Classy Concealment: Galco Thunderclap & Hawkeye Holsters

Need a classy leather holster for a 1911 or a pistol with a red dot? Here we check out the Galco Thunderclap and Hawkeye.

September of last year, I was taking a shooting class when my friend, Sheriff Jim Wilson, asked me to stop by his room. When I went in, I noticed a 1911 Colt Commander pistol lying on the table. I sat down and the former West Texas sheriff picked the pistol up and said, have a look at it. It was well-worn; you could tell it had spent a lot of time in a hand and in a holster. It was also a product of Novak’s custom shop out of Parkersburg, West Virginia.

Cycling the action and assessing the trigger, I said, “This is a damn fine pistol, Jim.”

In his matter-of-fact way, the Sheriff said, “I know. That’s one of my raid guns. It’s yours now.”

I didn’t really know what to say, but I knew if a man was giving me a gun this fine, he really wanted me to have it. Arguing would have been useless and disrespectful. I thanked the Sheriff, and I told him I’d been given a lot of gifts in my lifetime, but few could compare to this one.

Over the next 6 months, that Commander and I have gotten to know each other well. Though I don’t carry it that often, it sleeps on my nightstand. What I’d had trouble finding was a holster that seemed fitting for such a fine and storied pistol. For many years, my go-to outside-the-waistband (OWB) holster has been the Galco Avenger. An Avenger for a 1911 will also work for a Browning Hi Power, so that makes the holster a great fit for me. And aside from that, the Avenger is just a great utility and training holster. But, for a gun like the one the Sheriff had given me, the Avenger just seemed a bit too …  plain.

I’d contemplated having a custom holster made for the Commander, but I’d been unable to decide. Then, one day I received a package from Galco. Mike Barham at Galco knows how much I like the Avenger, and he’d sent me Galco’s new Thunderclap holster. The Thunderclap is very similar in style to the Avenger, but it’s a bit more elegant. It’s also the first holster in Galco’s new MasterBilt series of best-quality, premium-grade holsters. Galco makes these holsters from the best premium saddle leather available, and these holsters finish drying on a last, so they conform to the pistol perfectly. This is why there’s no need for a tension screw like on the Avenger. It’s also lined with smooth leather like you’ll find only on high-end custom holsters that have been crafted in the best custom shops.

The holster also has a neutral—nearly vertical—cant, which allows for a fast, wrist-locked draw stroke, where you can get a full firing grip on the gun while it’s still in the holster. The opening is reinforced to make holstering effortless. There’s also a metal-reinforced tunnel-style belt loop with a support extension behind the belt to help hold the holster in place. I couldn’t imagine a finer holster for such a fine gun.

The problem, however, was that the first Thunderclap holster offered—the one Barnham sent me—was for a 5-inch 1911. Unless you just have no sense of style or are appearing on The Walking Dead, you simply don’t carry a Commander in a full-size 1911 holster. It’s considered insulting to the more compact pistol … and it will cause the ghosts of gunfighters past to haunt you.

But, in February, I was out at Gunsite Academy again and ran into Mike Barham who, like the Sheriff, had brought me a present. (I may have to go there more often—I just keep getting gifts when I’m there.) It was the second holster in the Thunderclap line, and it was for a Commander-sized 1911. I think the good Sheriff would approve; my special legacy pistol now has the perfect place to ride anytime I want it with me.

The Hawkeye Holster

In addition to the Thunderclap, Galco also has a new Hawkeye holster. This is an inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster specifically designed for pistols and revolvers with reflex sights. Though I remain unconvinced that reflex sights are the optimum answer for concealed carry, they’re very popular and the current trend with manufacturers and trainers. Regardless of mine or your opinion on them, what’s been missing is a high-quality IWB holster for pistols, and especially revolvers, equipped with these modern sighting devices.

The Hawkeye has a slight butt-forward cant and is available in high-quality black or tan leather, and it’s also available for right- or left-hand carry. The smooth leather rides comfortably against your body, and it comes with removable belt loops for 1¼-, 1½- and 1¾-inch wide belts. Though I’m sure there will soon be more handguns the Hawkeye will fit, currently it’s only offered for the Sig Sauer P365 X-Macro, with and without a reflex sight, and for the Taurus 3-inch 856 T.O.R.O.

All three of these new holsters will pair very nicely with Galco’s 1½-inch, SB2 Casual Holster Belt. And, like a wise Sheriff often tells anyone wise enough to listen, if you’re going to carry a handgun in a holster, make sure it’s a good holster and that it’s attached to a damned good belt.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

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