TFB Review: Bravo Concealment OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holster

Who got a holster for Christmas this year? Who wanted a holster for Christmas? Even though I have a closet and gun safe overflowing with holsters for all of my firearms I constantly have this grass is greener mentality to holsters. Always searching and trying to find one that is a hair better than the last one. As we journey into colder winter months, we can all do a little more OWB (Outside-the-Waistband) carrying since we are presumably donning heavy coats. As a result, I found myself revisiting a company we have tried before with Bravo Concealment. In this TFB Review, we take a look at the NEW Bravo Concealment OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holster, specifically for a Glock 19, to see how it measures up to the competition!

Bravo Concealment OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holster – specifications

The NEW Bravo Concealment OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holster might appear simple enough, but a lot of its finer points are in the subtle details. The complete specification listing for this holster, as presented by Bravo Concealment, can be read below:

• NEW Solid Locking Adjustable Retention
• NEW Minimalist Design for even more All Day Comfort
• NEW Polymer Plastic provides Supreme Rigidity & Impact Strength assuring Protection of your Firearm
• Designed for Outside-the-Waistband (OWB) Carry, but can easily be Converted to Inside-the-Waistband (IWB) by swapping out the Belt Loops w/ our IWB Belt Clips
• 10° Cant enhances Concealment under Loose Garments

• Robust 1.50” or 1.75” Injection Molded Belt Loops prevent Breakage even under Rigorous Use
• Belt Loops can be replaced w/ Belt Clips for Inside-the-Waistband (IWB) Carry
• The BCA creates Adequate Room for a Positive Grip; thus, enabling a Smooth Draw w/ Solid Weapon Retention
• All Edges on Holster are Rounded for Comfort
• All Holsters are Curved to Fit the Contours of your Body

The nice thing about this holster is if you doctored up your pistol with a threaded barrel it will actually fit. That is pretty rare for most holsters. Typically they fit a perfect footprint of a stock firearm and nothing else. A short snapshot of this holster can also be watched below from Bravo Concealment‘s YouTube page.

If you are wondering what is different about this holster compared to previous ones, you are not the only person throwing out those questions. Bravo Concealment completely addresses what is new about the OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holster in this public statement below.

The NEW BCA 3.0 Gun Holster still has the same features that made our BCA the BEST OWB gun holster in the industry. So how did we change something so iconic without taking away from it? Well, for starters, we made it personal. How? By adding a retention setting to it. Now you can take your desired retention and apply it to your gun holster. You can go from a medium light retention to a very heavy retention. Ideal for anyone who carries.

We have also taken away from its footprint by eliminating material from it’s bottom corners to make it smaller and lighter. This makes it a very comfortable OWB gun holster while still keeping it’s well known characteristic of staying close to your body.

Finally, we now use a diversified Polymer plastic that is known for its ideal balance between rigidity, impact strength and hardness to protect your firearm at all times. Whether you are re holstering consecutively at the range or just carrying while protecting yourself and those around you on a daily basis, know that your firearm is secure and safeguarded. All this makes the NEW BCA 3.0 Gun Holster just as good as it’s predecessor while inheriting a little flair to it.

Bravo Concealment OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holster – Fit

With the Bravo Concealment OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holster getting an appropriate fit is very straight-forward. You have a retention screw that is though the center of the holster that you can screw down or back out to match up with your preferred resistance when drawing your weapon. Being a form-fit, friction-fit design there are no buttons, paddles, or straps that need to be manipulated to draw your carry pistol. Simply choose your desired tension, carry, and draw if the need should arise.

As a right-handed person I found it easiest to simply draw and holster from my right hip. No big surprises there. It felt secure, my 5.11 pants have a belt loop on the point of the hip (so nestled in between the fixed belt loops on the holster), and while moving about my day it did not impede my ability to do anything.

Bravo Concealment OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holster – carry time

I carried this holster with a Glock Gen4 19 for roughly a week. This was a full 7 days and I actively carried about 12-14 hours each day. One peculiar thing that happened twice to me is I popped my elbow on my gun in the holster right on my funny bone. Funny to talk about now, but it stung like heck each time it happened. The holster rides higher than others which I liked. I can easily dig in my pockets for change, my wallet, knife and/or pen, but the rear of the pistol is close to your elbow. I learned that twice.

While carrying, even though I had those 2 notable “run-ins” with the holster, it felt very secure on the hip. My narrower dress belt which is 1 1/4″ worked great and the holster never felt loose or wobbly. The holster, as unassuming as it looks, contours really well to the body. I never felt like it was weighing me down or annoyingly rubbing against my body like some other holsters can.

I attempted to draw my pistol (while unloaded in my family’s empty gun shop before store hours) repeatedly and from varying positions. I tried crouched down, bent over, sitting, kneeling, standing, and a few others. All of the positions I could think to draw from the pistol came out clean and fast. The draw was smooth every time which I truly appreciated. Hopefully I never need to utilize that positive attribute while the gun is loaded, but it is tremendous peace of mind having tested that.

For most of my time carrying with the Bravo Concealment OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holster, I was open carrying while working in a gun shop (not a big deal). Other times I was running mundane errands like buying gas at a gas station, getting a short grocery list, or doing bank deposits (slightly bigger deal). I genuinely believe that most of the general public is pretty oblivious to people who open carry. Most people are tied up in their phones or wrapped up in their own worlds. I only once had someone ask me about my gun and holster. They complimented me on it and asked what brand it was. That started a dialogue about open carry and they remarked that it “looked clean and classy” which I would have to agree.

Throughout those periods in public nobody glared disapprovingly at me or freaked out. I think a lot of that can be attributed to a good, professional looking holster and the demeanor of the person carrying. I would not say I am Mister Rogers packing some heat, but I always try to smile, dress clean (no dirty, gross clothes), and represent all gun owners well when I open carry.

Bravo Concealment OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holster – final thoughts

Overall, I was very happy with the Bravo Concealment OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holster for the week that I carried it. It was extremely easy to setup. It felt good on the hip. It was easy to draw from, and I actually caught a stranger peeping at it and they gave me a compliment. All in all, a terrific holster!

If I had to spin something negative about this holster because there is no such thing as a perfect (insert X, Y, Z product here), then I would have to say it might ride a little too high on the hip. I did have my 2 run-ins with the holster where my funny bone said hello. Other than that, it was a good and safe week of carrying.

For our readers out there, have you already tried one of the Bravo Concealment OWB BCA 3.0 Gun Holsters yourself? If so, what do you think? Have you tried a different product from Bravo Concealment? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.