Gunners Den

Straight Shooters

Test And Evaluation

Polymer 80 Glock Review and Head to Head Glock 17 Comparison

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polymer 80 vs glock 17

Polymer 80 Glock Review

Building your own gun is like a bug. And once you get that bug, you can’t get rid of it. I built a few 80 percent lower receivers with a variety of different methods and have also drifted over to the Glock side of the market.

I’m not a huge Glock guy so I was tempted and torn between doing a 1911 or a Glock for the longest time. Finally, I settled on a Poly 80 Glock build, assuming it would be an easier and more affordable means to build a handgun. I was not wrong.

With some careful shopping, I was able to build a Polymer 80 Glock for about 350 bucks.

It’s not the fanciest build but I like it. Specifically, I went full sized with the PF940V2 frame kit and a Glock LAV edition slide with Ameriglo sights and an FDE finish. I used Glock OEM lower parts with an OEM extended magazine release and an extended slide release. The PF940V2 comes with a jig, as well as the bits to finish the build.

Polymer 80 Jig:

The jig is simple and proprietary. This is what it looks like:

The jig is made of plastic and is really only good for one use which is why there is one included with each 80% lower bought from Polymer 80.

And here is the finished product with a fully assembled pistol that started out as an 80%:

polymer 80 glock review

In comparison to an 80% AR-15 build with an abundance of many different brands of jigs available for you to use, the pistol comes with the one you’re going to use.

Speaking of AR-15 jigs, the one I recommend is the Easy Jig Gen 2. It makes the job so much easier than any others I’ve used.

You don’t have that selection with the Poly 80 Glocks. The real question is, do you need it? Seriously, after you finish your first you realize it’s pretty damn easy. The included Jig is more than suitable to finish that pistol.

On to the Throw Down

Building the gun is child’s play, and way easier than other builds I’d done. I used a dremel, drill, the included hardware, as well as a punch and some hand files. It was an easy build. The first thing I wanted to do was see how it compared to a standard Glock 17.

Ergonomics

Is one better than the other? I will say the Polymer 80’s frame is much more comfortable for me. Especially when compared to Gen 3 and 4 guns. I abhor finger grooves, a lot, a metric ton of abhorrence. The best thing about the Gen 5s is their lack of grooves. The Polymer 80 frames also lack finger grooves and come with more aggressive stippling if that’s your thing.

The grip angle is also completely different. The polymer 80 frame uses an 18-degree grip angle which is identical to a 1911’s grip angle. Glock’s standard angle is 22 degrees.

I personally find the Poly 80 grip more comfortable, but this is subjective to the end user.

Polymer 80 also incorporates a real beaver tail into their frame. No need for those goofy grip adapters Glock makes. I mentioned I’m not a Glock guy and that’s because Glocks of all sizes give me serious slide bite. The Polymer 80 frame does not.

Lastly, Polymer 80 incorporates a high undercut in the trigger guard and I find it to be very comfortable and allows me to assume a proper grip. In terms of accessing the controls, I can’t find a measurable difference between the Polymer 80 and the Glock 17.

Firing Range

On the range, all the comfort factors really do come into play. I find myself enjoying shooting the Polymer 80 more than the stock Glock. I do have a better degree of control over the gun, and I feel recoil and muzzle rise are tamed a bit more than the Glock.

Accuracy wise you are looking at nearly identical practical accuracy as far as I can tell. I see no major differences between either gun. The same goes for running reloads, fixing malfunctions, and similar tasks. Both guns are predictably similar in most tasks.

Reliability

Here is where we have the biggest departure. The Polymer 80 has proven reliable, after lots of work with a hand file and lots of working the slide. It took a lot of time just to get it to cycle a round or two.

If it came down to choosing which one I’d risk my life with, it would be the stock Glock OEM gun.

Building a Polymer 80 is fun, but I know I’m not a professional gunsmith. I’m just a dude with a dremel. The Glock made by Glock would be a much better choice for any serious use. Polymer 80 does manufacture a 100% frame that just needs you to stick parts in. I’d be more comfortable carrying that than one I did myself.

Aftermarket

Part of the appeal of Glock’s is the aftermarket. It’s massive, and hell the Polymer 80 is technically part of that aftermarket.

You still have lots of choices for parts and pieces for the Polymer 80, but it does limit you to Gen 3 and below. Also, numerous Glock holsters will not accommodate the Polymer 80 due to frame design difference as well as the use of a true Picatinny rail. A stock Glock will offer you a slightly larger aftermarket.

Should you do a Polymer 80?

If you approach building a polymer 80 with the right idea it’s an awesome project. It’s fun, easy to do, and you learn a thing or two. You can make an awesome gun for the range, or even competition. However, if you need a serious defensive firearm I’d suggest just buying a real Glock. Polymer 80 Glocks are purely for hobbyists.

You can learn more about buying one here at Brownells.

Bushnell TRS-25 Review: The Best Red Dot Sight For The Money?

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bushnell trs-25 review

Bushnell TRS 25 Review, Is it the best red dot sight for the money —

Cheap Optics. Two words that when put together make me cringe, especially when it comes to cheap red dot optics. Most are junk, better suited for Airsoft guns than actual firearms.

I’m a big proponent of hobby grade optics for hobby grade guns. I’ll never say you need an Aimpoint, Eotech, or Trijicon for every gun you have, but some guns are just made for fun and affordable optics are a perfect pair.

With this being said there are tons of optics made from Chinesium that are going to fall apart very quickly and be a total waste of money.

