Have you ever considered having a custom kydex holster made to fit your pistol perfectly? Allow me to tell you know that it is worth the expense and the wait to look at Raven Concealment Systems. I had been carrying my Glock 23 with Surefire X300 weapon light in what is basically a duty holster with a paddle attachment. While this works fine, it is very hard to conceal without wearing very baggy button up shirts or jackets. This had me looking for a holster that would offer good concealment off duty while allowing me to still carry my pistol with a light on the rail. It took me a while but, I finally found what I needed from Raven Concealment Systems in their Phantom Light Compatible Holster.
Raven Concealment Systems has been in operation since 2005 and their products are made in the USA. RCS offers holsters, magazine, handcuff, ASP baton, and flashlight pouches. They even have what they call Doodad pouches which include a pouches for several different size batteries and Bic lighters. Some of the items offered by RCS are modular and can be connected to each other with provided hardware. For instance, you can attach a battery pouch to your flashlight pouch so that you have spare batteries within easy reach. If you’re looking for a custom piece not offered on the website, you’ll want to contact RCS ahead of time. A MOLLE attachment for their gear is not available but, 550 cord or zip ties can be used to attach their items to your MOLLE rig. They also offer all their products in black and coyote.
The Phantom Light Compatible Holster is a kydex holster that is built to your specifications and takes about 16-18 weeks for custom orders. Lead time varies and is updated on the RCS home page as needed. Ordering your holster is achieved online at the Raven Concealment Systems website. Before ordering the holster I had a few questions about some of the available features. Those questions were submitted by e-mail, answered quickly, and clearly. Chose the type of holster you would like and start using the pull down boxes to build your holster. RCS even has an option for .75” and 1” extended, threaded barrels for those of you that run your pistol ready to accept a sound suppressor. At the end of the ordering process, there is a comments box where you can include any special features such as extended slide stop levers, magazine release buttons, take down levers, red dot sights, extra high sights for sound suppressors, or ambidextrous safeties. Once your order is paid for, you will periodically receive e-mail updates regarding your orders status. This is nice because it keeps you updated instead of wondering what is going on with your order. E-mail updates also keep anxious customers like myself off the phone with RCS customer service.
As I mentioned earlier, the holster I ordered was for my Glock 23 with a Surefire X300 with Universal Latch, 1.75” belt loops, short Body Shield, and zero cant/straight drop instead of the 10 or 15 degree cant. Special comments included an extended slide stop lever and extended magazine release button.
Once the holster arrived, I immediately noticed how light the holster was compared to the holster I had been using. The edges were smooth, the contours were clean, and the precise molding fit my pistol perfectly. It was so perfect, someone who is very gun smart might be able to tell what weapon light I carry on my pistol. Friction retention held the pistol securely in place, even up side down. Once it’s on the belt, it flexes the holster slightly creating even more friction retention. I would say that the amount of retention was just about perfect for me.
When it’s all said and done, Raven Concealment Systems offers a holster that is lightweight, looks good, fits good, is comfortable for long periods of time and allows excellent concealment while providing you with operational readiness by letting you carry your pistol with a light.
Prices on Raven Concealment Systems holsters vary widely depending on what you want so you’ll have to check out the RCS website:
http://www.ravenconcealment.com/
About The Author:
Max Schulte is a 17 year veteran of law enforcement with 5 years spent on active duty as a US Army Military Policeman. His duties included patrol, Special Reaction Team, SRT Sniper, & Military Police Investigations. He is currently serving with a large law enforcement agency in Maryland where he has worked patrol, criminal, and fugitive investigations. He is a field armorer for numerous weapon systems and an adjunct firearms instructor for his agency as well as several civilian firearms and tactics training companies.
