I used to be on a Fugitive Task Force in New Orleans during the glory days of 450 or so murders a year. My partner was a giant NOPD detective who carried his issue Beretta 92 in an Uncle Mikes belt holster that he just stuck into his waistband. He was an indifferent shot at the range, but had killed a few people in straight-up gunfights and had nothing to prove.

One day the Uncle Mikes gave up the ghost, splitting open all the way down one seam. I was carrying a Sig P220 and had a spare Safariland paddle holster with a thumbsnap. I showed it to him and said - Maybe you should get one like this.

He turned it over thoughtfully and then before I could do anything he jammed the fat Beretta into that molded-for-a-Sig holster. It stopped short of the bottom and he couldn't get the snap shut. He was 6' 5" and a solid 275 - it was a regular event for him to sign autographs for people who assumed he played for the Saints and the white guy with the gun and radio tagging along was his bodyguard. He eyed the holster, put his thumb on the back of the Beretta's hammer, and SHOVED. He then snapped the snap, put the holster on, and said - Thanks, partner.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Brute Force Task Force?

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I need ammo, not a ride.

Most? Not really.... more like some.... I am one and work with 30+ agencies....

You have some that are more into the gun world than others.... Cant really judge though based on "Some Cops you see...."

Can't say that I'm surprised. I know a few cops who refuse to practice shooting because their department won't pay for their ammo.

Statement #1 - More LE is "into" guns that the percentage of overall population.

Statement #2 - That still makes a small percentage of the ranks of LE .

Statement #3 - At least for uniform use , most agencies with more than three employees issue duty gear. A lot of agencies that issue , require the use of issued gear. A lot of that gear will be synthetic.


Most non-enthusiest cop in need of plainclothes/ off duty/ otherwise not issued gear will just go to their local LE Uniform store , and get whatever they stock/ recomend.

Without imeadatley discussing holsters per se , quality nylon gear is servicable w/ minimal issue for belts , cuff cases , etc . And simply having formerly been part of a dead cow is not a magic wand to make quality gear. Back in the day, there was plenty of shoddy *** leather gear out there.

I have personally seen enough Fobus gear break/ fall apart to convince me. But their commercial succuess is not surprising.

Attractive price point. Lots of advertising. Lots of representation on the shelves of the shrinking number of LGS that stock holsters.

Everybody and their brother makes holsters for 1911's , and 9/40 frame Glocks. Most of the major and semi-major mfgs will also make for the usual popular suspects - M&P's , XD's , P series SIG , Berretta ( at least Storm and M92 ). But Fobus has a huge fit list for hundreds of guns. If you have an "orphan" gun , your choices might be Fobus , generic one size fits all , or full custom .

Most of the people at my department that have/use Fobus holsters only wear them to court and classroom-format training. When we do more hands-on stuff, the leather always comes out. Kydex does have it's place, and for me it's only in the form of an IWB holster. If it's outside my belt, its leather, period.

I started out in 1990 as a security guard with a Spanish copy of a model 10 revolver [ stil have it] in a used break front holster made by safariland. I got into police work and used basketweave leather by safariland with a Ruger P89 in a safariland SSIII holster.
Then to a Sig 220 and various other guns over the years. I used leather on duty for several years until uncle mikes started making nylon which was much lighter. My department did not issue gear or guns until about 2012. They issued safariland with 6360 level 3 holsters with Sig229r with no ammo or off duty holsters. I carry what I want off duty. I am a gun guy 99% of my department is not. Most don't carry anything they are not issued now that we issue gear. It is what it is......

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Shiny, lets be bad guys!

They don't issue duty ammo?




<Jayne> Boy, it sure would be nice if we had some grenades, don't you think? <Jayne>

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I miss my 4546 the most.

When I started my law enforcement career in 1975, we had to purchase our own gear. Most everyone had Bianchi or Safariland leather. We have no police supply company near so everything was purchased out of state. I started with Safariland leather with a model 19 and went to a Hoyt breakfront and model 66. Still have the rig. Became a Det. In 1979 and stayed with Safariland leather until I retired in 2004. Carried everything from my 66 4", 66 2 1/2 inch, model 39, model 59, model 639, and then the Dept. provided us with model 4506, and then later with 4516. In
1999 the dept. provided us Dets. with Glock 30's. Still with Safariland leather.

I know some cheap cops (try to get them to pick up the tab for lunch sometime) but they don't use cheap gear...

Just retired from a 1400+ officer department.... In 35 years, I've seen plenty of cheap stuff. Like the guy that had his holster for so long, the drop loop tore partly off. So he taped it back together with black electric tape. Yep, not making this up... cheapskates!

Been using a serpa holster on/off duty for 5 years. I have yet to have one malfunction. The serpa holster is pretty much the holster of choice in the area and have yet to ever hear of a malfunction as well.

They don't make Serpa holsters for a 4 inch S&W Model 686.

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CPT, Armor (Ret)
Luke 22:36

really, 15 years ? You should seen mine disintegrating when getting out of my car, not even 6 month old.

I know this thread is a couple of months old, but I just went through bi-annual quals and watched to see what the non-uniform guys were carrying. Mostly lots of Fobus and Serpa, some stretched out old DeSantis and Bianchi type thumb slide thumb breaks-ratty looking mainly because the natural color picks up stains. However, there were also a few more decent looking Raven style "Kydex sandwiches with rivets" as I call them, with lights attached to the G17s/19s. I think some of them were knock offs as they were huge and had little shaping to the body or edge work. At least I didn't see any of the "black nylon sack" style.