Beretta 92FS Holster Guide: OWB, IWB, Concealed Carry


The Beretta 92fs pistol is one of the most iconic pistols of all time. Millions of Americans instantly recognize the Beretta 92fs because it looks exactly like their standard issue service pistol.

That’s because the Beretta M9(standard issue pistol) and the Beretta 92fs are almost exactly the same guns. The Beretta 92 is just the civilian version of the M9.

The United States armed forces have been using Beretta M9s since the 1980’s. It doesn’t matter if you love or hate the Beretta M9, they will always be an iconic firearm for military veterans.

Our Favorite Holsters

Which is The Best Beretta 92fs Holster?

1. Tagua Beretta 92FS Belt Holster

Check Price:  Amazon

This Tagua holster is a perfect fit for the Beretta 92 or M9. Tagua holsters have been designing high quality holsters for decades. This Tagua holster is not an exception to their excellent quality and craftsmanship.

Tagua holsters are known for the safety, dependability and reliability. This holster was designed to ensure you have fast and simple access to your Beretta 92. The high quality leather used in this holster will give you decades of dependability and reliability.

The Tagua thumb break holster is a very well designed OWB holster. Due to the compact slim design this holster shouldn’t draw much unwanted attention to your firearm.

What sets this holster apart is that it was designed around the Beretta 92. The first time you use this holster it will be an extremely tight fit. After you work the leather for a little bit it should loosen up for an easier draw. This snug fit keeps your firearm very secure.


2. Desantis Beretta 92 Speed Scabbard Holster

Check Price:  Amazon

The Desantis Speed Scabbard Beretta 92 holster is an excellent choice. You won’t be dissappointed with this desantis holster. Desantis holsters are made in the USA and offer a high level of craftsmanship.

These holsters use a high grade leather that both looks good and lasts a long time. Specifically designed for the Beretta 92 platform you will have a custom fit that’s tailored to your exact firearms specifications.

Desantis holsters use an extremely durable design that minimizes wear points, and should last you a very long time.

The Desantis Speed Scabbard holster is perfect for shooters that don’t like a thumb break. Like the name implies these holsters were designed for speed.

You can quickly and easily draw your Beretta 92 without having to release the thumb break. Some of these types of holsters have issues with firearm retention.

This holster uses a tension screw so that you can adjust the holster to fit your gun. I strongly recommend this holster for anyone that needs an OWB holster for their Beretta 92 or Beretta M9.


3. BLACKHAWK! Serpa CQC Sportster Holster

Check Price:  Amazon

Serpa Holsters are some of the most popular Beretta 92 holsters. Serpa holsters are an excellent retention holster for your beretta 92 but they come with one serious safety concern.

People are known to accidentally pull the trigger while pressing the button to release the firearm. With practice you can learn to properly use this holster, but people have been known to accidentally shoot themselves with this style holster. Once you get past the safety concerns these are actually very high performing holsters.

By far the best part about this Serpa holster is its retention capabilities. This type of holster is designed to be used in fast paced environments. This is the type of holster to use if you’re riding an atv in the woods or regularly need to run. You’re Beretta will not fall out of this holster.

Using the release button will become second nature with a little bit of practice. These holsters offer a quick and easy draw that should keep your firearm secure. These are very affordable holsters and you can’t go wrong with the low price.


4. Alien Gear Holsters ShapeShift 4.0 IWB Holster

Check Price:  Amazon

If you have looked at IWB holsters for your Beretta 92 or M9 you have probably seen this Alien Gear holster. This is easily one of the most bought IWB holsters for your Beretta 92.

These holsters have a very large design, but they work surprisingly well for concealed carry. If you have a medium to large frame you shouldn’t have any issues with this Alien Gear Holster. These holsters are very adjustable and should work with most builds and belts.

User comfort is where this holster really excels. The wide design both spreads out the weight of your firearm and stops your Beretta from digging into your back. All of the hardware is completely concealed behind a soft neoprene.

The standard clips allow a wide variety of adjustments and are fairly sturdy. It is very easy to adjust the tension on this holster. Kydex holsters should last a long time and never lose its snug fit.  If you’re looking for an extremely comfortable holster you can’t go wrong with Alien Gear.


 

5. Galco IWB Leather Holster

Check Price:  Amazon

Galco makes some of the best holsters in the firearm industry. Galco is known for making extremely high quality holsters. Galco holsters have been around for nearly 50 years and they offer an excellent guarantee.

You can return any Galco holster for any reason without any questions asked. Most of the time their holsters come at a high price, but this holster is an exception. If you want a leather IWB holster this Galco is the one to buy. You get an extremely nice holster at a very affordable price.

Like all brand new leather holsters this one will come with an extremely snug fit. Leather holsters are designed snug so that they have room to expand without becoming loose.

After a few weeks this Beretta 92 holster should fit your gun perfectly. This holster features a reinforced thumb break retention strap. The Galco holster carries your Beretta in a vertical position. So it’s designed to be used strong side, crossdraw or in front of your hip. This Galco Holster is the best Beretta 92 IWB leather holster.


IWB vs OWB Carry?