However, I’ve found one sub 100 dollar optic that isn’t hot garbage and that’s the Bushnell TRS 25. It’s a serious contender for the title: best red dot sight for the money, at least if you’re in the market for a more affordable option.

best red dot sight for the money

The TRS 25 is a compact red dot optic designed to be lightweight and easy to use. As of this writing, it’s priced at less than 60 bucks on Amazon. Typically an optic for less than 60 bucks is going to be garbage but after almost 4 months of use, I’ve been impressed.

The TRS-25 has been around for a while now, and it used to be priced right around a hundred bucks. I was timid then, but once the price dropped to 42 bucks I finally pulled the trigger. 42 bucks isn’t a lot of money.

My pocket knife cost more than that. A few boxes of defensive ammo costs more than that. And, the cheapest 80 lower jig I have actually costs less than that.

In those last few months, I’ve tossed it on an AR pistol, and now a CZ Scorpion and have been impressed by its overall performance.

The TRS 25 – What’s in the Box

The optic comes with a built-in Picatinny mount that is very low which is why it swapped from my AR to my Scorpion. Higher mounts are available, but the Scorpion needed an optic anyway.

The 25mm objective lens is well suited for smaller guns but is big enough to be quick to get on target. The Bushnell TRS 25 has a 3 MOA red dot, and 11 brightness levels. The dot is crisp at most intensity levels, but from 9 to 11 the dot begins to have some blur to it and loses that crispness.

best red dot sight for the money

It weighs only 3.7 ounces and is 2.4 inches long and will fit on the most compact of guns. The lens has a slight, bluish tint to it but is not darkened in any way. You also get a battery, an Allen wrench, lens covers, and a lens cloth.

How Does it Hold Up?

The TRS 25 is not trying to be anything other than a simple, reliable, best red dot sight for the money. It’s not a duty grade sight, and it’s not designed to be used for any kind of combat role.

It’s a solid little tool meant for the range, for training, and maybe even for hunting. In those roles, it won’t disappoint. Just don’t expect it to help you take Fallujah.

cz scorpion

As a red dot sight, it is faster and easier to use than iron sights. Zeroing it is a quick and easy affair and you’ll be ringing steel before you know it.

The dot allows you to quickly transition between targets and to get on target with some blazing speed. Out to 150 yards I could see and hit a steel USPSA target with my AR pistol. The dot is plenty sharp for engagements out to 200 yards and beyond.

The Dot is rather dim on any setting below 7, with 7 and 8 seeming to be the sweet spot for bright days. As an added benefit they don’t compromise the dot’s sharpness.

The view through the optic is nice and clear, especially for this price range. There doesn’t seem to be distortion around the edges. It’s not Aimpoint clear, but it’s clear enough for the best affordable red dot for the money.

It’s held zero with both 5.56 and 9mm without issue. Could it be used for larger calibers? For sure, but I didn’t have anything crazy to test it on. The biggest downside is the battery life. It advertises 3k hours, but that’s optimistic.

That would be 125 days continuous use and I’ve already swapped batteries once in 4 months. I also don’t leave the optic on constantly.

Final Verdict?

If you need a hobby grade optic for plinking then go for it. The TRS 25 works wonders in that category. Stop buying absolute trash optics and spend a hair more for the TRS 25. It’s priced around 50 bucks and that’s hard to beat. It’s not perfect, and not special, but it’s reliable and ultra-affordable.

JM4 Tactical Holster Review: Quick Click and Carry

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concealed carry holster

Concealed Carry Holster Review, JM4 QCC

Generally speaking, I won’t do a holster evaluation unless it’s something really different that you just don’t see everyday.

For example, I don’t usually do Kydex holster reviews because everyone and their uncle can get some equipment, make one, and, sadly, many of them are nearly identical to each other.

This, of course, isn’t always the case. There are some that stand out.

What I always try to do, however, is find the best concealed carry holsters that just also happen to be different from the others out there, and bring them to you for a review.

JM4 Tactical concealed carry holster
I can walk in my front door, and literally stick my gun upside down (or right side up) on my steel door. It stays put.

This next one is actually something I saw in a Facebook ad one time, thought it was a great concept, and reached out to the dude in charge, Chad.

I first got my hands on the JM4 Tactical leather holster in about October of last year. I like to put holsters through a rugged test to make sure they hold up, so I used and abused it, and can say that I’m happy with what I’ve found.

JM4 QCC Holster
Inside view after a few months of drawing and re-holstering.

The main thing that makes this holster different, is that it utilizes a couple of dual-purpose magnets in its design. When I say dual-purpose, I mean that they are meant to do a couple of things.

Concealed Carry holster
The round spots are the uber strong magnets. Careful, if they catch each other with your finger in the way, it smarts!

First, the magnets are placed in a manner so that they’re attracted to each other, and that’s what keeps your holster from moving out of place. Second, the magnets are used in the retention of the gun, making sure it doesn’t fall out.

Concealed Carry HOlster
JM4 QCC holster magnets still strong even with my finger between them.

Let’s break it down even more, shall we?

The internet is filled with people showing videos on drawing and re-holstering their concealed carry gun with this JM4 Tactical QCC (Quick Click and Carry) concealed carry holster. Instead, I’ll include one of those videos at the bottom, while I show you things about it that some other people skip. Mainly, how it works … in detail.

Position:

First, let’s discuss how the magnets work to keep the gun in your pants.

JM4 Tactical holster
Stick the holster in your pants, with the one side of the magnet-flap lifted out. Once in the position you want, close the flap, until it reaches your pants.

