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View Full Version : JJ Racaza holster...seen it?



Super J
08-14-2011, 06:59 PM
The .50 holster designed by JJ Racaza http://jjracaza.com/products/

Videos: http://jjracaza.com/videos/five-o-co...er-commercial/

http://jjracaza.com/videos/fiv...olster-instructions/

I spotted this holster online and it does seem very interesting.

Looking for input from anyone that has seen it.

orionz06
08-14-2011, 08:39 PM
Damn. Not sure how it will pan out for everyone, but I can appreciate the idea.

LOKNLOD
08-14-2011, 09:04 PM
I'd really like to see something that explained how it worked in more detail. It looks dang slick when he does it, but J.J. could probably beat me on speed reloads if he had a blunderbuss and spotted me a half second.

John Ralston
08-14-2011, 09:17 PM
It almost looks like he is pushing the gun up by the muzzle so that it clears the top of his pants so he can get a grip on it.

Video is pretty poor resolution and it is hard to tell.

orionz06
08-14-2011, 09:19 PM
I believe that is the case.

dookie1481
08-14-2011, 09:34 PM
Wow. That might just be a solution to a problem I have.

dookie1481
08-14-2011, 10:33 PM
It appears, at first glance, that there is some sort of resistance that helps the pistol up and keeps it in a consistent position. A plastic tab that flexes, or something of that sort.

HeadHunter
08-14-2011, 11:57 PM
It's a hardware version of Teddy Medina's technique. Interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPMEVzv0AO4

DrFlsGood
08-15-2011, 11:13 AM
It almost looks like he is pushing the gun up by the muzzle so that it clears the top of his pants so he can get a grip on it.

Video is pretty poor resolution and it is hard to tell.

Getting it up for presentation, by pushing up on the muzzle. It's similar to the presentation with the "hide it holster". It is what is refered to as the "VIAGRA" presentation! LOL:D:D

Prdator
08-15-2011, 06:53 PM
It's a hardware version of Teddy Medina's technique. Interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPMEVzv0AO4


Thanks HH!! When I saw the add for JJ's holster I knew were he'd got the idea but could not think of his name!!!! Very interesting idea though!!

TGS
08-16-2011, 10:48 AM
WHHHHAAT!

Treacherous sorcery!

That is probably the neatest thing I've ever seen.

LittleLebowski
08-16-2011, 04:21 PM
It seems that he didn't always give it the nudge with the weak hand?

seabiscuit
08-16-2011, 04:47 PM
I think he used the strong hand on his way up to the grip sometimes.

dookie1481
08-16-2011, 09:25 PM
JJ replied to some questions that I had about the holster.

Jason,

1. Is there some sort of "assist" that helps the gun out of the holster/keeps it in place? How consistent is the presentation of the pistol?
*
There is definitely an "assist" that keeps the holster in place. Your body against the holster is part of the retention, I've tested this holster during defensive measures and it held up the way it was supposed to. As for the gun coming out, there is no "assist" it is what it is. You essentially push it out from the bottom and with practice the gun will pop out of the holster the way it should consistently. With that said, it will not "pop-out" during normal body movements and etc...*


2. Are some configurations better suited to the holster than others? For example, would a Glock 26 work better or worse than a Glock 19?
*
It fits all Glocks, however, the full size Glock 36 does tend to stick out at the top of the holster a bit. Glock 36 is actually the gun I try to demo this holster with so it makes an impression. Glock 26 works just as well as the Glock 19. The baby glock just needs to be pushed a bit differently with a curled finger to have the gun "pop-out" on to your firing hand.

I hope this helped. Thanks again!
V/R,
jj Racaza
Dept Of Homeland Security
Training Department
Training Officer/ Lead Firearms Instructor

Super J
09-02-2011, 11:52 PM
Thanks all for the input

NextGhost
09-03-2011, 07:56 AM
It's a decent solution for deep concealment of a mid sized duty weapon. I'm not nearly as fast as JJ with it, and reholstering is a slow, cautious, two handed process for me. If I'm not careful, my 228 pinches a bit when I reholster. It is a great product that fits a specific niche.

