Racemaster?

[818-DVC]

I'm not getting much of a response in the DAA Racemaster review thread. I'm hoping a new post will help answer some of my questions before I just dive in.

What holster were you previously using before you switched to the Racemaster?

How long have you had yours?

How is it holding up?

Did you do any customizing or fitting to get your gun to lock?

What do you like or dislike about the Racemaster?

Do you like the RM more, less, or don't really care about the difference after switching over?

[bkeeler]

Look here

http://drperformanceshooting.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137:the-daa-race-master-holster&catid=56:equipment&Itemid=175

http://drperformanceshooting.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=139:update-daa-race-master-holster&catid=56:equipment&Itemid=175

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=110932&view=findpost&p=1310171

It is the only race type holster I have used and it was easy to set up no modifications to make for my STI to fit it. I was using a Blade Tech DOH before. The gun is secure and I will not be going back to a DOH. I am glad of the choice I made to go to this holster!

BK

[818-DVC]

Thanks for the links and your input. I use a Blade tech DOH for my 6", a WSMII that I like but I can't cant it enough, and I have an 012 that I used before I got the WSM. I never cared too much for it. I wanted a gugas ribas for it's versatility, where the RM looks really well designed, but only know a couple shooters using them, and I have only heard about issues w almost every other platform except for poly grip SI's. That concerns me. Has anyone changed out the internals to run different platforms on the same holster? Has anyone swapped back n forth? How easy is it to swap?

JL

[cyburg]

I just ordered one. From what I have seen it is sweet. To change platforms all you have to do is switch a block out that cost 45.00. Sal has some great vid on his site and you tube has a few also showing the holster.

Oh ya, I'm upgrading from a speed tec.

[CMV]

I just switched from a WSM2 to a RM...

I have used it in practice and 1 match. It fit my aluminum grip Bedell without modification. I like it much better for several reasons:

When locked, its LOCKED (can move slightly but the gun isnt coming out unless you unlock it)

Even when not locked, it is very secure and unless the gun is moved upward it isn't comin out.

When you do draw (correctly) it is smooth as butter.

My only complaints are that I don't like the big tension knob (gonna order the smaller one) and that if when you draw you dont come straight up it binds and wont come out until you do come straight up for the first part of the draw, but that is an issue with my draw and not the holster.

Overall, a great holster. Smooth, Fast and Secure

[Loki999]

What holster were you previously using before you switched to the Racemaster?

CRspeed

How long have you had yours?

for 4 months now

How is it holding up?

Absolutely great

Did you do any customizing or fitting to get your gun to lock?

No dont need to

What do you like or dislike about the Racemaster?

i dislike the big tensionknob, i dont even use it.

I like that is a real solid platform for the draw, and i dont know if im the only one but when walking around with the gun in the holster it seems to be lighter. Maybe because the the weight is distrubuted different.

Do you like the RM more, less, or don't really care about the difference after switching over?

I like the holster better than the Crspeed

[Corey]

the new front sight magazine has a review on the Race Master in it. havent read it yet, just flipped through the mag when i got home today.

[818-DVC]

Thanks Corey. I'm still waiting for mine. I appreciate the responses from everyone so far. I don't like paying to be a beta tester for anything. I love what's hot & new, but if you ever bought a new car the year it came out you tend to wish you waited til the next year. Hence why I waited til after the Nats to inquire about the RM.

JL

[Jan R.]

My friend just got his and loves it, I'm thinking of switching from my Ghost.

[BigGabe]

I'm like the rest of them. I like mine as well. Haven't had it long but it does what it does and very well. Being left handed the left handed version is great, and it uses the same blocks as the right handed version does. Better then the DOH I was using. It's a keeper.

[XD Niner]

What holster were you previously using before you switched to the Racemaster? - A Ghost that I used for three years.

How long have you had yours? - About four months. I received one of the first batch.

How is it holding up? - Excellent. The tension adjustment screw came out early on when I was getting used to it and I lost the original spring. I replaced it with a weaker one that I had at home and it actually worked smoother. The tension adjustment screw has since been lengthened slightly.

