Good duty holsters for RDS equipped pistols and Kerber Arms

[Lon]

As far as I’m concerned, the Safariland ALS/SLS line of duty holsters are the gold standard for RDS equipped (or any other) duty pistol. Unfortunately, the currently only make the ALS/SLS/RDS holster for Glock, M&P and 320 pistols (although I believe one for a 2011 is in the works). Which leaves those of us who are authorized to carry an RDS equipped pistol that isn’t one of the previously mentioned pistols using something that may not be optimal.

I’ve been on a search for a good duty holster for my 229/RDS pistol for years. I tried modifying a Safariland 6280 and wasn’t satisfied. Then I tried a Blade Tech WRS level 3 (what I’m currently using). It works ok, but definitely isn’t a Safariland. Then I tried a Dara Holster level 2. While it was made well, it just didn’t work out. So I decided to just settle for the WRS.

Then a couple weeks ago we hosted Tom G for his Instructor class and I saw a holster one of the students was rocking for his RDS equipped Glock. While it had a SLS hood on it I could tell it wasn’t a Safariland. So I asked him about it. He told me that it was made by a local to him (Nashville area) holster maker named Jeff Kerber of Kerber Arms. He gave me the website address so I used the contact page to ask if he could make a holster for my duty gun. Unbeknownst to me, the student sent him a text and told Jeff I would be reaching out to him. This was on a Saturday morning. A couple hours later I got an email from Jeff asking if he could call me later that day. That afternoon I spoke with Jeff on the phone to discuss the project. He was sure he could do it and asked for some measurements and pictures of my set up. So I sent him what was requested and in less than 2 weeks I received the holster in the mail. $89.99 shipped, which I thought was a decent price considering I spent over $100 on each of the other duty holsters I had tried.

It came with a generic 1.75” belt loop since I hadn’t specified anything different. Which didn’t bother me since I have all sorts of Safariland stuff in my extra holster parts bins. I added a UBL and an SLS hood guard I had and did some practice draws with it. One of the things I like about this holster is the fact that Jeff has changed the angle that the SLS rides on the holster just a little bit, which makes it easier for me and my short thumbs to get the hood forward consistently. The holster is also made of boltaron instead of kydex. Which is what Safariland uses in their holsters.

So far I’ve been extremely impressed with the holster and the service I’ve gotten from Jeff. I’m gonna be running this through it’s paces and eventually hope to use it on duty. I’ll keep this thread updated, but if you have a pistol/rds combo you want to use for duty purposes and need a good holster, keep Kerber Arms in mind.

[HCM]

Safariland does indeed list RDS duty holsters for the P320 but good luck finding one.

[That Guy]

Then I tried a Dara Holster level 2. While it was made well, it just didn’t work out.

What was the issue with the Dara holster?

[Lon]

What was the issue with the Dara holster?

It had more to do with the fucked up way Sig has made the 229. There are different slide profiles. The holster was for one of the other profiles so when you cranked the screws down enough to keep the pistol from flopping around (due to the skinnier slide) then you couldn’t get the pistol out. The trigger guard dimensions aren’t different, so the kydex was super tight around the trigger guard. Hopefully that makes sense.

My 229 has an exchange kit slide on it, which has different dimensions than a regular 229 slide.