Concealing Big: The Galco Corvus Holster Review

By Eli Duckworth

Equally as important as the sword is the sheath in which the sword is carried. As man has discarded edged weapons over time in favor of firearms, it became the holster that is the all-important partner of the pistol.

I work at a gun store part time, and especially over this past year I have found myself telling many customers the same thing over and over — invest in a good holster. The concealed carry market is a huge portion of the firearms industry, and with more and more people entering the concealed carry lifestyle daily, I am amazed at how often I see nice guns in cheap nylon holsters lifelessly clinging to equally cheap belts. Relatively small guns become easily noticed as they flop about on the waistline.

Because of my love of 1911 pistols, and because of the absurd weight that can accompany them, I found that a good quality belt and holster are essential. You need a good holster to retain the pistol, but that also makes producing the pistol quick and safe. A good belt completes the package, keeping the gun tight on the hips and close to the body. These are necessary tools to keep in the toolbox of self-defense.

Winter Carry

Naturally, I despise cold weather. Getting dark at 5 pm is for the birds. However, the silver lining with this seasonal change is that I can conceal the biggest pistol in my carry rotation — a Springfield Armory TRP Heavy Operator in 10mm topped off with a Trijicon RMR. While not currently offered in the Springfield line-up, this is a favorite of mine.

This brute of a handgun weighs north of 50 ounces fully loaded. It features a 5″ barrel, reinforced “heavy” dust cover, and a Trijicon RMR with suppressor-height sights. This presents a bit of a problem when holster shopping.

My experience with and trust of Galco Gunleather led me to their site, and after looking through most of their leather holsters, I stumbled upon a … Kydex holster? Yes. A Kydex holster on Galco’s website, a company known for their leather rigs. I was surprised, but also highly intrigued. I quickly looked over the product page and saw that the holster met my criteria. Add to Cart. Proceed to Checkout.

The Details

The Galco Corvus comes in a nice clamshell package with the iconic “Pocket Constitution” that has been included in every holster that I have received from Galco thus far. A company that values the Constitution? I think some folks on Capitol Hill could benefit from ordering a Galco holster. But, I digress.

The Galco Corvus is expertly finished, which is something I was not expecting in a Kydex holster from a company that deals primarily with animal hide. Absolutely no burrs or imperfections of any kind were apparent. Reviewing the criteria for what I needed for this holster, the Corvus checked every box:

• Flat profile
• Accepts a railed pistol
• Works with suppressor-height sights
• Works with red dot optics

All of these features are wrapped in high-quality Kydex, and it wears incredibly tight to the body. Galco includes with the Corvus two belt slots, one for 1½”, one for 1¾”, and a very cool set of straps to convert the holster to the inside-the-waistband option. Yep, this is an outside the waistband (OWB) and an inside the waistband (IWB) holster.

I found the holster to have excellent retention and be very quick on the draw, as the Corvus does not use safety straps that wrap over the back of the pistol. In addition to this, the Corvus has adjustable cant and ride height. If you plan on wearing this with a plate carrier, I advise you wear the holster as far down as possible. But, it is great in the concealed carry role at the medium ride height. The holster also has a raised sweat guard, which is a nice feature that I do not have on many other holsters I own.

I was nervous that the holster wouldn’t fit, but could barely contain my excitement when I heard the audible “snap” of the TRP 10mm fitting perfectly in the Galco Corvus.

Galco Additions

In conjunction with the Corvus, I use two other Galco products. First, the Galco Kydex double magazine pouch. Pretty straightforward, this piece of kit holds two magazine pouches tight to the body in an OWB fashion.

Holding all of this together, the belt I typically wear with this loadout is a Galco EDC belt. Made of SCUBA web, this is an incredibly rigid belt. It is a 1½” belt that utilizes a quick-action cobra-style belt buckle. This belt has been one of the best gun belts that I have owned, easily keeping the 50-plus ounce TRP high on my hips and tight to my body.

Concealing Big

I am a huge proponent of concealing large handguns, as they are the guns I’d be most used to using in the event of a self-defense situation. Galco Holsters makes it easy to conceal a large 1911 tight against my body, in addition to two back-up magazines with the EDC belt and Kydex Corvus holster/magazine pouch. I highly recommend investing heavily in your belt and holster, no matter the size of your EDC firearm. Good gear complements good training well.

What’s the biggest gun you carry, and do you feel like your holster is up to snuff?

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