Super J
09-03-2011, 09:00 AM
It's a decent solution for deep concealment of a mid sized duty weapon. I'm not nearly as fast as JJ with it, and reholstering is a slow, cautious, two handed process for me. If I'm not careful, my 228 pinches a bit when I reholster. It is a great product that fits a specific niche.

You are the first person that I've found that has used one.

How comfortable is it? How is it for drawing from a seated position?

Thanks

NextGhost
09-03-2011, 01:16 PM
Comfort isn't bad, a seated draw for me is very very slow and involves a few contortions, it is faster to stand and draw. If I was expecting to be in a car I'd use a different holster. It's very rare for me to need the level of concealment this particular holster offers, so it's a nice option to have, but daily I'm either AIWB in a looper or OWB in a phantom depending on what I'm wearing.

Super J
12-12-2011, 03:36 PM
Comfort isn't bad, a seated draw for me is very very slow and involves a few contortions, it is faster to stand and draw. If I was expecting to be in a car I'd use a different holster. It's very rare for me to need the level of concealment this particular holster offers, so it's a nice option to have, but daily I'm either AIWB in a looper or OWB in a phantom depending on what I'm wearing.

Thanks for sharing your review. Much appreciated

secondstoryguy
12-14-2011, 11:22 PM
Wow, thanks for that video clip, it brings back some memories...I saw it years ago while taking a class in the service. The JJ Racaza holster looks interesting...kinda like a chastity belt with a twist. I guess the really big plus of wearing that thing is it's kinda like wearing a cup/groin protector and a holster.

willowofwisp
12-14-2011, 11:45 PM
I'd like to see this holster reviewed by someone such as SouthNarc, Kyle Defoor, or any other instructor who has real CQB or ECQC experience...it appears to me that this holster would really only work in perfect situations, what if you only have one hand accessible to the firearm? or what if your hunched over? if your on your stomach on the ground (the same can be said of a AIWB holster, but they normally situate the grip above your belt level so you can still grib the pistol)? If you need to be 100% concealed this is an option....but I feel its a really really niche holster. Also How hard is a gun to deploy from this type of holster in a high stress situation?

Like I said this holster may serve specific roles, but I'm wondering how well it performs in these rolls.

TGS
12-15-2011, 11:38 PM
If you need to be 100% concealed this is an option....but I feel its a really really niche holster. Also How hard is a gun to deploy from this type of holster in a high stress situation?

Like I said this holster may serve specific roles, but I'm wondering how well it performs in these rolls.

Probably performs better than not having a gun.

If Thunderwear or Smartcarry were considered a competitor, I think this would be a better option since with those two holsters you don't have the option of popping the gun out. If they're buried, you HAVE to go fishing for the gun, it's the only option.

Like you said, it's for a very specific situation. I don't think anyone is going to argue that the position doesn't have drawbacks.

SecretNY
12-18-2011, 02:04 PM
I'm with Erik on that one. I'm concerned with a striker fired gun in my AIWB with no cover on the trigger guard! Interesting solution for those of us who have to sometimes wear a tucked in shirt.

Jbird8228
07-22-2013, 10:31 PM
I actually have this holster and have used it as my every day carry holster for my XD9 for over a year. It definitely takes some time to adjust and get used to. Here's my thoughts:

Pros: Very easy to conceal any firearm that's not a revolver in any clothing.
With a good amount of practice draws, can have a very quick draw to presentation of firearm


Cons: Essentially need two hands to draw your weapon ( 1 hand to push up on the bottom of the barrel, 1 hand to draw the weapon)
I cant bring myself to carry with a round chambered due to the placement of the weapons barrel being pointed directly at my thigh. The holster basically holds the firearm against your body, and I just will not take the chance of clothing
snagging the trigger and having a accidental discharge.

I hope this helps!

Super J
07-23-2013, 03:12 AM
I actually have this holster and have used it as my every day carry holster for my XD9 for over a year. It definitely takes some time to adjust and get used to. Here's my thoughts:

Pros: Very easy to conceal any firearm that's not a revolver in any clothing.
With a good amount of practice draws, can have a very quick draw to presentation of firearm


Cons: Essentially need two hands to draw your weapon ( 1 hand to push up on the bottom of the barrel, 1 hand to draw the weapon)
I cant bring myself to carry with a round chambered due to the placement of the weapons barrel being pointed directly at my thigh. The holster basically holds the firearm against your body, and I just will not take the chance of clothing
snagging the trigger and having a accidental discharge.

