A gun in a car has two bad default positions: on your hip, where a seatbelt and a steering wheel make it nearly impossible to draw, and in the console, where it is loose, slow, and easy to forget. A car gun holster fixes both by putting the pistol in a fixed spot you can reach without looking. This guide covers the options that do not require drilling into your vehicle, why we sell magnetic mounts for this job, and where to put one.
The options
| Type | How it mounts | Drilling | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnetic mount | Adhesive strips or two screws into plastic trim | None, or two small screws | Fastest draw, fits any steel-slide gun, cheapest |
| Under-steering-column holster | Straps around the column | None | Concealed but slow; the wheel blocks a full grip |
| Seat-side kydex holster | Bolts to the seat rail | Usually | Secure, but model-specific and permanent |
| Console safe | Bolts or cable inside console | Sometimes | Best for storage, worst for draw |
Why a magnet
A magnet is the only car holster that is not model-specific, needs no tools, and lets you place the gun with one hand at exactly the angle you can draw from. A 50-pound neodymium magnet holds a 2-pound pistol through any pothole. And when you sell the car, two screw holes in the plastic under the dash or a peeled adhesive strip is all you leave behind.
The mounts we sell
SofHold Magnetic Gun Mount
The plain black leather version. Neodymium magnet rated at over 50 pounds of pull, wrapped in top-grain leather so it does not scratch a finish, and it mounts with screws or adhesive backing, so you can screw it down or stick it. Works with any steel-slide handgun, including Glock, Sig, Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Ruger, Beretta and Taurus. Money-back guarantee. $45.
SofHold 9mm Magnetic Gun Mount
Same magnet with a 9mm embossed on the leather, along with .45 ACP, .380, .40 S&W and other caliber-marked versions if you want the mount to match the gun.
SofHold American Patriot
Flag-embossed leather. Same 50-pound magnet, same hardware. See the whole line in the SofHold collection.
Where to mount it
- Under the dash, left of the column. The fastest position for a right-handed driver: the hand drops off the wheel straight onto the grip. Out of a passenger's sightline.
- Console side, driver's side. Second fastest; reachable by the passenger too, which is either a feature or a problem.
- Under the seat front. Concealed from every window, but slower and you need to check that the seat rails do not hit it.
Mount the gun so the magnet grabs the slide flat, muzzle pointed somewhere safe, and so the draw pulls it sideways off the magnet rather than straight away, which is where the hold is strongest.
Legal note
Vehicle carry rules vary by state, and some states treat a gun mounted in reach the same as a gun on your body. Know your state's rule before you mount anything.
Frequently asked questions
Will a gun magnet damage my gun?
No. The magnet is covered in leather, and a magnetic field does not affect a firearm or ammunition.
Will it hold a polymer-frame pistol?
Yes. The magnet holds the steel slide, not the frame. Polymer-frame Glocks and Sigs hold fine.
Is a magnet a safe way to store a loaded gun?
Only where children and unauthorized people cannot reach it. A magnet is a quick-access mount, not a lock; the trigger is exposed, so mount it where nothing can contact the trigger.
Screws or adhesive?
Screws for anything that moves, meaning a vehicle. Adhesive for a desk, nightstand or safe wall, on a clean flat surface.
Will it hold on a bumpy road?
A 50-pound magnet holds a 2-pound pistol through potholes. Mount it so the gun's weight pulls along the magnet face, not straight away from it.
The bottom line
A SofHold magnetic mount under the dash is the fastest car holster there is, fits every gun you own, and leaves nothing behind. Mount it where a hand off the wheel lands on the grip.
Related reading
Best gun magnets
Best truck gun holsters and mounts
Magnetic gun holsters: do they work?
