# Galco Matrix Holster



## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Went and bought this today - $19.95 at my local shop. Bought it for my HK USP compact - fits outside of the waist, on the belt. Cool little holster, especially for the price.










It actually holds the gun closer to me than my leather belt holster does. What is cool about it is that it *not only fits my compact USP, it also works with my Walther P99 compact and my fullsize SW99*. My Glock 34 and fullsize USP also fit, but they do not come out as easily, so I doubt I would use it for them. But, I like that a good $20 holster works for 3 of my guns 

The link is here if U are interested:

http://www.usgalco.com/HolsterG3.asp?ProductID=2859&GunID=63

Only neg thing I can say - I usually like some material nylon/leather) between me and the gun - all of my olther holsters have this. That way, if I sweat, the gun is protected. I would either have to wear this in the winter, or have a shirt tucked in and another on top to cover it. So, I doubt I'll use it much right now. But this fall, I will use it a lot  Once I hard chrome my USPc slide, then all 3 guns that I might cary will be hard chromed, and no more holster wear


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## Hal8000 (May 8, 2006)

That really looks nice. I like it! It's very similar to my Alesi which I like too, only yours looks a lot thinner, which is good... It says it's made from thermoplastic, I wonder how hard that is to Kydex. I like Kydex better than Fobus because it's harder and rubs the finish off your pistol less... Can you tell if the thermoplastic on your new holster is more like Fobus or the Kydex holsters you've experienced Shipwreck?
Regardless, the price is sure right, I might have to get one. I'll bet it's faster than leather... 
Good find, and thanks for sharing!

As seldom as you work up a sweat, you don't have anything to worry about Shipwreck! :-D


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

It's like inferno land here in TX. You sweat just thinking about going outside :-D 

I have never really messed w/ a Fobus or Kydex holster before. This is my first foray into something besides leather. So, yes, I can't really compare them to this. It is thin, though, and from the outside, it looks kinda like leather.


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## Hal8000 (May 8, 2006)

Shipwreck said:


> It's like inferno land here in TX. You sweat just thinking about going outside :-D


And that HUMIDITY! I can't stand it! :smt118 I use to live in the NE corner of Oklahoma and I don't think I was ever dry... Now, I live in about 10% humidity. You sweat, but it drys so quickly that it actually preforms the task that God made sweat for in the first place... :smt080

That holster looks attractive. Particularly for the price. That is about the best price I've seen on a holster of that (ahem) caliber for a long time... I'm shopping for one tomorrow!


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Yes, it is a good price. This shop has a whole wall full of Galco holsters. But, I was rather surprised that they had it in stock. Then again, the shop just started carrying HK products, so I guess they stocked up on a few of the various holsters too.

They also make a Matrix paddle, and I asked about it on Glocktalk. Everyone said that the paddle stuck out too far from the body, but they all recommended this version of the holster. For the price, it was worth taking a chance  - It's very nice


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

I use one of these with my Glock 26 occasionally (actually, I wore it yesterday). Works great! I don't really have comfort issues with it in hot weather, even here in Phoenix where it was 104 yesterday.

The thermoplastic is a little thicker than kydex, but a lot more resistant to temperature extremes. It's VERY strong.

The whole finish thing is sort of a pet peeve of mine. I personally don't give a damn about the finish on my guns. If the finish gets worn off, I can always get it refinished (though I doubt I'd bother). It's not like carry guns are collector grade SAAs or Pythons where the original bluing has to be preserved at all costs; carry guns are tools. If your gun has collector value, leave it in the safe and carry something else.

If you use your gun a lot in training and competition and practice, like you should, the finish is going to get worn. It's just a fact of life when guns are carried and used as intended. It might even get a spot of rust if you live where it's hot and humid and you sweat a lot and you don't wipe the gun down every day. Big deal. Your carry gun is here to take care of you, not vice versa.

A well-worn gun is the sign of a serious shooter -- the guy who trains and practices and carries his gun all the time.

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## kansas_plainsman (May 9, 2006)

I've had two of that type - one for a Ruger I later sold and one for my Springfield 1911 - you are right, the matrix holds your pistol in tight and solidly, and you can get this particular holster off in seconds without undoing your belt. But...

...wear it with blue jeans and you might find that the rivets round the pockets scratch the slide on your pistol. Thats what stoped me from using it as regularly as I might otherwise. Dress slacks are OK but never with jeans.

A lesser concern: the forward portion of the slide will be rubbing against your pants fabric, removing any protectant you might have applied and/or simply does a fine sanding job over time.

Clint


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## jwkimber45 (May 6, 2006)

Mike Barham at Galco said:


> The whole finish thing is sort of a pet peeve of mine. I personally don't give a damn about the finish on my guns. If the finish gets worn off, I can always get it refinished (though I doubt I'd bother). It's not like carry guns are collector grade SAAs or Pythons where the original bluing has to be preserved at all costs; carry guns are tools. If your gun has collector value, leave it in the safe and carry something else.
> 
> If you use your gun a lot in training and competition and practice, like you should, the finish is going to get worn. It's just a fact of life when guns are carried and used as intended. It might even get a spot of rust if you live where it's hot and humid and you sweat a lot and you don't wipe the gun down every day. Big deal. Your carry gun is here to take care of you, not vice versa.
> 
> A well-worn gun is the sign of a serious shooter -- the guy who trains and practices and carries his gun all the time.


Heck Yes!!!! I agree 100% There is a HUGE difference between used (a lot) and abused.