Did you do any customizing or fitting to get your gun to lock? - No, my STI Open gun fits perfectly. I did put a squirt of Armor All into the plastic insert when I first had it. This made the draw a bit smoother. I haven't had to do this again once the holster was properly adjusted and broken in a bit.

What do you like or dislike about the Racemaster? - The retention is much more positive than with my Ghost. On the downside, the range of adjustment is slightly less.

Do you like the RM more, less, or don't really care about the difference after switching over? - I like it much better. It took me about four practice sessions and one match to feel comfortable with the change over but that is pretty typical for any significant equipment change for me. YMMV.

Edited November 3, 2010 by XD Niner

[mjts]

I've been using the Racemaster for the past 5 months. Initially, my Glock 35 didn't fit the holster well but Saul replied to my email within hours with a solution. Since adjusting the retaining block (about a 10 minute sanding procedure), I haven't had any probelms with it. I was using a Ghost holster but the Racemaster retention system seem more secure to me (even after replacing the retention spring in the Ghost). The Racemaster has held up well with no adjustment issues.

Mike

[WARDOG]

I used a DOH for my glock and sp01, I switched to a racemaster, Imho is way too expensive, but this is a personal opinion.

Retention is very good, I hate the large knob,more than once it uscrewed by itself ending on the ground, fixed with aome tape waiting for the flush fit screw. Belt hanger is very good, solid, but the rod that connect hanger to holster body is absolutely awful, I wish it was longer, wider, and the ball joint that connect to the holster body is incredibly difficult to adjust correctly.

Holster is good, byt IMHO not so good as the hype would suggest. You have to draw perfectly straight. It's very secure, even without the safety latch. Latch for me is easy to operate, wish it would be longer, It would be more easily accesible, not a major hindrance, however.

Best of both worlds would be a racemaster with a ghost international belt hanger and connector. That would be a real bomb..

Is it worth almost 200 euros?...hell no. But I've wasted money on far worst things.

It's good, not 199euros good, but it's good.

[STIGUY]

Just recieved....mounted on belt an STI for my STI and am thinking I just purchased a $200 POS. I have very little patience for things that frustrate me. Can not get the triggerguard past the catch block. How hard to have to force this.....seems like that much force plastic against aluminum is going to cause me to have to replace my grip sooner. Did I get a manuafactuer's defect or what?

[WARDOG]

Call or email DAA and ask for a new insert block, I have a friend with STI and a racemaster and the gun did lock perfectly.

[blaster113]

Just recieved....mounted on belt an STI for my STI and am thinking I just purchased a $200 POS. I have very little patience for things that frustrate me. Can not get the triggerguard past the catch block. How hard to have to force this.....seems like that much force plastic against aluminum is going to cause me to have to replace my grip sooner. Did I get a manuafactuer's defect or what?

There's a little button on the back of the holster; some sort of locking thing that slides up and down that is not used during normal use. I'm still not quite sure what it actually does. Try sliding the button down (or up, I can't remember which way to move it) and the pistol should go right in. I had the same problem when I first got my RM and had to play with it a little. Sorry, but I'm at work and don't have the holster or manual in front of me.

[blaster113]

Prior to buying my RM about 10 months ago I used a CR Speed WSM2 for my Limited gun. I like the compact size, fast draw and secure retention of the RM. Some of the adjustments are a little quirky, and have a tendency to loosen up and need a little Loctite to stay secure. Once the gun is in the holster and the lock set, the gun AINT coming out. You'll get a major wedgie and rip your pants off before that gun comes out Best part is my I can stick my STI Open gun in the same holster as my Limited gun. Moving the muzzle cup back and forth on the CR WSM2 was a real pain when I wanted to switch back and forth between guns.

The CR Speed is bulky, retention sketchy and is a pain to get adjusted by comparison, but is still a good holster. At the Open/L10 Nationals I don't recall seeing anyone else in either L10 or Open using the holster but me. I'm sure a few others did though. The price is a little steep compared to the Ghost, but it is well engineered and so far has held up well. I would recommend this holster wholeheartedly, especially with the choice of colors available.

Edited November 10, 2010 by SIG shooter

[Mark K]

I got one of the first ones, and I love it. I was using a Guga, and liked the security of it, but the gun wiggled in it. In the RM, the gun might as well be welded to the holster, solid. I love it.

