EngineerEli Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Hey all, I'm trying to decide between the two holsters above. The holster will be used primarily for 3-gun and limited.Would my butler cut dust cover SVI would fit in the same holster, it is not necessary just curious. I have always used the Blade Tek DOH holsters but have always had problems with the gun being angled out to far and having it bind occasionally on the draw. Both of these seem to have the adjusability of the angle at which they rest vertically as well as forward and rearward cant, and height. The gun is new and the suede lining in the DAA sounds nice for keeping the finish nicer longer. I don't know anyone with first hand experience with either of these holsters so it would be really helpful to year some of yours. Pro, cons, tips and tricks are all appreciated. Pictures are always fun if they help get your point across. Thanks, Eli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EngineerEli Posted January 10, 2014 Author Share Posted January 10, 2014 Really, no one has anything to say about either holster? I contacted DAA about whether the pdr low ride is able to be angled towards or away from the body, and instead of answering, they suggested i wait 2 months for their new PDR Pro holster to come out that will. It looks a lot like a Race Master but with a Kydex holster slapped on the end. Interesting, but not yet available. Anyone hear anything else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankYa Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I tried their current PDR Lowride for my CZ Shadow and returned it. The suede liner is a good idea but poor in execution. It doesn't release the gun smoothly. Also, the holster doesn't have enough clearance between the holster and the belt bracket to allow my thumb to get a proper purchase on top of the thumb safety. I prefer my Bladetech Kydex holster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justaute Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 You should look at the new DAA PDR-Pro. Interesting product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpa5oh Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 I'm as big a fan of DAA products as anyone, but the PDR holster sucked. I'll definitely buy the PDR Pro because it looks great, but the PDR is terrible. Can't get a firing grip in the holster and you only get a smooth draw if you come straight perfectly straight up out of it. And those are the two main concerns I have with any holster - I don't want to have to be perfect coming out of the holster and I have to be able to get a good firing grip on the gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpa5oh Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Actually now that I look at the PDR Pro, I don't think you're going to be able to get a firing grip on the gun in the holster with that one, either. The piece that allows it to adjust vertically looks like it'll be in the way of your thumb... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justaute Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Is that rail not adjustable? Actually now that I look at the PDR Pro, I don't think you're going to be able to get a firing grip on the gun in the holster with that one, either. The piece that allows it to adjust vertically looks like it'll be in the way of your thumb... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doublealpha Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 HI Guys, regarding the draw issue from the Suede lined holsters - yes, this is true that the PDR holster when new can be a little "grabby". this improved quickly with use though, as is the case with all leather or suede lined holsters. this break-in period can be shortened using some leather slick product of even just some silicone spray. Regarding the commend that the gun will stick unless drawn straight up - true - for the same reason as mentioned above. and more likely on guns which slides and frames which offer wide flat side areas, like a 2011.... but again - once broken in - this goes away. none of that is an issue with the PDR PRO - there is no suede lining the gun release is much smoother. EngineerEli- you say I did not reply to your request for info. sorry you got that impression. I directly recommended to you the new PRO as you mentioned that adjustability was your main concern, and the PRO offers MUCH more than the PDR did. it's not two months, but two weeks until most model PDR-PRO holsters start shipping. Allow me to address the "closing the grip on the gun while in the holster" comment. this is true. our holster design offers a higher inside support wall than the Bladetech does, which does mean that in the holster you cannot place your thumb on the guns safety. but this is gone intentionally, and we believe in the design! placing your thumb on the guns safety while still in the holster is never a good idea can lead to releasing the safety IN the holster - and that brings you a lot closer to an accident! with the PDR and PDR-PRO you and close your entire grip on the gun in the shooting grip, while keeping your thumb high on the holster body, you draw the gun up and out of the holster, the safety of the gun clears the holster first, and you can bring your strong hand thumb down onto the safety as the gun comes out. Of course there are various schools of thought on this, but this is ours. thanks for your comments, and best regards from Vegas and ShotShow. Saul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpa5oh Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 (edited) In the Production division, none of us have a safety on (either the gun is striker fired or decocked.) And most Limited guys are using race holsters. Regardless, I'll try one...maybe it'll work out to be a nice index point for the thumb. Edited January 13, 2014 by cpa5oh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EngineerEli Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 EngineerEli- you say I did not reply to your request for info. sorry you got that impression. I directly recommended to you the new PRO as you mentioned that adjustability was your main concern, and the PRO offers MUCH more than the PDR did. it's not two months, but two weeks until most model PDR-PRO holsters start shipping. Thanks for the clarification and reply to my email Saul. The PDR-Pro does sound like it would fit the bill nicely, and I already use a Race master for Limited so the hanger looks similar. Do you have any pics of a 2011 in that holster? Would I use the same holster for a short dust cover (STI EAGLE) and a long dust cover (STI EDGE). Also, is the bottom of the holster open? I have a Govt size slide on my limited SVI but with a 5.4" sight tracker barrel would that fit the same holster as my Eagel? Thanks, Eli No one has anything to say about the Ghost Stinger? I