Most secure Open Gun holster

[ipscbob]

Guga Ribas by far. Limcat is the worst in my opinion. Both my wife and I and lots of our friends have had the lock come off unintentionally and have dropped guns using Limcats. The comments, though, are correct. If the Limcat is locked it is secure. Too bad it doesn't have a better latching mechanism on the lock like the Guga Ribas does. After using the Guga Ribas for 18 months now, I have zero complaints with it.

Edited March 2, 2008 by ipscbob

[ChuckS]

I have been using a Ghost and it hasn't failed me so far. I stopped at Beven Grams place today and saw one of those Bladetech 6" holsters that he used for his open gun for multi-gun. If you want completely secure, that's the one!

Later,

Chuck

[Mark K]

New to the sport, yada...

For a speed holster, I first bought an older US Shooting Academy holster, what is really an older Ghost. Pretty good, but I found myself constantly checking to make sure it was locked. It was also very finicky on the adjustment.

By shooting buddy and I found a deal on a couple of demo Guga Ribas holsters. We got them a couple of weeks ago, and they seem to be bullet proof. At least in my case, it seems that you have to draw straight up out of the holster - front or back movement while drawing and it stays put.

When in the locked position, you could pick my fat a$$ up by the gun and it would not come free.

Mark

[JSCHIEFEN]

Guga Ribas by far. Limcat is the worst in my opinion. Both my wife and I and lots of our friends have had the lock come off unintentionally and have dropped guns using Limcats. The comments, though, are correct. If the Limcat is locked it is secure. Too bad it doesn't have a better latching mechanism on the lock like the Guga Ribas does. After using the Guga Ribas for 18 months now, I have zero complaints with it.

+1 agree 100%

[BOGA]

I have Safariland and Limcat. They are both good.

[Morphire]

For limited I've owned the Ghost Ultimate and the Guga Ribas which I use now. The Ghost was retired for me after I had my gun pop out of it on a seated start. The external lock on the Guga Ribas can be easily set to the middle lock and swept off during the draw stroke. In the middle lock it is no less locked than in the full lock position. The only difference is that the lock handle is positioned out in the open where it can be manipulated easily during the draw stroke.

Now keep in mind that all of this information on the Guga Ribas only holds true if you use it right handed. The left handed "version" of the holster just flips it and leaves the locking mechanism up next to the body and unavailable for a sweep unlock on the draw. A big flaw in the design if you ask me but since I'm right handed it hasn't affected me.

Build quality on the Guga Ribas is second to none with an all metal design that uses a ball joint for incredible adjustability in placing the pistol at your preferred angle. It's very secure on the belt and offers the unique ability to remove the trigger guard portion ofthe holster from the belt attachment to allow you to "ungun" while still maintaining the pistol in the "holster". I wouldn't do this without letting people know what your doing but it's perfectly safe and legal to do due to the design of the holster.

[jmleenz]

I was DQ'd at the 2006 Florida Open when my open gun came out of a LOCKED CR Speed holster. Those who shot the match that year will remember the stage with the helicopter. Start with 2 hands on those handles and run across about 20 feet before drawing. LAMR, lock the holster, tug on gun to make sure, grab handles, beep, move, and it popped right out after about 10 feet...........trip to Dairy Queen!

That was the last day I ever used a CR Speed holster, bought a Ghost the next day at the vendor tent and have had great luck with it ever since.

I have been shopping around for a holster for my open Tangfoglio...when you do some research there are posts like this for about every type of speed holster out there. None are perfect sadly.

[G-ManBart]

I was DQ'd at the 2006 Florida Open when my open gun came out of a LOCKED CR Speed holster. Those who shot the match that year will remember the stage with the helicopter. Start with 2 hands on those handles and run across about 20 feet before drawing. LAMR, lock the holster, tug on gun to make sure, grab handles, beep, move, and it popped right out after about 10 feet...........trip to Dairy Queen!

That was the last day I ever used a CR Speed holster, bought a Ghost the next day at the vendor tent and have had great luck with it ever since.

I have been shopping around for a holster for my open Tangfoglio...when you do some research there are posts like this for about every type of speed holster out there. None are perfect sadly.

While I'll agree that none are "perfect" I have never heard of a gun coming out of a locked Guga Ribas. Something would have to break for that to happen. With the CR it's possible to pull the gun out of the holster even when it's "locked"....that would worry the heck out of me! Granted, if I were king I'd make some changes to the Ribas...make the tension adjustment more linear/progressive and change the locking lever so that it's not as easy to accidentally engage, but that's about it. R,

[smokshwn]

Plus one to Bart's comments on the gugas. I have come to love mine.

[XRe]

It's very secure on the belt and offers the unique ability to remove the trigger guard portion ofthe holster from the belt attachment to allow you to "ungun" while still maintaining the pistol in the "holster". I wouldn't do this without letting people know what your doing but it's perfectly safe and legal to do due to the design of the holster.

This is only legal if you are in a safe area. You cannot just "ungun" anywhere, including with a Ribas holster. This was discussed on the forum some time back - http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...=18318&st=0

[infinity]

I've had mine for more than2 years already and no problems at all. i love it and if i have to go shopping for a new holster i'd go the same route.

OT: thread drift guys...i'm just wondering is Guga Ribas out of business?? i can't seem to access their site...any of u guys have any contact with marcello or guga himself? thanks

Sorry for the thread drift

[G-ManBart]

I've had mine for more than2 years already and no problems at all. i love it and if i have to go shopping for a new holster i'd go the same route.