You stick the holster down your trousers, and then flip the flappy magnet part over your belt. You can adjust it for cant and height, and, even though it can move, it’s slight enough that you don’t really notice.

JM4 QCC
Here I have the magnets wrapped around a standard 1-subject notebook and flipped it upside down to show it won’t move.

Oh, and just so you’re aware, every single time I flipped this gun/holster combo upside down, it was with a full mag inserted.

full magazine
Full magazine for this demonstration. Well, I took a round out to show someone what I carry.

Retention:

There are a few things that a holster needs to be able to do, in order for it to be considered “good” in the eyes of most concealed gun carriers. Keeping your gun positioned in your waistline is one of them. The other, is keeping your gun secured in the holster itself.

I ran each of the above tests, again, but this time I removed the gun more than half way.

Remember above when I said that the magnets were used to keep the gun in place? Let me show you what I mean.

The following picture shows the full-size Springfield Armory XD9 pulled halfway out, on purpose by me. It stayed put and did not move. Again, the magnets are strong.

JM4 concealed carry holster
Here is the loaded gun hanging on the 1 subject notebook again. This time, I pulled the gun out more than halfway and let it sit there.

This time, I figured I’d stick it on a piece of paper. Same result until the paper ripped:

JM4 QCC concealed carry holster
Gun purposely removed halfway out of the holster. It did not fall out.

Some folks like to keep a gun by the door for easy access. We won’t discuss if that’s a good tactic or not right now, but you can’t get any closer to your front door than on it, like in the below picture.

concealed carry holster dock
Here it is upside down on my front door again, only pulled halfway out.

Construction:

Now that we’ve gotten the basics out of the way, how does this holster hold up under pressure?

The leather is of high quality, and is thick. It seems as though a lot of use would be required to wear a hole in it, which is great.

As you likely know, negligent discharges tend to happen in worn out holsters, and, as a side note, it’s always a good idea to thoroughly and regularly check your gear out for damage. A damaged holster is not something to mess around with.

The primary concern for me, because I’ve had issues with other holsters of this type from other manufacturers, is the stitching. However, this holster stood up to all my tests, and the only thing I don’t like is that I struggle to get a combat grip on the gun from the draw (more on this in a bit).

JM4 QCC
The stitching is thick, sturdy, and looks good.

Here is another shot, up close. A portion of it is double stitched, which gives extra peace of mind that it won’t fall apart.

JM4 Tactical
Here is another up close shot of the holster, and its logo.

A word about the magnet’s leather.

The leather that covers the magnets itself may end up being an issue at some point, simply because it is so thin. I can see the need to have thin material here, because it could hurt the effectiveness of the magnets, and thus, the retention of the holster itself.

concealed carry holster
Up close shot of the thinner magnet leather.

Here is the other magnet, up close:

concealed carry magnet
Up close shot of the flap magnet.

Ease Of Use:

A few paragraphs ago I mentioned that I have a hard time getting a full-combat grip on the draw. This is huge for effective self-defense with a handgun.

Without a solid grip, the shooter could end up inadvertently causing an operator malfunction with a limp-wrist or loose grip. Just so we’re clear, a full combat grip is one that has the web of your hand as high up on the grip as possible.

The work around for this, is to simply practice drawing from it more. And, from what I can tell, most people don’t have this problem, and may be unique to me and my gorilla-sized hands.

Comfort:

I can say that, as far as a holster meant to be worn in the appendix position, which is usually uncomfortable for me, it is fairly comfortable. In fact, I’m wearing it right now in the 1 o’clock position with a full-size pistol as I sit in my office typing this up.

concealed carry holster
Concealed Carry in the 1 o’clock position

Conclusion:

It’s my opinion that the JM4 Tactical QCC is the best concealed carry holster of this type, and one of the top concealed carry holsters available on the market right now. I’m not usually a fan of non gun-specific gun holsters, but this one does its job well.

Overall, this one has my stamp of approval. It is competitively priced starting in the $70.00 range and going up from there depending on the color and type of leather you choose.

I also want to give a word of caution to any of you who may wear pacemakers or other devices keeping you alive that could be hurt by a strong magnet. These magnets are very strong, so keep that in mind.

A few minutes ago I said that I first saw this on a Facebook ad. I also told you that I’d show you a video. Here is the original video I saw on Facebook that got me to look into this holster for you:

Have you tried one of these before? If you have, please let me know what you thought about it in the comments below. If not, check this concealed carry holster out, here.

FAB Defense KPOS Scout stretches Glock power

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KPOS and 17
The FAB Defense KPOS Scout under a Glock 17–truly a compact package!

Anyone who’s been around Glock fans for a while is likely familiar with some version of the refrain, “I wish Glock would build a rifle.” Thanks to a couple manufacturers, including FAB Defense of Israel, Glock owners won’t have to wait a lifetime—or even more than a couple weeks.

FAB Defense designed the KPOS Scout, an aluminum and polymer shroud that slips over and around the slide and frame of most Glock pistols to create a short-barreled rifle (SBR). Ported models aren’t excluded from use with the Scout. The sample shown in this review fits the Glock 17 and 19.

You’re likely thinking “fine, but an SBR is NFA-regulated, and the waiting period for registration is a heckuva lot longer than two weeks!” And you’d be correct, of course. Add a 16-inch barrel to this kit, though, and you’ve got yourself a Glock rifle that’ll add some accuracy, and a lot of fun, to your plain ol’ Glock.

