Der einst in 6/2003 potraitierte, in den Niederlanden lebende israelische Topschütze Saul Kirsch, Gewinner zahlrei-her IPSC Level III Wettkämpfe mit Topplatzierungen bei Europa- und Weltmeisterschaften sowiemehrfacher European Steel Challenge Champion, betreibteit Jahren erfolgreich die Double Alpha Academy (DAA) und hat nun das DAA Holster “Range Master” auf denMarkt gebracht…
Peter M. Andersen has reviewed the Race Master holster. He gave it a run for 4 months! Here are his conclusions:
Download Peter’s review here – English.
Download Peter’s review here – Danish.
After a little “break in” time , this holster is super fast and very secure.I love the way the gun slides in and out the holster in a very smooth and easy way. And for me the lock on the holster is just on the finger tip when i draw, if i need it on .
On top of that you get the most cool machine work and adjustments ……find the “hot spot” and give the screws some Locktite…….-The delivery is fast and the service is the best !! thank you
Received my new Double Alpha Race Master holster (STI) and belt from CED this morning. First impressions:
1. Design and construction is excellent. First class workmanship all the way.
2. Double Alpha two piece belt that came with it is also excellent. Inner belt seems a little more comfortable than others and the outer belt is very stiff, no torquing when the gun is drawn..
3. The fit of the belt hangers is very tight and it took quite some effort to get the holster on the outer belt. Once on, and tightened, it is not going to move.
4. All adjustments of the holster itself are easily done. Most can be done with holster on, the only one that really can’t is the height (up/down) adjustment. All tools necessary come with the holster.
5. The locking mechanism is awesome. Gun slips in, locks in place, and it is rock solid. No movement at all.
6. Drawing from this holster is better than any I have ever used. I have had CR Speed, Ghost, etc. and this is far above either of those in terms of ease of draw. There is also a tension screw adjustment that allows you to increase or decrease the resistance of the draw.
So, first impressions are all excellent, there doesn’t seem to be a downside to this holster. Will work with it at the range tomorrow but I think it is a keeper!
Hi Saul,
First let me congratulate you for coming out with such an awesome holster.I have to say, this is the best holster out there.
Is precisely machined, solid and the draws are super fast.
Great Job,
José L. Naranjo
United States
I just started using my new Race Master holster, and I have to say – I just LOVE it. Been shooting for 12 years now, and only had 3 holsters in all that time. And you know what they say – third time is a charm? Well this time it is so true! I am usually not one for holsters with no grip on the barrel, but this one is so smart, the way it holds the gun in place, even the new SV frame. I didn’t have to worry one bit about my gun moving or rocking in place, because it just doesn’t move! This is, by far, the best holster I ever owned, and the best product I ever had from DAA!
As usual, DAA has once again, create the perfect product for IPSC. This Holster is amazing. It fit perfectly my STI, and the gun appears to be levitating. By the way drawing is very fast. And for those, like me, who race in several divisions, we have just to change the insert not the complete holster. This product is economic, And seems sturdy. Next time you will buy a new holster, think on it. It should be the last one….
I have used the holster during two Level III IPSC Matches and the European Steel Challenge now with 3 different Guns with STI Frame (Open and Standard) and i really like it! The guns sit very tight in the holster, yet the draw is very smooth and fast. The Adjustability is very good. Just ordered a second Insert Block for my Para Ordnance.
Hi Saul, I just want to say that I could not be any happier with my Race Master Holster Shorty! I used it last Weekend on a match and I was impressed on how well I was able to draw my gun. I believe you have the best holster out there. Well done!
International Sales STI International, Inc.
Best IPSC holster design EVER!!! Cleanest and fastest draw guaranreed. So secure gun retention, without even slightest play. Easy one time adjustment, will not change user set angles. Solid as a rock, nicely machined. I’ve tried many brands, not even close to this rocket. Fits my STI with alu frame like molded. One thing when you try it on exhibition, lot more exciting when you put it on your belt and practice. Worth every eurocet, don’t save money on reliable equipment. Highly recommend to every serious IPSC shooter!
Well I just received my DAA Racemaster holster for my S&W 627 and a spare block for my S&W M&P 9L and “OMG” is this thing good or what. I have been a pistol shooter for nearly 15 years and I’ve used pretty much every race type holster around including all of the current popular models and this thing craps on them all.
