Review: Bulldog OWB Polymer Holster

Lately, I’ve was in the market for an outside the waist band (OWB) holster for my subcompact Glock. I ended up buying a Bulldog P-G27 polymer OWB paddle holster from Cabela’s for less than $30.  The holster fills a niche for when my ordinarily concealed carry gun is going to be openly carried. I am a big proponent of retention systems for firearms when openly carrying. Even though gun grabs from armed citizens, especially the situationally aware ones, are very rare, one is better safe than sorry. Retention systems can be as simple as a sturdy leather holster and a thumb break, to polymer holsters with an automatic locking system, disengaged with a swipe or a push.

The Bulldog holster I purchased has a push-button release activated by the index finger. In contrast to the problematic Blackhawk! Serpa holster with a similar mechanism, the Bulldog’s release is slightly higher up and the finger naturally indexes along the bottom of the frame. There is also a small channel to assist with this. The Serpa holster is known for being problematic because the lower finger position makes it easier for the digit to slip and pull the trigger.

Angle is a little off due to one-handed photography.

 On the Bulldog, a conscious full-finger flat against the release, as if I were indexing it on the pistol itself, gave a safe draw. The release is fairly light and minimal pressure operates the lock, gripping the front of the trigger guard inside the holster. To create a potential negligent discharge situation, I had to curl my finger into a hook and push down with the tip, rather than applying lateral pressure with my entire finger during a hasty draw. A practiced draw, fast or slow, using the correct method was totally safe.

As far as drawbacks, there are two, which may not apply to everyone. First, the holster is wide. It stuck so far out, I had trouble covering it without printing horribly beneath my shirt. For those of you who haven’t gotten out of shape, you might have it easier, but it is significantly wider than the Safariland Glock 19 ALS holster I had re-purposed. Strictly for open carry, it is not an issue. The extra width is due to the paddle loop and the any-angle adjustment nut. The adjustment feature is a good one, easily loosened or tightened with a provided Allen wrench.

Second, the paddle does not work with belts very well, despite being molded for belt use. Given the design of a paddle holster, there is no way for me to put the holster on my belt over a belt loop. I had to put the holster on a segment between loops, instead of over the three o’clock loop and using two segments like I usually do. I ended up with the holster right over my hip pocket, making it very difficult to dig out my keys and wallet. But hey, it beats re-purposing my IWB holster to OWB or trying to do a Virginia tuck.

Had I realized this inside the store, I might have spent double the money to buy the Safariland 578 GLS which has the option of paddle or traditional belt loops. All in all, it’s a good holster. If you prefer the paddle to belt carry, this is the better option. As far as economy, this is also a good choice. Ultimately, knowing this was to be a limited-use holster, I am happy given the money I saved. 

FN Makes a Glock, But It's Alright

Credit: FN America

No, it’s not just your mind playing tricks on you; the FN 509 is basically just a Glock. More than external resemblance, the internals tell the tale. For instance, the Glock inspiration can be seen in:

• The slide stop lever tab that contacts the magazine follower
• The cruciform sear
• The double-coil recoil spring
• The slide internals (FN’s firing pin safety appears to be located in the rear) 

Credit: Truth About Guns

Some of differences are more apparent than the features common to the Glock system. It does not use a trigger blade safety, but rather an articulated trigger similar to the Smith and Wesson M&P. American Rifleman states this was for shooters’ comfort. The interchangeable backstraps are something that the Glock Modular Handgun System (MHS) trial gun lacked. The lever style disassembly lever is much better than the funky Glock tab.

How can FN get away with this? The basic Glock design is no longer under patent and thus you have the DIY Polymer 80 series of 80% receivers. Smith and Wesson got in trouble with their Sigma series pistols, which were so similar to Glocks, that S&W was ordered to pay royalties after a lawsuit. The Glock design was so popular that the Massachusetts company decided to pay the fine and pump out their copy of Gaston’s masterpiece. But imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so it’s no shame that FN borrowed heavily from the Glock, which itself was based on a study of the most successful pistol designs.

FN isn't also restricted by Glock's assertion that its pistols are perfect and is free to improve major elements of the design, like the hard to grasp takedown tab become a lever and the rail is a standard M1913 style instead of a proprietary one. Forward cocking serrations and no front strap finger groves come standard to this model, unlike the law enforcement only Glock M and Summer Special half-generations. 

If a Sig Sauer and a Glock had a baby, it would look like the FN 509. The slide serrations look a bit Swiss and slide release is in almost the same place as Sig's. The FN wins over the Glock on style points, even if it will suffer from a deficit of aftermarket parts. For most people who appreciate the blockier style of handguns and don’t need or want to add a plethora of custom parts or doo-dads to their gun, the FN may be good choice for them. Reviews seem to have found it reliable, as expected from the original Browning system manufacture, and the quality is likely equally superb. 

-GC

Glock Creates "New" Model on the Cheap

Glock introduced its “Summer Special” modifications to the Generation 4 models 17 and 19, which include steel sights (versus the standard plastic factory ones), forward slide serrations, and an extended slide release. It’s a half generation like the earlier release of the law enforcement only 17M/19M series pistols. Unlike the M series guns, which have no finger groves on the front of the grip, an ambidextrous slide release, and a flared magazine well (among other features), these “Summer Specials” are modifications on the cheap.

Basically, all Glock did was cut some of their famous slide serrations into the front of the slide and slap on an aftermarket slide release that most of us have already installed. It’s a cheap modification for them because it requires no changes to the slide. Standard Gen 4 frames can have a new release and slide slipped on in seconds. It costs a lot more to design, test, and manufacture new frames, but very little to do what they did here.

Nothing innovative here, just relatively standard modifications that have been done by owners for years. It’s an easy and safe way to introduce new features for the rumored Gen 5 we might see at SHOT Show next year. Of course, the gun blogosphere said that about this year’s show. Likewise, the M series was probably less than ready for prime time (there are reports of teething troubles), but it was likely rushed to guarantee the FBI contract. The M series probably hasn’t been released to the public because of law enforcement orders getting priority and many features will be incorporated in the Gen 5 series.

Rumors circulated on the internet that the single stack .380 Glock 42 was intended to float the design before debuting the long anticipated and coveted single stack 9mm Glock 43. For a very long time, many in the shooting public wanted a single stack version of the Glock 26, but thinner for concealed carry. Until the 43 came out, one year apart, much of the market for single-stack 9mm pistols went to the Shield, XDs 3.3, and Ruger LC9. The theory goes that since the market would absolutely crucify Glock if it introduced a dysfunctional single stack 9mm, the 42 was meant to work the kinks out with producing a flop like the Remington R51 did. Or you could just say that Gaston was just looking to make a buck off the fanboys who had to buy a 42 and 43.

The “Summer Special” series is most likely something of the later; it’s a way to sell fanboys a “new” Glock model and get some of the aftermarket cash into corporate pockets. On one hand, it’s nice to see Glock responding to what the market is requesting, but the delay in bringing it to market is inexplicable. Still, I would not be surprised if we see the new slide release and slide style appear in a M series frame as the Generation 5.

Olive drab versions of the “G17, G19, G26 and G34 in Gen3 and Gen4 along with the G43” will be released as well.

Another interesting statement is Glock “will also begin production of pistols with factory-installed night sights. … The models available with factory-installed night sights are the G17 Gen4, G19 Gen4, G42 and G43.” Does this mean factory night sights will become standard over the current plastic white-U sights?

You can get your new Glock beginning June 1. The Firearm Blog has some good shots from the NRA Annual Meeting floor.

-GC