Personally I would always carry my Beretta in a OWB holster. Being from Ohio means I have a very open carry friendly state. That being said there are definitely advantages to concealed carry.

Concealed carry will allow you to go places without being hassled. I can’t even count how many comments I get when I bring out my OWB holster. Seems like everybody has an opinion and wants to share it.

Most people are friendly, or they just assume I’m a LEO. Others are downright aggravating without knowing the law.

Beretta 92fs Holster Concealed Carry

Most people don’t consider the Beretta 92 to be a concealed carry gun, but I have to strongly disagree. It might not be optimal, but if I can carry my full sized 1911 you can carry a Beretta.

You probably won’t be bringing it along on your trip to the beach, but in a t-shirt and jeans you’ll have no problems. Just make sure you dress appropriately and wear fairly baggy clothing. Don’t wear that skin tight cashmere sweater that you love during the holidays.

Beretta 92fs IWB Holster Options

Being a full sized gun your options for IWB carry are going to be somewhat limited. You’ll have to stick to the big name brand companies that seem to have a holster for every gun.

This Alien Gear Holster is by far the most comfortable IWB holster currently on the market. I try to swap out my links as fast as I can, but Alien Gear is constantly coming out with new and improved products(multiple models each year). If the link doesn’t work you should be able to find the newest model with a quick search.

Galco’s Leather IWB Holster is another excellent option although it’s going to be a little less comfortable. As the reigning king of the holster industry you really can’t go wrong with any Galco holster.

Beretta 92FS Leather Holsters

Just about everybody makes a holster for the Beretta 92. Considering it’s one of the most popular firearms of all times I’m sure you’ll find a nice leather holster.

Personally I would go with the above Tagua Leather Holster or a Shoulder Rig System. Shoulder rigs are pretty awesome, but how often can you actually use them.

Leather vs Kydex

Whether or not you choose a leather or kydex holster really comes down to personal preference. Unless you’re buying a cheap no name holster you really can’t go wrong with either style.

Leather holsters have the obvious advantage of looking awesome, but most of the time they’ll be more comfortable. However they do tend to be a little bulky and heavy.

Kydex holsters on the other hand are going to be lighter/thinner, but they’ll have sharper edges. Companies like Alien Gear are really making big leaps in the industry with their holster styles. You have the comfort of a leather holster without much added bulk.

Beretta M9 vs 92fs

The battle between the Beretta M9 vs 92fs is tough to decide. Many veterans either love or hate their Beretta M9. You might think that it’s just a matter of preference, but it comes down to a lot more than that.

Most of the Beretta M9’s that touch a soldiers hands have been passed down by generations of men and women. Many of the guns that current soldiers fathers and grandfathers have used are still in the military system. These guns are meant to be shot over 30,000 rounds in their life so they see a lot of different hands.

The biggest issue that most of these Beretta M9’s have is that they’ve been fired by so many people. The Beretta M9 vs 92fs debate largely comes down to which generation inherits the gun.

The M9 can only take so much abuse over its lifetime. What I consider to be adequate cleaning is probably not the same as the next guy. So some of these guns have faced years of neglect without proper maintenance.

These guns are getting beaten up and improperly taken care of because you don’t personally own or typically rely on your service pistol. That is not the case with most civilian Beretta 92 owners.

Purchased new these pistols are essentially the same pistol. Where you begin to see problems is with the used guns. Most of the Beretta M9’s have simply seen a lot more rounds down range.

The additional shooting wear paired with general lack of maintenance causes a lot of issues with used service pistols. If you’ve ever talked to a soldier that hates his M9 this is probably the cause.

The typical American shooter on the other hand can’t get to the range frequently. Civilians are lucky to shoot once a month, unless they have a range in their backyard. There are always exceptions, but if you are going to buy a used gun I recommend the 92fs. The Beretta M9 vs 92fs debate is typically a wash when buying new.

What’s The Best Holster For Beretta 92fs?

The vast majority of Beretta 92 holsters are going to be OWB holsters or IWB holsters. The Beretta 92 might not be your first choice for concealed carry but a surprising amount of people go that route. Many people choose the M9 or 92fs because it was their service weapon. Familiarity with your weapon is a huge component of gun accuracy. So what’s the best Beretta 92 holster?

  • IWB Holster- If you don’t already know IWB holster stands for inside the waistband holster. A IWB holster is required for a lot of people that don’t have open carry laws. Yes you can conceal an OWB holster with a loose shirt, but you don’t want an uneducated gun grabber to call the police. An IWB holster is going to be your first choice for concealed carry.
  • OWB Holster- OWB Holsters stand for outside the waistband. The majority of time I would recommend people carry a Beretta 92 in a OWB holster. The main reason I recommend an OWB holster is due to the size of the gun. You can use an IWB holster but due to the size it is less than ideal.

There is a time and a place that you will use each of these holsters. Most of the time you won’t want to open carry at church or other formal events. Some people feel uncomfortable around guns and don’t understand responsible gun ownership. In these types of places I tend to lean towards an IWB holster. It’s really up to you whether or not you want to exercise your right to open carry in these instances.

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