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I should receive my new Desantis leather holster today for my SIG P250 Compact. The price was impossible to resist at $15.00 from CDNN. I don't like the SIG retention paddle holster, nor do I like the Blackhawk version, because they are built like duty holsters, and are not designed for concealed carry close to the waist. I just wanted one to use for open carry if I choose to do that on occasion. This Desantis leather holster allegedly is used by the Secret Service, and sits very close to the waist, and can be carried canted or straight up and down.

Question: What is the meaning of the different levels of retention, like 1, 2, and 3?

Level 1 means there is no lock on the holster and the only retention is friction from the holster itself holding the gun in.

Level 2 means there is a lock or snap that must be either pressed or undone before the gun can come out of the holster.

Level 3 means there are two locks. Most police departments use level three. For example it may have a hood that has to be folded over then a button depressed to release the gun from the holster

After looking at this holster at CDNN, I compared it to the same model for the P320c. The SKU and UPC numbers matched so they are the same Holster. Seemed like a good deal so I ordered one. Thanks for the heads up on the sale!

Tylerscott20 wrote:After looking at this holster at CDNN, I compared it to the same model for the P320c. The SKU and UPC numbers matched so they are the same Holster. Seemed like a good deal so I ordered one. Thanks for the heads up on the sale!

This holster arrived today. It as way too tight for Picatinny rails, but after some twisting sessions, I can fit my subcompact grip without rails on my compact slide in the holster. This is definitely not a "quick draw" holster, and will require lots more squeezing and twisting before I carry it in public. I do think it would be very hard for a BG to grab my gun in this holster, because it's hard for me to get it out, too.

By the way, this is the version with the locking hole for child-proofing the gun with handcuffs or padlock, located where the tension screw is located on newer holsters.

cmgee67 wrote:Level 1 means there is no lock on the holster and the only retention is friction from the holster itself holding the gun in.

Level 2 means there is a lock or snap that must be either pressed or undone before the gun can come out of the holster.

Level 3 means there are two locks. Most police departments use level three. For example it may have a hood that has to be folded over then a button depressed to release the gun from the holster

Bill Rogers/Safariland is the one who really came up with this, so let's see what they have to say about it:

https://www.safariland.com/on/demandwar ... etails.pdf

A "friction only" holster like you have described would fail the Level I test in a spectacular fashion.

SIGFan43 wrote:It was way too tight for Picatinny rails, but after some twisting sessions, I can fit my subcompact grip without rails on my compact slide in the holster.

Time to break out the clear plastic freezer bag (probably the gallon sized - it's thicker).

Put the unloaded gun in the freezer bag and then put the whole shebang in the holster and leave it in there overnight.

I've even found using a leather conditioner on the holster helps the fibers loosen up a little bit.