Safariland 6360 vs Blackhawk Lv3 for light-bearing 1911

[AzPilot]

I'll start by saying that's really do prefer Safariland in general for duty holsters. I have the 6360 for duty and the 6378 for off-duty (Glock w/light), and love the combo.

That said, I am not loving the relationship between my hand, my Rail Gun and my 6360. It's probably just my hand geometry as relates to everything else, but I have to hunt for the hood tab to rotate it forward, and the little guard that Safariland molds over the thumb safety (of the gun), makes it difficult to get a solid push on the ALS switch. The gun comes out, but it ain't pretty like it is on the Glock (which has no thumb-safety guard, and a higher bore-axis).

As much as it pains me to be committed into the Xiphos light, I'm looking at the Blackhawk level 3 as the only other viable option in a duty rig for a light-bearing 1911. I still have yet to try one to see if it's any better, but it'll remove the ALS switch (which,in other applications,I actually like) from the equation. As a side-note, Safariland also does not make a 6378 for the light-bearing 1911, but BH does make a light-bearing SERPA for 1911s.

Any feedback from people who have actually used both (Level 3 BH and Safariland 6360) in this application?

[Turner0311]

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[ripper20]

I've used both and prefer Safriland. I just couldn't get use to the light on the side of the gun

[SW CQB 45]

By policy we carry 6360. We issue Glock and I personally carry Springer MCOP.

I have two 6360s one with a light and one without for my Springer.

I drive a desk these days, so I mainly where plain clothes.

the one without the light has never given me any issues however I did tune the area of the holster where the internal mechanism rides, smoothed it out as it felt sticky to me. I also heated the area covering the thumb safety and moved the holster around to provide the best thumb manipulation of the holster's internal lock. very smooth coming out of full lock.

however my 6360 with a SFX200 holster has been completely opposite. horrible coming out and developed a slight turn for positive release of the internal lock. I smoothed it out and moved the thumb safety cover on the holster as I did with the other but could still not get it to come out like the non light holster.

on the internal mechanism is a tail which adds tension or acts as a spring for positive return. I observed the internals of a newer 6360 (my holster is several years old), and it lacked the tail....so I removed the internal mechanism, cut the tail completely off the mechanism....re-installed and this holster works just like the non light holster.

someone did sent me some images where they cut the thumb safety cover off the holster and they like it much better that way. I was about to cut my TS cover off too but so far its working for me.

hope this helps.

[Certes2111]

"As a side-note, Safariland also does not make a 6378 for the light-bearing 1911, but BH does make a light-bearing SERPA for 1911s."

Check out the Safariland 6320. It has the ALS but no hood mechanism. It's designed as a duty holster, but all you have to do is switch out the duty belt attachment for a belt slide or paddle and remove the hood guard... Now you've got a 6378.

That what i use as my plainclothes rig. And on both my duty holster and plainclothes holster, I dremelled off the plastic guard around the ALS tab to make for a more positive activation.