Holster Types for USP9

[Rohann]

Hi all,

I think it's been well over a decade since I've been on here. Anyway:

USP9 holster -- any recommendations? Looking at debates about Kydex vs leather vs hybrid, IWB vs OWB, etc. Now I obviously can't "EDC" here in Kanada, so I'm wondering what's worth training in a muscle-memory sense. Are CCW-type holsters common in any competition setting, or do most use OWB holsters? Is there any point to buying an appendix holster and training with it?

 

[Still alive]

A lot of companies make holsters for the USP9/40.
The popular ones in Canada are Solely Canadian, Bladetech in Kydex style. Good leather holsters are harder to come by, pricier and mostly US made for a gun like the USP. Galco, Alessi, Bianchi, Safariland, Milt Sparkes and De Santis are some famous ones that come to mind. Be prepared to wait and pay.

I use an Alien Gear Hybrid for mine. It’s ok. They are relatively inexpensive and you can buy different shells for different guns to attach to the leather/ synthetic backer. I find that the backer interferes with a full grip during the draw but mine is the older model so they may have improved by now.

The only game that utilizes a concealment style holster is IDPA. Most competitors use Bladetech.
IDPA will allow both OWB and IWB as long as they are strong side. OWB is more common as it’s faster. IWB is obviously more concealable. Kydex is the name of the modern game. Leather is expensive, requires working in and retains moisture.

No Canadian sanctioned competition will allow AIWB carry. There is nothing wrong if you want to buy and train with an AIWB holster but you can’t use it in competition. Tier One Concealment makes an excellent model. And so does TRex Arms. Alien Gear also has their cheaper version. Solely Canadian is working on a cool minimalist version which I’m looking forward to trying.

There are a lot of factors in choosing a holster. That’s why people have many for one gun. Like shoes for different purposes. I’m just summarizing the basics here.

 

[DATAM]

Excellent examples and good advice from Still alive, Galco and Bianchi produce some really fine holsters, but if you are going to try IPSC or IDPA there are many synthetic styles and choices, I would ask, and look at some experienced competitors choices before investing a lot of cash.

 

[Rohann]

I'm the kind of guy who bought expensive kit when I was still in the CF but now have normal bills, so I'm happy with "inexpensive".

Good points re: tools for different jobs. AIWB is probably not that useful to me given limitations and context, and I imagine the fundamental skills are such that if you've practiced with a particular holster it's not that hard to switch? Have looked at the AIWB models and they seem great, but are quite a bit pricier than basic 3-4 o'clock OWB's/IWB's.

Good to know re: leather. Does kydex scratch the heck out of your finish, or is it more a matter of keeping it clean? Thanks for the recommendations, I'll peek around at what's available.

 

[Still alive]

Rohann, (LOTR reference!)

For a strong side OWB/IWB draw compared to AIWB, the likely difference is the type of clothes you would wear for “concealment” so the draw technique will be slightly different. You can see this on YT channels. The actual draw is not much different other than the angle of the draw and position of the holster.

AIWB holsters are generally less comfortable and tend to jam into tender places especially with a bigger gun like the USP.

Kydex is the new Wunder holster material now. It will wear your gun but all good holster material will, even leather, but not more than others. Unless you have dried crusted dirt in it, it shouldn’t scratch either. Most Kydex holster companies have good to lifetime warranties on breakage so the material is reliable.

PS if you look hard enough, you can find some IWB holsters that double as AIWB ones. These are normally the big single clip designs. Kill 2 birds with one stone!

 

[Wendell]

...USP9 holster -- any recommendations? Are CCW-type holsters common in any competition setting, or do most use OWB holsters? Is there any point to buying an appendix holster and training with it?

If competition matters, OWB is the rule in competition settings, and IWB is the rare exception, because most participants choose the most-competitive option permitted within the rules.

I suggest you look at Blade-Tech, or Red Hill Tactical.

If concealment matters, IWB might be easier for you to manage.

I suggest you look at Custom Carry Concepts, or JM Custom Kydex.

 

[Wendell]

...No Canadian sanctioned competition will allow AIWB carry. There is nothing wrong if you want to buy and train with an AIWB holster but you can’t use it in competition...

