You can find any number of outside-the-waistband (OWB) holsters to safely and securely hold your compact pistol on your side. You can even find holsters that bring your gun in close and allow you to adjust the tension on your gun. If you’re really lucky, you’ll find a holster that will accommodate extras such as a threaded barrel, tall sights and a ruggedized miniature reflex (RMR) sight. The Bravo Concealment BCA 3.0 OWB holster does all that — and even though my gun lacks the extras, the BCA is so good that I might consider adding one or more of them. In other words, outside-the-waistband carry has evolved, and my gun may evolve right along with it.
A couple of points worth noting on what seems like just another plastic OWB holster: First, the nuances of design and engineering that went into the BCA 3.0 prove there’s always innovation to work out of any design, no matter how well-established it may be. Second, all the innovation is enhanced by the simplicity offered in how you use it (or how you could use it in the future). Allow me to explain…
Design
The threaded-barrel clearance, tall-sight clearance (up to 0.355 inches) and RMR cut-out of course seem useful, and I’m tempted to get some of the corresponding gear on my gun. But even more important here are the placement of the belt loops on the holster (and how the belt loop attachment points wrap around my hip), the 10-degree forward cant, the retention screw and the ability to get a combat grip on the gun while it’s still in the carrier. They’re all perfectly executed and work in harmony with each other to make OWB carry stable and secure. My gun is very concealable and yet easy to draw. Covering garments drape easily over the holster’s plastic, and the loops fit just right on my 1.5-inch-wide belt. With this rig, I carry at 3 o’clock. And note the rounded edges around the holster. Just excellent design all around.
Simplicity
For all the design features and how well they work together — and even for those features I’m not even using yet — this is a simple holster. Thread your belt through loop one, then through a belt loop, then through loop two. Insert gun. Make any adjustments on the retention screw as needed. Done. And that’s how it should be.
The BCA 3.0 OWB retails for $57.99. You can switch to inside-the-waistband carry by swapping the belt loops with belt clips and installing them on the outer part of the holster. But I’d stick with OWB and just enjoy the evolution of this type of holster — and the evolution of your gun that might follow it.
