Newbie belt and gear quest and review

[AngelDeVille]

I just started action pistol shooting and am getting ready for 3 gun.  My 15 year old son will be shooting his first match next week.

 

I thought I'd share what I found gear wise so far.

 

I read a lot, and watched a lot of videos on youtube, about belts, pouches, and holsters.

 

 Belts:

 

I now have three brands of belts to compare. I bought two belts for myself and one for my son, one for my double stack 9mm, and one for 1911.

 

1) Shooters Connection branded: I actually hadn't read anything about them, but I found the other gear I wanted there so I figured I'd try it out.

 

The inner belt is extremely stiff, and the outer is no slouch either. It was a great deal at $40

 

2) Black Scorpion competition: I bought this one for my son off an Amazon deal.  I had run into some reviews and knew this wasn't the firmest belt, but my son has a much smaller waist so the stiffness was not as big of a deal. With the package deal this belt was roughly under $40.

 

The inner belt was not as stiff as the Shooters, but it was decent enough. The outer belt is about as stiff as the inner Shooters Connection.

 

Combined they will work just fine for I'd say under 40" measured weight. 

 

3) Double Alpha Competition:  I read a lot about this belt, and heard a lot of good things, it looks like they are phasing this belt out for the "Premium" belt, so I got this one for $40, the premium is $55.  The "Pro" belt is reportedly a little less stiff at $50.

 

The inner belt is the least stiff of the three, and the outer is mildly stiffer than the Shooters branded. Combined I'd say they are about equal to the Shooters Connection branded, with a slight nod to the Double Alpha... Considering the equal price in this case.

 

Belt overview: If I could only choose one it would be a toss up between the Shooters and Double Alpha, the Scorpion will be fine for a belt my son will grow out of. I hope I don't grow out of mine....

 

The Shooters inner will be my main inner without a doubt, and the thinner DAA will roll up in my gear bag as an easily stowed emergency back up.

 

Inner belts....Top Scorpion, DAA is on top of the Shooters

 

 

Holsters: I don't have much comparison here, but this is my experience.

 

I'm not ready for the $200 race holsters yet, and the Blade Tech was mentioned quite highly, both here and with some people I talked to in person.

 

Blade Tech DOH, Stingray Belt slide: with Shooters Connection tension thumb wheels.

 

My double stack 9mm didn't have a lot of options because it is fairly new to the scene I think.

 

CZ P-09.  And Railed 5" 1911.

 

These holsters are sub $70.

 

Retention is excellent with both my P-09 and my Commander length 1911.  The drop seems to place the pistols in perfect position.

 

I bought the Railed 1911 holster for super cheap on a close out, as I'm looking for another 1911, and if it has a rail, I don't have to turn it down.

 

As I'm new to competition, there is one Acronym discipline that doesn't allow a drop holster (some rules seem silly to me) and the DOH holsters can have the drop removed, and they can also be fitted to a tek lok.

 

The other Holster is just one I already have.

 

G-Code OSH: (5" 1911)

 

This is one came as a pack with a paddle and a belt slide, and includes a mag carrier with both a paddle and belt slide for $75

 

There is no drop on this holster so it would work well for the Acromyn that doesn't allow drops.

 

Retention is great, it is meant to be an OWB concealment type, but it will keep me from taking apart my Blade Tech.

 

I think if I cut down the front of the holster near the ejection port it could be more competition friendly.

 

In my opinion G-code makes some of the finest Kydex money can buy, the company is very tactical and ccw oriented.

 

I just sealed the deal on a DAA PDA holster, so I'll have another to review.

 

Blade tech DOH with thumb adjusters.

 

G-Code with paddle

 

 

Mag Pouches:

 

1) Ghost Hybrid:  these are double stack pouches at about $16 each and only have the bullet forward pouches, and don't have the nylon tension screws.  they use two plastic springs to hold the magazines.  I would like to find out if they could be used with single stack mags with a spacer, I need to Call Ghost because I really like these.  They are held onto the belt with 4 Phillips screws. And are width adjustable and are fairly easy to move and remove.

 

2) Black Scorpion Storm:  These can be adjusted for double or single stack magazines with the supplied spacers. These are around $28 each, but with the Amazon deal they were about $20 each. They work very well with either the double or single stack magazines.

 

If I was paying the $28 for these I would spend a few dollars more on the DAA racers, or similar CR speed. At $20 each they are an ok deal.