With the 16-inch barrel by IGB inserted in the Glock 17, assembly looked straightforward enough—but the included instructions and all but one of the very few online tutorials lacked a vital piece of information about moving a non-obvious tab at the rear of the receiver portion of the stock out of the way. Knowing that, installation was quick, easy, and free of fiddling with tiny parts that are easily lost, putting the Scout a notch above at least some of its competition in this department

Glock 17 with IGB barrel
Glock 17 with a 16-inch IGB barrel

The KPOS Scout upper is formed of 6061 aluminum. Bridging the ejection port is a 1913 Picatinny rail. Up front, a fat flash hider of sorts extends a couple inches (exact length depends on which model Glock is inserted) beyond the real muzzle, making its mean look just a little more so. The false muzzle device also inspires a serious warning in the product manual to not place the hand closer to the end than the foregrip.

Speaking of the pistol grip-style foregrip, it’s part of what makes this setup cool. It folds rearward, flat against the upper, for storage or transport. When folded, it also acts as an effective trigger protector. It flips down and is ready for action with just a flick of the wrist. The foregrip is well textured and, while it’s quite unnecessary for recoil management, it provides an important and tactile index point for a device that may well be used in dark conditions. FAB Defense outsourced here; the foregrip is by FGGI.

SCOUT
A folding foregrip/trigger protector, light rail, and aggressive-looking flash hider are good features of the Scout.

An AR-style charging handle, sans a lever, performs the task of racking. The Glock’s grip and fold-down foregrip offer two points of manual contact. Shoulder contact is via what Fab Defense calls the lower, or folding stock.

Charging handle
There’s no lever on the charging handle, which functions in lieu of a hand on the slide.

This skeletonized stock folds nice and flat against the upper, making the package very compact and easy to transport. A pushbutton release allows to unfold and lock into place in full extension. A stylized butt and hiking boot sole-like pad round out the tactical appearance. The hard rubber butt pad makes for a solid point of contact and looks great. It’s a little surprising there’s not a molded polymer butt, which would make the Scout even lighter than its already light 1.44 pounds, without a firearm installed.

Buttstock
A padded buttstock borders on overkill, but gets an “A” for being compact and cool. The sling swivel is handy.

Other useful features are a sling swivel and loop on the upper where it meets the stock. FAB Defense kindly provides a bungee-construction single point sling with the Scout. On each side of the forend is just enough rail to attach a light or other device. These small rails are placed well forward so as not to impede handling, as well as minimizing the shadow cast by the false muzzle device if the kit is used with a light.

All the features of this device come in a very compact package. The Scout is just 6.70 inches tall, 12.84 inches long, and 2.87 inches wide. With the stock deployed, the length increases to 21.34 inches, shoulder to flash hider. The width decreases to 2.36 inches with the stock open. Keep in mind, these are maximum dimensions for the largest parts of the device. It’s truly compact in comparison to most carbines and even mot SBRs.

Folding grip
KPOS Scout with stock deployed. With the G17 in place, it’s easy to see why there’s a warning about keeping mitts off the forend in front of the folding grip.

The KPOS Scout isn’t the first Glock carbine conversion on the market, in fact DownRangeDaily covered this kit by CAA in December 2017. The KPOS Scout is a variation on this theme, but has its own unique look. Unlike the CAA Micro Roni, the Scout comes in a choice of four colors to contrast or match black: gray, olive drab, desert tan, and of course all black.

Accuracy shouldn’t be affected by firing the Scout with a standard Glock barrel, though the addition of a stock can certainly help operator stability, and thus enhance accuracy at distance. As a baseline, our best five-shot group with Speer Gold Dot 147 grain ammunition at 25 yards, from a bagged rest and seated shooter position, was 2.1 inches—an impressive result for a “naked” Glock, but the way it was obtained is unrealistic for any practical purpose.

With the 16-inch IGB barrel on board, the accuracy test was repeated in the same manner, first with Federal 115 grain aluminum-cased ammo—this inexpensive option was supposed to be a baseline for zeroing the Aimpoint Micro red dot, but turned out the best group. Here are the results:

Load Five-shot group size

Federal aluminum FMJ 115 grain 1.5 inches

Sig Sauer Elite Match 147 grain 3.4 inches

Precision Delta PDP Pro 124 grain 4.0 inches

It’s possible that heat, both ambient and shooting-related, played a role in this test. The rounds were fired in order of grain weight, from lightest to heaviest, on a 100-degree day.

push button
KPOS Scout and G17, right view. The stock stays folded unless released by a push button.

With an NFA permit and pistol in place, the KPOS Scout makes an extremely portable pistol that handles like a carbine. With the longer barrel, the NFA requirement is negated and the user can enjoy a true dual-purpose tool for target practice and home defense.

The FAB Defense KPOS Scout isn’t easy to find in the States, but is available by order from Israel. Currently ZFI, Inc. offers it for $299.95. ZFI knocks 10 percent off for customers who register on their website. American-based distributors are needed. Potential dealers should contact ZFI for information.

Glock 19 Tritium XS F8 Night Sights Review

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xs f8 sights
Checking out the new F8 Night Sight set by XS Sights.

XS F8 Night Sights Review

As a longtime concealed carry practitioner and instructor for the past several years, I’ve seen lots of gadgets on guns. Most, in my estimation and in the eventual admission of the people who spent hard-earned money on them, are a waste of said money at the least.

At worst, these add-ons, replacement parts, and what-nots are a hindrance to safe or effective operation of the gun. But there is one gadget I’ve experienced to be worth the investment—night sights.

