Shaun Sundahl and associates

Holsters recommended for armed security and law enforcement

Safariland 6360RDS Series

In 2024, I was tasked with selecting duty holsters for my employer's Glock 19, Glock 47, and Glock 45 MOS. Due to its design, ruggedness, retention, and my own field testing on patrol, I determined that the Safariland 6360RDS series is my recommended holster for armed private security work and for law enforcement. I highly recommend that if you are running a Glock 45, Glock 19, or a Glock 47, or any similar framed Glock with a maximum barrel length of 4.49″, that you select a Glock 47 holster. If you run any Glock smaller than a 4.49" barrel (such as the G19 or G45), there is a small amount of vertical play, but the weapon is still secure. The benefit is you only have to buy one holster, but it will fit multiple guns (G19, G45, and G47 w/ TLR1-HL frame). Now, if you never intend on buying any Glock that is greater than the Glock 19 and Glock 45's barrel length (4.02"), just buy the Glock 45 holster. As a general rule, the Glock 47 will not lock in a Glock 45 holster; a Glock 45 or Glock 19 will lock in a Glock 47 holster.

I made it simple to select the proper holster for you or to select the best holsters for armed security :

6360RDS-2832-481

Right Hand (Left Hand is 6360RDS-2832-482)
Glock 45, Glock 23, or Glock 19
Gen 5
TLR1-HL, Surefire X200, X300, or X300U
Optic size of Trijicon RMR, RMR HD, or ACRO P-2
Black Basketweave STX (for RH STX Tactical Black, use 6360RDS-2832-131/ LH STX Tactical Black use 6360RDS-2832-132)
To add on a QLS 19 w/ QLS 22 on holster body w/ paddle, add - MS30 to the last numbers

6360RDS-8972-481

Right Hand (Left Hand is 6360RDS-8972-482)
Glock 47
Gen 5
TLR1-HL, Surefire X200, X300, or X300U
Optic size of Trijicon RMR, RMR HD, or ACRO P-2
Black Basketweave STX (for Right Hand STX Tactical Black, use 6360RDS-8972-131/For LH Tactical Black, use 6360RDS-8972-132.
To add on a QLS 19 w/ QLS 22 on holster body w/ paddle, add - MS30 to the last numbers

Safariland 6360 Holster

How to Understand the Safariland Holster Part Number System 6360-0000-000

When I reached out to a vendor to make a "large" purchase of Safariland holsters, they told me that it's my responsibility to select the proper holster and my responsibility to provide and verify the correct model number. This would be the same challenge if someone is buying holsters for armed security. Initially, I thought I could just provide the make and model of the handgun, the red dot system, and the weapon mounted light, and if the vendor sent me in an incorrect holster, we could get a refund. Nope!

The Safariland Holster Finder was too cumbersome to understand; even the vendor suggested I reach out to Safariland instead! I reached out Safariland Area Sales Manager Darren Dickson. Darren was such an excellent resource of information by teaching me how Safariland code and create their model numbers. When choosing a Safariland holster, it's important that you do not look at the photograph, but rather pay attention to the model number.

Here's what I learned:

The 6360RDS is a Level III retention holster. According to Safariland, that means the armed security officer or law enforcement officer has to engage in three hand movements to clear the security mechanisms before the handgun can be drawn. Also, I asked a lot of question on whether I need a different holster for every different optic. The 6360RDS models are created to accommodate nearly all pistol mounted optics ranging from a RMR to the larger closed emitter optics such as the ACRO-P2.

Safariland has a Part Number consisting of a 3 to 4 code system: Model number, Center Code, Finish Code, and Add-On. For example, if you went online looking for a holster and found a holster with the Part Number of 6360RDS-2832-481-MS30, you would be selecting a 6360RDS holster (6360RDS-) designed for a Glock 19, Glock 23, or Glock 45 with a weapon mounted light (WML) profile of a TLR1 HL or Surefire X300, and a RMR profile (2832-). If you want to add the black STX basketweave design, you would add a Finish Code of 48. If the holster is for a left handed officer, then you add a 2 to the Finish Code of 48 (482). If you want to add the QLS fork system (QLS 19 w/ QLS 22 on holster body w/ paddle) you add an Add On Code of MS30.

For more information on how to "decode" the Part Number system, see https://inside.safariland.com/education/holster-part-numbers/.

Center Code (Firearm, Light & Optic):

2832 – Glock 19 (Gen 5) with a TLR1-HL & RMR HD

2832 – Glock 45 with a TLR1-HL & RMR HD

8972 – Glock 47 with a TLR1-HL & RMR HD

Finish Code:

STX

13 — STX Tactical Black

41 — STX Plain Black

48 — STX Basketweave Black

Right Hand, Left Hand or Ambidextrous

1 — Right

2 — Left

3 — Ambidextrous

Add on:

MS30 - QLS 19 w/ QLS 22 on holster body w/ paddle