The 3 Best 1911 Holsters with Lights – Tactical Reviews 2023

1911 holster with light, 1911 tactical holster w light

Photo by Zorin Denu / CC BY

The Model 1911 pistol is one of the most popular handguns in the US and for good reason. Rugged, reliable, accurate and oddly timeless, John Moses Browning’s brainchild has stood the test of time to reach near legendary status. While many 1911 owners are content to use their pistol much as designed, others wish to drag it kicking and screaming into the 21st century with such enhancements as lights. We know that lights on a pistol are a wonderful thing, as not only do they give you a tactical advantage at night, but they may also serve as a temporary weapon in and of themselves.

Given that there is a steady market for weapons lights and many wind up on 1911’s. However, these leaves a 1911 owner in something of a pickle. There are lots of great 1911 holsters on the market, but very few for 1911’s with lights. Fortunately, in our never ending pursuit of truth, justice, and the best gun gear period, we found a few for you to take a look at. Here are our recommendations for the best 1911 holsters with lights on the market.

Condor VT MA69

We are going to see a theme here of “universal” style holsters that are adjustable to fit many different guns. Unless you pay for a custom made holster to fit your gun/light combo, the best holster for a 1911 with a light will be one that can be made to fit it. Condor offers a pretty neat universal holster that can be fitted to darn near any gun.

The only real downside to this one is that it is designed to mount on MOLLE gear (think army vests and backpacks); however, depending on your belt size, that won’t be a problem. I’ve worn MOLLE holsters on a 1” belt just fine but you can always get an adapter too:

Condor VT Holster Review: Chest Rig Build Part 3

Personally, I like the “one size fits many” nature of this holster, so it may be a great one for you to buy if you have several guns but don’t want to keep buying holsters for each one. Either way, it’s perfect for a light equipped 1911, and rather affordable to boot. This just might be the best 1911 holster with lights for the money.

Condor Tornado


Building on the design of the last Condor holster we reviewed, the Tornado is one of the best 1911 holster with lights if you are in the market for a drop leg holster. Yeah, I know, I can already hear the groans and jokes about mall ninjas. But they do have their place and many professionals (you know, the sort who may be more inclined to carry a light equipped 1911) value a drop leg holster for convenience and a more natural draw.

Personally, I carry my big bear dropping wheelgun in a drop leg when I go hiking, and I think that’s where this holster really shines for the average gun owner. If you like to take your gun on long walks in the woods, or simply enjoy some quality time in the middle of nowhere, drop leg holsters are near perfect for trail use, or even long trips in the car where a more traditional holster might get uncomfortable. It’s not an every day holster, but let’s face it, drop legs have a place in the world, and it’s a darn useful one.

Blackhawk Omnivore

The Blackhawk Omnivore is a very interesting holster that defies expectations. It’s a quasi-universal holster that’s made from polymer and can equip a light. Two models exist one to function with the Streamlight series and the Surefire X300 lights. These are the two biggest names in professional weapon lights, and both give the end user a unique weapon light. The Blackhawk Omnivore’s name means it eats everything. This includes a 1911 equipped with a light. The Omnivore attaches to the light instead of the rail.

The Blackhawk Omnivore is a level 2 security holster that uses an active retention device. This device is defeated by applying thumb pressure downwards on a button behind the holster. This ensures no pulls the gun but you. The Omnivore is a well-made holster that’s also compatible with the Blackhawk SERPA series of attachment devices. This includes MOLLE mounts, leg rigs, belt rigs, and many more. Looking for the best 1911 holster with lights? Try this one.

And what if you don’t have a light yet on your 1911 . . . ?

Rail Grip System

In 1911, nobody had heard of tactical weapons lights. In fact, they hadn’t heard of weapons lights. And I’m not quite sure tactical mean much either, except maybe putting fancy sights on a rifle and handing it to a soldier who could shoot better than his fellows and congratulating him on becoming a sniper. Maybe. So needless to say, St. Browning’s original design did not include a Picatinny rail. Now some 1911’s are made that way today, but many millions are not. So what do you do if you have a 1911 but want to install a light, but don’t want to buy one with a rail? Simple. Change the grips. Recover Tactical offers a neat set of 1911 grips that can quickly install with no gunsmithing that also add a standard Picatinny rail to your favorite 1911. An ideal solution and one that can be easily undone if desired.

Review: Recover CC3 1911 Grip & Rail System

1911’s, Lights and Holsters

Let’s face it, there is no easy way out on 1911’s with lights. You might pay a custom leathermaker to make you a holster to fit your light/gun combo, or there is always the DIY approach and make your own custom Kydex holster:

Or you can run with a slightly clunky yet effective universal holster. Personally, I favor any of the universal holsters. They simply work. I’m not one to get worked up over bells and whistles in a holster, or demand a fancy design. It’s a holster, not a fashion accessory. The only time I ever cared for a custom holster was for a rather expensive revolver I had but for my semi autos? Whatever fits and is comfortable to wear.

Any of these reviewed holsters will fit a 1911 with a light and be comfortable and carry the title of the best 1911 holster with lights. They may not score cool points on tactical, but by golly, they will work for you, everytime!

  • Owner of Reloaderaddict.com, Boyd Smith is a major handgun enthusiast, and although he owns Glocks, he prefers the revolving wheel type. His go-to guns are a Smith & Wesson 642 Performance Center for carry and a Ruger GP100 in the nightstand biometric safe (he has kids). He loads both revolvers with old-school 148-grain Federal Gold Medal .38 wadcutters. It’s OK if you think he’s a wimp. Email him.

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