I really like these rigs a lot... Obviously, I've had one for every gun I've carried.
For starters, this is the ONLY paddle holster I recommend. The paddle is awesome on these and the bottom belt attachment is a very pronounced polymer hook... and it ain't going anywhere. Easy on, don't think it's easy off... the belt is best unthreaded through like a belt holster THEN use the standard paddle holster removal techniques.
This holster also comes with a belt loop attachment... I have not tried this with the ALS guard but I'm 99.9999% sure that it works just fine. Also, it's a standard three-bolt Safariland T-Pattern attachment system so it'll work with their UBL, Leg Shroud, and any other Safariland duty/tactical holster accessory. What I'm considering now is using the G-Code RTI setup on a few different mounting surfaces as I know there are Safariland compatible components for the RTI from G-Code... Considering this is going on Facebook and a few bro's at G-Code are on my friends list, maybe they can let me know something about that...
So I'll start with the holster itself...
Note that this holster is available for the SureFire X300 light... and fits my Ultra with one modification that I will explain later. For those who may want to know, I took the TLR-1 off my shotgun and put it on the Glock... it DOES fit.
The screw in the bottom photo holds in place the muzzle retainer, which keeps the gun stable yet allows different lights to be mounted for ease of production.
How many leather and nylon holsters out there can you stick your finger in between the holster material and actually fire the gun?
I know of a couple and I know a whole lot of people who carry them and no one fusses...
Here's the deal... The light body is considerably wider than the trigger guard. It just is. There just isn't a way to make something 1-1/2 inches wide go into or come out of a hole that is only 3/4 of inch wide without something breaking... Sorry folks, that's just physics.
If not having a perfectly molded trigger guard covering every bit of it is a concern for you... Don't run a weapon mounted light.
I guess the dozens of police departments nationwide running lights in these "unsafe" holsters (the popular 6360 is the same holster with an SLS hood...) don't care and the retired FBI Agent (Bill Rogers) who designed them doesn't know how to make a safe holster...
In case you can't tell... I think the trigger guard issue is one touted by morons and in this instance, as there is so little exposed that I had to go all crazy camera angle to highlight it, a total non-issue.
(Note: If you can put your finger in between the holster material and the trigger and actually touch the trigger face, then THAT is a very real, and very big problem.)
See that stud?
It goes inside the muzzle to stabilize the gun.
These come with an endcap to protect your light's lens and bezel but since I run the X300 Ultra (longer than the X300) and these aren't yet made for the Ultra I had to pop that lens cap out with a flat head screwdriver... Took me all of a minute and a half and most of that was finding my Gerber. Having that stud in the muzzle prevents any up and down movement of the weapon in the holster.
That polymer bridge inside the holster?
That's the ALS itself which locks into your ejection port...
Why can't you run any light but BlackHawk's Xiphos in the Serpa system? Why don't many new retention holsters not accept lights?
They can't accept any light with the switches straddling the trigger guard because their locking mechanisms lock onto the trigger guard as opposed to the ejection port.
You can also see the thumb lever for the ALS, as I have the ALS Guard disengaged for this photo.
Very well designed and I believe now that every ALS-only holster should have one. If you desire to carry openly, the 6378 holster with ALS Guard is a True Level II holster that is BLISTERING fast and nearly (we're talking hundredths of a second... this being me with my ALS/ALS Guard holster vs. my old open-top kydex speed rig that I made when I first got the light) as fast as an open-top.
As you go to grip the weapon the thumb will fall onto the angled surface of the ALS level, which is pushed straight down... not down and forward like an SLS hood... Straight down and it pops right open.
It locks into place up and down.
Say you draw your weapon and want instant Level II Retention (Sorry, Serpa... your Level II is actually a Level I... Watch any video of Rogers Retention Test and let the man who invented the term "Level xx retention" explain it) you can roll the ALS Guard shut and reholster into full Level Two... If you desire to. I leave mine down and roll it up after I reholster but to each their own.
I have learned just to grip the gun... trying to push the lever back only causes me to screw it up and cuss... a lot.
Just squeeze the grip.
Come straight down on the gun into a firing grip, squeeze, pull straight up.
Done.
That simple.
Closing Remarks
Comfortable.
Intuitive.
Durable.
AWESOME.
If you asked me to describe this rig in 5 word... There they are.
And I paid right at $75 or so (something like that... well less than $100) including TWO shipping charges (stock issues at different companies) for this rig to get to my house. I know times are tight, but my biggest pet peeve in the gun world is people bitching about price.... Do you want a quality product? Then expect to pay for it... Heaven forbid someone make profit off you... We all know the type that want Omega watch or Maserati car quality for the watches WalMart doesn't even lock up or used Pinto that don't run any more prices... And I can't stand it.
This holster is a serious-use piece of equipment that I do (and have) trust my life to... And that level of quality is not cheap.
I will say that Safariland hit a good price point on this rig...
Don't want the ALS Guard? Fine. Should run around $60-65 after shipping.
Want the ALS Guard for your current ALS holster? Look at about $18 or so after shipping.
The paddle rig comes with the belt loop as well, but the belt loop version does not include the paddle.
If you're the type who prefers to carry openly as opposed to carrying concealed, this is a great choice.
If you're a police officer who needs an off-duty rig... Great choice.
If you want to conceal this holster... Big, thick clothes are your friend. Personally, my suit coat hides it fine but anything besides a coat or jacket and it shows... Your mileage may vary.
I hope at least some of y'all find this helpful...
Happy Hunting.
Watch Your Six.
1*/2*
-Kenny Smith
CEO, TFTG