OT: thread drift guys...i'm just wondering is Guga Ribas out of business?? i can't seem to access their site...any of u guys have any contact with marcello or guga himself? thanks

Sorry for the thread drift

Both the Guga site and the Eco-Comex (distributor) site seem to be working. R,

[AZ38super]

I have never seen a Gubas and based on comments they are higher priced, but I bought my Limcat used from a shooting buddy going to SS only and have not had one single problem with it and my open gun.

The most seen holster at our club in open and limited in the Ghost so they must work as well.

[rishii]

I use an old pinned ghost and have never had a reason to change.

this past weekend at our state champs, I was ROing shooters during a stage that had the shooting area roped off. the RO stood outside of the shooting area on the start, and followed the shooter thru the stage by walking/jumping over the rope that was about a foot high at the back of the stage.

after I had ran 3-4 shooter thru and having run and jumped over the rope every time, I remember I still had my gun on. talk about a holster test, but it stayed locked and the gun stayed put.

the only mod I've done to mine is remove the superlock position, thats the one where the lever is straight up, locking the gun in, and it's a bitch to unlock, well it really is after the superlocked ghost superwedgie. now on stages where I start with the holster locked, I can hit the lever on the draw and not worry about superlocking it. also on seated starts, after I LAMR, I reholster, lock, carefully sit down watching where the muzzle is, once I sure the gun's not going anywhere, I unlock and assume the ready position.

[Triple]

www.jorgesinardi.com.ar

[UW Mitch]

www.jorgesinardi.com.ar

Looks neat, but do you have more info? I can't translate too many words on that site.

~Mitch

[infinity]

looks like a copy of guga ribas holsters and mag pouches...

[askomiko]

In my opinion, the best there is... Adjustable in every direction, secure as hell, and super duper easy and fumble-free to use.

[RH45]

My first "speed" holster was a Safariland, and even though I never dropped a gun out of it, I never thought it was secure.

I then went to a CR speed, and even though other guys said they could draw with them locked, the one time I tried, I almost gave myself a rupture.

When we were down at Nationals, in 2004, two of my friends bought the Guga holsters and I liked the idea that I could switch from open to limited without doing any adjustments, and once the gun is out of it, it doesn't get in the way as much as a CR speed, but, I was a little worried as to the security. They never had ANY issues, so I picked one up CHEAP last year from a guy that dropped his gun a couple of times because the knurled nut had loosened up. I make sure the nut is tight, but, I have dropped an un loaded gun from it twice because I was a DUMD-A$$, and forgot to lock it after the "show clear" command! Other than operater-error, I love it.

I just got a Frank Garcia holster with a STI Limited gun I bought and was thinking I should sell it, but, I can't seem to find any referance to them. Does anybody have a clue as to what a fair asking price would be?

[Flatland Shooter]

Thought I'd follow up on my earlier post.

After reading some of the comments concerning the CR Speed and the Limcat holsters, I decided to play around with both of these and see what their weaknesses are and under what conditions which would be the best holster for the job.

All of this testing was with an unloaded gun in the comfort of my living room (lots of carpet on the floor just in case). My gun is an STI open gun with the grip modified so that the trigger is guard rounded like that on a Colt or Para Ordnance gun.

First I worked with my CR Speed holster. With the lock on, I was unable to knock the gun loose from the holster. I tried everything from shaking the holster vigorously while holding it upside down to "bumping it" from several different directions. Add in the nose piece, the amount of wobble (gun movement within the holster) was reasonably small.

Working with the Limcat, the tests were repeated with the same results. Good and secure.

Now for a few personal quirks. Due to my prior dedication to a Safariland 012, I'm border line paranoid on dropping my gun. Though I have not even come close to dropping one since I switched to the CR Speed I find myself frequently looking down at my holster to see that the little lever is set to "locked". Bend over to pick up steel, check the lever. Bend over to pick up a magazine, check the lever. Don't remember the last time I checked the lever, check the lever.

On the CR Speed, you can see the lever. On the Limcat, the lever is under the holster so you can't see it but you can feel it. Add one point to the CR Speed. (Here we are talking personal preferences resulting from personal quirks).

The CR Speed has the lever located where it would be very difficult to disengage by "bumping" into props and whatever. The Limcat could be accidentally disengaged by something tapping the lever from below. Probably not a frequent occurrence, but it is possible. Another plus for the CR Speed.

The earlier mentioned "gun wobble" was significant to me due to past experience, but after roaming the house wearing the Limcat and my open gun, confidence in the holster improved and this is not as much a worry as in the past. When locked, the gun is going nowhere. Therefore, neither holster really has a benefit if you are comfortable with a little wobble. I noted that with the Limcat and my holstered gun pointed straight down or slightly rearward versus an appendix carry, the wobble is minimized.

Now where the Limcat really shined is on stage starts from a seated or lying down position. I'm not comfortable coming out of a chair or bed with the holster unlocked. The CR Speed can be unlocked fairly easily with a backward sweep of the strong hand. The Limcat only requires you flip the lever off with the trigger finger as you reach for your gun. To me this seems to be the better mousetrap.

As for drawing with the holster still locked, neither of my holsters will allow this. It may be possible to do this with either holster that has been worn down a bit or is a looser fit, but to get the gun free from either holster right now requires a lot more effort than I plan on expending on a single draw.

When unlocked, the CR Speed is fast with very little drag on the gun. The Limcat, unlocked, seems a little faster and essentially has no drag on the gun.

The end result is both holsters are excellent for the job. If I were shooting a speed stage or a stage that required a seated start, the Limcat may be the holster of choice. For the paranoid side of me, with its nice and secure nose piece and the lever on the side within easy view, the CR Speed my be my best choice.

Just my humble opinion based on equipment on hand set up the best I can.

Bill