By Randall Wilson<\/a><\/p>\n In this Safariland 6360 review, veteran cop Randall Wilson tests the Springfield Armory duty holster. When it comes to duty rigs, a superior retention holster is a must for law enforcement officers. Safariland is well-known for making gear for police officers, but does this one measure up? Springfield Armory provided the holster to the author for this review.<\/em><\/p>\n W<\/span>hile the concept of a retention holster \u2014 one designed to prevent the unauthorized removal of your handgun \u2014 may seem straightforward, the effective execution of this can be much more complicated.<\/p>\n There is one company that has a stellar reputation for creating exceptional holsters that fit into this category \u2014 Safariland. In particular, we are here considering the model 6360RDS, a holster rated to keep your optics-bearing Springfield Armory Echelon securely at your side. I am no stranger to its lineage, having carried Safariland Level III products on my belt for three decades. This holster lives up to its legacy.<\/p>\n My original duty holster as a rookie cop was a basketweave front-draw model made by a reputable leatherworks company. That holster offered only a thumb snap for security. It was definitely far from secure. In my first fight with a felon, a back-up officer nearly lost his firearm in the ground-fighting melee. While I resolved the conflict with a side-handle baton, I was more than a little shaken over the suspect\u2019s attempted gun grab.<\/p>\n Shortly after that, my department pivoted to the Safariland 070 SSIII, an early adopter of Level III security. For those not familiar with \u201cLevel III\u201d, it refers to a system of three separate levels of holster retention rating. The SSIII bolstered my faith in a well-built holster actually saving one\u2019s life.<\/p>\n [Read our article: What Is a Retention Holster<\/a>?]<\/p>\n But that was then and this is now. What does Safariland have to offer today for a modern handgun like the Echelon?<\/p>\n The Safariland 6360RDS we are considering here in this article provides industry-standard modern safety features in a very tough package:<\/p>\n Safariland states their RDS holsters are specifically constructed for firearms equipped with red dot sights, hence the RDS. My Echelon is topped with a Trijicon RMR red dot sight, and I found this full-sized pistol with optical sight snuggles nicely in the holster, with little to no play or movement. The Safariland\u2019s front shroud and high-top design add protection for the RMR sight\u2019s glass from inclement weather, debris or direct impact from above.<\/p>\n While discussing the merits of the Safariland holster with my managing editor, Richard Johnson<\/a>, who is also one of my former law enforcement co-workers, our conversation turned globally to gun retention. We both agreed that while a holster is part of the equation, the operator bears the additional responsibility.<\/p>\n Fellow\u00a0The Armory Life<\/em>\u00a0writer Massad Ayoob<\/a>, who founded the Massad Ayoob Group<\/a> training cadre (MAG), built a course specifically addressing handgun retention. A MAG instructor who happens to live in my city graciously offered to teach our police officers about gun retention and we jumped at this opportunity. I am a recent graduate of this excellent training. While a properly designed holster can keep your firearm safe, knowing leverage-based countermoves is another layer of personal protection needed, whether you are a soldier, police officer or armed citizen.<\/p>\n Live The Armory Life.<\/strong> The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly gun\u00a0giveaways!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n My MAG instructor, whom I\u2019ll call Doc, examined the Safariland 6360 and gave it and its security features his tacit approval. When this style of holster is fortified by the knowledge he gave us in our course of instruction, I feel my officers are given the best chance in a survival situation. Tragically, our department had an officer murdered when he was disarmed and fired upon with his own gun. We reflect on this circumstance soberly.<\/p>\n The Safariland rig is a mid-ride holster used in firearm-specific configurations at both of the cop shops for which I\u2019ve worked. Eschewing tacticool-looking \u201cdrop holsters,\u201d I carried this Safariland-type belt holster on duty, in the K9 Unit and SWAT, to include real operations and multiple SWAT Round-Up International competitions.<\/p>\n At the SWAT competitions in Orlando, we saw more than one other agency\u2019s handgun disholstered during the heat of an event and later retrieved from a watery fate. These guns\u00a0did not<\/em>\u00a0fall from Safariland holsters.<\/p>\n As I write this, our local Sheriff\u2019s Office Flight Unit\u2019s Airbus helicopter is orbiting my area at a serious incident. The officers and deputies on this call, including our department\u2019s personnel, are wearing Safariland security holsters.<\/p>\n When it arrived, my Echelon was a flat top, having the superlative SA U-Dot irons for sights. The Trijicon RMR showed up last week. Springfield Armory\u2019s Variable Interface System<\/a> allowed for a straightforward mounting of the optic atop the slide. Over 30 optical sights can be affixed to the Echelon, and only a few require an adapter. A T-12 star drive bit is needed to complete the transition. The RMR co-witnessed the U-Dots and I did not have to make any adjustments for this to occur.<\/p>\n With the Trijicon installed and the Echelon devoid of ammo and a magazine, I practiced drawing and reinserting the pistol from and into the 6360. I am very familiar with the mechanics of the Safariland Level III carriers. The addition of the red dot sight hindered neither operation. The Echelon cleared the holster smoothly and it went right on target, with the Trijicon RMR red dot quickly acquired by my eye.<\/p>\n At the firearms range, the levels of retention provided by this holster, which is identical to my current Safariland duty model, did not slow my ability to get on Center-of-Mass or T-Zone. There are several steps to the draw and presentation of a weapon that becomes second nature with repetition. So-called \u201cmuscle memory\u201d with this platform can be consistently developed.<\/p>\n I admit to being a big fan of this holster for uniformed carry. It safely brings the Echelon to calls for service and resists the most vigorous attempts to part your firearm from you.<\/p>\n Every single incident to which a police officer, deputy sheriff, military policeman or other lawful authority responds has a weapon involved \u2014 because we bring one to the scene. It\u2019s up to us to be the sole user of that gun. The Safariland 6360RDS gives us an advantage to keep it that way.<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s Note: Be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about our daily articles, as well as just talk guns and gear. Click the \u201cGo To Forum Thread\u201d link below to jump in!<\/em><\/p>\n Go to forum thread<\/a><\/p>\n
A Solid Foundation \u2014 Safariland 070 SSIII<\/h2>\n
![\"Shown](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Safariland-6360RDS-duty-holster-review.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>Moving Forward \u2014 The Safariland 6360RDS<\/h2>\n
![\"Law](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/carrying-Safariland-6360RDS-on-duty-with-Springfield-Echelon-pistol.jpg.webp)
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![\"MultiCam](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/multicam-Safariland-6360RDS-holster-review.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>The Full Spectrum<\/h2>\n
![\"Safariland,](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/testing-Safariland-6360-holster.jpg.webp)
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<\/p>\nCarrying the Safariland Holster on Your Duty Belt<\/h2>\n
![\"drawing](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/drawing-Springfield-Armory-Echelon-9x19mm-pistol-Safariland-6360-holster.jpg.webp)
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\n<\/picture>Conclusion<\/h2>\n
![\"Springfield](\"https:\/\/www.thearmorylife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Springfield-Armory-Echelon-duty-pistol-with-Safariland-retention-holster.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>Join the Discussion<\/span><\/h5>\n
Featured in this article<\/span><\/h5>\n
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<\/p>\nSafariland 6360RDS-ALS\/SLS Mid Ride, Level III Retention Duty Holster for Echelon<\/span><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nEchelon\u2122 Series<\/span><\/h3>\n
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