That is false. While it is true that AIWB is prohibited in IDPA, the largest handgun sport in Canada is actually IPSC, and anyone can use an AIWB holster in IPSC 'open' division.

<https://www.ipsc.org/handgun-division/>

 

[lerch641]

I stand by Safariland for all my overt holsters.

Still gotta find one that fits the Insight M2 though...

 

[Still alive]

That is false. While it is true that AIWB is prohibited in IDPA, the largest handgun sport in Canada is actually IPSC, and anyone can use an AIWB holster in IPSC 'open' division.

<https://www.ipsc.org/handgun-division/>

AIWB is legal in USPSA but that’s not in Canada yet?
I checked the 2019 rules for IPSC and it appears you are right but possibly for Outside waistband? Allowed in Open and Revolver. Thanks for the clarification.
In competition, at the speeds they move, most will not risk sweeping themselves with AIWB draws. When IPSC first started here, I remember guys were using angled front (appendix) holsters but the game has evolved since.

I don’t shoot IPSC but have spoken to friends who do and they have not seen AIWB in use. I understand that this doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen but for competition purposes, if that’s the OP’s goal, it’s not a really practical holster to use.

 

[Rohann]

Rohann, (LOTR reference!)

You'll never believe what I named my daughter

For a strong side OWB/IWB draw compared to AIWB, the likely difference is the type of clothes you would wear for “concealment” so the draw technique will be slightly different. You can see this on YT channels. The actual draw is not much different other than the angle of the draw and position of the holster.

AIWB holsters are generally less comfortable and tend to jam into tender places especially with a bigger gun like the USP.

I hadn't thought of that, but the majority of people I see on YT with these are using compact pistols, so good call. A full size USP is probably not comfortable there.

Kydex is the new Wunder holster material now. It will wear your gun but all good holster material will, even leather, but not more than others. Unless you have dried crusted dirt in it, it shouldn’t scratch either. Most Kydex holster companies have good to lifetime warranties on breakage so the material is reliable.

PS if you look hard enough, you can find some IWB holsters that double as AIWB ones. These are normally the big single clip designs. Kill 2 birds with one stone!

Excellent, good to know! I prefer the retention mechanisms of Kydex over buttons, snaps, the highly-questionable-Serpa-release, etc.

If competition matters, OWB is the rule in competition settings, and IWB is the rare exception, because most participants choose the most-competitive option permitted within the rules.

I suggest you look at Blade-Tech, or Red Hill Tactical.

If concealment matters, IWB might be easier for you to manage.

I suggest you look at Custom Carry Concepts, or JM Custom Kydex.

Makes sense. Is OWB typical for IDPA and similar as well?


PS -- Canadian outlets with good prices? Would be nice to support "local" businesses.

 

[Rohann]

I stand by Safariland for all my overt holsters.


Still gotta find one that fits the Insight M2 though...

Heard lots of good things about Safariland but am not a fan of the cover on top. Most people seem to run "retention" holsters in competition or in "defensive" settings?

Also -- to Streamlight, or not to Streamlight? I'm thinking it would be a good idea to both add weight to the pistol as well as make it more practical in case it ever needs to come out to investigate crashing sounds at night.

 

[lerch641]

Heard lots of good things about Safariland but am not a fan of the cover on top. Most people seem to run "retention" holsters in competition or in "defensive" settings?

Also -- to Streamlight, or not to Streamlight? I'm thinking it would be a good idea to both add weight to the pistol as well as make it more practical in case it ever needs to come out to investigate crashing sounds at night.

Safariland does have different retention levels for their holsters. There are some offered that are hoodless and instead just have a toggle that locks in over the chamber.

https://www.safariland.com/holsters-and-gear-resources/holster-retention-levels.html

 

[Rohann]

Safariland does have different retention levels for their holsters. There are some offered that are hoodless and instead just have a toggle that locks in over the chamber.

https://www.safariland.com/holsters-and-gear-resources/holster-retention-levels.html

That's quite interesting. Any particular draw for the hood? Makes sense for LEO's vs theoretical CCW since LEO's have to deal with a lot of potential BS in difficult altercations while open-carrying.