I do know that if you are using the STI metal grip, it will go in, but because the trigger guard it is a few thousands thinner than the polymer ones, the metal grip guns can bind slightly. I would think that a layer of self stick teflon tape would fix that.

Mark K.

[Mark K]

sorry double post.

Edited November 10, 2010 by Mark K

[Corey]

been doing a little research on these as im prepping myself for Limited some time next year. after reading the reviews on here as well as in the Front Sight, i think i may have to give this one a whirl

[Aglifter]

Been pretty happy w. mine - I second the problems w. getting holster body to hold on properly to the little post - seems like no matter how much I tighten it, it still works loose. It works fine while shooting, I just keep a set of allen wrenches in my shooting bag to keep the various bolts snugged up during a match - esp. for my DA mag pouches, but I suspect everyone's mag pouches are problematic.

[STIGUY]

Just recieved....mounted on belt an STI for my STI and am thinking I just purchased a $200 POS. I have very little patience for things that frustrate me. Can not get the triggerguard past the catch block. How hard to have to force this.....seems like that much force plastic against aluminum is going to cause me to have to replace my grip sooner. Did I get a manuafactuer's defect or what?

There's a little button on the back of the holster; some sort of locking thing that slides up and down that is not used during normal use. I'm still not quite sure what it actually does. Try sliding the button down (or up, I can't remember which way to move it) and the pistol should go right in. I had the same problem when I first got my RM and had to play with it a little. Sorry, but I'm at work and don't have the holster or manual in front of me.

[STIGUY]

Think I tried both up and down....to no avail. I give another shot this evening and maybe some oil. Unless this thing gets right rather quickly....it is being returned posthaste! I have not the time nor patience for such things....

[staudacher]

Think I tried both up and down....to no avail. I give another shot this evening and maybe some oil. Unless this thing gets right rather quickly....it is being returned posthaste! I have not the time nor patience for such things....

Did you take the tension screw out at any point???

If you did then you might not have put the screw back in correctly and the litte alum wedge that the spring presses against may have fallen and is jamming up the holster. I recently had this happen when I changed my insert blocks in a hurry. Ended up with a holster that would work sometime and then jam up tight at other times.

[lumpygravy]

Greetings,

I'm returning to the sport after a 10-12 year hiatus. During that time off I got fat so I ordered up a new DA belt and RM holster with a 1911 insert. When I "retired" I was using a 1st gen Limcat (required positioning pin and hole in trigger guard) and before that all of the Safariland race holsters.

Observations:

1] Nicely machined and reasonably well finished aluminum and delrin parts. There are some sharp edges on the insert and a little deburring would have been nice. There are some tooling marks, but to be honest, these areas and the areas that could be deburred are on the inside when the insert is mounted.

2] Most adjustments are easy to make. Adjusting the holster cant/swivel/tilt is not as easy unless someone helps because it is positioned using a ball/socket that is secured with two allen screws.

3] After wearing and dry drawing for awhile, I miss having a thigh pad. The end of the height adjustment arm digs into my leg. I've read somewhere, maybe here, that one can put a slight bend in the height adjustment arm and I'll give that a try.

Notes specific to my gun/holster fit:

My 1911 is an old Springfield Armory frame and the holster insert opening is a tight fit to the trigger guard. I measured the opening at .357 and my trigger guard at .365 so while I can jam the gun into the holster, it is with a considerable interferenece fit. (STIGuy - this may be the problem you're experiencing).

I'm slowly filing a few thousandths from the sides of the opening so that it will better fit my SA trigger guard.

I suspect that for a given model, DA manufactured the inserts to be on the minus side of the dimension to ensure that guns with narrower trigger guards would still fit. After all, one can file away a little delrin, but it's much harder to add it back.

Also, while dry firing, I've had a number of draws hang up with the gun not releasing smoothly from the holster. I think it's the piece that fits the trigger guard but I have to eliminate the opeing interference first before I can really look at what may be the cause.

I probably won't get to use it for live fire for awhile but I'll update this when I do.

Edited November 12, 2010 by lumpygravy