Gary Quesenberry Slide Guard Review


	Gary Quesenberry April 2012 DHS Firearms Instructor and History's Top Shot Season 3 finalist. "High Noon Slide Guard Review"

"There's not a gun in the world that Gary Quesenberry can't shoot accurately. He finished third of 16 in the third season of the History Channel's reality competition Top Shot. Gary works as a supervisor in the office of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security." He has formerly served in the United States Army during Desert Storm and was a member of the Special Operations Response Team for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He completed the Triple Nickel Course of Fire and owns a triple nickel.

Triple nickel is a course of fire that was developed within the Dept of Homeland Security among some instructors to engage others to be sure that they could practice what they preached proficiently.The course of fire has 5 FBI QIT 18" wide targets side by side and directly in front of you. You're five yards away and have five seconds to complete the course of fire. The shooter must be using a production quality duty weapon where he will draw from concealment, and put two rounds into each target all the while conducting a reload somewhere after the first target. This means 10 shots total, into five targets WITH a reload in under 5 seconds. As of today there are approximately 89 shooters from different backgrounds who hold the coin. Oh, all of the above and the course of fire must be completed 3x in front of 2 other coin holders. So luck is eliminated and repetitive practice is a must.

INTRODUCTION:

I've carried concealed every day since March of 2002. I can sympathize with anyone who's carried concealed for any period of time and struggled with finding the perfect holster. I have boxes full of holsters that made a good first impression, but failed to provide the comfort, concealment and accessibility that I was looking for. At long last and after much trial and error, I have finally found what I've been searching for in High Noon Holsters.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

I received the "Slide Guard" in Black from High Noon Holsters about a week ago and I've carried it every day since. When I opened the box, I was initially struck by the beauty of the product. There's nothing fancy here, just quality materials and craftsmanship put together into one of the finest belt holsters I've ever owned. If you've ever surfed around on High Noon's web site, you've probably noticed that they make a good looking holster, but trust me when I tell you that the pictures don't do them justice. Order one and you'll instantly see what I mean.

CONSTRUCTION:

The "Slide Guard" is a two piece construction holster made from quality cow hide. The leather is stiff and well formed with stitching that has to be seen up close to be appreciated. Nothing is spared in this holster when it comes to quality, and I'm confident that the holster will outlast my gun by many years in this case. I've always looked for a positive means of retention in my holsters and the "Slide Guard" provides that through a retention screw. The retention screw tightens to adjust a rubber gasket which places pressure on the weapons trigger guard. The leather is so well formed that my Sig P239 seems to snap right into place, so the retention screw just adds an extra level of confidence and security without impeding my draw stroke.

COMFORT and CONCEALMENT:

Let's face it, if a holster isn't comfortable, you're not going to be as likely to throw it on when you're leaving the house. In my opinion, comfort is one of the most important qualities you should look for in a concealment rig. I wear the "Slide Guard" on my right side at about the 4:00 position. It's important to note that with any concealment rig, the belt is always the foundation. I wear a thick, 1 1/2 inch reinforced concealment belt, and the "Slide Guard" fits perfectly. The Holster itself is rounded to fit the contours of the hip and sits nice at flat against the body. I usually wear a sport coat over my weapon, and with the "Slide Guard" printing is not an issue.

ACCESSIBILITY:

Access to the "Slide Guard", as with any outside the waist band hip holster is fairly simple. The angle of the holster allows for a smooth draw stroke with almost no hang up. What little I experienced is only because the holster is new and should work itself out as the leather gets broken in.

CONCLUSION:

The "Slide Guard" by High Noon Holsters, isn't breaking new ground with the design or function. This holster sets itself apart through its quality and craftsmanship. I think that comfort, concealment and accessibility are the most important elements to be considered when shopping around for a concealment rig and the "Slide Guard" fills the bill in every category. I highly recommend this holster to anyone looking for a quality, affordable American made product that will last a lifetime.