High Noon Tailgunner
 Combat Handguns June 2007

  For those who are able to wear them comfortably, inside-the-pants holsters worn on the strong side provide the best combination of speed, security and concealment. I have recently been testing an inside-the-pants holster for the Colt .45 ACP pistol made by High Noon Holsters, which they call the Tailgunner.

  The Tailgate is a tuckable style holster because the black spring steel belt clip is attached to the top end of a long leather tab. This tab is stitched securely to the toe of the holster pouch. This allows one to tuck their shirttail in between this tab, and the holster and pistol for maximum concealment. TheTailgate is made of rough-side-out top grade cowhide. This puts the smooth side of the leather against the gun to minimize finish wear. The rough-out leather also tends to cling to the wearer's trousers, which minimizes holster movement.

The holster pouch has a rigid synthetic sight tunnel stitched securely in place, which prevents the front sight from dragging as the pistol is drawn. The trigger guard is fully enclosed for safety, while the Colt's gun butt is positioned for a full shooting grip with first hand contact. The top lip of the pouch is reinforced with a band of leather that extends upward on the backside to provide a sweat shield. This reinforcing band ensures the holster stays open for easy one-handed holstering of the pistol. Security with the open top pouch is provided by an adjustable tension device located at the root of the trigger guard.