By Scott Smith | Contributing Editor
I am the first to admit, I have hated these stay at home orders imposed by state governors.
They are a Hodgepodge of rules across the country. How effective they are depends upon what outlet you listen to.
For the most part I choose to ignore them and live my life. A few things have been certain: Easter was ruined; spring athletics were destroyed, weddings cancelled and competitive shooting season has been fairly shot. Most importantly Americans have had their oomph sucked out of them, including your author.
I have done my best to make my feelings known to my governor and have done everything he has “ordered” us not to. I have refused to wear a piece of cloth on my face; I dangle it from my ears to go into grocery stores. I am out daily to walk, get something to eat and most importantly shoot. Spring competitions may have been rescheduled, but I am still going to the range.
Now that we see a light for matches to start, it is time to sit down and talk about Safariland’s Range Backpack. I looked at the Range Backpack (MSRP $195.00) when my custom built Eagle Industries (E.I.) range bag started showing its age after the thousands of miles it has traveled to countless matches and training sessions. With June and an RV trip west to shoot USPSA State Matches in Wyoming and Montana, it is time to break out the new Safariland Range Backpack.
I have used Safariland gear for years. My 3Gun rifle case, my gear bag for Glocks, my belts are all Safariland and they have served me well. When I saw the new Range Backpack, I knew it was the bag to replace my EI pack, she will be held in honor in my gun room.
Over the last few years I have been using a backpack that I had received from Black Hills Ammunition for my stage bag, because I did not need to carry all the stuff that my E.I. bag carried. However, I found I did something that was more organized than the backpack was needed. Enter Safariland’s new Range Backpack. This pack was designed for and by shooters; it is not one that you adapt to make it work.
Available in grey, black, and coyote the Range Backpack has many unique features. The least noticeable is the built in flexible frame that is the back of the pocket that will carry a hydration bladder or 15-inch laptop with ease. The frame keeps the pack from collapsing, and the shoulder straps are as tough as you would find on any serious hiking pack, complete with a chest strap. At the top of the straps is a carry handle.
When it comes to pockets, Safarliand ensured there were plenty of them. At the top of the pack is one that is perfect for shooting glass cases. The three pockets on the right side of the pack are ideal for cameras, cell phones; while the single pocket on the left will hold the single gun case included with the Range Backpack. There is a small zipper pocket inside of this one that would be ideal for keys inside the lockable main pocket six magazine sleeves that will each hold a pair of single stack magazines. There is another zipper pocket on the main flap as well. The main compartment has a semi-rigid floor so you can easily stack small parts boxes on it. On the outside of the pocket is a loop portion of hook/loop to attach ID panels. The last pocket is one of the most important, a semi-rigid ammunition pocket. It will easily carry 300 rounds of boxed 9mm ammunition.
If you shoot enough you are going to get caught in foul weather. To combat adverse conditions there are four rubber feet on the bottom of the pack. You will find another pocket here too, that contains a rain fly. I found it works best to cover the top of the pack, you can force it to fit more but it will not last long.
The last items that make this bag unique is the two straps at the top of the bag. While you can stick a light jacket through them, that is not their purpose. They are there to carry your belt. This is one of the best design features of any rang bag I have seen. When you hang your belt on these straps, you do not have to worry about the hooks of the lining snagging your clothes. This keeps everything together and ready for the next trip to the range.
Now that I had a new range bag, I was going to need a new holster for my Glock 21SF. While Glock’s OEM holster works it is not an ideal all-purpose holster, as it lacks active retention. Instead, I chose BLACKHAWK’s new T-Series L2C. This is a polymer injected holster for a wide array of current production pistols.
Unlike the controversial SERPA, the L2C does not use an index finger release. The L2C uses a “thumb break” that is actually a paddle which activates the release was you acquire a master grip. There was very little if any learning curve simply put the holster on your belt and do some dry fire practice.
At first glance, the paddle release will get your attention. These guards greatly reduce the chances of having your pistol taken. When you grab the holster from the front to snatch it they force your hand around the paddle. When you place your hand over the aggressors, these guards help you to control their hand. This makes the L2C a perfect holster for duty, CCW, range and competition use.
Another great feature of the T-Series L2C is the holster ships with two mounting systems. First is a heavy duty width adjustable belt clip that BLACKHAWK calls the Quick Dual Release. As the name implies there are two latches that must be activated at the same time to release the clip. I attempted to pull the QDR open by attaching it to a belt and pulling. It held up to several attempts.
If you prefer a more traditional mount, simply remove the three screws and tighten on the belt loop attachment. You will notice one side of this unit has a wedge design; this sets the holster square to your hip. Many polymer holsters belt loops pull the butt of the pistol too tight to the hip for a lot of folks to achieve a master grip without leaning their torso away from the pistol. Doing this affects how well you grip the pistol; generally, you do not grip all the way up on the pistol’s beavertail and you wiggle it to get a better grip. Not having a good grip affects accuracy.
With the T-Series L2C, BLACKHAWK hit it out of the park when it comes to making a serious holster. The entire unit is much heavier than any other polymer holster on the market. It is competitively priced and if you do not like it, contact BLACKHAWK and they will arrange to have your like new holster returned for a refund.
Once you have your new BLACKHAWK L2C for your favorite pistol, load them and your other gear into your Safariland Range Backpack; you are ready for duty, range or competition. Remember when you are out to the range; have safe travels, shoot fast, shoot accurately and have fun.
