Editor’s Note: This feature is from our companion service, The Tactical Wire.
Movement continues in the world of holsters. While there are those who believe the so-called “appendix IWB” is recent and on the margins of the mainstream, photos from the 19th Century on depict people carrying handguns in front of the waist on either side. I carried a Smith & Wesson Model 60 from October 1978 through July 1980 in a Bucheimer-Clark suede clip on inside the waist holster in front of my right hip.
So much for ‘recent.’
I recently became aware of a maker of holsters, Zulu Bravo Kydex. According to their website, Zulu Bravo “. . . is a small shop dedicated to creating premium custom kydex sheaths and holsters.” The site shows that most of their production is custom work, made-to-order. As I’d been working to find some of the premier AIWB rigs out there, I asked about their product line.
They made one for the S&W Shield, the sample being the first with an extended muzzle. The idea for the longer holster is to help stabilize shorter guns (3” barrels) and reduce the tendency for short barreled guns to tip out from the waistband.
The sample extends about 3/4” beyond the gun’s actual slide length. The outside color on the sample holster is a black “supercam” pattern. The inside is light gray, giving color contrast for a good visual when reholstering.
The holster has a full sweat guard with a sight shield to protect clothing and body from the sharp rear sight. A foam wedge is attached to cant the muzzle outward and tuck the top of the gun into the body. The mouth of the holster is flared, again as an aid in reholstering easier.
A kydex claw is attached to tuck the butt of the pistol’s grip closer to the body.
The Zulu Bravo holster is tuckable, and has two ride heights and some adjustment for cant with the overhooks. It can accept the DCC steel clips for want beltless carry and the foam wedge can be removed or trimmed to fit.
The extended holster line will include the GLOCK 42 and 43 as well as the Shield.
As I just received the sample, I’ve only worn it around the property with the S&W M&P9 Shield M2.0 for a few days. That’s no time for evaluation, but it’s apparent that a lot of thought went into the design and production of the holster.
Meanwhile, the outside-the-waist holster crowd should be happy with the Raven Concealment Systems Perun. I was just out yesterday assisting as an instructor was coaching a law enforcement agent and I was wearing the Perunwith the Gen5 GLOCK 19. Using the instructor’s training gun (from Ring’s Blue Guns), I did some draw demos to help out.
RCS didn’t sit still with the Perun – I’ve received samples of the Perun LC, the light-compatible version of its Perun OWB holster line. One is meant for the GLOCK 9mm pistols with the SureFire X-300U weaponlight and the other is for similar pistols with the Streamlight TLR-1HL. According to RCS, the Perun LC is meant for GLOCK pistols 19, 17 and 34 with their analogs in 40 and 357. The new line is Gen5/GLOCK M compatible.
A word about the holster fits: When someone says the holster fits GLOCK pistols in 40 S&W and 357 SIG, they’re not saying the holsters will fit M&Ps or P250s; the 40 Auto is properly called “40 Smith & Wesson.” Likewise, the 357 SIG is the proper name of the 357 Auto cartridge based on the aforementioned 40 cartridge.
These holsters fit GLOCKs, not (yet) S&W or SIG pistols.
The new holster will fit the G19 with the extended barrel and compensator (so-called “Roland Special”).
And, if you’re into pistols with optics, the Perun LC accepts guns with the slide-mounted red dot sights typified by the Trijicon RMR and Aimpoint T-1.
While it’s more-or-less a pancake design, it’s trimmed and slimmer in profile than some holsters for guns with no mounted gunlights.
Like the original, the Perun LC is injection-molded using a proprietary, high-strength polymer blend and is bilateral; it’s easily changed from right-side wear to left side.
Soon, RCS will be launching additional Perun LC models. You can find more information at Raven Concealment Systems’ website.
- - Rich Grassi