I hope this helps!

Thanks Jbird

kdflyer
07-23-2013, 07:24 PM
Thanks Jbird

Where can you buy this holster?

Super J
07-23-2013, 10:02 PM
Where can you buy this holster?

I just looked around the Racaza site and don't see it listed for sale anymore. Not sure where else to look for it

fsilber
04-29-2016, 10:36 PM
Where can you buy this holster?

I just bought two of them:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/162025848063

fsilber
05-01-2016, 09:05 AM
I just bought two of them:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/162025848063

kdflyer just asked via e-mail my experience with the JJ Racaza holster and its seller.

I ordered twice. The first took a couple of weeks because the seller he had not yet gotten his shipment from his supplier. The second arrived very quickly. (I ordered a second time to have a spare.)

Using it, my HK P7M13 is at the outer limit for grip-size:

http://world.guns.ru/userfiles/images/handguns/germany/hg52/1287726079.jpg

Because of the unusual distance from front of frontstrap to back of the pistol, I actually had to whittle away part of the gun's support strut so the gun would drop down far enough to be covered by the holster shield. That weakened the holster a bit, but not too much, I think.

The holster conceals best with a gun whose grip does not reach the top of the holster shield. Otherwise, you have to raise the belt line above the holster a bit, or blouse your shirt over the gun's backstrap. (Until I whittled away part of the holster's gun support, my P7's grip and slide rose a half-inch above the top of the holster shield. Now they're just even.) I estimate that the grip of a Glock 17 or Sig Sauer 226 would just reach the top of the shield; a Glock 19 or Sig Sauer 228 would be a half-inch below it, which is ideal.

It is fastest if the shield is kept even with the belt line. Also, that's the only way to get a one-handed draw (push up with strong hand, then grab) in an emergency.

However, if the holster shield is even with the belt line, then the top edge of the holster shield could become visible, so, it is best with a mid-size gun, and with black pants and a black holster. (My holster arrived in tan. But it would be easy to get some plastic-model paint and change the color.)

So, with my gun that does reach the top of the tan shield, secure concealment requires wearing it a half-inch _below_ the beltline. Now, drawing one-handed (push up, then grab using same hand) is no longer possible. I can however, push up with my weak hand finger while pulling out a bit with my strong hand thumb and draw pretty fast none-the-less -- as fast as with a regular appendix holster and an untucked shirt (which also is done with two-hands). Maybe even faster. So this is still pretty good.

Considering that I've had this HK P7 M13 for 22 years and no way to effectively conceal it (the big fat grip would print horribly with any conventional belt holster), I am quite satisfied. With a more conventional gun it would be even faster.

Because of my HK P7's squeeze-cocker action, I feel no anxiety whatsoever about where the gun is pointed, or about covering my finger during the draw. (The P7 is unclocked and trigger disconnected until the front-strap is squeezed with an initial 20 pounds of force, yet with its single-action trigger it is lightening fast to an aimed first shot.)

The next most safe gun would be a conventional double action with a safety (e.g. a Taurus 92 or CZ 75) converted to Double Action Only.
With a striker-fired gun and no safety, like the Glock, I would use it in conjuction with the Glock SafeT block or the ClipDraw:

http://clipdraw.com/glock-trigger-safety-products/

I would tie the trigger protector so it pulls away during the draw, and reapply it manually before reholstering.

Or you could just be careful. :-)

One other caveat. You need to wear pants 2" wider to use this holster than you could squeeze into unarmed. They say this is true with any IWB holster, but I have never relied upon an IWB holster. (Until now I've relied on pocket carry of very small guns, or a camera-bag beltpack.)

