What Is A Holster Claw?

The Claw

What is a Holster Claw?

The CLAW! I have two young daughters and the idea of a claw reminds of the hundreds of times I have heard and seen the movie Toy Story. 

Sometimes it gets annoying, but I remember it is for these two precious girls I carry every day. They are my legacy. Even though I pray I never have to use a firearm to protect them, I stay ready. 

Most days I carry medium to large guns including an N-Frame revolvers, Walther PPQ or Glock 19x. These 3 models tend to print given the shirts and pants I wear. When I feel like a flannel and I throw on my Dixxon I do not have a problem with printing.

Printing is when the grip part of your gun pokes out of your shirt leaving people to think there’s something growing out of the side of your stomach.

For the days I wear a t-shirt and jeans or shorts, these larger grips tend to poke out of my shirt. It is for this reason the great minds of the holster industry developed “the claw”.

What is a Holster Claw

Some know this awesome piece of hardware as a claw, others reference to it as a wing.

At the end of the day this small piece of mindful plastic helps minimize the amount of pressure your grip places on your shirt which causes printing. For regions where brandishing is illegal this notion of printing may be a huge issue. 

For me I do not want to run the risk of anyone knowing I’m carrying and concealing a pistol. 

The claw or wing has one main purpose. It puts pressure on to your belt or pants which in turn pushes the grip of your firearm back into your body. 

When Should I use a Claw?

Not every person will benefit from using a holster that accepts a claw. For those who choose to carry a micro pistol or sub compact pistol the claw may have little to no effect.

The best way to implement a claw on your carry rig is paired with a full size or compact pistol. 

I will use the Glock 17 as an example first. I have personally carried a Glock 17 in a low riding in order to better conceal the large grip which holds 17 rounds.

For most, the grip is the hardest part to conceal on any hand gun. Large grips do not contour to the human body. Appendix carry or 3 o’clock carry, a large grip tends to stick out like a sore thumb. A low riding custom holster does not fix this scenario one hundred percent either. 

Holsters that ride low impede you grip. Some training may alleviate this, but a full combat grip on your gun is the best draw method either inside or outside of your pants. It is in this perfect storm that the claw comes into effect. 

The claw, for holsters ready to accept it, will keep your stock holster ride height in place while placing pressure onto your belt, thus pushing the long Glock 17 grip inwards.

Wearing a full size gun may not be your cup of tea and is a more extreme example. However, compact guns such as the Glock 19, CZ P-01 Compact or Beretta PX4 Compact do not completely disappear under clothing. 

In my experience with the above-mentioned pistols, depending on the location on your body, print. I advocate the idea that you should carry what you shoot best with. If that means a mid or full size gun, that is what you should carry. Drinking a Red bull may give you wings, but make sure you have a holster is built to accept one.

Are all holsters made to accept wings?

The short answer is no. For holsters that are built with adjustable retention below the trigger guard it is difficult to attach a wing. 

For holsters built with one hole or eyelet under the trigger a wing will not work. These notions all have answers from great companies such as Tulster or Pholster who have built attachments that stick to your holster or have built in wedges, but they may not be for everyone. 

Holsters such as the Kaos Fusion 2.0 have two hard pressed eyelets which accept a large number of accessories including the Wing or Claw made by several companies. These attributes are what you should look for when shopping for a holster as most wings attached with two holes. 

So are claws worth it?

Yes, if you are wearing a gun with a medium to large sized grip. Single or double stack, 1911 or Glock, Semi Auto or Revolver, if your grip is the length of a Glock 19(for example) a wing will make your carrying experience better and give you peace of mind while you carry that you are not printing. 

One more piece of added advice, wear a decent belt built for carrying a gun. The wing puts pressure on your belt in order to do its job. If your belt is flimsy or soft you may not get the results you are expecting. Get something rigid like an EDC belt.