OFFICER Labs: Guardian Duty Holster

Over the course of the week, the officer experienced zero challenges with holstering or presenting the weapon and test the holster both with and without a mounted light.

Editorial Staff, Officer Media Group

Dec. 16, 2025

4 min read

What to Know

The holster features multiple security systems including MFT’s Instinctive Locking System, Full Containment Lock, and Thumb Activated Lock Block Guard for maximum weapon retention.
Field tests involved simulated assaults and real-world use, confirming the holster’s ability to securely hold the weapon during aggressive scenarios while allowing quick access when needed.
Officers reported zero issues with holstering or drawing during a week of field use, demonstrating its reliability and ease of operation.
The holster’s design minimizes risks of gun grabs, foreign object ingress, and optic bobble, ensuring safety and zeroing integrity in duty conditions.

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OFFICER Media Group was tasked with field-testing the new Guardian Duty Holster from Mission First Tactical. To accomplish the task required us to obtain one, test it in a controlled setting (in this case a gym with mats), test it in a real life setting (in this case wearing it in the field to carry the specified firearm), and then report on our findings. Before we delve into the results of our field-testing, let’s take a look at the published material and specifications for the holster.

Mission First Tactical is an American-owned and operated manufacturer of holsters, packs and bags, other gear and apparel, all made in their plant in Pennsylvania. Mission First Tactical, or MFT from here on, has long been known for their off-duty and concealed carry holsters. Our review team, as part of assessing MFT’s “field reputation,” asked several active law enforcement officers as well as military veterans what their thoughts were on the MFT products they had experienced. Aside from the minor (always existent and not negative) design changes nearly every officer or handgunner would suggest, MFT gear is highly respected and well trusted in the field.

The published description and specifications for the Guardian Duty Holster states that it is, “Designed to ensure the reduced risks of gun grabs, foreign object and finger ingress, and optic bobble when drawing.” All three of those design goals are major considerations in any duty holster. Gun grabs are known risk to all law enforcement officers and the holster’s first purpose is to secure the weapon against such, keeping the duty sidearm in place and easily accessed when the officer needs it — without notice and with a minimal time frame to get the weapon out, presented properly and into service. Recent field reports have shown that foreign object and finger ingress within the holster body can cause unintentional discharge and have always been known to potentially cause either holster or weapon malfunction. Keeping everything except the weapon system out of the holster body is mandatory for a secure duty holster. And finally, avoiding optic bobble matters. Every officer has had to (or should have had to) zero their optic if using one. Making sure that optic stays zeroed is a concern carried through a career of use with that particular firearm and something that is verified repeatedly through range practice and qualification. If your duty holster is battering your optic and potentially affecting its zero, there’s a difficulty that needs to be addressed quickly.

The MFT Guardian Duty Holster comes with the ability to holster a weapon with or without a mounted duty light, but the holster requires the use of MFT’s light block if there is no mounted light used. The use of a magnet and barrel post keeps the weapon from rattling in the holster. The holster design incorporates several security features to include MFT’s Instinctive Locking System (ILS), the Full Containment Lock, and the Thumb Activated Lock Block Guard.

With the holster mounted onto a duty belt and that belt worn by an experience officer, we secured a Ring’s Blue Gun Glock 17 into the holster, went into the padded gym area and invited a collection of other officers to try to forcibly remove the blue gun.

While bodies flew, officers tumbled and the target officer had to defend against multiple test assailants, the weapon remained securely in the holster. However, when the target officer needed to draw and present the weapon, he was able to do so quickly with a single practiced motion.

Having proved the security of the holster, it was given to an officer to wear while working the street, but only after he’d spent a day at the range with it performing regular qualifications. Over the course of the week, he experienced zero challenges with holstering or presenting the weapon and tested the holster both with and without a mounted light.

With all of the testing complete, OFFICER Media Group is proud to award the “Tested - Field Rated” seal of approval to the MFT Guardian Duty Holster.

Find out more: missionfirsttactical.com/guardian-duty-holster