I’m a bit behind the curve when it comes to modern tactical holsters. I’m an average joe, so I mostly concern myself with concealed carry holsters. I don’t carry a gun for a living anymore, so my collection was fairly bare. That needed to change, so I began looking at a duty-style holster I could LARP and potentially compete with. I knew thigh rigs are out, and low ride belt rigs are in, so I took that route. After a little shopping, I decided to check out the Blackhawk T-Series L2C Overt holsters.
I have one of the L2C series for the Sig P365, and it’s my adventure holster. It’s very small and can be concealed. I typically use it while hiking, kayaking, and doing any type of adventuring where retention seems necessary. I like that holster and decided to dive into the T Series for my LARP/competition holster.
The T Series holsters have been adopted by the US Marshall’s SOG Teams, the entirety of the French military, and numerous police forces around the world. Hell, my local police force uses this holster for their investigators. I can’t lie and say that affordability didn’t play a role in my selection either. The L2C Overt comes in at less than $100 with the thigh strap. That’s downright affordable in this economy. Plus, it was red dot ready, which was important to my consideration.
Breaking Down the T-Series L2C
This is an OWB rig designed to provide modern police and military forces with a duty-grade holster that offers active retention. The L2C is a level 2 retention holster with one device to defeat in order to release the gun. The retention defeat is a small paddle placed behind the gun and between the gun and the body. Your thumb defeats the retention device naturally as you grip the gun and draw the weapon.
The thumb paddle release is much better in design than the Blackhawk SERPA, which is widely maligned for its trigger finger release. It’s better and more ergonomic to me than the Omnivore’s thumb release design. In fact, it’s downright clever. One of the best things about the SERPA was its modularity and the number of attachment systems that exist to change how you carry the weapon.
For example, as a Marine machine gunner, I was issued an M9 and a SERPA holster. I carried mine on my chest with a MOLLE attachment to keep it out of the dirt when I assumed a prone position behind my M240. Blackhawk wisely kept the attachment system the same, opening up cross-platform use with the T-Series and SERPA holster. I could carry my T-Series L2C in the various SERPA carry platforms.
Luckily I don’t need to because this configuration works exactly how I want it to. It’s a mid-height rig with large belt loops to work with the most modern battle belt rigs. This L2C includes a thigh strap to lock it down, but it is optional if that’s not for you.
Putting the L2C in Action
I strapped my L2C to my Sentry Battle Belt and got the thigh strap adjusted for comfortable use. I have some mighty thunder thighs, but the strap fit nicely once adjusted. It’s a stretchy nylon material that has some give without losing support for the gun. There are several height and cant options on the holster. You can really fit it how you want to wear it. Even the thigh strap offers two positions of height.
The L2C uses an interesting release device. It’s a thumb release, and it’s protected by two small wings. The only way to reach the release is to reach down directly. This is good for preventing grabs and increases retention in dangerous environments. It does force you to use a straight-down grab and a proper grip.
In practice, I would occasionally hit the wings, but at the same time, my thumb only hit the wings if I didn’t establish a good firing grip. It encourages, nay—enforces a proper firing grip with every draw. The good is that you are forced to practice a proper grip every time you draw. The bad is that there is no slack. I would counter the bad by saying that sometimes there shouldn’t be slack.
The T-Series L2C’s retention is defeated instantly with a proper grip. As soon as the grip is established, the gun can be freed from its coil and put into action. There is no need to do anything else. Hit the release, and draw the gun. Hitting the release is a natural motion with a proper grip.
Tossing Lead
An easy draw results in a quick draw. It’s fast and easy to get the gun into action. I tested the retention feature in multiple positions, including the prone and kneeling, as well as awkward positions behind the cover. The gun is always immediately accessible and easy to reach with this holster, and reholstering doesn’t present much of a challenge. The gun drops in with a satisfying click.
I had a friend try to grab the gun and take it from the sides, front, and rear. I didn’t resist, and even without resistance, it was fairly difficult at first. He had no idea how to use the L2C and didn’t exactly know where the retention device was. The grabs from the front and side would be extremely easy to fend off. From behind, it is a little easier to establish the grip necessary to take the gun.
This is why level 3 holsters exist, but even with a level two rig, it seems tough to snatch and grab, especially if someone is resisting the threat.
I’ve done hundreds of dry fire and active draws with the L2C and My P320. It’s been part of my dry fire practice almost every day, and after hundreds, maybe a thousand draws, the L2C still looks, functions, and feels new. It’s a well-made holster without any evident failure points.
On the Daily
The Blackhawk T-Series L2C Overt holster has satisfied all my needs for LARPing. The only regret I have is that I didn’t get the light-bearing model. Blackhawk makes tons of variations of the T Series, including the Level 3 light-bearing models. The T Series offers a little something for everyone. The L2C and I will likely work together for quite some time, and I have a Steel Challenge match and a USPSA shoot in April that I can’t wait to attend with it.
