First Gear | Galco Cobra Speedloader Carrier, Sling Guru EXO 13 sling, Nightstick TCM-5B-GL subcompact gun-mounted light

Must-Haves for Gun Owners

by
posted on August 5, 2025
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First Gear | Galco Cobra Speedloader Carrier, Sling Guru EXO 13 sling, Nightstick TCM-5B-GL subcompact gun-mounted light

1. Handsome Speed Loader Holster
The revolver shooters I know carry a speedloader to help them rapidly reload and get the gun back in action. And they all would love this Galco Cobra Speedloader Carrier, made with the company’s excellent quality leather. This one lets you feed your belt through two slots, or, if you’d like to be able to remove the pouch more quickly, you can feed the wrap-over, snap-closure flap under the belt instead. In either case, the compartment will stay upright so as to not dump your speedloader to the ground just as you reach for it. The Cobra is available in black or tan (though I would call their “tan” brown or nutmeg) and fits belts up to 1.75 inches. (galcogunleather.com; $69)

2. Backpack/Vest Sling
I was impressed by several of the products I found at the Sling Guru booth at the NRA Annual Meetings this year, but I grabbed this EXO 13 sling to share because it fits into that simple-but-brilliant category. Attach this strap to the non-dominant (recommended) side of your existing backpack, vest or plate carrier and hook on nearly any long gun using the flexible swivel strap, which has a purported tensile strength of up to 175 pounds. The weight of the gun is then distributed throughout the backpack/vest/plate carrier and makes switching between positions—or between your long gun and handgun—far
simpler. You can check out the demo video on the company’s website to see it in action. (
slingguru.com; $65)

3. Laser/Light for Subcompacts
There are downsides to lasers, and much of the industry has moved to a reflex-sight-only configuration, but I still like having one as an option, particularly when I’m attaching a light anyway. This Nightstick TCM-5B-GL subcompact gun-mounted light with green laser for short-rail handguns certainly does the trick, as it offers 650 lumens with a tight bright spot up to 136 meters away. (nightstick.com; $199.95)

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