Well-known night sight maker XS Sights recently sent me their newest product for trial—the F8 Night Sight set. These sights are a step ahead of some others on the market, keeping up with consumer demands and product evolution.

sight kit
The F8 Sight kit has a front and rear sight, tools, and thread locker.

F8 Tritium Night Sights are currently offered for many popular models within brands, including Glock, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, FN, Springfield Armory, and Walther. For this test, I tried them out on a Gen 4 Glock 19, to see how these night sights would stack up.

Installation was straightforward. I installed the front sight myself. A front sight tool is included with the sight kit, but I find a competitor’s tool, the Truglo Glock/Walther front sight tool, has a grip surface that’s bigger and easier to use.

The entire front sight removal and installation took five minutes, most of which was consumed with obsessing over whether the rather long F8 sight was straight. A bubble level would’ve been a good thing to have on hand, but it came out fine.

Front sight tool
(L-R): Front sight set screw, Truglo front sight tool, and the included front sight tool.

A friend with a sight pusher tool installed the dovetail rear sight. That was a 10-minute process not including getting out and putting away tools.

XS Sights includes a resealable vial of thread locker in the package, making the kit complete. There’s enough in the container for multiple sight jobs.

With the sights installed, I was struck by how tall they are in comparison to the stock ones. The F8 Glock 19 Tritium night sights should easily manage the transition to suppressed shooting; they’ll easily clear the larger footprint of a suppressor. But my interest is mostly defensive shooting; and that’s the dedicated purpose of my Glock 19. Would these sights work for that too?

XS Sights
These sights really attract the eye, resulting in faster target acquisition.

Turns out, they beat stock sights for defensive purposes, despite the bulky appearance. Those who like to practice racking the slide using the rear sight for leverage, i.e. if the shooter only has one working hand, should be pleased.

The extra-wide gap in the rear sight’s U-shaped notch facilitates fast target acquisition. XS Sights claims it also allows more ambient light in to illuminate the non-tritium but reflective outline material of the front sight.

ambient light
The rear sight gap is wide, allowing ambient light onto the front sight.

Speaking of the front sight, it’s quite unique. Around the tritium center is a large, blaze orange ring. It’s impossible not to have fast focus on the sight with it in daylight, and impossible to mistake which sight is which. The single dot at the bottom of the rear sight makes figure eight shape when the sights are correctly aligned.

intuitive front sight
The orange-and-tritium front sight attracts the eye intuitively.

Because the sights are rather tall, I expected a significant change in point of impact when holding center on target. I needn’t have worried about that. Just like the sights on most combat-ready pistols, a six-o’clock hold for precision shots becomes necessary only at distances longer than 15-20 yards.

I was also pleasantly surprised that the sights fit just fine into molded holsters, including the G19-specific Spetzgear holster I like for this handgun.

holstered glock 19
The tall sights fit in this Spetzgear holster, no problem.

In the dark, the XS F8 Glock 19 Night Sights are suitably bright and easy to distinguish from one another. The front sight appears as a green orb and the rear is a vertical line. They glow green, with the front sight appearing more the size most are accustomed to seeing, not the over sized circle that’s visible in the light.

F8 Night Sights by XS Sights are a great choice for anyone considering a sight upgrade on their defensive pistol. With a 10-year, no-questions-asked warranty, the $142 price carries a lot of value.

Have you tried any of XS Sights before? Let us know in the comments below. Make sure you check out our list of the top 22 pistols, next.

Exos Leather Gun Belt Review

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Glock 43 holster
Brown Exos belts with and without stitching. The one with stitchng has been worn semi-regularly for a year.

Need a great gun belt? Check out Exos

Exos Gear won me over some years back when I first tried out their backpack. It’s held up well and is still a staple in my hiking gear. So I was excited when, a year ago, Exos offered up their Amish-made bridle leather gun belt for testing. Like the pack, it’s still going strong.

Here is a leather gun belt that oozes good taste, with options for looks that are urban, woodsy, or somewhere in between. It can’t help but be sturdy too, with .205 inches in thickness and 1.5 inches in width, comprised of two layers of 14-ounce bridle leather.

Underside view. Branding is minimal and Chicago screws keep the buckle securely attached.

The leather is treated with tannins and preservatives that lend a satiny finish on the outside and a matte but rough-out texture on the body-facing side. It’s fastened to the buckle with something any western riding enthusiast will appreciate—Chicago screws. They guarantee a solid bite, unlike snaps which can tend to come undone.

The steel roller buckle makes adjustments easy. Even after a year of wear using various holes depending on the rise of my pants and how much pizza I’d consumed, there are no crease marks on the holes of my brown stitched belt. After several days of hard duty on the range, with a competition holster, double mag pouch, and tourniquet holder attached, it has finally developed a slight crease on where the belt travels under the center and rear belt loop. But otherwise, it’s held up remarkably well and still looks new. The stitching has never offered to fray.

Adjustment holes on this belt are intelligently spaced at 0.75-inch intervals, making adjustments for IWB carry easy and customizable.

concealed carry belt
The belt works for OWB or IWB carry.

There is no visible branding during wear, something those who don’t care to be walking ads will appreciate. On the body-facing side, where the belt and buckle join, “Exos Gear” and the size in inches is stamped.

Speaking of sizing, Exos keeps it simple. Just measure from the middle of the buckle to the hole you use when wearing your holster on or under your current belt. Even-numbered increments, starting at 32 inches for a 28-inch waist, up to 50 inches for a 46-inch waist, are available.

exos belt
Underside view. The unfinished leather is still smooth enough to never catch on clothes.