Wearing the holster for long periods _without_ the gun might be uncomfortable, due to the gun support prong pushing against the abdomen. (With a gun, the pressure is spread over the whole gun.) So if I were going to wear the holster all day with the idea of dropping the gun in after work, I might get a plastic training dummy gun to put in the holster until I could replace it with the real gun.

kdflyer
05-01-2016, 09:14 AM
fsilber,
Thank you for your quick and complete response. I appreciate you taking the time to explain this to me. I think I'm going to try one of these instead of getting another smart carrt. (Should read "smart carry")

runcible
05-01-2016, 09:30 AM
Fsilber,

Do you now better understand my prior statements regarding the weapon being inaccessible without fingerpopping it?

Would you care to wear it and a bluegun of your choice to the matroom, to explore access during asymmetric positions?

BaiHu
05-01-2016, 09:31 AM
I believe there's a reason why they're no longer seen. I was just talking to a FAM the other day and he expressed 3 major issues:

1) potentially knocking the gun out of battery during draw.
2) trigger guard getting caught up inside the holster.
3) no way of drawing one handed. Think ECQC while trying to access your pistol from the holster.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

TGS
05-01-2016, 03:55 PM
I think it's more useful to compare the holster in its strength/weaknesses against products for a comparable purpose, like thunderwear, smartcarry, those funny things that hide deeply and are pulled out by a cell phone case, or a string holster.

Anything this level of deep concealment is obviously going to have massive drawbacks compared to a belt holster. That's a given.

ETA: That probably come off as snotty and dismissive, rereading it. I should say that it's important to keep in mind the product's intended purpose, and to be wary of comparing apples to oranges (deep concealment vs a belt holster).

BaiHu
05-01-2016, 05:07 PM
I think it's more useful to compare the holster in its strength/weaknesses against products for a comparable purpose, like thunderwear, smartcarry, those funny things that hide deeply and are pulled out by a cell phone case, or a string holster.

Anything this level of deep concealment is obviously going to have massive drawbacks compared to a belt holster. That's a given.

ETA: That probably come off as snotty and dismissive, rereading it. I should say that it's important to keep in mind the product's intended purpose, and to be wary of comparing apples to oranges (deep concealment vs a belt holster).
So I'm wrong [emoji12]

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

fsilber
10-12-2017, 05:45 PM
Fsilber,

Do you now better understand my prior statements regarding the weapon being inaccessible without fingerpopping it?
Would you care to wear it and a bluegun of your choice to the matroom, to explore access during asymmetric positions?

I would add that if one sees danger one can adjust the holster to be even with the belt line, so that a one-handed draw is possible. Ease of access is a valid concern; in most situations a conventional concealed belt holster is likely to be more accessible, but not always -- you could be lying on your back partly over the gun, or sitting in a car the blocks access from a holster at 4 o'clock. In some situations this holster could have easier access.

With two hands, this holster is likely to be faster; with one hand, a belt holster is likely to be faster. But not necessarily, if it's a tuckable holster with a shirt tucked in over it.

I guess the lesson is that if accessibility is a big concern, carry more than one gun! E.g. add a J-frame in an ankle holster, a small pocket pistol, a smaller undershirt pistol.

The problem this holster addresses is that some people really do need deep concealment due to non-permissive environments, and in terms of deep concealment I haven't found any other solution that is all around better, taking into account the feasible size of the gun, speed of access (at least in the best case; but even conventional light concealment loses speed if you don't have two hands available), freedom of dress (don't need to look either uptight never taking off a jacket, nor like a slob with a shirt always untucked).

In an earlier post I mentioned trigger safety concerns; I advised use of a separate device to protect the trigger guard that is available for Glocks. As an alternative, I really believe that a grip safety really shines with this kind of carry (e.g. with the HK P7, a 1911, or a Springfield XD). The reason is that you won't have the grip safety depressed when pushing the muzzle up with your finger, nor will you have it depressed while dropping the gun into the holster. I much prefer a safety I don't have to worry about forgetting to apply, or that could be bumped off.

