity to pick it up, but a lanyard can get in the way esp. when your not used to it.

 

[Realbigo]

I actually do have a Dummy cord on my primary field knife. It's never gotten in the way either.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

When I was in the Navy the common practice was to put your firing arm through the lanyard and then put the lanyard over your head and across the shoulder opposite from the holster. It hung diagonally across the torso. This minimized the lanyard from snagging on valve handles, piping, pipe hangars, lockwire, door knobs, and other protrusions in the tight confines aboard ship.

The lanyard retained the pistol so it wouldn't go overboard in case it was dropped.

 

[Leaky Waders]

I had two lanyards...and two holsters.

When wearing the warbelt with the safari land holster (inside the wire), my lanyard was hooked to the belt behind the holster.

When wearing my flak, I wore a leather holster across my chest and slung the lanyard through one of the loops on the flak.

No one told me how to wear it.

L.W.

 

[mljdeckard]

Answered my own question. Here's how.

In my abundant spare time, I decided to practice the heck out of drawing, loading, and reloading. I took the follower out of a magazine to be able to simulate reloads of a full mag.

What I found was, if the lanyard is tied too close to the holster, it may be dangling around it when you go to draw it. You get a handful of lanyard with the handful of gun. I tied it in the small of my back, on the weak-hand side of the center belt loop, and it solved the problem.

Now I'm remembering why I hate slide-mounted safeties. When I overhand-tug the slide to release it and slip off the rear to bring my hand back around, I have to make sure I don't knock the safety back on in the process.

 

[LiveLife]

Our family rides quads and although Fobus Glock holsters we use has excellent retention, I have considered using lanyards for really bumpy trails.

The Gem-Tech Tactical Retention Lanyard is designed primarily for law enforcement and mission specific military needs. The Tactical Retention Lanyard is a coil-cord lanyard invaluable for prevention of loss of the sidearm during high activity or marine operations. It features a fully adjustable belt loop with a slide release buckle to facilitate detaching the retained weapon from the belt loop. The loop portion of the lanyard easily attaches to the lanyard ring in the sidearm, including the small lanyard slot in the SIG weapons. The lanyard is engineered to have a programmed breaking strength of approximately 100 pounds to prevent serious user injury in the unlikely event the weapon becomes caught in machinery.

In addition to sidearms, the Tactical Retention Lanyard is useful for prevention of loss of other small, valuable accessories including two-way radios, diving knives, cameras, and power tools. It is fully compatible with the marine environment and had been used extensively to prevent loss of diving accessories, including diving knives.

Constructed of nylon and polypropylene to strict Gemtech specifications, the Tactical Retention Lanyard measures 22 inches when retracted and extends to approximately 55 inches.

 

[bobmcd]

Back in the day, I tied my lanyard to a fitting on the strong-side shoulder of my web gear suspenders. This had two good effects: it kept it from dangling, and it kept it from being too short when extending my arm to shoot. Tying it to the belt was way wrong: dangled AND prevented the arm from extending. Some people coiled it around the belt or holster to keep it from dangling, which of course meant there was absolutely no way to shoot it (or at least to shoot an aimed shot).

Of course, my technique assumes you have suspenders to tie it to. Lacking that, the diagonal-across-torso mentioned earlier sounds like it would work just as well.

 

[Taroman]

23 years in the Army. I carried .45s a lot. Usually attached the lanyard to the LCE suspenders on the strong side. IIRC, I'd hook it on the steel ring where some would hang a flashlight (or granade).

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I, too, am a believer in lanyards. For strenuous activity (parachute jumping, horse back riding, combat) they are essential.

There are three ways to attach a lanyard. For modern, short curled lanyards, attaching to the belt makes sense. For older styles, either under the shoulder strap or diagonally across the body (pull the loop over your head and insert your right arm.)

None of these ways give an opponent an opportunity to strangle you. And if you're carrying a pistol, how did he get close enough in the first place?

 

[SwampWolf]

I fasten my lanyard to the thwart of my canoe. Much more practical than a balloon.