Editor's Note: Today's feature first appeared in our companion service, The Tactical Wire.

Leather holster by Bill McLennan, kydex holster by safe2fire, and Ahrends stocks after being customized. All unique and good gear found on the 'net.

One of the cool things about the 'net is that it allows small shops access to a large customer base, and vice versa. Today buyers can easily do business with small operations that might have gone unnoticed. This is especially true if you're hunting gear that isn't mainstream, such as revolver accessories or vintage, hard to find pieces. Over the past few years I've become a big fan of eBay. If you're looking for old Smith & Wesson stocks – "grips" - it's a great place to shop. You can also pick up stocks from current manufacturers such as Ahrends. Kim Ahrends started making stocks in 1982 in the basement of his home, and his business has steadily grown from there. They make a great product, offering stocks for S&W revolvers and 1911 pistols. Ahrends is what I use for my "custom" work, taking their stock offerings and reshaping them slightly and stippling designs into them. When you order from Ahrends it takes about three to four months before receiving your stocks. The good thing is that Ahrends' stocks are also available on eBay - here. This "store" has great inventory, wide variety and it's instant gratification – in four days you're installing your new stocks. A while back I wrote a "Wire" about the Ruger LCRx revolver with three-inch barrel. Lea Hilton, of safe2fire sent me a kydex holster for the Ruger. It's an inside-the-waist-band holster. Normally I'm not a fan of IWB's made from kydex. They never seem to fit right or feel comfortable. safe2fire's design work is good, and the holster is comfortable. The safe2fire store is on eBay, and they IWB's and OWB holsters design for Glocks and Ruger, along with horizontal mag pouches, which are great for concealed carry. When it comes to traditional revolvers – S&W steel and wood – I prefer traditional holsters – leather. Bill McLennan runs one of my favorite one-man shops. I met Bill during my first class at Thunder Ranch, and later got to teach beside him when I became an instructor there. Bill makes some of the best leather I've ever seen; his attention to detail is incredible. I asked him about "his" story. "I learned leather crafting as a pre-teen," he told me. "My dad had learned leather work from German prisoners he guarded during WWII," he said, "as well as some German civilians during the post-war occupation – real old school stuff." As an instructor, both in law enforcement and with Thunder Ranch, he studied different types of holsters, "the good, bad and the ugly." Clint Smith encourage Bill to market his gear, and now Bill produces some fantastic holsters, belts and other leather gear. The latest holster he made for me is a very cool, innovative IWB for a three-inch "J" frame. Bill isn't on eBay, but his website has all the info you need, plus a list of holsters and gear pre-made and ready for sale: I've always favored working with small shops. You get to actually know the people doing the work, and excellent service. Part of selecting your gear is getting what works well. It's also a source of pride when someone notices your gear, asking, "Who made that and where did you get it?" Now, you get to tell a cool story. Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama. He is the author of "The Book of Two Guns" - http://shootrite.org/book/book.html writes for several firearms/tactical publications, and is featured on GunTalk's DVD, "Fighting With The 1911 - http://shootrite.org/dvd/dvd.html McKee's new book, AR-15 Skills and Drills, is available off Shootrite's website: http://shootrite.org/AR15SkillsBook/AR15SkillsBook.html http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shootrite-Firearms-Academy/156608611038230?ref=ts