 

[Still alive]

I prefer the retention mechanisms of Kydex over buttons, snaps, the highly-questionable-Serpa-release, etc.


Makes sense. Is OWB typical for IDPA and similar as well?


PS -- Canadian outlets with good prices? Would be nice to support "local" businesses.

DO NOT buy Serpa or Fobus index finger release holsters. Most disciplines and schools ban them.

OWB is almost 100% what you will see in competition. It’s faster than IWB and arguably safer as it lessens the chance of clothing snags.

The Bladetech is a no frills holster that works for both IPSC and IDPA. For Canadian manufacturers, Solely Canadian builds one for the USP. You can check with Gray Fox Strategics as they are Canadian also but I’m not sure they make one yet for the USP. Highlander Tactical is another Canadian company but there has been concerns about their customer care and length of wait.

The hooded level 3 holsters are for LE or people who want to train that way. They ensure maximum retention for 2/3 gun competitions. Due to their bulk and the way they stick out, they are not suitable for concealment and not for IDPA although they would work for IPSC ( you might get laughed at though).

 

[Wendell]

Is OWB typical for IDPA and similar as well?

Yes, IDPA is competitive, and most participants use the latitude of the rulebook to their advantage. That means that most of them use a gun and a holster and a concealment garment that is impractical for everyday carry, so - in truth - the vast majority of them don't actually carry that way. The same guy that carries a Glock 34 in a Blade-Tech Classic OWB under an Armidillo-brand fishing vest probably wouldn't dream of carrying it in the real world; in the real world, he probably won't carry at all, but if he does carry, it'll be something small, like a Glock 42 in a pocket holster. There are exceptions, of course, but that is the typical, based on my observations.

An OWB holster can be easily concealed under a bulky fishing vest, or a similar garment. As it happens, a police service of which I am aware issues a P226 in a level-3 Serpa; ever since a member shot himself (by accident) while wearing his own nylon IWB holster, they're not allowed to use anything but that issued level-3 Serpa; even for plainclothes work, they need to conceal their level-3 Serpa, and - because they have no choice - they manage to do it.

 

[Wendell]

Canadian outlets with good prices? Would be nice to support "local" businesses.

Your choice of a USP has limited your holster options. If you'd chosen a Glock, there'd be lots of Canadian suppliers of the Blade-Tech Classic OWB, for example. Even in the USA, USP owners have a lesser selection. You can search Canada for USP holsters; good luck.

 

[Canuck44]

There seems to be some misconception about what IDPA competitors use and why. My experience tells me there are three types of folks shooting IDPA at Level 1 - 3 Matches.

You have about 25% of the shooters who are truly "competitive" types. They go from Master Class to Marksman. I'm not talking about sponsored shooters now. Of the 25% shooting SSP/ESP/CDP you will find top end 1911's, G34's, & M&P Pros and variants along with any of the latest PPQ Matches, CZ Shadows, and various iterations of the 320.

The 2nd and largest group (50% US) are the club shooters who enjoy the competition, buy whatever toys they can afford that either mimic the "competition" crowd or what caught their eye, seldom really practice, enjoy the fellowship and chase each others scores with enthusiasm. This makes up about 75% of shooters in Canada, maybe more. Few know the rules beyond the basic shooting rules and learn those 3 seconds at a time and truly enjoy themselves.

Lastly, in the US, you will find the "shoot what they carry" group. They often use IWB holster, leather or kydex, wear anything from grand.dads button shirt to some form of shooting vest. They test themselves using what they would use to defend themselves at matches In this group Sig 226, M&P FS, Sig 320, CZ 10C Beretta 92FS would be as common as 75 Pre B's, G17's and 19's in SSP I have seen revolvers out of leather as well in revolver division.

Level 4 and 5 Matches tend to be populated by the Pros and the truly competition crowd. It cost money to travel to the US Nationals or World Shoots. The shooters that go there are in it for the competition and for the most part know what the rules allow, are talented or come for the experience and enjoy their week of shooting. There are lots of clubs types as well but fewer with the cost of travel being what it is.

