Gear Review: Glock Four Pistol Range Bag

I have a confession to make. I am a man who loves bags.  Internal frame packs, messenger bags, etc. You name it, I’ve got a bag for every occasion.  When my handgun interest blossomed a few years ago, I carted my gear in various duffels and totes. Most bags, however, aren’t designed to hold heavy sharp objects and it became clear I needed a dedicated range bag.  After some research, I settled on the Glock Four Pistol Range Bag 

My latest obsession (Photo by J.P. Anderson)

My latest obsession. (Photo by J.P. Anderson)

Ok, ok, I’m a Glock fanboy, guilty as charged. I bought the bag because the Glock logo adorns the entire satchel.  I’m a sucker for the Glock brand.  Even though I chose the product for appearance, after a year of use, I’m satisfied — mostly. There are a few things I would change if I could.

Capacity

A bag’s primary duty is to hold things, so how much can this bag carry? Its dimensions are 16 x 10 x 11 inches, the perfect size for my needs.  I never bring more than two handguns and I don’t preload a gazillion mags so the bag is rarely full. Especially since my counterfeiting operation doesn’t exist, I can’t shoot more than a few hundred rounds per session.

In addition to pistols and ammo, I pack a stapler, a roll of tape for mounting targets, paper plates or folded targets, eyes, ears, some basic first aid, a pen, a multi-tool, a spare holster and some cleaning gear.  The bag handles loads that size effortlessly.  If you shoot thousands of rounds a day or pack multiple sets of earmuffs and water bottles, you might find the Glock Four Pistol Range Bag too snug.  While it can accommodate four pistols, it’s not going to have spare room for your other gear when stuffed with four pistols.  It’s more realistic to treat this as a two pistol bag.

Construction and features

Holds everything I need. (Photo by J.P. Anderson)

Holds everything I need. (Photo by J.P. Anderson)

Where I have some concern is construction. Built with durable nylon and metal hardware, the bag features padded liners that keep its form when empty, which makes filling easier. However, a range bag handles some serious weight. In the picture, the stitching on mine is beginning to separate in a disconcerting way.  The thread still holds and the issue is easily repairable, but doesn’t inspire confidence.

The bags features are serviceable but could benefit from a few extra touches. Adding feet to keep it above the dirt and a compartment for water bottles would drastically improve its ergonomics.  The side pocket that houses the magazine loops would be much easier to use if the zipper opened enough to allow lowering the pocket flap a full 90 degrees, like the recently reviewed Maxpedition range bag.

The bag has four magazine loops, it’s designed for four pistols and it should accommodate two per gun for a total of eight.  I know not everyone has my passion for organization, but the bag is advertised as a “four gun” bag, that’s one mag loop per gun.  I’d want to see double that, ideally.

The range bag includes an unpadded shoulder strap, so unless you’re going from the car to the indoor gun range you should invest in a padded strap.  I have to walk a ways to where I shoot and a padded strap is a detail I’d appreciate.

One nice feature is the removable inner bag. This allows you to take a lighter, smaller loads or add capacity to the main bag, alleviating many of the capacity concerns.  I haven’t utilized this feature yet, but appreciate the flexibility it affords the bag.

Final thoughts

I feel like I’ve been bad mouthing the Glock Four Pistol Range Bag, but like I said, I love the thing, and if the size meets your needs, I’d still recommend it despite its shortcomings.  Why?  Bang for your buck.  I picked mine up for around $40.  Could I have had a more full featured bag? Sure, at a more full featured price tag.  I’d rather spend that money on ammo.

Besides, the bag matches my new shoes.

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