Cold weather offers its own issues with carry, not the least being access to the firearm. But with the heavier clothing come some unforseen dangers in winter training.
Coats come in many styles and cuts, but oftentimes people select a ski style coat. This means they have drawstring at the bottom of the coat. There drawstrings have very little utility to most people that do not ski, but are a huge risk when it comes to your defensive tools.
First, they can snag and foul your draw. If your jacket is not completely clear of your draw, the back of the gun can catch on the shock cord. Second, the cords can become entangled on your gun during your daily routine and has the potential to pull the gun from a holster with no retention device. Third, and probably the worst, is that these cords can fall into the holster and cause a hazard on reholstering. Pictured above is a firearm with the drawstring through the trigger guard. This can cause a negligent discharge and create a dangerous situation for you and those around you.
A couple solutions to the issue with drawstring are: if you need them for a specific activity, you should wear that coat for that activity and find something more appropriate for other activities. The other solution is to cut them off your jacket, or to cut, tighten and make them flush with the seam. If you can see them into the bottom of the coat, you can seal in the problem, and eliminate the risk it poses.
Be safe, and think about the little things!
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