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## Hal8000 (May 8, 2006)

kansas_plainsman said:


> But..wear it with blue jeans and you might find that the rivets round the pockets scratch the slide on your pistol. Thats what stoped me from using it as regularly as I might otherwise. Dress slacks are OK but never with jeans.
> A lesser concern: the forward portion of the slide will be rubbing against your pants fabric, removing any protectant you might have applied and/or simply does a fine sanding job over time. Clint


 Thank you kansas_plainsman! :wink:


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## Vom Kriege (May 5, 2006)

I have one for my Glocks. I just use it for range work and when working around the house. I prefer IWB for CCW.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Sorry, I am anal retentive about my guns - that is why I usually only carry 1 gun all the time - the rest are for home defense and range use. I do not scratching up my stuff.

But, be that as it may, with a hard chrome finish, the slides usually do not show any wear. So, let me do things my way :?  :wink:


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## Hal8000 (May 8, 2006)

[quote="The whole finish thing is sort of a pet peeve of mine. I personally don't give a damn about the finish on my guns. If the finish gets worn off, I can always get it refinished (though I doubt I'd bother). It's not like carry guns are collector grade SAAs or Pythons where the original bluing has to be preserved at all costs; carry guns are tools. If your gun has collector value, leave it in the safe and carry something else.

If you use your gun a lot in training and competition and practice, like you should, the finish is going to get worn. It's just a fact of life when guns are carried and used as intended. It might even get a spot of rust if you live where it's hot and humid and you sweat a lot and you don't wipe the gun down every day. Big deal. Your carry gun is here to take care of you, not vice versa.

A well-worn gun is the sign of a serious shooter -- the guy who trains and practices and carries his gun all the time.[/quote]

This is an interesting statement coming from a guy who works for a holster manufacturer. :smt017

While I agree with you in spirit, I don't take it to either extreme. Yes guns get use and they show it. If there is something I can do to extend the period of time that they look good, then I will do that. If a choice of holster material will improve the longevity of their finish, then I will choose that, unless there is nothing on the market that can compete with it in it's functional attributes. 
Watching out for the finish on a gun is no different than washing and waxing the finish on your vehicle. It also shows pride! :smt045

With out a doubt, you had better take care of your carry gun, if you expect it to take care of you! It's not the one with out the other... 

While a well worn finish on a pistol may have some sex appeal, I don't look at it as something macho, or necessarily a sign of a serious shooter. Who's to say that the person carrying it was the one to put the wear on it in the first place? :smt102 
I also don't look at mud on a 4x4 as proof of a serious off roader, so there could be a flaw in my logic! :smt069


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

Hal8000 said:


> [quote="The whole finish thing is sort of a pet peeve of mine. I personally don't give a damn about the finish on my guns. If the finish gets worn off, I can always get it refinished (though I doubt I'd bother). It's not like carry guns are collector grade SAAs or Pythons where the original bluing has to be preserved at all costs; carry guns are tools. If your gun has collector value, leave it in the safe and carry something else.
> 
> If you use your gun a lot in training and competition and practice, like you should, the finish is going to get worn. It's just a fact of life when guns are carried and used as intended. It might even get a spot of rust if you live where it's hot and humid and you sweat a lot and you don't wipe the gun down every day. Big deal. Your carry gun is here to take care of you, not vice versa.
> 
> A well-worn gun is the sign of a serious shooter -- the guy who trains and practices and carries his gun all the time.





> This is an interesting statement coming from a guy who works for a holster manufacturer. :smt017
> 
> While I agree with you in spirit, I don't take it to either extreme. Yes guns get use and they show it. If there is something I can do to extend the period of time that they look good, then I will do that. If a choice of holster material will improve the longevity of their finish, then I will choose that, unless there is nothing on the market that can compete with it in it's functional attributes.
> Watching out for the finish on a gun is no different than washing and waxing the finish on your vehicle. It also shows pride! :smt045
> ...


Well, I'm only speaking for myself, not Galco. But we talk daily to people who think there is some magical holster material that will keep a gun totally pristine. But of course the only way to keep a gun pristine and perfect is to never carry it. All holster materials will cause friction when you draw and reholster, just a fact of life.

Besides...why are you carrying a gun? Because you might have to shoot someone. If you shoot someone, it is very likely that your nice gun will get all bloody. Then your bloody gun will go into a police evidence bag and into a locker for six months or a year, until you are adjudicated. Ever see what a drop of blood will do to nice finish after six months?

The primary purpose of the holster isn't to protect the gun (though it does do that to a degree). The main purpose is to keep the gun available for quick and efficient use if you, God forbid, need to defend yourself. Everything else is really secondary to that goal.

At work they call me a "minimalist." I guess there's a lot of truth in that, because I view my carry guns strictly as tools and just don't care what they look like, just like I don't care what my chainsaw or weedwhacker look like. Same with my hunting rifles and M4. I do have a "barbeque gun" -- a blued Colt Commander with faux ivory grips! :-D But I seldom carry it, and don't really take it seriously. Don't get me wrong, my guns are cleaned and maintained. They are just worn.

Between my job, the training I've taken, and the types of shooting I've done in my life, I've met lots of shooters. While it isn't universal, the guys with holster-worn pistols tend to be more serious and better defensive-type shooters than the guys with the immaculate pistols. There's nothing wrong with trying to keep your pistol nice, of course, it's just that becoming a really skilled defensive-type shooter requires you to do things that will wear your gun's finish. The two goals are at odds. It's not machismo, it's just what I've observed over the years.

The quote in my signature pretty well sums up my philosophy on it. Again, this is just my opinion, not Galco's.

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## Method (May 6, 2006)

Both of you guys make good points, I think. While it would be nice to keep my brand new USP-C the way it was when I first got it, I know reality is that it won't no matter how good I maintain it. I plan on making it my carry gun, so I expect scratches and wear. I went out originally looking to spend $250-$300 on a pistol and I ended up spending $700. HK makes some quality pistols though. Nothing but great reliability and accuracy from it. I love it. :-D


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