While the two uniformed services differ in that the handgun is usually a secondary weapon for the military and is the primary weapon for most law enforcement they also have a few things in common: the weapon needs to be held securely; the holster needs to ride and fit comfortably; you have to be able to get the weapon out of the holster FAST; the holster has to work in conjunction with other gear or load bearing equipment. This week we’re going to take a brief look at the evolution of “duty holsters” and then focus in on some of today’s better options.
"Back in the old days..." when I road my dinosaur to work and watched television by candlelight... wait - that's a different set of stories. In 1982 when I started out as an MP I was issue a butt-ugly leather holster for my 1911. I was also authorized to go out and purchase my own that had equal or better retention and that my sergeant would approve. Several years later, after getting out, my first police department issued me a leather swivel holster for the hand-cannon they issued me (Colt Trooper Mk III .357Magnum with a 6" barrel). The holster about beat my leg to death and the snap that held the holster body onto the belt mount broke every time I sat down in my cruiser. The result? My gun - in the holster - was laying on the seat when I got out.
We've come a LONG way in the 20+ years since then. Plastics and nylon have helped us evolve holster design. Laminated materials, velcro, fastex buckles... they've all played a role in the evolution of holsters. We've tried to learn a bit better how the human body works and make holsters that work WITH us (ergonomics, ya' know?). Some manufacturers have succeeded. Some not so much. The security level of the holster is now identified as Level II or Level III. If you're carrying a Level I holster - which is nothing more than an open bucket to hold the gun - while you're on duty, you need to rethink your gear. Level II holsters usually have a tension device and a strap or swivel hood over the pistol. Level III holsters have the tension device, strap / hood, and something internal to the holster that hoooks onto the weapon's trigger guard or ejection port. If you work in uniform hopefully your agency provides you with a Level III holster. If you're in the military and/or serving on a special law enforcement team (SWAT), then you more likely have a Level II holster. Why? Because it's a whole lot easier for manufacturers to make a Level II holster that holds a pistol with a light attached than to make a Level III like that. BLACKHAWK! and Uncle Mike's both make Level III holsters for pistols with lights, but they're the only two I am aware of as I type this.
Probably one of the most popular holsters out there is the Safariland 6004. Whether it's being worn as a standard duty holster or on a tactical platform (as shown below), this is a holster you can find on SOME cop's duty belt in almost every state (every one I've been to).
Constructed of "Safari-Laminate", which seems an awful lot like a Kydex based material to me, the 6004 is fairly resistant to scratches, scrapes and other types of abrasive marks. The outer material is lined with a softer suede inner surface to protect the finish of the weapon. Safariland's information packet about the 6004 states that this construction protects the weapon better than a nylon holster by first protecting it from dents and dings - thanks to the hard outer shell - and second by protecting its finish with the softer suede lining inside. Contrasted to other tactical holsters, the 6004 uses a unique security feature which they have patented and dubbed the "SLS" system. Instead of using a snapped strap that wraps around the back portion of the weapon, the SLS system is comprised of a synthetic material and is formed into a hood that enshrouds the back of the weapon. To unlock the hood, you press down with your thumb and natural pushing motion rotates the hood forward allowing the weapon to be drawn. Due to the design of the SLS system, if you attempt (or a bad guy attempts) to pull the weapon out of the holster with the hood in place, the locking device only holds more securely - preventing accidental release. The secondary retention device in this holster is tension. On the outside of the holster body there is a screw (Philips head) that allows the user to adjust the tension of the holster.
