I Carry: Glock G17 Gen 5 MOS in a Blackhawk Omnivore Holster

Welcome to another episode of "I Carry," Shooting Illustrated's weekly video series covering the guns and gear needed to put together a potential everyday-carry kit. Today, we have a Glock G17 Gen 5 MOS in a Blackhawk holster. We also have a SureFire weaponlight, a Blackhawk magazine carrier and Vickers Tactical magazine floorplates.

Glock G17 Gen 5 MOS ($699)

Glock’s lineup of Gen 5 handguns continues to expand in 2018, and these new guns are loaded with a number of features fans have asked for. In addition to the removal of the finger grooves and the improved trigger found on other Gen 5s, this G17 also incorporates a number of slide-based improvements, like identical cocking serrations at both the front and rear and a milled cut in front of the rear-sight dovetail that allows for the addition of a small reflex optic.

The addition of red-dot sights is a growing phenomenon in the handgun world, since shooters feel that target-acquisition and follow-up shots are quicker and more-intuitive with a red dot than with traditional iron sights. For newer shooters, especially, a red dot can be an easy way to get rounds on target, since a red-dot optic places a sighting option in a single plane. With that, aiming is easy: just put the dot on the target and pull the trigger. No need to deal with all this front-sight, rear-sight nonsense.

Blackhawk Omnivore ($59.95)

Since we’re discussing easy-to-use products, now’s a great time to introduce our holster: the Blackhawk Omnivore. The name really fits, because this holster isn’t picky about what kind of gun goes in it. As long as it can latch onto a SureFire X300U weaponlight, your gun is going to fit. In fact, there are more than 150 compatible guns on the market that work inside the Omnivore, allowing you to get rid of that box of holsters stashed in the garage. All you need is this one.

I had a chance to really run the Omnivore holster at a range event with Blackhawk shooter Todd Jarrett and learned that there’s a lot to like about this rig. With both paddle- and belt-loop attachments available, the Omnivore offers plentiful mounting options, and a Level-2 retention device secures a holstered gun in place. To draw, simply press down with your strong-side thumb while obtaining a grip and pull through in a normal draw stroke to release the gun. Easy and intuitive.

SureFire X300U ($299)

The Omnivore’s ability to hold more than 150 guns is due to the fact that the Level-2 retention device locks onto the light, not the gun itself, so the holster is actually light-specific. In this case, the rig is designed for those with a SureFire X300U-A, which attaches easily to any Picatinny rail. The light operates with ambidextrous switches at the rear of the housing, allowing users to flood dark areas with its single-output, 1,000 lumen LED. Powered by two CR123A batteries, total run time on this illumination tool is about an hour and a half.

Blackhawk QuickMod Pistol Case ($40.95)

Since we’ve got a lot of real estate outside our waistband, there’s plenty of room for one of Blackhawk’s QuickMod Pistol Magazine Case. Though not exactly discreet, this mag carrier makes up for its larger size with a whole bunch of cool features, like its QD belt attachment, which automatically adjusts to fit any size gun or duty belt. The case body itself is secured to a rotating attachment head, which allows users to adjust cant across 360 degrees, allowing for the perfect angle for a quick, snag-free draw.

Vickers Tactical Glock Magazine Floorplates ($18.50)

Of course, before you draw your spare magazine, you’ve got to clear out the empty mag in the gun! Though small, these Vickers Tactical Magazine Floorplates provide a wider baseplate compared to standard Glock magazine plates, providing plenty of added gripping surface. This makes it easy to rip empty or malfunctioning magazines out of a gun, and serrated surfaces on each side of the floorplate also provide added purchase for those stubborn mags that just won’t clear easily. We’ve all had those double-feeds before. Solve them fast by adding these plates to your pistol mags.