Over the years I’ve known more than a few guys happy to drop a pocket pistol in their pocket, holster-free, and go about their business. Same goes for spare magazines. Why not simply throw a mag in your pocket and be off? After all, the double-action on many pocket pistols should—should—prevent a negligent discharge and a tiny single-stack magazine should slide far enough into your pocket to stay put, right? Wrong.
The BLACKHAWK! TecGrip Magazine Holster for sub-compacts fit several models’ magazines including the pictured Smith and Wesson M&P 45 Shield magazine.
Holsters are for more than just covering the trigger guards and securing guns to your waistband. Holsters protect the muzzle of the gun from foreign objects, stop the gun from slipping in your pocket, and help obscure the gun’s shape so you don’t inadvertently print or wear holes in your pants over time. Same goes for a magazine pouch—or holster, as BLACKHAWK! calls this one. Magazines are even more prone to slippage than guns, they have edges perfect for snagging on clothing and threads, and when you need it, it’d better be in the exact location you expect it to be in.
Single-stack 9mm magazines seem to fit the sub-compact BLACKHAWK! TecGrip Magazine Holster best (pictured: Kimber Micro 9).
The BLACKHAWK! TecGrip Magazine Holster, which I’ll refer to as a mag pouch from here on out, comes in two sizes: full-size and sub-compact. Since we’re talking about non-permissive environments we’re going to cover the sub-compact design. The TecGrip mag pouch is designed with a sticky outer layer to keep it in place in your pocket and a high-density, closed-cell foam lining to protect the magazine and hold it in your pocket. The pouch is in the shape of a right-angled triangle only with a curve to its open edge; there is a line of stitching segregating the pouch itself from the excess material. This shape is better for pocket carry than the standard mag pouch design because it stays put more reliably and hides the magazine’s outline.
The pouch stays in place in the looser, deeper pockets of my 5.11 Tactical pants and also works with my 5.11 Defender Flex slim-fitting pants although the outline of the pouch can be seen with the latter. If you’re thinking those are women’s pants and how does it translate to men’s, well, the pockets of men’s pants are better across the board. The true test isn’t in men’s pants. The trust test is in women’s’ pants thanks to our shallow, narrow pockets and tighter fit. However, I can also add that this pouch works in the pockets of men’s Wranglers and BLACKHAWK! cargo pants. Make sure you push it to the bottom of your pockets so it’s anchored in place.
Interestingly, single-stack .380 ACP mags are a little loose in the sub-compact TecGrip. I tried magazines from the Ruger LCP II and Kimber Micro Carry Advocate. Both models had noticeable wiggle room and fell out if you shook the pouch upside-down. The Kimber Micro 9mm single-stack magazine fit well and stayed put when the pouch was inverted and shaken. Also, the broader magazine of the Taurus G2c in .40 S&W fit. Perhaps the biggest surprise was how well the Smith and Wesson M&P Shield .45 ACP magazine fit.
The fit will depend on the model but the sub-compact BLACKHAWK! TecGrip Magazine Holster does work with a variety of single-stack magazines. If you’re thinking of using it for something longer like a Ruger SR1911 magazine it’s best to move up to the full-size TecGrip; the added length and weight makes it top heavy in the sub-compact. The pouches are both hand and machine washable.
MSRP $14.95.
Visit BLACKHAWK to learn more about the TecGrip Magazine Holster by clicking HERE.