The next holster I'm going to look at is the Pro3 from Uncle Mike's. This holster is also available as a duty holster on the belt or as a tactical holster on a thigh platform. Take a look at the various pictures of platforms in these photos and note the difference between platform and strap - and consider which one is more stable. The Pro 3 is built out of nylon and polymer with metal fixtures and is available to fit most popular law enforcement service pistols. The test model I have is a size 21 indicating that it fits all compact and full-size 9mm, .40S&W and .357Sig Glock pistols. My primary test weapon for this holster was a Glock 23, but I have used it with a Glock 19 (9mm), Glock 22 (.40S&W), and a Glock 34. The nylon holster body is surrounded by, and mounted on, a polymer shell that maintains the shape and stability of the holster. The entire holster is mounted onto a laminated support panel that is the tactical thigh platform. Three allen-head screws are used to attach the holster to the platform and one of those screws also secures the thumb-break strap to the holster body. The platform on my test holster is 4" high and 8" wide creating a stable surface to work the holster against. This is important given that you have to twist the weapon to draw it. The holster/platform is secured to the leg via a two-inch wide nylon strap that is covered with Velcro. At the center of the strap is a section of elastic material so that the strap can be snugged by adjusting overlap at either end. The holster/platform is secured to the belt by way of the adjustable belt-loop extender. This two-inch wide piece of ballistic nylon surrounds what Uncle Mike's calls a "co-polymer" stiffener and is secured at the desired length by using the 1" wide Velcro wraps. The Pro3 is a Level III security holster utilizing tension, a thumb strap that snaps and a hook inside the holster that catches the trigger guard.
A holster that I used to have and really liked is the DeSantis 096SRT. You can see that the 096SRT uses a thigh platform constructed of foam padded ballistic nylon. This platform is secured to the shooter's thigh two ways: first, Velcro is affixed to the ends of the platform so that it secures around the thigh; second, as a backup to the Velcro closure, two adjustable straps secure over the platform using fastex buckles. The straps buckle at the front of the thigh, and unlike some other holsters, they leave no room and offer no support for additional items, such as magazine pouches, to be carried on them. This thigh platform is attached to a height-adjustable drop strap via a larger fastex buckle. This drop strap is lined with Velcro allowing the shooter to raise or lower it to suitably position the holster. The holster height should be adjusted so that, when standing relaxed, the shooter's hand hangs at the same level of the pistol's grip. Attached to this thigh platform is a molded kydex dual-retention holster. First, the holster is closely formed so that by tightening the two tension screws, the holster can be made tighter around the weapon. The tighter the holster, the more positive pulling pressure is required to remove it. Further, since the holster is so closely molded, the trigger guard of the weapon "clicks" into place when the weapon is holstered. This design features acts as somewhat of a trigger guard hook, preventing the weapon from falling out of the holster even with the thumbstrap left open and the shooter engaging in vigorous activity. The thumbstrap is the second retention device. Other dual retention holsters depend entirely on friction between the holster and weapon as a level of security. DeSantis improved this by incorporating the molded kydex, which provides a more secure hold on the weapon.
The last holster I'm going to discuss is my current favorite: The Level III SERPA holster made by BLACKHAWK!'s law enforcement section. This holster is available for the Beretta 92/96 (Military M9) so it's NOT just for cops. The tactical version is available in both Level II and Level III configurations. In the picture you can see that it has a different mounting system in that it doesn't hang on a single strap, but instead on two - one on either side of your hip. The round clips at the top - just below the belt - allow you to take the holster off without having to loosen your belt. They also swivel so that the holster moves with your leg instead of dragging on it. The universal mounting system rails that can be attached to the platform either in front of, or behind (or both) the holster allow for carrying extra magazines, multitools, pistol lights, etc. right there on the platform. The thigh straps have a thin rubber line around the inside that keeps the straps from moving up or down on your thigh. The holster's platform stays pretty much where you put it. I like my holster to ride just a bit higher so I actually took out the top strap and moved the entire platform up higher on my leg. It still moves just as well and I feel a greater sense of control of the weapon. I've got a knife attached to the platform behind the gun and a light attached in front.
If someone had told me lo those 20+ years ago that I'd be carrying a weapon with a polymer frame in a carbon fiber holster with a knife and light attached to the platform I may have laughed. Since, at that time, I have to remember that swivel holster that regularly fell apart. Sure, security hoslters were available but everything was leather and "Level III" was next to unheard of. We've come a long way. Hopefully you take advantage of it!
Stay Safe!