I really do prefer the trigger retention type holsters like the Ghost, Speedsec, Guga Ribas and now the Race Master but my biggest complaint is that a lot of them just don’t feel solid, they don’t give you the confidence you need when you are running around a range all day, the Race Master resolves this issue with style.
I have actually been using a Racemaster for about 6 months in my STI and loved it but it wasn’t until I tried my 627 revolver in the new one tonight that I realized just how good this thing is. All the other trigger guard retention holsters I have used with my revolver have seen the gun wobble from side to side and one even allows the gun to cant back so that the muzzle is almost horizontal. The Racemaster on the other hand is solid in all directions while still having a super slick draw and it’s almost infinitely adjustable
The M&P also feels rock solid in the holster, there is no sideways wobble whatsoever, the fit is millimeter perfect. I have just done 30 minutes dry fire practice and I can’t put this thing down.
Changing the block over to accept another gun takes literally 20 seconds and could easily be don on the range.
If you’re thinking of trying one of these holsters I say “DO IT” you will not regret it.
Oh and just for the record, I do not work for DAA, I do not sell DAA gear and I paid full price for my holster.
Just wanted to give props to an awesome product, thanks Saul and the DAA crew, love your work.
Darren.
Perth, Western Australia.
DR Performance - Race Master Review
by Dave Re, DR Performance
In my 16-some-odd year shooting career, I’ve had a number of different holsters on my belt. Inevitably, choosing a holster seems to come down to choosing the one who’s downsides you most wanted to put up with. I’ve used Safariland 009 and 012s, the original Limcat, the pinless Ghost, the Guga Ribas, and now the CR Speed holster, and have found all of them lacking in one way or another. Recently, a new holster hit the market that promised to have all the good and none of the bad – the Race Master, made by Double Alpha Academy. I decided to give one a test, and see how it stacks up against the other holsters I’ve used.
I should note that this is an initial review, based on spending a week with the holster. I will be writing an update after I’ve spent more time with it and had a chance to see how it performs in several matches and practices.
Right out of the box, the Race Master seems to have several qualities of some of the holsters I mentioned above. It’s a “bikini” style holster – a smaller form factor that doesn’t include a muzzle platform or cup (similar in form to the Ghost, Limcat, and Guga Ribas). It includes a positive holster lock (something that was overlooked in the Safariland line until very recently, and a feature the CR Speed doesn’t actually have), and a tension adjustment knob (a feature lacked by the Ghost and Limcat, and that the CR Speed only implements in a very rudimentary way). It has an adjustment and positioning system that is based on a ball joint (though the range of motion is intentionally limited), and also has adjustments for holster distance from the body, and angle that the holster hangs from the belt hanger. The belt hanger is rather unique and, as it turns out, extremely sturdy and stable on the popular belts available on the market.
Several of the holsters on the market offer the ability to use the same holster with different types of firearms, usually involving the change of some minor parts. However, the existing offerings on the market can only accommodate guns where the trigger guard size is roughly similar to the gun the holster was sized for. What this has generally meant is that, if you wanted to run a Glock or a Sig in a race holster, you needed to buy a separate holster for that firearm platform. The Race Master, on the other hand, uses interchangeable insert blocks to handle each type of firearm. You can buy one holster, and then buy an insert block for each additional firearm type you want to use with. No need to remove one holster from the belt and add another, or own a complete second rig – with modern mag pouches that support multiple magazine types, you can do it all from one setup. Some folks will definitely find this feature useful.
That’s a strong list of positive features – in fact, it would appear to be everything one could really want in a race holster… The question, of course, is does the Race Master follow through on that promise? I think it does – here’s why…
My first concern is always retention – how well does the holster hold on to the gun during various activities, and what do you have to sacrifice in terms of usability and feel to get adequate retention? This is usually where the compromise comes in with a race holster, that balance between hanging on to the gun, and letting it go when the shooter wants the gun to come out of the holster. This trade off is done in various different ways, and is really the biggest differentiator between all of the holsters. Some do it better than others, but none of them are ideal, with some requiring that you lock the holster in order to do any movement, while others require that you crank down the tension on them prohibitively tight, or that you have to workaround their lack of retention by managing the gun during any movement while the gun is holstered.