Wearing this belt under a shirt for concealed carry, I usually push the buckle a bit to the left to keep the gun from pushing it out even farther, creating a curious mountain shape under my shirt. But that’s true of any belt, in my experience, for a smallish person doing appendix carry. No one’s going to inspect a gig line under an untucked shirt, after all.

leather gun belt
Carrying AIWB with the JM4 Tactical Relic holster.

The belt I’ve been wearing is the summer tan model with stitching. Other colors of this leather gun belt are black and chocolate brown. All of these can be ordered with or without stitching from Tactical Intent or other online outlets.

Stitching on all colors is white, with the exception of the black belt, which has matching stitches. A fellow writer recently chose the brown, no-stitching model. It’s more subtle in appearance than any of the stitched models, aiding the discreetness of his AIWB carry. If you can’t find the model you’re looking for on distributor Tactical Intent’s website, try their Amazon listing for this belt. The price at Tactical Intent is $34.99; or $39.84 with free shipping at Amazon.

gun belt

The Exos gun belt is American made, durable, good-looking, and makes a great gift for anyone who wears a sidearm, open or concealed. Love your Second Amendment.

Blackhawk Premium Leather IWB Holster Review

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blackhawk premium leather holster
Italian leather and unique finish make each product in this line one-of-a-kind.

Blackhawk’s new interpretation of the leather holster

The firearm accessory market, dominated in recent years by synthetic, tactical-looking, mostly black materials, is taking a turn back toward nostalgia and tradition. Wooden handguards for the AR platform are now available. And leather is back, surprisingly heralded by none other than the most tactical of companies, Blackhawk.

The Blackhawk Premium Leather line is a series of full- and compact-size, inside-and outside-waistband, series of all-leather holsters, mag pouches, and soon, belts. Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to test an IWB model, secured with a belt strap/snap, for the Smith & Wesson Shield. Metal clips for IWB and slotted pancake models for OWB are also offered, as are matching mag carriers.

Its hard to keep this great-looking holster concealed. Shirt and pants by Propper. Belt by Exos Gear.

The most striking aspect of this product line is its appearance. There are two shades of brown offered, both with an antiqued look and semi-gloss finish. It’s utterly classic and attractive in either shade. The belt strap only enhances the classic profile on the test model.

Visible branding is minimal and classy. Blackhawk’s adaptation of the trident symbol is stamped at the bottom and occupies less than 0.5 square inch. On the rear is stamped the model and caliber for which the holster is made, Blackhawk’s web address, and the manufacture month/date. It sounds like a lot, but it’s subtle and not visible when wearing the holster.

Adjustable retention insures a custom fit.

This Italian-made leather gun holster is sufficiently rigid to sustain its open shape while empty and under a belt, at least so far. Model-specific fits for most major brands are available. On the Shield in this test, the cut is entirely custom, and perfectly so. There’s no wasted material to add bulk around the handgun. There’s just enough excess around the rear of the slide to prevent skin-to-steel contact.

Behind the trigger guard, thoughtful sculpting allows the wearer to obtain a firing grip while the gun is still holstered. To my mind, the ability to get a firing grip on the still-concealed gun is the first essential beyond the safety considerations of adequate trigger guard protection and gun retention. This Blackhawk Premium Holster has all three.

blackhawk leather holster
The imprint leaves no mistake as to which make and model fit inside.

Fitted for the 9mm/40SW Shield, the holster is 4.0 inches at its widest, and 6.5 inches from rear of the slide to the end of the slide. The muzzle end is open.

Re-holstering is a breeze and can safely be done while the holster is in place inside the waistband. A retention screw, a design element borrowed from synthetic holsters, adds customizable retention and peace of mind to this platform.

blackhawk shield holster
Just right. Good separation of steel from sweat with no excess material to make you sweat more.

Though I haven’t worn this holster long enough to assess whether re-holstering will remain safe as the leather breaks in, I can attest that it is comfortable when walking or sitting for extended periods. It doesn’t squeak when I walk, and drawing/re-holstering are silent—a good indication it’ll be easy on the gun’s finish over time.

Getting a firing grip right from the start is easy.

Only one trait of this holster is unappealing, in my estimation. As an equestrian who thinks the smell of luxurious leather is euphoria-inducing, this piece doesn’t cut it. Something about the treatment of this leather lends a mild odor that disappoints when I’m expecting the scent of a tack shop. But that doesn’t matter much since it’s worn a long way from the nose.

Colors are burnished or antique brown. Each piece is hand-crafted; no two are alike. As of this writing, only the three-slot pancake holster is available on the Blackhawk website; others such as the test model should be available in the next few weeks or months.

blackhawk premium leather
Antiqued finish. No two Blackhawk Premium Leather products are exact matches in appearance.

MSRP for the Blackhawk Premium Leather IWB holster is $99.95. Matching mag pouches are $49.95. The company anticipates a complementary belt release soon. For a custom leather holster look with wearable comfort it’s hard to go wrong with this one.

What are your thoughts? Do you think you’ll be in the market for one of Blackhawk’s new holsters? Let us know in the comments below. Next, find out which guns Josh thinks are the best 9mm handguns.

Gun Review: Henry Big Boy Steel 44 Mag

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Henry big boy steel
This rifle is a useful beauty!

It’s not every day that words like “venerable” and “legendary” are attached to a company that just celebrated its 20th birthday. Henry Repeating Arms is a sort of precocious child in the gun industry; making their mark as the United States’ standout manufacturer of mostly single action rifles with inherent and, often, added aesthetic appeal in the form of polished brass or engraved receivers, octagon barrels, and the like. In addition, Henry has left large footprints on the charitable side of the industry, with a strong reputation for supporting worthy causes as well as recognizing unsung heroes via specially engraved receivers.