There you have it, To the OP if you decide to go Appendix I would give you two pieces of advice:

1) Use a hammer fired gun and keep your thumb on the top of the hammer drawing and holstering.

2 )If you must have a striker fired gun pointing at your twig and berries, have your children BEFORE you carry this way and buy lots of Life Insurance for your family. For most in Canada this is just a stupid way to carry a pistol IMHO.

We have six Master Shooters in Canada and 44 Expert Shooters out of 1,000+ registered members. Only the late Ken Soucie from Windsor achieved Five Gun Master. He was really good with a handgun and specialized in Revolver. I have only met and shot with one other who was his equal with the six shooter and he won the IPSC World title a few years back.

Take Care

Bob

 

[Rohann]

DO NOT buy Serpa or Fobus index finger release holsters. Most disciplines and schools ban them.

OWB is almost 100% what you will see in competition. It’s faster than IWB and arguably safer as it lessens the chance of clothing snags.

The Bladetech is a no frills holster that works for both IPSC and IDPA. For Canadian manufacturers, Solely Canadian builds one for the USP. You can check with Gray Fox Strategics as they are Canadian also but I’m not sure they make one yet for the USP. Highlander Tactical is another Canadian company but there has been concerns about their customer care and length of wait.

The hooded level 3 holsters are for LE or people who want to train that way. They ensure maximum retention for 2/3 gun competitions. Due to their bulk and the way they stick out, they are not suitable for concealment and not for IDPA although they would work for IPSC ( you might get laughed at though).

Good to know. I think the mechanism is logically a terrible idea to begin with, and it seems to be a heavy contributor of "Glock leg".

Good to know re: Bladetech. Their classic OWB holster is on for like $60 right now as far as I've found among Canadian stores. Do people usually buy mag belts separately? Also, is a basic Bladetech holster "retentive" enough to run, jump, etc with, and semi-concealable (i.e. loose clothing)?

Thanks again for the advice, it's been quite helpful.

Yes, IDPA is competitive, and most participants use the latitude of the rulebook to their advantage. That means that most of them use a gun and a holster and a concealment garment that is impractical for everyday carry, so - in truth - the vast majority of them don't actually carry that way. The same guy that carries a Glock 34 in a Blade-Tech Classic OWB under an Armidillo-brand fishing vest probably wouldn't dream of carrying it in the real world; in the real world, he probably won't carry at all, but if he does carry, it'll be something small, like a Glock 42 in a pocket holster. There are exceptions, of course, but that is the typical, based on my observations.

An OWB holster can be easily concealed under a bulky fishing vest, or a similar garment. As it happens, a police service of which I am aware issues a P226 in a level-3 Serpa; ever since a member shot himself (by accident) while wearing his own nylon IWB holster, they're not allowed to use anything but that issued level-3 Serpa; even for plainclothes work, they need to conceal their level-3 Serpa, and - because they have no choice - they manage to do it.

Good point. It's sort of the nature of competition. I'm not actually able to conceal but if I can find something I can sort of conceal under a loose shirt or jacket it'll probably work just fine. I wouldn't CCW a full-size USP, frankly. It just doesn't make much sense given the prevalence of compact pistols. I'm surprised a PD would issue a Serpa holster, but I'm also surprised at how many cops barely shoot.

Your choice of a USP has limited your holster options. If you'd chosen a Glock, there'd be lots of Canadian suppliers of the Blade-Tech Classic OWB, for example. Even in the USA, USP owners have a lesser selection. You can search Canada for USP holsters; good luck.

Yes, but then I'd be shooting a Glock, and that would be gross ;-). If I were actually concerned about carrying I would probably get something more in the VP9 or USP-C range.

 

[Rohann]

There seems to be some misconception about what IDPA competitors use and why. My experience tells me there are three types of folks shooting IDPA at Level 1 - 3 Matches.

You have about 25% of the shooters who are truly "competitive" types. They go from Master Class to Marksman. I'm not talking about sponsored shooters now. Of the 25% shooting SSP/ESP/CDP you will find top end 1911's, G34's, & M&P Pros and variants along with any of the latest PPQ Matches, CZ Shadows, and various iterations of the 320.

