The Safariland 6376 with Automatic Locking System (ALS) is one of the most solid, secure holsters you can get for concealing a firearm. It has a solid construction because it is aimed at the law enforcement market. The old saying from my world goes something like this: “You know you are making a great product if cops can’t break it.” The Safariland 6376 is a cop-proof holster.
The Safariland 6376 is beefed up to provide years of rugged service in the law enforcement arena. It ought to last literally forever in the hands of permit holders since they tend to take better care of their gear than cops do. Plus, this holster is an incredible price.
I purchased a 6376 for my Glock 27, which may become my primary LE duty gun somewhere down the road. I needed a solid holster for long-term, all-day carry, whether openly in uniform or concealed under a garment. When it arrived, I had a revelation about holster categories for concealed firearms.
There are actually three categories of holsters suitable for concealed carry. They are deep concealment, concealment and concealable.
Deep-concealment holsters are designed to hide the handgun from any possible detection even with light clothing. Examples include ankle holsters, bra holsters, underwear or below-the-waistband holsters, specialty smartphone holsters (such as the iTuck by Tuff) and soft IWB holsters.
Second, concealment holsters are designed to conceal handguns easily in more conventional locations. A prime example of a concealment holster is a leather OWB belt holster that pulls the handgun as close to the body as possible, thereby reducing printing. They tend to carry the gun well above the belt line and have a relatively thin construction that reduces bulk. They are also extremely comfortable. Also included in the concealment holster category are shoulder rigs and modern, tuckable IWB holsters.
The third and final category is concealable holsters. Concealable holsters are holsters that may have been originally designed for open carry but are capable of being concealed under the right circumstances and with the right clothing. The Safariland 6376 falls into this category.
The Safariland 6376 is based on Safariland’s line of police duty holsters. In fact, its “hi-ride injection molded belt loop” plate can be changed out for Safariland’s duty belt plate (used for mounting the holster on a law enforcement gun belt) by swapping three screws.
The 6376 is constructed of an ultra-tough SafariLaminate material, which has been used in Safariland’s duty line for many years now. SafariLaminate will never lose its shape and will take any type of conventional punishment that you can dish out. The inside of the 6376 is lined with SafariSuede to protect the gun’s finish and front sight, and the entire holster is molded to fit the gun and aid in retention.
The 6376 features Safariland’s Automatic Locking System used in its duty holster lineup. The ALS locks the handgun in place when the gun is holstered. There are no snaps or parts to rotate to secure the handgun. Between the ALS and the molding of the holster, the handgun is locked in place as tight as a bank vault.
The ALS release operates in the smoothest, most intuitive manner I have seen. There is a thumb release button located discreetly on the inside portion of the holster body. It is not visible from the outside when the handgun is locked in place. The release looks like it should be pushed down to draw the handgun, but appearances can be deceiving. When drawing the handgun, the shooting hand’s thumb pulls the retention lever to the rear as the grip is being acquired. This rearward motion causes the pistol to release from the holster as the grip is fully engaged and the draw is completed. This setup makes for a very fast and natural release, yet the security of the 6376 is very good — especially for a concealable holster. It is far superior to the traditional thumb-break release or strap release.
Because of its duty-holster lineage, the Safariland 6376 is a thick holster — thicker than the standard concealment holster. Concealing it requires paying more attention to clothing selection when wearing it concealed, which is why I put in the “concealable” holster category.
The belt loop plate can be adjusted by repositioning the three retention screws to tailor the angle of draw to the shooter’s preference. The holstered handgun rides just above the level of the belt, which means that the cover garment needs to be longer than the average T-shirt to keep it out of sight. The garment needs to be cut so that the extra bulge of the 6376 is not detected. However, the position is ideal for a quick draw. When combined with the ALS release system, the holster allows for exceptionally fast drawing. With no strap over the top, it easily accommodates the Crimson Trace Lasergrip I have mounted on my Glock 27.
I wore the 6376 mounted on the Survival Belt that I tested a couple of weeks before. The Survival Belt’s polymer strap held the 6376 securely in place and kept it from sliding around once the belt’s buckle was secured. It proved to be a very comfortable combination as well.
I wore the 6376 with my Glock 27 to church under a Blackhawk 1700 shirt to verify that, even as a concealable holster, it would go undetected. Our church has several members who are police officers. We provide low-profile security for the congregation in the various services we attend. Even if my Glock 27 in the Safariland 6376 had been noticed, it would not have caused any sort of uproar.
My Glock 27 had a Pearce grip adapter installed, which extended the profile of the pistol a bit. Even so, the 6376 kept the Glock well-concealed under the 1700 shirt despite its thicker profile. I attended the service with no issues, even during greeting time. The 6376 was very comfortable whether I was sitting, standing in the pew, ringing the old manual, rope-powered church bell or driving the car.
The Safariland 6376 would make an excellent holster for a trail-carried, outdoors handgun. You could fall off a cliff, and your handgun would still be intact even if you were not. It is that tough.
The best part? I paid only $37.08 for mine through the Cops Plus website. That’s an unbelievable price considering the 6376 is built just as tough as its police uniform duty holsters.
More info at: Safariland.com