 

The big drawback to these is the complicated mess of screws and tiny nuts used to attach them to the belt. The pouch is tilt adjustable too but I don't think it's necessary, it just adds to the complication of set up.  And the pouch should be removed to secure the belt attachment.  Nice once they are set up, but good luck moving them to another belt.

 

3) G-Code  Kydex:  (1911)

 

These are intended for CCW, but shooting single stack I don't want to run out. I have one belt slide and one paddle.  These hold vertical and I use them at the back side of the belt for spares.  They retain well and sit high on the belt.  I'm thinking they make double stack, but I don't use double stack for ccw.

 

4) magnetic pouches:  I have one Ghost, and one Black Scorpion around $27 each.

 

The Ghost has a very nice 4 screw attachment like the pouches.

 

The Scorpion is a slide on only and is a very tight fit, I couldn't get it on the DAA and Shooters belt.

 

Ghost Hybrid pouches on the Shooters Belt

 

Black Scorpion Storm in single stack mode, on the DAA belt

 

 

G-Code (DAA belt)

 

 

magnetic... Scorpion left, (on Scorpion belt)  Ghost right (Shooters belt)

 

 

Thats the opinion of one newbie...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2017 by AngelDeVille

[davsco]

nice job getting your son out shooting with you!

 

for 3 gun i prefer holsters with positive (vs friction) retention.  seen enough jump out of holsters during vigorous movement.  i have the bladetech wrs with the hood.  won't come out if you don't want it to, but after clicking off the hood there is zero friction on the draw.  i don't think any of yours above have positive retention so just make sure you lock them down if you will be moving while holstered (and or have a slung long gun).

[AngelDeVille]

1 hour ago, davsco said:

nice job getting your son out shooting with you!

 

for 3 gun i prefer holsters with positive (vs friction) retention.  seen enough jump out of holsters during vigorous movement.  i have the bladetech wrs with the hood.  won't come out if you don't want it to, but after clicking off the hood there is zero friction on the draw.  i don't think any of yours above have positive retention so just make sure you lock them down if you will be moving while holstered (and or have a slung long gun).

 

I'm not sure how interested he will be in 3 gun and I'm not sure I'm prepared for the expense. 

 

 

So far im hoping the thumb wheels will give enough retention for 3 gun, and I may not use the drop as well.

 

I haven't seen a retention holster for the P-09 yet, so I'm limited there for now. But the GI M11?  M13? For the M9 pistol fits it very well.

 

I don't want to be limited to the 1911 for 3 gun. 

 

The Safariland looks popular, and again the G-Code has a nice system as well?

 

Edit:. I took one of the bottom red thumb wheels off of one of the DOH holsters and added it to the G-Code paddle.

 

Retention improved, and still not too hard to draw.

Edited December 18, 2017 by AngelDeVille

[Snowb1rd]

I purchased a DAA Premium belt as my first competition belt and I'm absolutely loving it. Very supportive for my production rig (cz shadow holster on a boss hangar + 5 ghost 360 mag carriers.) I'm not a big fan of the ghost 360 mag carriers as they take up a lot of space on the belt, but they'll have to do for now

[stick]

I just got my daughter the black scorpion belt for Christmas.  I use the CR Speed for USPSA and safariland ELS for 3gun.  I would like to use one belt, but currently I'm unable since I'm a lefty pistol shooter and a righty rifle shooter.  I was unable to find mag pouches that I could attach to my ELS belt was would angle.  I just got two of the Black scorpion storm mag pouches.  I like them a lot.  I was able to angle them and adjust the cant. 

[AngelDeVille]

I'd like to get by with one belt as well, but I don't think I have settled on my pistol yet.  The double rifle mag carrier is easy to slide off, and for now I have a chest rig for shotshells. 

 

I really do like the CZ P-09, but I was thinking I wanted a full size 9mm 1911.

I could buy a second holster for the P-09 and we could share the pistol.  Even buying a second P-09 would be cheaper than most any brand 9mm 1911.

 

I got to use my Black Scorpion storm pouches today, and while the set up in them is still horrible, they worked very well. And again they can be adjusted for single or double stack mags.

 

I also bought some knock off Amazon Storm pouches, and they were very similar but not as refined looking. The carbon fiber looking plate on the original storm pouches has a hole to fit an Allen wrench through to adjust cant,  the knock off has a cheaper looking solid plastic cover with no hole. So I drilled one.