The 2nd and largest group (50% US) are the club shooters who enjoy the competition, buy whatever toys they can afford that either mimic the "competition" crowd or what caught their eye, seldom really practice, enjoy the fellowship and chase each others scores with enthusiasm. This makes up about 75% of shooters in Canada, maybe more. Few know the rules beyond the basic shooting rules and learn those 3 seconds at a time and truly enjoy themselves.

Lastly, in the US, you will find the "shoot what they carry" group. They often use IWB holster, leather or kydex, wear anything from grand.dads button shirt to some form of shooting vest. They test themselves using what they would use to defend themselves at matches In this group Sig 226, M&P FS, Sig 320, CZ 10C Beretta 92FS would be as common as 75 Pre B's, G17's and 19's in SSP I have seen revolvers out of leather as well in revolver division.

Level 4 and 5 Matches tend to be populated by the Pros and the truly competition crowd. It cost money to travel to the US Nationals or World Shoots. The shooters that go there are in it for the competition and for the most part know what the rules allow, are talented or come for the experience and enjoy their week of shooting. There are lots of clubs types as well but fewer with the cost of travel being what it is.

Thanks for the rundown! That's informative. I'd likely fall into the casual shooter group (as I'd rather shoot with cops who are generous with their ammo ).

Out of curiosity, is the lack of HK's used just a matter of ubiquity and price of all the other pistols available?

There you have it, To the OP if you decide to go Appendix I would give you two pieces of advice:

1) Use a hammer fired gun and keep your thumb on the top of the hammer drawing and holstering.

2 )If you must have a striker fired gun pointing at your twig and berries, have your children BEFORE you carry this way and buy lots of Life Insurance for your family. For most in Canada this is just a stupid way to carry a pistol IMHO.

We have six Master Shooters in Canada and 44 Expert Shooters out of 1,000+ registered members. Only the late Ken Soucie from Windsor achieved Five Gun Master. He was really good with a handgun and specialized in Revolver. I have only met and shot with one other who was his equal with the six shooter and he won the IPSC World title a few years back.

Take Care

Bob

That's a good point. Appendix carry seems genuinely useful but given the lack of CCW here and my lack of carry experience it's likely not a good place to start.

Someone piss in your cornflakes this morning?


Probably a similar % to what I've seen at IDPA locally. Great group of people, but on average, not as competitive-minded as the local IPSC crowd.

One of those 6 Masters is a friend. Great guy who busts his ass for the sport.

OP: Since you live on Vancouver Island, I don't think you'll find much IDPA action there. Not sure on your idea of travelling to Chilliwack for IDPA matches. However, you have another option if you aren't that far from Victoria. Check out South Island Action Shooters (actionpistol dot ca) and hopefully you can join them when this stupid virus thing clears up. IPSC-based shooting, and you'll meet a ton of great people. I'd recommend a basic kydex, OWB holster, worn on your strong side hip. Get into the sport, and decide where you want to go from there.

I'm not so interested in pistol shooting as to be a highly competitive IPSC shooter. I'd prefer elements of practical application and "real world" scenarios, but I'm sure there's plenty to learn from the IPSC guys here.

But good point re: Vancouver Island. Victoria is a ways out, but I'd be happy to give it a whirl on occasion (I travel down for trad archery shoots anyway), thanks for the recommendation. The basic OWB holster seems like a worthwhile and affordable investment for the time being.


PS -- Anyone shoot with flashlights? Worthwhile getting a holster that accomodates one?

 

[Canuck44]

To the OP I don't want to tread on anyone's favourite pistol but they are a bit pricey, and there are other alternatives that work just as good or better. The HK is not top of mind for most who shoot IDPA. The gun does have it's followers and I am certain it is a good pistol. Other pistols just seem to be more popular. In the hands of a Master shooter who came up to our first Provincials, my stock M&P FS that cost me $500 new beat all the rest of us by a couple of minutes over 12 staqes. It is always the archer not the arrow. If you like the HK use it in SSP if it fits in the box ( I assume it would), and shoot it until the barrel wears out.

Take Care

Bob