The Race Master is slightly confounding to me in terms of retention, in that I can’t seem to get it to drop a gun. I’ve never come across a holster that I couldn’t figure out some way to get it to drop a holstered gun. I’m talking about unlocked, using the lightest tension setting available, and with a fully loaded (with dummy rounds) big stick in the gun. I’ve tried a number of exercises with the holster in that condition – the “old school IPSC” holster retention tests (forward somersault, jump and turn 180 degrees), jump and turn 360 degrees in both directions, short distance sprints… I’ve even done plyometric box jumps to a 20″ tall surface, an activity that should theoretically tickle the holster’s method of gun release. No dice. The gun stays put. Bottom line – this holster has the unqualified best retention of any holster I’ve personally tested throughout my shooting career.
The second concern, for me, comes down to feel – how does the holster’s draw feel when it’s set up correctly, and configured in the fashion it’s actually going to be used in (that is, with tension set appropriately, etc). As a holster’s feel is determined by it’s design, each of the holsters mentioned above has a different feel to it. Many folks find that they cannot get used to the feel of one type of holster, and feel becomes an important decision point for them. Usually, if a holster retains the gun well when unlocked, the feel can be a little harsh, as you have to pull the gun through the retention mechanism of the holster. Surprisingly, even though the Race Master refuses to give up the gun in all the retention tests I performed, when asked nicely, it let’s the gun go almost disconcertingly easily. It feels almost as if the gun is just resting on top of the holster, rather than being retained by the holster’s slide lock system. If you’re used to a Ghost or Safariland holster, you’ll find the Race Master to release the gun with similar ease, but smoother. If, like me, you’ve been using a CR Speed, you may find that you need to dial in some tension so that you can “feel” the holster when you draw the gun. About 3/4 of a turn seemed to do it for me. This is not a bad thing – more tension on the holster translates to enhanced retention, and having the ability to tune the feel exactly as you like it without having to give up anything on retention is a real bonus with this holster.
Fit, finish, and ultimately longevity enter the picture third. It may not seem like it, at first blush, but those things go hand in hand. By finish, I don’t mean “is it pretty” (though the Race Master certainly looks nice). I’m thinking more along the lines of are there any sharp edges, or do I need to do any work to the holster as it comes from the factory so that it won’t interfere with my draw. Fit is important, as well, as it determines if there’s any wiggle in the parts that might accelerate wear or result in the holster losing adjustment under pressure. I tend to be kind of a gorilla when it comes to locking adjustments down, so for me, my gear needs to handle me torquing down screws and that sort of thing, as well. It’s hard to fully evaluate this concern in a week – certainly, I can’t tell you anything truthful about how the holster will last over several competition seasons yet, so we won’t worry about longevity for the moment.
From the standpoint of fit and finish, though, the holster is very well done. There are no sharp edges that need dressing, and the holster body is compact and stays out of the way during the draw. The holster is also out of the way when going prone. As I mentioned earlier, the belt hanger on this holster is quite interesting. On my CR Speed belts, the hanger fits over the belt like a glove, and when the retainer clips are tightened down, the holster literally does not move on the belt (unlike basically any other holster I’ve tried, minus the Ghost). Apparently, on Double Alpha Academy’s belt, the hanger fits even tighter! This results in no movement of the holster during the draw, which contributes to the fabulous feel of the holster, and also prevents the holster from moving on the belt over time. Now, if we could get these hangers on mag pouches!!! The hanger also allows the outer belt’s velcro to make contact with the inner belt. This is the first holster I haven’t had to use additional velcro on the inside of the hanger to insure secure mounting to the inner belt. I’m also happy to report that the holster survived gorilla torquing with nary a complaint. I’m confident the adjustments I made will hold themselves in place over time without moving. Time will tell, of course, but this seems like a safe bet.
My only gripe with the holster is a very minor one, and involves the serrations on the bottom of the safety. I understand the design choice, here, of course. The serrations give your finger a way to grip against the lever and move the lever without slipping off of it. They really eat into my finger, though, when taking the lock off during the draw. Given how well the holster retains the gun, this may very well turn out to be a non-issue, just because it won’t be necessary to use the safety on the draw 99.9% of the time. However, Saul Kirsch at DAA tells me that they will shortly be offering an optional safety lever that has had the serrations removed, making it smooth and about half as thick. One could also use a dremel tool to accomplish something similar, if desired.