The company recently donated 20 rifles that went to auction to benefit conservation groups. Each rifle was an anniversary edition of the company’s 44 Magnum/44 Special Big Boy. In recent months, I’ve had the chance to test the steel finish version of this rifle that’s often used in the company’s charitable work, as well as being the choice of many buyers who are purchasing custom rifles to honor a worthy cause or outstanding career.

The Big Boy Steel 44 bottom compared to Henry’s Big Boy carbine top.

The Big Boy Steel is, as the name implies, a hefty rifle with blued finish on all metal surfaces. Henry makes a carbine and full-size version of the Big Boy line; the carbines have a 16-inch hexagonal barrel and large loop lever; the rifles have a 20-inch round barrel and traditional loop lever. The 44 in this test is full size, with its seven-pound weight distributed through its 37.5 inches in overall length. The barrel has a 1:38 twist, a 14-inch length of pull, and 10-round capacity.

The handsome walnut stock is checkered just enough to give grip where it’s needed, and beauty where it’s desirable. The test model has a small handful of “checkers” that were apparently bruised at the factory; the points are knocked off and without stain giving them a white appearance. A little wipe of stain will easily set that problem right. The scuff is so small that it’s only noticeable upon close examination.

Tiny flaws in checkering could be fixed with a bit of stain.

Like most Henry Repeating Arms rifles, the Big Boy Steel 44 Magnum has a semi-buckhorn rear sight, with a diamond-shaped, ivory-colored insert, and brass bead front sight. The rear sight is fully adjustable for elevation and windage.

The receiver is drilled and tapped for a scope, but this test was done with the iron sights—a disadvantage where the accuracy test is concerned. On the butt is a thick rubber pad to absorb the substantial recoil produced by the 44 Mag cartridge.

Henrys adjustable semi-buckhorn rear sight is removable if it gets in the way of a scope.

Loading this rifle is done through the feeding tube that unlocks just under and behind the muzzle. Run the lever, and go! This big boy is also a bad boy, with the big cartridge delivering a satisfying report. With a muzzle velocity in the 1,300 fps range with magnum loads and around 1,000 fps for 44 Special, there’s plenty of recoil to enjoy along with the wallop these big projectiles put on a target.

As has been the case with every Henry rifle I’ve handled, the action is butter-smooth, the feeding flawless. When shooting for groups, I do feel a very slight roll, about 1/16 of an inch, in the single-stage trigger between the wall and break. It happens about half the time. It’s a minor inconsistency and would certainly not be noticeable when focused on a game animal or competitive challenge.

The blued finish is handsome and field-ready.

A sling would make this rifle more field-expedient. Foreseeing that need, Henry put swivel studs on the stock.

The blued finish makes this a rifle for using, unlike many of the company’s gleaming or engraved receivers, which are functional but lend a constant sense of worry about whether the finish is being marred by normal use. Make no mistake, though, the Big Boy Steel is still handsome enough to hang over the fireplace mantel. This is one rifle that can take you afield and serve as an heirloom later.

Current real prices are in the mid-$600s. Every rifle collection should include a Henry lever action! Why not make it one you don’t have to hesitate to really use, made by an American company?

Winchester 240 grain JSP yielded the best group of our 25-yard open-sight target test.

You can find more information on Henry Repeating Arms on their website. Like rifles? Check this one out on AR-15s, next.

All photos by Team HB.

Handgun Safe Review: Gun Vault 2000

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Gun Vault 2000 review

We’ll get to the handgun safe review in a moment, but I wanted to talk about safety for a second …

One of the most important aspects of anything regarding guns is safety. Gun safety goes beyond safe handling, trigger control, proper muzzle awareness, knowing your target, and treating all guns as if they are loaded. All aspects of the gun must be treated in a safe manner, to include storage. I hope I don’t have to explain the importance of locking up your guns when you’re not around, but I know some of you are beginners, so let’s tackle this topic before moving on to the actual gun safe review.

I want to say right now that I’m writing this from the point of view of a dad who has three little kids at home all under the age of 10. I’m writing this as a dad who teaches his children about guns because I feel as though it is one of the most important things I could ever teach them.

I know that whatever they don’t learn from me here, at home, they’ll learn somewhere else. Therefore, I want to teach them as much as I can before they decide that what I have to say isn’t important. Having said all of that, my youngest is 5. While he gets that guns aren’t toys and that he should never touch one, he is still only a five year old boy who touches–literally–everything he can.

This means that I need to take responsibility as an adult and father to protect my children from themselves.

Keypad, pardon the dust again.

I have taken my nine year old girl shooting. She had a blast, and I made her commit the safety rules to memory, as well as the parts of the gun itself. I have the firm belief that someone cannot fully understand how to be safe with a firearm until they know what the various parts are. But, that’s besides the point.

My guns are kept in a manner that my children cannot get to them. I won’t divulge much because that part of my life is private, but I hope you understand the point.

There are some folks out there who don’t lock their guns up, and while that is their prerogative, it’s not for me. Let’s say, for a moment, that I didn’t have young children at home. I’m not a hermit and have to leave my house a few times per week. If I left my guns out in the open, any old idiot criminal could have access to my firearms, and that’s got bad ju-ju written all over it.

So, I intend to lock my firearms up when not in use, and one of my methods of locking them up has been this Gun Vault 2000 handgun safe for the past six months. It has worked well for me, and I even brought it on vacation.

