🎯 Holster Rules & Best Picks: The 60-Second Answer

The two USPSA rules that decide whether your rig is legal: the heel of the butt of the handgun must be even with or higher than the top of your belt — that’s rule 5.2.7.2, and it applies to every division — and the gun can sit no further from the belt than 2-1/8 inches in Production, Single Stack, Carry Optics and PCC, or 3-3/8 inches in Open, Limited, Limited-10 and Revolver (rule 5.2.5). Thigh straps are out. IDPA is stricter: the butt must sit clearly above the top of the belt (8.5.1.12), an OWB holster may not stick out more than 3 inches (7.62 cm) from your body measured at the top of the belt, and cant is limited to vertical or muzzle-rear by no more than 15 degrees (8.5.1.6). Cross-draw, shoulder, small-of-the-back and pocket holsters are banned outright (8.5.2). Full numbers, division by division, are in the holster rules section below.