Finally, I consider how easy the holster is to adjust to the right position. If the holster has good fit and finish, this will likely only happen once, when you first purchase the holster. Another difference between each of the holsters is how it’s adjusted. Every one of these holsters adjusted differently, but they all offered some means to adjust height, rake (angle of the gun from front to back), and rotation. A couple of them give you ways to adjust the distance of the holster from the body directly, as well. Some of them are easier to adjust than others. Conveniently, the Race Master includes all of these options, and allows you to put the gun in exactly the right spot for your body. This is seriously important, as the holster does not respond well to torquing the gun off angle during the draw (all race holsters exhibit this to one degree or another) – the gun will tend to bind in the holster if you don’t set it up correctly. This isn’t a new phenomenon to those familiar with race holsters, but it’s one that will drive you nuts if the holster can’t be put in the correct spot relative to your body. I was able to position the holster exactly where I needed it, and it would seem that there should be enough adjustability to accommodate all potential users of the holster.
I did encounter a minor challenge in adjusting the holster, due to the ball and socket design. I anticipated this issue, based on my experience with the Guga Ribas holster’s ball and socket system. The ball and socket design means that the holster can be adjusted in a seemingly infinite number of angles and directions. The problem is, it can be adjusted in all of those angles at the same time. The Race Master uses two largish allen head screws (called horizontal displacement adjustment screws) to secure the ball (the screws will actually bite into the aluminum ball when you torque them down tight). The downside to this is that you can’t really use one of the screws as a “drag” adjustment, so that you can keep some tension on the ball while you adjust it. instead, you have to keep one of the supplied allen wrenches handy in your weak hand, and snug up one of the screws while holding the holster in position. In addition, the elevation adjustment screw also contributes somewhat to the tension on the ball, so you have to be careful about changing the position of the ball if you have to change the holster height. All this means that you basically need to be patient and take your time in adjusting the holster. This is not a big deal, just something to note and be prepared for.
Once you get the holster adjusted, you can lock all the screws down tight, and you shouldn’t have to touch it again. I mean that, too – once the adjustments are locked down, this holster feels like it’s made from a solid piece of billet steel, it’s so solid. The design of the hanger and ball and socket on this holster are very simple, and this allows them to be extremely secure without risk of stripping the screws, or having the ball slip in the socket.
So, that’s where I’m at with it a week into my evaluation. The Race Master is a solid piece of kit that delivers on it’s promises. It’s rock solid, it retains the gun extremely well, and has a silky smooth draw feel. I’m going to reserve final judgement until I spend more time with the holster, but for now, the Race Master appears to be the best race holster for USPSA/IPSC competition that I’ve ever used.
by Noam Brosh.
I’ll start this article by confessing to a little secret…I am a gadget fanatic when it comes to practical shooting. In the past 10 years as an IPSC sportsman, I always sought to improve myself and my gear. It started with oils, springs, bags and eventually holsters.
Like the majority of novice shooters, I didn’t immediately start with an Open gun and an appropriate holster. I had a basic Wilson Concealment custom fit holster and a CZ based Standard division gun. Observing my shooting buddies I quickly moved to a blade tech DOH holster and a 2011 frame based pistol.
Then I decided to move into the Modified Division, yes…the Open Division’s little step brother. So onwards with the Ghost. My experience with the Ghost Holster was short…after seeing too many guns fall off at matches, fortunately not mine, I decided I needed something more sturdy.
So I tried the CR-Speed holster. The feel of a plastic holster, after using an aluminum one, wasn’t right. Aside from that, in several scenarios, the gun simply bumped out of the holster and the locking lever wasn’t helping. Don’t get me wrong! I think Rescomp are doing a great job, it’s just that I strongly believe there are better holsters out there.
In my never ending search for better gear, I noticed a new holster made by Guga Ribas. This seemed like the best choice around. It was as if someone took Ghost and Limcat and combined the two together. Although not cup based, the Guga had many new and exciting features. However, after using it for several years I have come to familiarize myself with some disadvantages – many of them seemed like a plus when I first purchased it. More on the that later on.
About a week before the Israeli Nationals of 2010, during one of my practices, I finished a drill and tried to re-holster my gun. To my surprise the holster ‘clicked’ as if the trigger housing was locked inside, but after I raised my hand I felt it slipping away and before I knew it, the gun was already covered in sand on the ground.
