Recover Tactical is an interesting little company does exciting things. Even since the rise of pistol braces first hit the market, people have been trying to shrink them. Why not brace every pistol, including your regular, everyday handgun? That’s certainly what the industry has tried to do as of late. Some are big bulky things like the Roni or KPOS kits. Some companies have gone a different way and embraced a more minimalist approach. Recover Tactical is one of those companies, and the RT 20/20 might be one of the best bangs for your buck.
The RT 20/20 is a simple setup and minimalist design that adds a brace to your Glock. I’ve had one for a couple of years now and have been a big advocate for the design. It’s so utterly simple, and these days costs about 50 bucks for the basic kit. Over the years, Recover Tactical has expanded and released numerous upgrades to the RT 20/20.
With one in hand, I’ve decided to turn a Gen 3 Glock into a short, small, but capable PDW.
The RT 20/20 Breakdown
The RT 20/20 is a big chunk of polymer and not much else. That’s a rough way to describe it and not very flattering—but accurate. It’s more useful than most chunks of polymer and most pistol brace kits. The RT 20/20 is very small and very minimalist. It’s compatible with all sizes of the medium frame Glocks. Medium frame being the 9mm, 40 S&W, and .357 SIG variants. A different version, the 20/21, fits 10mm and 45 ACP Glocks,
Installing your Glock into the RT 20/20 isn’t instant or tool-free, but it is still simple. A single large Allen screw has to be moved. The body of the brace opens up and fits around your Glock and indexes on the rail slot. Replace the screw, and you are good to go. You can also install one of two optional Glock charging handles to make working the slide easier.
It’s not necessary but handy because the brace rides high and covers a good portion of the slide. This can make manipulating the slide a bit difficult. The RT 20/20 takes up your rail space but provides you with three more. We have two rails on the side and one on the bottom. The side rails can be detached if you so choose.
The brace can fold to the side to make the whole kit shorter and more compact and the gun can be fired with the brace folded if you so choose. The brace locks in both its open and closed positions. A short strap section allows you to slip your forearm into the brace to secure yourself to the gun.
Turning a Glock into a PDW
One of the things I like most about the RT 20/20 is that I can use whatever muzzle devices I see fit. I’m not limited and can use suppressors or compensators, and went the compensator route. This KE Arms comp takes a little muzzle rise out of the equation and makes faster follow-up shots possible.
If your Glock has a red dot, it’s perfectly placed and can be left in place. You can also use whatever triggers, magazine releases, magwell, or whatever else you’ve installed with ease. I kept my simple for now but plan to order a red dot mount from Recover Tactical soon.
I did install a Streamlight TLR RM2 to the side rail. This gives me a thousand-lumen light that’s quite powerful and provides a slim line setup for my PDW. In the gun, I carry a simple 17-round Glock OEM mag but keep a pair of ETS extendos on tap.
Keeping It Concealed
The Glock 17 has an overall length of 8.03 inches. With the Recover Tactical brace installed, the total length is 18 inches with the brace open and 11 inches with the brace closed. It adds just a little weight and width to the gun.
Recover Tactical does have a holster for the setup. It’s an OWB rig that locks around the little gap between your bottom rail and gun. It covers the trigger but not much else. It’s certainly not an option for practical concealed carry. Instead, I went to a sling bag for carrying options.
The Tactical Tailor Concealed Carry Sling bag is my preferred method to tote the package. It fits in with ease, and the bag is designed for a quick and efficient draw without looking like a gun bag.
Where would I ever carry this? I don’t carry it daily by any means. I’ve used it for road trips and vacations to have a bit more firepower on tap when staying in hotels and traveling through the hellscapes people call cities. In a situation where civil unrest was imminent, I’d want something more capable than my P365, but I’m not trying to pack a rifle.
This PDW setup allows me to have a compact weapon I can handle with a single hand or with both. I can quickly get it in and out of vehicles and tote it in a bag without drawing odd looks.
At the Range
It’s smart to keep in mind that the RT 20/20 is a pistol brace, not a stock. It’s designed to strap to your arm, not to be pressed against your shoulder. If you strap the RT 20/20 to your forearm, then you’ll discover that as a brace, it works exceptionally well. It’s like having a third hand on your gun to provide better control over the gun. Its effectiveness is amazing as a brace.
Now, if that brace hits your shoulder, you might find it tough to use your irons. You are positioned high above the irons. It’s almost like trying to use a low mount on a AR 15.
Creative shooters will make the RT 20/20 brace work for them. I certainly did and saw exactly what I wanted from my Glock PDW, landing shots on target with relative ease at 50 yards. I rang a ten-inch gong over and over with quickness. The open-top design ensures you have total reliability, and it cycles without issue. A few hundred rounds into my range day revealed that I got exactly what I wanted from the RT 20/20 and my Glock PDW.
Going Ham With Recover Tactical
I wish my Glock could mount an optic, but without some milling, that’d be tough. With that said, Recover Tactical makes a pretty sweet red dot optic mount that attaches to the brace system itself. That’s just one upgrade to choose from.
Recover Tactical produces a magazine holder that mounts to the gun’s rail system as well as a glass breaker with an optic mount attachment. This glass breaker gives it a cyberpunk aesthetic I like but admittedly adds bulk to the gun.
Registering your Glock as an SBR can attach a stock and a cheek rest for increased comfort. The RT 20/20 delivers a modular brace platform that can be customized for your needs and preferences. It’s pretty sweet for such an affordable setup.
What do you think? Is it worth the squeeze? Or is it silly? I’d like to know your answer, but more importantly, I want to know why.