I'd like to mention a more recent lesson from my experience. The video suggests that it works for "big" people. When I gained some weight, the holster no longer worked for me. My gun is heavy -- a steel gun that is 33 oz UNLOADED, and then add the weight of a DOUBLE stack magazine and a spare one. The gun and holster simply kept sliding down my stomach, and then so did my pants. I was having to walk with my hands on my belt to hold everything up. The only way I could prevent that was to radically tighten the belt -- which ruined the ability to draw quickly. A quick draw depends on things being not too tight, but that doesn't work with appendix/stomach carry on a fat man. What I would have needed was suspenders on the holster, or to put clips on the holster to connect it to my belt and then connect my belt to suspenders .... UGH. So I didn't use this holster for a long time.

Since then I lost some weight, flattened my stomach, and now the gun and holster no longer keep sliding down. I notice that all the people on the videos have fairly flat stomachs.

A second issue is that the grip of my HK P7 M13 is both long and fat. The result is that the gun and holster holds my belt out forward from my shirt, allowing someone standing in front of me to look down my pants and see the butt of the gun under my belt. This is yet one more time that I regret having bought an HK P7 M13 instead of an HK P7 M8. The latter would have had a butt that is both a quarter inch shorter and a quarter inch flatter, which would have made all the difference in the world. So, ideally, it works better with a gun that either has a shorter grip (think Glock 19), or a single stack magazine.

(But not too petite, a Kahr MP9 would probably fall through the holster. But there ought to be lots of other options for such a small gun.)

There are two solutions to this. One is to choose the black holster, a black gun, and wear a black shirt. Then the rig under the belt will all be shrouded in darkness. Another solution is to avoid tucking the shirt in too tightly; instead to always pull a bit of the shirt out to blouse it over that gap. Again, it's only an issue with a gun whose grip is both long and fat. (Unfortunately, with the demise of the 1994 "AW" ban there seems to be a competition with new service pistols as to who has the highest capacity. The Browning High Power with 13 was upped by the Glock 17 with seventeen rounds. Now I'm seeing new pistols holding 18 rounds in the magazine. If you want a shorter magazine and you usually get a gun with it a shorter slide and barrel as well -- which would make it harder to push the gun up out of the holster.)

Also, you don't want the slide to be too long -- it depends on how long-waisted you are. You need enough space between belt and groin so you can sit down. I am only slightly tall but long-legged, so the 7" slide my my P7 is about the limit. Maybe a guy built more like Fred Flintstone could carry a 5" 1911 in this holster.

scjbash
10-12-2017, 08:10 PM
20802

Irelander
10-13-2017, 11:58 AM
Funny this thread should revive right now.

I was just looking at the Cherries deep concealment holster (https://www.cherriesapparel.com/products/medina-below-the-waistband-bwb-deep-concealment-holster). For $40 I thought it might be interesting to play around with. Haven't ordered one yet though.

Here is a video from the website:

https://youtu.be/tqE37cQ_6iA

RevolverRob
10-13-2017, 12:17 PM
Funny this thread should revive right now.

I was just looking at the Cherries deep concealment holster (https://www.cherriesapparel.com/products/medina-below-the-waistband-bwb-deep-concealment-holster). For $40 I thought it might be interesting to play around with. Haven't ordered one yet though.


I was literally just thinking about how the Racaza holster could be improved with a body-side plastic shield of some type. First, to prevent clothing snagging in the trigger guard, and second to "slick up" the draw, by having plastic-on-metal on both sides of the gun (I could see with the Racaza design, how a tucked in shirt could cause a hangup while drawing). I wonder if the P2000 Cherries Holster will fit a P30? From my quick internet image comparison the P2K and the P30 have very similar trigger guard shapes At 40 bucks, I may give it a shot.

runcible
10-13-2017, 06:09 PM
I was literally just thinking about how the Racaza holster could be improved with a body-side plastic shield of some type. First, to prevent clothing snagging in the trigger guard, and second to "slick up" the draw, by having plastic-on-metal on both sides of the gun (I could see with the Racaza design, how a tucked in shirt could cause a hangup while drawing). I wonder if the P2000 Cherries Holster will fit a P30? From my quick internet image comparison the P2K and the P30 have very similar trigger guard shapes At 40 bucks, I may give it a shot.

If I remember correctly, the early prototypes had a broader foot\pad at the end of the peg against which the triggerguard fits. However, such prevents the lead surface of the body from pressing against the weapon; this then removing some\all of the friction-against\retention-of the firearm, and allowing for an audible rattle as the weapon sloshes between the main plate and the peg's foot.