This was not the first time I dropped one of my precious guns, oh no. On the Israeli CZ Open of 2009, in one of the last stages, I started by taking a sudden turn to my left in a sharp move, which resulted in my gun flying out of the Guga holster. This shouldn’t have happened in the first place, and the reason? the tensioning screw settings were too “light”. In other cases I saw, when not properly configuring the holster to the gun or belt, it either came off or fell right out of the holster like a bloody paper weight.
So what Did I do eventually? I had the Nationals coming up in a week! Like every other practical shooter, I decided to get to the bottom of this. I have only cleaned the holster once before, now a forgotten memory, and have remembered the instructions that came with it, stating not to open the holster for cleaning unless one could consult with the manufacturer.
Back in the days when the holster came out, I was closely involved in a business escapade with Guga himself, mostly with his International Operations Manager. Since then, Guga stopped competing and sold his brand and products to the Swedish EcoComex company. Then they decided to stop manufacturing the holsters…and thus, there was no one to talk to. So I took holster apart, which was a daunting task. Simply too many springs and screws. I re-assembled it back, but alas, it didn’t feel the same anymore and now had a strange grit feeling to it.
I was considering getting a new WSM II from CR-Speed, when in the Nationals I was assigned to the super squad with a fellow shooter who brought the new DAA Racemaster prototype along. This was quite a pleasure to many of us, gadget lovers, who could only see the holster on the internet, browsing to Double Alpha Academy’s website and even Facebook to see pictures. We immediately started asking questions, but couldn’t get many answers since this was only a prototype. Yet, we were quite impressed with the craftsmanship and quality of the holster.
When the match was over after 3 days, I have decided to get the new DAA Racemaster and waited patiently until it was released. On the initial list of models which came out, my gun wasn’t included. I use SPS guns, similar to STI and SV 2011’s. So I contacted Saul who immediately sent me a link to a movie that showed how to alter the holster’s insert block to fit my SPS.
Armed with the new Racemaster I came to the range for my regular training sessions. I’ve already fitted the holster back home and tried it on for a couple of times. The first issue that came up when I wore my belt, was the feeling of the holster. It was much more rigid and robust than the Guga and felt great. It was sitting firmly on the belt and carried the weight of the gun much better due to its larger size and belt hanger . The Guga on the other hand, always seemed to struggle with Open and other heavy guns.
The Trigger guard was sitting tightly in place and not shaking around like other holsters. Other manufacturers use plastic shims to fit the holster from one gun model to another. Not the DAA Racemaster. Each Insert block fits a different model, and the advantage? it is interchangeable! what an ingenious idea. No more purchasing extra holsters for different models, or completely taking your holster apart and changing shims for each gun. Simply change the insert block and you’re set to go.
Another issue worth mentioning, is that the Racemaster was much less complex to set than the Guga’s. The Ribas holster has a belt hanger screw, a ball joint screw, a tensioning knob, trigger insert step screw, shim screws on both sides, frame height screw, and 3 positions safety lever. The DAA holster has much less, meaning, less fiddling with the holster and more time to practice.
Moving to dry fire for about 15 minutes, it took me quite awhile to realize I wasn’t thinking of the draw anymore. I was always a bit worried prior to drawing my gun with the Guga. A good example would be when trying to draw and finding out the holster was locked. But how could this be? I clearly make sure the holster is set to unlock(mode 1 in Guga holster)before I state I’m ready to shoot. Many Guga holster shooters have come across this phenomenon, when going for the grip, the middle finger would touch the safety lever, pushing it down to mode 2(locked but ready to unlock in a snap), thus causing the holster to lock the gun. This would cost a shooter precious time.
After shooting several drills, I’ve decided to try some moving and drawing to see how the holster reacts. So I set the safety lever on and waited for the beep. Running and drawing at the same time was such a pleasure, I didn’t even notice the safety lever was on. The natural gripping motion, deactivated the lever and the gun was free in my hand.
So How does the Racemaster compares to other models in the market? To my personal opinion, it is almost superior in every way. It is robust and stable, simple to use, has interchangeable insert blocks, easy to disassemble and maintain, and not expensive.
The price of the DAA Racemaster is around 200$ in the US. Comparing it to the Guga, which started around 160$ and reached to almost 300$, and the 189$ polymer based Cr-Speed, it’s more than worth it.
