First Review...a holster

I bought a holster. What, so far, is seems a very nice holster indeed.

This is the Fugly, courtesy of Dragon Leather Works and thus far it is a vast improvement over the hideous suede pouch I'd made do with for some years.

Dragon Leather Works products do cost more than $15/copy - but in exchange you get hand-built craftsmanship fit to both your firearm and your physique, with the ability to do custom stuff to meet your needs.

The large shield rising up behind the holster protects my less than svelte bits from the sharp/abrasive elements of the firearm (reducing the number of times I grind a hole in my side) and cuts down on corrosion from bleeding on the firearm - not incidentally, making me much more willing to carry this gun.

What's the gun we're working with here?

Bersa Thunder .45acp, courtesy of Butch's Guns in Seattle. It's not the worlds most expensive sidearm, nor is it pure joy to shoot - however, it's affordably priced ($375+/-) and reasonably accurate in a fairly common caliber.

Back to the holster. At $55.00, the Fugly is a far from ruinous investment...and I'm told for a small additional fee, it can arrive embossed with the Vicious Circle emblem and bonus coolness. Sadly, mine escaped before that feature was announced. And it's a screaming improvement over the $15 Suede Sack.

The Fugly has a sturdy build, allowing both single-handed draw and re-holstering (note, depending on your cover attire, second hand MAY be required to hold clothes out of the way), has good retention on the Bersa, and actually feels *good* to carry in most senses.

I'm sending it back for a minor modification - it seems I suffer from a moderate case of Flabbius Arsus, resulting in the muzzle end applying unpleasant pressure to my hip. At no extra charge, Dennis (the fearless proprietor) is planning a redesign that will create a *smaller* shield to re-distribute the pressure on my hip such that pressure marks don't appear - the challenge is persuading myself to even give the Fugly up, even for a week or two and with promise of additional coolness.

If you've listened to Dennis on Vicious Circle, you've already figured out he's a bright and generally good guy. When it comes to customer service and meeting a customers needs, he's simply exceptional. And as a result, another holster will be meandering my way.

This is a hint. Buy one now, before Denis & Dragon Leather Works are so deluged they are forced to raise prices in self defense, just to prevent being overwhelmed by the deluge of orders.

Note - bad photography is mine.