feel like I would like the pad that rest against your thigh instead of the holster/hanger, but if no one uses them, there is often a reason for it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EngineerEli Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 After more research I am finding some people that love each holster and others that hate them. This is all making me think I should just go back to my old trusted Blade Tech DOH. Some reviewers love the Ghost Stinger and say its basically a more adjustable BT but others say it doesn't hold its adjustments and things come loose and move around on your during competition which would not be a good thing... Any one care to share their experience. I also realized while the DAA PRO looks nice, I would like to start using it soon, and If I buy it from them directly shipping is something like $25 and I don't really know how long it would take to start being stocked in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankYa Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 This is all making me think I should just go back to my old trusted Blade Tech DOH. +1. It's our nature to tinker, but this is a good example of "if it ain't broke." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpa5oh Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Yeah I played with them all and went back to Blade Tech...and belt ride...with a few plastic spacers to get it just a little bit further off my body. The Ghost Stinger was right at 2" from my belt unless I had the top of the gun pointed in to my side and it constantly wanted to tilt away from me no matter how much I tightened the adjusting nuts/bolts - last thing I want to be thinking about at a major match is an RO calling me for having my gun too far from my belt. Plus, I found the kydex to be cheaper than the Blade Tech - the gun didn't release as cleanly as the Blade Tech. I'll throw another option at you since you're talking about Limited - the Blade Tech race rig...I have one for a Tanfoglio and like it very much. It isn't much more expensive than the regular Blade Tech...but the DO attachment had the gun pointed way in toward my leg, so I just use it as a belt ride (with some plastic spacers.) Gun pops right out of there and I think it's also plenty secure...not sure if it's secure enough for 3-Gun since I've never done 3-Gun... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerBaron Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 The bladetech DOH is a proven product. nothing fancy but it does work very reliably. I do totally agree with Saul's comments about getting a grip on the safety being a bad thing (providing we are talking SA only guns). In production shooting striker fired or double action guns it's not an issue. but in limited/standard/modified/whatever it can be. I know a shooter who got into the habit of (during the draw) putting strong hand on the gun, pushing the safety down with thumb all in one motion, then drawing the pistol. this was putting some downward pressure on the gun (from the palm of his hand) as the safety was coming off. Unfortunately a number of factors conspired together and he ended up shot in the leg. fortunately he was not seriously injured but it was still a nasty incident and surely gave him a hell of a fright. Contributing to that was a pistol (won't say which brand) that had a trigger with some side to side play. a holster (semi-race type) which was a universal type holster and you fit it to the model pistol you have by swapping out little spacers/inserts. in this case one set made it too loose and another set too tight so it was never fitted 'just right'. so on that day as he flicked off the safety and pushed down with his grip the trigger got pushed to the side a little (outside the trigger guard) and being single action only with a nice light trigger the friction in the holster was enough to cause it to fire... avoiding the chance of that ever happening is not a bad design idea. unfortunately as someone pointed out most users of concealment type holsters (like the PDR) are shooting production (not using the safety in double action of course), and if they are shooting single action guns in limited/standard/whatever then they are most likely using a race holster. It is still a valid idea, just possibly not valid for many of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EngineerEli Posted January 16, 2014 Author Share Posted January 16, 2014 Well this thread has progressed a lot! Now that i am back to just looking at the Blade Tech DOH I have heard about one of their new holsters the black ice holster which is supposed to be just a little easier to draw from awkward positions. Do people have any experience with that one? Is the retention just as good as the regular holster? Good enough for 3 gun and limited? Also on a side note, does anyone know if the full length dust cover version or the Edge version will fit for my Short standard dust cover sti eagle? I would like to use my Butler cut SVI and my Short dust cover Eagle in the same holster on occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2MoreChains Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 The DOH holster I originally got for my Eagle was made for the Edge. The Eagle fits fine in an Edge holster, though the extra space created from the holster being molded for a FLDC allowed my Eagle to rock forward a little, but not so much that retention was ever an issue. I used the DOH for a while then switched to a Center of Mass "race holster" that Rick makes. The COM holster has a hanger that extends down against your leg with a 1" thick (approx) delrin spacer that is attached down low on the hanger to create the offset. The hanger is pre-drilled so you can position the spacer block at different angles for cant as well as height, and I also use the same holster for SS, albeit set higher up to get the front strap at or above the top of the belt. COM sells these for approx $75-80, but there is a 6-7 week wait time since I think he makes them to order. What I like about the COM holster is it is legal (<2" offset), holds the pistol out far enough that you can get your thumb onto the safety, and it doesn't point the pistol inwards like the BT DOH does. The retention screws are Rick's version of a wing nut that you can turn with your finger, and the holster is well made. Being that I'm in Idaho I see quite a few of the COM holsters at USPSA and 3-gun matches, and COM is often a sponsor at Level II and III matches in Area 1. I know a few Open shooters that switch to the COM holster when shooting 3-gun for the extra retention/security they provide over a skeletonized race holster. I do the same and use a Manny Bragg race holster for Limited in USPSA but use the COM for Scope-tac in 3-gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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