The informative website for the Racemaster, is a fountain of knowledge. Movies on how to disassemble the holster, shows clearly how easily you can take holster apart, change insert blocks and put it back on in a matter of minutes, keeping previous configuration. Add great customer service and well known company to stand behind its products, and you have something to think about.
*SPS guns now appear in the list of available models.
DR Performance - Race Master Review
by Dave Re.
About a month ago, I published an initial review of the DoubleAlpha Academy’s new Race Master holster. I promised an updated review once I’d spent some more time with the holster, so… here we go!
Since my last word on the subject, I’ve spent several days on the range with the Race Master, quite a number of dry fire sessions, taught a couple of lessons, shot a couple of local matches, and shot the High Desert Classic in Albuquerque, NM. I’m pretty comfortable offering a solid opinion on the performance of the holster, at this point.
In terms of performance, I noticed quite quickly that on closer, “warp speed” type of targets, I picked up a tenth of a second my draw vs. the CR Speed I’d been using. Unlike longer/harder shots, where a number of other factors can come into play, on up close stuff the draw speed comes down to the ability to get on the gun quickly, get it out of the holster smoothly and accurately, and pushed straight into the target without hesitation. The holster itself can play a part in the absolute speed of this sort of draw. Given the consistent change in my draw speed on these types of targets, the Race Master is definitely faster for me than the CR Speed. As the shots got harder, the difference between the two shrank, as would be expected.
As I grew used to the holster being on my hip, my confidence in it’s ability to retain the gun grew. You’ll note in my original review that I found this holster to have very impressive retention capabilities. It’s one thing to know that logically, but living with the holster for a while really made it sink in. We had a start at the HDC that required you to draw the gun while remaining seated. With most race holsters, this is sort of a nervous situation, as the gun is sort of precarious hanging out in the holster, or you’re taking a slower draw to start with your holster locked. With the Race Master, it’s unlocked and solid, with no concerns around bumping the gun out of the holster on the draw. My confidence is very high in this holster, at this point. I would state without reservation that this holster has the best retention of any holster I’ve used.
The holster remained comfortable, even through a long day of wearing the rig. I’ve seen some concerns about this voiced on the Benoverse, and can definitely say that I do not find the holster uncomfortable on my body, despite the lack of some kind of pad or spacer to keep the holster off of my leg.
In a month’s time, I have not had any issues with the adjustment screws backing out or changing tension. So far, so good, in that regard. Still, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to check on them every so often, just to be sure they’re staying snug. If you lose one, DAA offers a spare screw kit for the holster. It would probably be prudent to pick one of these up just for purposes of avoiding an encounter with Mr. Murphy, but not something I’d consider necessary, at this point.
One thing that I will take advantage of, though, is the slim safety lever. I do still notice that I brush the safety lever with the middle finger on my strong hand occasionally on the draw. It doesn’t get in the way of the draw, but I notice it (because the teeth of the lever bite into my finger pretty sharply), and the last thing I want mid-stage is to be thinking about how my finger hurts! DAA received some early feedback about some folks having this issue, and devised the slim safety lever in response. It’s the same part as the stock lever, just with the serrations removed – excellent little personalization to the holster.
I’ve also read that some folks have had issues with the tension adjustment screw falling out, usually when they have tension set extremely light. I haven’t experienced that with my holster, personally. I’ve also seen reports of the head of the adjustment screw interfering with folks’ draw. I don’t encounter that, either. DAA reports that they’ve got something in the works to help folks that run the holster with super light tension, though. Here’s a company that listens to feedback and makes changes to improve their products.
In the end, perhaps telling you that my CR Speed holster will be up for sale soon would give you a clear picture of where I’m at with the DAA Race Master. The Race Master beats the pants of any other holster I’ve used, and I feel it’s the best race holster on the market today.
The Double Alpha Academy Race Master Holster, by David Thompson
Over the 20 years I have been shooting IPSC, I have used a variety of holsters from different manufacturers in competitive events. I have used Hellweg, Rescomp and borrowed a Guga Ribas to try in a few matches. For the past number of years I have been using the Ghost competition holster in Production and Standard Divisions. This year a new holster hit the IPSC competition circuit – the Race Master, made by Double Alpha Academy ( DAA ). The Race Master Competition Holster was designed by Saul Kirsch with valuable input from Angus Hobdell, so a lot of top level competitive experience contributed to its design. Saul spent nearly two years in developing the Race Master with the following goals in mind:
• To develop an advanced release system
• To develop a wide range of position adjustments that do not work loose
• To develop both a fully locked safety feature and tension adjustment capabilities
• To allow the user to change gun types without having to buy a new holster
I decided to give one a test and see how it compared with what I had previously used. This review is based on using the holster over five months, when I have used it for personal practice, running training courses, taking part in local matches and International events, which have included the SVI in Philippsburg, Czech Extreme and Hungarian MFS Level 3 competitions.
