The Best 3 Gun Holster for Competition Shooting
All forms of competitive shooting are heavily gear driven. None more so than 3 gun. 3 gun matches are typically unlimited in the amounts of modifications and specialization of equipment that you can use to win. Many of the crazy modifications you see on guns to hold extra ammo, belts specifically made to hold odd rounds and crazy looking minimalist rifles to keep weight down all come from the 3 gun arena.
If you are getting started in this competitive shooting you’re going to want the best 3 Gun holster that you can afford and you’re going to want to know how to use it, along with everything else in your 3 Gun competition belt kit.
Special Considerations for 3 Gun Holsters
Many people who go shopping for a 3 Gun holster for competition shooting are going to look towards purpose driven holsters that can do little else than shave precious tenths of seconds off your draw upon. If you are a serious competitive shooter and need a holster that can mean the difference between a sponsorship and being out of a job.
However, the vast majority of people who are taking up 3 Gun as a hobby are going to appreciate a much more contemporary holster design. This is because the vast majority of people who are shooting 3 Gun are concealed carry permit holders or people who grew up drawing from traditional holsters. The amount of time it takes to train a person to use a specialized rig that is only good for 3 Gun competition shooting, and to make them competitive and also safe with the equipment isn’t worth the time.
Also consider, holsters can get very expensive very fast and a 3 gun holster that is good for competition shooting might also be good for open carry or outside the waistband carry. You may be tempted to go all out and buy a name brand Safariland 3 Gun belt kit and go to town! When in reality, any gun belt can be a 3 Gun belt, and a beginner 3 Gun set up can be very basic.
The 5 Best 3 Gun Holsters for Competition Shooting
1. Safariland 7377 7TS ALS Belt Slide Concealment Holster
When you shoot 3 guns you’re likely to have a ton of stuff on your belt. Everything from magazine pouches to loose ammo in medical kits could be strapped anywhere on your torso as you run around the course. Having a low profile and locking holster is the best way to make sure that you can retain your gun while still having everything on you that you need.
It also would be nice if you can use it for concealed carry or for general outside the waistband use. This holster from Safariland is a favorite for all those things.
This excellent holster is one of the best 3 gun holsters for competition shooting because it incorporates a very low profile design with active retention to make sure that your gun doesn’t fall out at the worst possible moment.
When you stretch his holster on you can feel the quality and tell the injection molded plastic is going to last a very long time. Safariland is dependent on by thousands of law enforcement officers, security guards and military professionals as well as concealed carriers and competition shooters alike, they make excellent holsters.
This is just another well-rounded virtual holster in their line up and you can’t go wrong choosing his holster as your option for 3 Gun or competition shooting.
2. Safariland 7378 7TS ALS Concealment Paddle & Belt Slide Holster
Although designed primarily as a concealed carry holster this injection molded design from Safariland incorporates an active retention system along with a low profile outside the waistband holster to create an excellent option for 3 Gun competitions.
You can this holster with concealed carry and competition roles, making it one most versatile pieces on the market and with the active retention you don’t have to worry about your gun falling out during the course. Very little training is needed to master the thumb switch that deactivates the active retention on this holster.
The best thing about this holster from Safariland is how easy it is to get on and off. Depending on how long your matches are and what sort of shoes you’re going to be wearing, having the ability to take your holster on and off without disturbing the rest of your belt can be a huge asset.
This holster has been put through the ringer by thousands of competitors, law enforcement officers, and security guards. Even though it’s easy to get on and off it stays put in every kink and this has been worked out in this design through thousands of user reviews.
It simply doesn’t get any better than the Safariland holster for 3 Gun competition shooting or just general concealed carrying. You won’t go wrong if you choose Safariland holster next time you shoot 3 Guns.
3. Blade Tech Industries Revolution Belt Fits Glock
Blade Tech cut its teeth in the competition market. No other company started solely as a caterer to the competition crowd and they make some of the best 3-Gun holsters that money can buy. All their products are made from extremely high-quality, durable kydex made in-house at Blade Tech.
When you shoot 3 Guns you don’t have to worry about restrictions on holster design and this holster takes advantage of this by providing several features that other holsters do not. However, unlike strictly competition driven designs this holster shares in common many of the same features a concealed carry or duty holster would making it easier to transition to this holster than many other competition oriented designs.
It’s a belt mounted outside the waistband holster that is made to fit dozens of firearms. All the major brands and pistols used for 3 gun will have a holster in this product lineup from blade tech.
Blade Tech supports the product line with matching magazine pouches for everything you would need a 3 gun competition. If it’s important to you to have matching equipment or equipment that you can easily transition from other equipment you may already own, there’s no better holster than Blade Tech.
4. BLACKHAWK! Serpa Sportster Holster
Blackhawk is best known for all the holsters that they manufacture for the military and law-enforcement markets. However, many of their holsters that you may have used in the past have been adapted for 3 Gun competitions.
The revolutionaries Serpa holster offered by Blackhawk is one of the most controversial and well-known holsters on the market. Other than being a superb locking holster that will prevent your gun from bouncing around as you run through the course, you can depend on the mechanism within this holster as thousands of law enforcement officers and military personnel have before.
The online rumors about people shooting themselves using Blackhawk holsters may or may not be true. The simple fact is that it’s not easy to draw a gun under pressure or disengage a safety mechanism while doing it. With the proper training and regard for safety on the range, you won’t have any problems with this holster.
This holster is one of the best on the market because it combines battle proven designs with a few features that have been upgraded for three-gun competitions. If you've never used a Serpa holster don’t be afraid to upgrade one of these models.
5. R&R HOLSTERS: OWB Kydex Holster
The online marketplace is riddled with kydex manufacturers that make you wait several weeks or even months to get your product. If you have amassed coming up and just purchase a new firearm you’d like to use, you may be out of luck. R&R holsters have you covered excavation point
They keep in stock many holsters that are excellent for competition shooting. This outside the waistband kydex holster is an excellent example. Not only is it an OWB holster designed with low-profile carrying in mind, meaning it will clear all of your magazine pouches in any other equipment you might be carrying with you, it includes injection molded belt loops that won’t come off during the match.
Many people love this holster for concealed carry because it is low-profile designed simple construction. That lends itself well to working under pressure because there are fewer mechanisms and bulky materials to clear as you draw and re-holster your gun.
There’s no retention so you need to be careful as you run around the course but overall this is an excellent holster for the money and one of the best pre-made holsters for 3 Gun competitions that you can buy.
Bottom Line
3 Gun is an extremely fun competition. Something about the marriage of pistol, rifle, and shotguns just seems right. Once you know your gear set up and you head out on the course make sure that your holster doesn’t hold you back. There are a ton of excellent holsters out there, but you can’t go wrong with one of the five on this list. Train as hard as you can and make sure that you have the best 3 Gun holster for competition shooting that you can afford.