(It may have been an add-on mod, as I vaguely recall some mention of molding realities being mentioned.)

RevolverRob
10-13-2017, 07:01 PM
As an FYI - I emailed Cherries to inquire if they knew if the P2000 version of the holster would fit a P30. I received a very prompt reply, they informed me that it should fit, but that I can return it within 2-weeks, the only caveat is I have to cover the shipping cost ($8). Then they nicely offered me a 10% discount code to help offset the cost should I need to return it.

Needless to say, great customer service. I'll report back on the holster when it arrives.

fsilber
10-14-2017, 11:11 PM
If I remember correctly, the early prototypes had a broader foot\pad at the end of the peg against which the triggerguard fits. However, such prevents the lead surface of the body from pressing against the weapon; this then removing some\all of the friction-against\retention-of the firearm, and allowing for an audible rattle as the weapon sloshes between the main plate and the peg's foot.

(It may have been an add-on mod, as I vaguely recall some mention of molding realities being mentioned.)

Also, if you added a body-side plastic shield, the holster would have to be custom made for every gun.

runcible
10-15-2017, 03:34 AM
fsilber,

No, not quite.

RevolverRob
10-23-2017, 04:26 PM
My Cherries Multi-Fit Deep Concealment Carry Holster arrived today. First impressions:

Basic clamshell holster design. Mine is for a HK P2000, my P30 does fit, but only with modification. The tension screw had to be swapped out for a longer unit, and an additional rubber spacer was inserted from my stash of spare parts. After that it fits great and the gun slides in and out with ease.

The holster is height adjustable for three heights. The highest one ends up with the gun above the waistband (barely) for me. The lowest one has the gun entirely below the waistband, and the middle one places the gun butt roughly along the waistband (just below the top, but not completely beneath). The middle setting works best for me, allowing both the waistband of my pants and my belt to support the gun and holster.

The draw: First thing first, I had to adjust my expectations for this holster. Seeing the video, I had high expectations for speed along with concealment. The holster conceals well, even in my "slim-fit" hipster jeans (it does print a bit, but effectively looks like I have a large uhh...something...in my pants). But in terms of speed, it will take a lot of practice to get quick with the two hand draw method. A single hand draw method will always be slow by design.

Let's talk about the two hand method, inside the pocket works better than outside the pants. The reason for this is the angle with which you hit the muzzle with the support hand. From outside the pants you are pushing diagonally on the muzzle. This will push the grip above the waistband and allow access fairly quick. By contrast inside the pocket, you can push directly up on the muzzle and the gun "pops" upward from the holster very smoothly and quickly and "jumps" into the hand (allowing a full firing grip faster). I haven't yet tried the holster with dress slacks, only with jeans, and a pair of light-weight summer shorts. With the thinner material in the shorts it is easier to drive the muzzle up than in jeans (more given in the material). With practice, I can imagine you get the outside the pants draw worked out to be almost as quick as the inside the pocket.

More after I've lived with it for a couple of months.

-Rob

JodyH
11-12-2017, 07:11 PM
I can see this holster working out well for someone who works standing behind a counter and needs to be very low profile.
They'd be more likely to have both hands free and a physical barrier between them and the guy who needs shooting.
That would maximize the advantages (speed from deep concealment) of the holster while minimizing the negatives (sucks to draw while entangled or one handed).
It'd work out well for a controversial lecturer for example, where they are up on a stage, possibly behind a lectern so they have a good buffer zone against physical threats, dressed well with a lot of eyes on them so concealment is a must.

kitten_frenzy
11-12-2017, 08:07 PM
This seems perfect for my G43!


Too bad they don't make it for the G43 :(

RevolverRob
11-12-2017, 09:22 PM
It'd work out well for a controversial lecturer for example, where they are up on a stage, possibly behind a lectern so they have a good buffer zone against physical threats, dressed well with a lot of eyes on them so concealment is a must.

Or a professor standing in front of a classroom. ;)

Pocket carry works well in this roll too, but of course limits you to pocket sized guns.