Pistol Retention
The Race Master ( RM ) does not use a platform to locate the muzzle ( similar in form to the Ghost, Guga Ribas and Limcat ). It includes a positive holster lock and a tension adjustment knob, a feature not found on other holsters. The large stainless steel tension adjustment knob rotates several turns, increasing or decreasing the resistance of the draw. This gives you a wide range of possibilities, from totally resistant free to stages that have a more dynamic starting position when you will want a bit more resistance to the draw. The RM has an adjustment and positioning system based on a ball joint and also has adjustments for angle and distance from the body. The belt hanger will be a stable fit on the popular 1.5 inch wide belts used on the IPSC circuit.
When the pistol is holstered you can engage the locking mechanism, by flicking it down with your finger or thumb. This is also a useful feature to have after you unload and show clear. You can go a look at the other stages, or have a coffee, knowing that your pistol will not unintentionally drop out of your holster. You can disengage it with your second finger as your hand wraps around the grip. The safety lever has serrations to catch your finger as you close your hand around the grip. I did not find these serrations to be an issue, but a safety lever without serrations is also available as an aftermarket part from DAA. You could also grind the serrations off yourself if you wanted to. To date I have not felt the need to engage the safety lever before making a draw.
Several makes of holster offer the ability to use the same holster with different types of firearms, which involves changing some of the parts. The RM uses an interchangeable insert block to secure different makes of pistol. You can buy one holster and then purchase an insert block for each additional make of pistol you want to use with it.
With this design you do not need to remove the holster from one belt and add it to another, or own a complete second rig. If you use the DAA magazine pouches that can be adjusted to be used with different types of magazine, you can do it all with the one rig. This is a very useful feature. The holster is CNC machined from aircraft-grade aluminum and are hard anodized to offer a long lasting surface finish in black, blue, red, or titanium grey. The pistol specific inserts are machined form Delrin. The tension adjustment knob is made from stainless steel.
These machining processes are expensive, but they result in a more precise and better quality product. Double Alpha Academy has its own in-house four axis HAAS CNC machine, although this is used primarily for development and small runs of special gun type inserts. DAA out sources the production of most of the RM parts to a top quality, ISO 9002 certified machine shop.
An IPSC competitor always wants to know that their holster will securely retain the pistol when engaged in the various physical activities that will occur during a match. Obviously you want to achieve adequate retention without hindering the draw. It is in this area were you notice the difference between the different styles of holster that are used on the IPSC circuit.
I first checked how securely the RM retains the pistol. With the retention screw set at its lowest setting and a magazine of dummy rounds loaded into the pistol I went through all of the starting positions that are normally encountered in a match. I then tried the starting positions encountered when I started competing in IPSC. These involved more dynamic movements of running, turning, climbing onto and jumping off objects. During these retention tests I could not get the RM to unintentionally release the pistol. This holster has the best retention of any competition holster that I have used or tried out.
The second think I checked was how the RM’s draw feels when you have its position and tension configured in the way that it is actually going to be used in a match. As the feel of the draw is determined by the design, all of the holsters that I have used in the past each have a different feel to them. Usually the more resistance in the retention mechanism, the more drag you can feel as you have to pull the pistol out of the holster.
During the retention tests I could not get the RM to inadvertently dump the pistol, but when I performed the draw the RM simply ‘lets go’ of the pistol It feels almost as if the pistol is just sitting on ‘fresh air’ instead of being retained by the holster’s lock system. You will find that drawing the RM to be a very smooth unhindered draw. During these initial trials the RM has shown itself to have all the features that you would want in a competition holster.