I have practiced with this safe so much over the past few months that it takes me just a couple seconds to get into it, and I feel confident that my children cannot. The rest of what follows is a review of that Gun Vault 2000 safe, that I ordered from 1800 Guns And Ammo. They’ve got really good prices on many different things, and I always check their prices before I make a buying decision.

Gun Vault Safe

gunvault gun safe

I’ve had this safe for many months, and even brought it on vacation with me to lock my gun up while away from home. It is a little bit bigger than your average “travel” safe, but it still worked well when I drove through communist Maryland under the protection of 926A, and again while we stayed in our cabin in the mountain region of North Carolina.

This particular handgun safe has a thin plastic shelf on the inside that is designed to hold a gun, some ammo, or whatever else you feel like stashing inside. As you can see from the pictures I snapped, I had two guns in there, and I do believe that depending on how they are placed, I could have fit a total of four to six guns, depending on their size.

There are other safes made by this company that are smaller in size, more portable, and offer the same options. Make sure you check them out.

Security:

I wouldn’t use my left hand, but for picture purposes, here is my hand on the keypad.

This handgun safe is not meant to be impenetrable. None of the best handgun safes are. What it is meant to be, is a deterrent. A criminal who breaks into my house may be inclined to try and steal it, or even get it open. But if he can’t get it open, in the name of time and not getting arrested, he is more likely to move on. And, unless he has a pry bar on him to pull it off the table it’s bolted to, there won’t be any taking it. Then again, I guess he can take the entire table, but that has its own risks.

It’s also meant to keep kids out which is a bigger deal for me because I work from home and spend most of my time here, writing about guns (don’t forget I’m the editor for concealedcarry.com). Therefore, my kids are always around, especially since we home school them. This gives the added peace of mind that comes with locking my guns up away from them.

Construction:

The Gunvault 2000 pistol safe is built well, and seems to be solid as far as construction goes. It is not impenetrable, though, and that needs to be kept in mind. Again, this is a deterrent to theft, not an end-all to it. Having said that though, I’ve had it in my possession since May or June of this year, so about seven months so far, and can say that I’m pretty happy with how it has held up.

The door is spring-loaded, so it flies open with fury once the security code is entered (or the key is used). What’s nice about it, is that it doesn’t slam because there are two little rubber bushings acting as a door stop to absorb the impact and noise.

I tried to picture the little bushings, pardon the dust.

It isn’t heavy, but it can be bolted down to a hard surface for some extra security. A template is included to make it easier for you to bolt it down, if this is a desire for you. Just keep in mind that once you do, it isn’t portable anymore.

I do believe this is one of the best handgun safes out there, for the money.

What’s included:

What’s nice is that, since it’s electronically operated, it has a battery backup. That way, if you lose power you’ll still be able to get into the safe to defend yourself if needed. If your battery died, it comes with a few barrel keys that override the system to help you get in.

You also get the necessary paperwork to help you learn how to use the safe, to program it, and make sure you know how to use it, should it not be so straight forward. If I can figure it out, trust me when I say that you will be able to, as well.

Here are the keys

How to program your GunVault handgun safe:

So, it’s not to hard to do. Here are the basic steps–

  • Press the “Learn Button” and hold it down for two seconds. A green light will appear.
  • Enter your chosen code. The green light will stay on.
  • Press and hold the learn button again for another two seconds, which will turn the light red and will be accompanied by an audible beep. Release the button.
  • With the light red, enter your chosen code a second time to confirm it.
  • Press and hold the “Learn Button” for the third and final time for two seconds. When you release the button, the light will flash green five times, along with five simultaneous beeps which confirms that the code is accepted.

That’s it. Once it’s programmed, it is necessary to practice opening it and committing the code to memory. Make sure you practice it enough times that you develop muscle memory so you’ll still be able to pop it open in the middle of the night, if needed.

Other features:

There are some other features, as well, that you should be aware of. The first one, is that you can turn the sound off on the keypad, but I tend to like the audible beep so I can hear that the button was pushed down right. Another one is a tamper detection feature, that will show you if someone entered the wrong code. Finally, there is a sleep mode that prevents someone to break-in after 24 unsuccessful attempts of entering.

The plug where the wire goes.

Getting past the sleep mode is easy with the use of one of the included keys, so don’t lose them. Speaking of the key, it is important to note that the keys are numbered and so is the safe. Make sure you write these numbers down should you ever lose the keys or need technical assistance. You should be able to order replacement keys if lost, with this info.

Issues:

Nothing is perfect, and this GunVault Handgun Safe isn’t, either. One of the main issues that I have is the fact that the safe isn’t as quick as I am. What I mean, is that if I push the code in as fast as I can, it only registers one or two of the buttons, instead of the entire code I’ve chosen.

So, it takes a bit of practice to make sure you’re entering the entire code at a speed that the safe can recognize. I’ve gotten it down, but as with any of your gun training, this is a part of it now and needs to be practiced too.

pistol safe
This handgun safe is big on the inside, and 4-6 guns would fit, depending on size.

Conclusion:

I feel as though having the ability to lock guns up when not in use is important. This is amplified when children are present, because even when kids are taught, some of them still allow their curiosity to get the best of them. I know that I’m doing all I can to keep my kids and their friends safe when they come over to play by locking my guns up.

The last thing I need is for my guns to fall into the wrong hands, so I do my part. Do you do yours? Which gun safe do you use at your bedside? Let me know in the comments below. Then, make sure you give this list of the top 20 9mm handguns a read. Did yours make the list?

Check out my friends over at 1800 Guns and Ammo.