 

My son used the knock off pouches, the Scorpion magnetic, and the blade tech holster. he did better than me on every stage so I made him walk home. 

 

Left of the grey pouch, is the Knock off pouch.

 

 

In the above pic, I also got my double magazine Hi-speed rifle pouch.  It fits both my aluminum M-16 and plastic SR-25 magazines very well.

 

also pictured is the taccom 20 round quad load shotshell carrier, I need more practice, but it's going well so far.

 

i did get the DAA  PDR belt ride holster in and it's very nice and will work much better for a non-drop holster than the G-Code will.

(no pictures yet)

 

[stick]

1 hour ago, AngelDeVille said:

I'd like to get by with one belt as well, but I don't think I have settled on my pistol yet.  The double rifle mag carrier is easy to slide off, and for now I have a chest rig for shotshells. 

 

I really do like the CZ P-09, but I was thinking I wanted a full size 9mm 1911.

I could buy a second holster for the P-09 and we could share the pistol.  Even buying a second P-09 would be cheaper than most any brand 9mm 1911.

 

 

 

I

For holsters, look at the safariland GLS pro fit holster.  I use it and I really like it.  It fits over 200 pistols and has a very good retention system.  

[davsco]

3 hours ago, AngelDeVille said:

 

My son used the knock off pouches, the Scorpion magnetic, and the blade tech holster. he did better than me on every stage so I made him walk home. 

you are a very bad father.  what kind of morals are you instilling when, if he beats dad, he has to walk home?

 

you should have made him jog home!  with all his gear on!

 

ahahahaha

[AngelDeVille]

4 hours ago, stick said:

For holsters, look at the safariland GLS pro fit holster.  I use it and I really like it.  It fits over 200 pistols and has a very good retention system.  

 

It still looks like it's slim pickings for P-09 Holsters, I was hoping for one of the LV 2 Safariland holsters for the P-09. The GLS pro fit may be the only choice.

 

2 hours ago, davsco said:

you are a very bad father.  what kind of morals are you instilling when, if he beats dad, he has to walk home?

 

you should have made him jog home!  with all his gear on!

 

ahahahaha

 

 

I tied him to the bumper so it was more than a jog...

[AngelDeVille]

The combination of slim grip bushings and my stag grips didn't fare well during the last shoot.  The screws were loosening as I was shooting, in one round I lost a screw.

 

I have regular bushings set to arrive today.

 

I was also looking at a mag well for the P-09, but decided it wasn't truly needed right away.  So I was looking at options for the 1911, and came across an eBay auction for a TechWear TechWell...  I got about $185 worth of magwell and grips for $53.

 

I put it on my .45 Commander for now.

 

 

For my son the P-09 functioned flawlessly, he had a solitary incident of not seating the mag properly and it dropped free after the first shot, onto a barrel.

 

His rig is working well...

 

 

As will mine... Once I fix the bushing issues...

 

 

I am am at a bit of a pistol fork in the road.

 

I want to shoot 9mm for competition.

 

I would very much love to have a 5 or 6" 1911 in 9mm.  I can switch the grips and magwell to it.

 

I could also buy a second P-09.

 

The plus to the 1911 is I love the platform, and that's about it....

 

I would easily spend $800-1,000 for the 1911.

 

The P-09 I bought new, and was about $550 out the door.

 

The damn thing is flawless.  I blacked out the rear dots, and stippled the grip, bought 3 more magazines, and changed out the decocker and I was competition ready.

 

The only downside is expensive magazines,  ($56 each for the aluminum + 2 models)

 

For now I think I'll order a second holster for the P-09 and maybe a few more magazines, and share the pistol with my son.

 

 

 

 

 

[AngelDeVille]

I changed the bushings, and put black grip screws on the 1911. It's "None more black"

 

Thanks to stick, I researched the Safariland GLS holster, and have one on order along with a drop, and two of the qls things.

 

I can use this holster with either the 9mm 1911 or the second P-09. Or any other pistol I can imagine...

[AngelDeVille]

So I got a second p09 and I'm 95% sure I'm going to sell my 1911. 

 

 

I did a holster review for the p09, and I sold the 1911 blade tech doh holster.

 

 

 

I changed the 3 Black Scorpion pouches for double stack, and added the magnetic pouch to the red DAA belt, and will use the Safariland GLS holster with that set up. 

 

Match tommorow morning.