New Retention System
Other brands of holster use a combination of a muzzle support and trigger guard support to hold the gun steady, or just locate the pistol around the trigger guard holsters which allows the gun to move around a bit when holstered. The RM holds the pistol steady, with a seamless fit. When you want to the pistol will draw upwards smoothly with almost no resistance. This smooth draw is achieved by the use of a new locking system that offers a smooth clean release of the pistol when you draw and a solid grip on the pistol when it is holstered.
This locking is achieved by means of a sliding block, formed precisely around the front end of the trigger guard. This fitting is the reason for the pistol’s stability in the holster. As the pistol is drawn, the block, which resides in an angled track, slides out to the side, releasing the trigger guard and allowing the gun to be drawn with only 6 to 8 mm ( 0.25 to 0.30 inches ) of upward movement required to clear the holster.
The holster and its component parts are very accurately manufactured and I had no issues in disassembling and reassembling the RM when swapping over the inserts between different makes of pistol. Now after five months of use I have not got any nicks or cuts on my hands, so there are no sharp edges to worry about.
Belt Attachment
The belt hanger on this holster is quite interesting. The 1.5 belt fits into a slot on the hanger and two spring steel flat clasps are screw tightened on the inside of the hanger to hold the belt in place. Once the two retaining straps are tightened down, the holster will not budge on your belt. On the DAA belt I was using the hanger is a very neat fit. This means there is no movement of the holster during the draw. As the inside of hanger only consists of two spring steel clasps this also allows the outer belt to make contact with the inner belt, which allows the Velcro to grip in this crucial area. This means that you will not have to attach a strip of Velcro on the inside of the hanger to offer additional adhesion to the inner belt. This design allows you to assemble your holster on your belt at the designated position without struggling to slide a tight fitting belt hanger the length of your belt. The lack of any bulk on the inner side makes this hanger more comfortable to wear for extended periods. Could we also see this option being made available for magazine pouches?
The pistol retention part of the holster is secured to the belt hanger part of the holster by means of a ball and socket design, which means that the holster can be adjusted in a number of different angles and directions. The RM uses two Allen head screws to secure the ball in place. Take your time when adjusting and tightening these screws to ensure that the holster is correctly adjusted to suit yourself. Do this correctly and you should only need to do it once, when you make the initial purchase.
The adjustment in the RM allows it to be positioned to suit your own body. This is very important so that when you make the draw the pistol will lift cleanly from the RM. If your draw is not clean, but slightly off angle a pistol can bind and drag or stick. This was a serious issue with earlier competition holsters. I spent some time making sure that the RM was properly set up to suit me and all my draws result in a clean lift. Once you are satisfied with the holster’s position tighten all the screws down and you are good to go.
Smith and Wesson 625 Revolver Insert
DAA have just introduced a RM insert for the S&W 625 revolver. The 625 is the most popular revolver used in IPSC events, so it follows that DAA should also offer the advantages of the RM to practical revolver competitors as well. The 625 insert fits the holster body exactly the same way as the pistol inserts. It also operates in the same way. I spent a day using the RM with the 625 insert. The insert sits slightly further out than pistol inserts, due to the shape of the 625 revolver, but I did not notice any difference when I used it. The tension adjustment screw let me set the level of retention to suit the dynamics of the draws I was making. When off the line I engaged the holster lock lever to increase the level of security. The RM worked as smoothly with the 625 as it has done over the five months I have been using it with various pistols. As well as the 625 DAA are designing an insert for the S&W L Frame revolver and it should be available soon.
Pistol Compatibility
The Race Master holster and the pistol specific insert block is currently available for the following pistol makes: CZ SP01, Glock, STI 2011 plastic and aluminum grip, SVI Infinity Hi Cap with plastic, aluminum or steel grip, Tanfoglio (square trigger guard), 1911 Para-Ordnance, BUL M5 (round trigger guard) SIG Sauer X-Five, Caspian and Sphinx 3000. The trigger blocks for the Heckler & Koch USP, the Smith Wesson M&P and S&W 625 pistol and the Smith and Wesson 686 revolver are currently in preparation. DAA has just introduced the left hand version of the RM, which is available in the black finish. It uses the same insert blocks as the right hand version, so all the current pistol types are immediately available.
I have been using the Race Master holster since May for my own practice sessions, when running training courses and when participating in International competition with complete satisfaction. I will also be using it at the IPSC European Handgun Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. The Double Alpha Academy Race Master has advanced IPSC holster design to a new level.
For Further Information
www.doublealpha.biz
www.practicalhandgun.com
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