Should a holster be THAT tight? - The Firearms Forum

rocklinskier · 12-11-2009, 08:07 AM

Was in the GS couple of days ago. Fella is at the counter, unhappy with his purchase. Had a brand new leather holster for a 1911. It was pretty dang tight. In order to get the gun in the holster far enough for the safety loop to get over the gun, you would have to really push it in there, so much so that it actually pushed the slide back a small amount.

Counter guy was saying that they're made really tight so that when they get broke in, it still fits snug, but this just seemed to be a little too tight for my liking.

My 1911 came with a holster that fits quite nice (but it was not new)

Anybody got any thoughts?

Helix_FR · 12-11-2009, 09:11 AM

I had a leather holster for my 686 that did the same thing. the back strap was super tight for about a month but now it goes over nice and snug but w/o too much force. Some of its because the leather on the sides has not taken the print of the gun yet. once that happens it will settle in. The better holsters use a better and more pliable leather that takes shape much faster.
The guy at the GS wasn't feeding him no crap.

RJay · 12-11-2009, 09:13 AM

If it was leather , leather stretches and conforms to the shape of the gun. With out handling the holster my self, I would say the customer is over reacting, If a holster is loose upon purchase, it will only get looser. I like a Good quality holster to be tight when purchased. It will very quickly conform to the shape of the gun and be perfectly fitted. JMO.

langenc · 12-11-2009, 12:02 PM

Put the gun into a plastic bread bag and stick it waaaayyyy into the tight holster and leave it there a couple days. Then try it. If still too tight repeat.

Tango Victor · 12-11-2009, 12:07 PM

I agree a quality holster is usually very tight and will loosen up with time and use. The plastic bag trick works, or try spraying a little silicone on the weapon prior to holstering.

Bindernut · 12-11-2009, 06:30 PM

Yup, new leather will need to mold and stretch itself in a bit before the gun will freely slide in and out of it. It'll continue to stretch throughout the holster's lifespan...the more you use it, the looser it will get.

In a holster with a retention strap, this is fine.
In a holster without any retention device, the friction is supposed to hold the gun in place even while you're jostling about so that break-in stretching will cause the holster to get loose enough so that the gun might chance falling out of it if you get to moving too vigorously. You should need to give a decent tug to unholster the gun if it's a strapless design. Hmmm...that kinda sounds like other things that come in strapless packages.

In those styles of holsters I really like to have an adjustment strap, a chicago screw in a slot, or some other feature that lets you tighten it back up after it's stretched out.

armedandsafe · 12-11-2009, 11:41 PM

The only time I will use a strapless holster is IWB. They are supposed to be strapless.

I usually soak the holster in warm water for a FEW minutes and then wrap the pistol in saran wrap. Put the gun in the holster and leave it over night. The holster will take the shape of the gun and fit just right.

Pops

LDBennett · 12-12-2009, 07:05 AM

armedandsafe is right.

I had a custom made holster made for my Sig P220. The last stage was when the leather guy took the gun, wrapped it in Saran Wrap, soaked the leather in water, stuck the covered gun in the wet holster, and let the leather dry out over a day or so. It molded the leather to fit the gun perfectly.

I had a 1911 holster and tired for years to put the Sig in it. I even made a oversized wood replica and kept it in the holster all the time but that dry stretching never really did it. When the holster finely came apart I commissioned the new holster and then wondered why I didn't do it years ago.

LDBennett

rocklinskier · 12-12-2009, 07:27 AM

O.K. Good to know. Like I said, this was not a holster for me, it was a guy who walked in while I was there, but It's good to have the info for the future, plus, I couldda spoke up and helped verify the guy at the counter. Now I know!
Thanks

Bindernut · 12-12-2009, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by armedandsafe

The only time I will use a strapless holster is IWB. They are supposed to be strapless.

I've got one high-ride belt holster that is strapless and works very well. It's very similar to Ted Blocker's 24XD design except a forward-slant for strong side carry. It's got a double-thickness leather mouth and has a adjustable screw to adjust the tension. Had it made by a local saddle-maker here after I seen he had some other modern holster patterns on his bench during one of my visits. Been a great holster and never had a problem with losing my HP from that rig...but I don't use that leather if I'm working around the farm either. Horseback, 4-wheeler, or tractor, I do prefer a strapped holster.

And yup on doing a final wet-fit or steam-fit to do the final fitting to your own pistol. Even a custom rig will benefit from that unless the maker boned the leather to your specific pistol.

12-11-2009, 08:07 AM	#1
rocklinskier V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 295	Should a holster be THAT tight? Was in the GS couple of days ago. Fella is at the counter, unhappy with his purchase. Had a brand new leather holster for a 1911. It was pretty dang tight. In order to get the gun in the holster far enough for the safety loop to get over the gun, you would have to really push it in there, so much so that it actually pushed the slide back a small amount. Counter guy was saying that they're made really tight so that when they get broke in, it still fits snug, but this just seemed to be a little too tight for my liking. My 1911 came with a holster that fits quite nice (but it was not new) Anybody got any thoughts? __________________ Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free ~Ronald Reagan. -->

12-11-2009, 09:11 AM	#2
Helix_FR TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Imperial, MO Posts: 3,628	Re: Should a holster be THAT tight? I had a leather holster for my 686 that did the same thing. the back strap was super tight for about a month but now it goes over nice and snug but w/o too much force. Some of its because the leather on the sides has not taken the print of the gun yet. once that happens it will settle in. The better holsters use a better and more pliable leather that takes shape much faster. The guy at the GS wasn't feeding him no crap.

12-11-2009, 09:13 AM	#3
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,487	Re: Should a holster be THAT tight? If it was leather , leather stretches and conforms to the shape of the gun. With out handling the holster my self, I would say the customer is over reacting, If a holster is loose upon purchase, it will only get looser. I like a Good quality holster to be tight when purchased. It will very quickly conform to the shape of the gun and be perfectly fitted. JMO. __________________ RonJames

12-11-2009, 12:02 PM	#4
langenc V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Montmorency Co, MI Posts: 418	Re: Should a holster be THAT tight? Put the gun into a plastic bread bag and stick it waaaayyyy into the tight holster and leave it there a couple days. Then try it. If still too tight repeat.

12-11-2009, 12:07 PM	#5
Tango Victor Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 21	Re: Should a holster be THAT tight? I agree a quality holster is usually very tight and will loosen up with time and use. The plastic bag trick works, or try spraying a little silicone on the weapon prior to holstering. __________________ Yippie-Ky-Aye

12-11-2009, 06:30 PM	#6
Bindernut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ND, USA Posts: 2,454	Re: Should a holster be THAT tight? Yup, new leather will need to mold and stretch itself in a bit before the gun will freely slide in and out of it. It'll continue to stretch throughout the holster's lifespan...the more you use it, the looser it will get. In a holster with a retention strap, this is fine. In a holster without any retention device, the friction is supposed to hold the gun in place even while you're jostling about so that break-in stretching will cause the holster to get loose enough so that the gun might chance falling out of it if you get to moving too vigorously. You should need to give a decent tug to unholster the gun if it's a strapless design. Hmmm...that kinda sounds like other things that come in strapless packages. In those styles of holsters I really like to have an adjustment strap, a chicago screw in a slot, or some other feature that lets you tighten it back up after it's stretched out.

12-11-2009, 11:41 PM	#7
armedandsafe Former Guest Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Moses Lake, WA Posts: 10,344	Re: Should a holster be THAT tight? The only time I will use a strapless holster is IWB. They are supposed to be strapless. I usually soak the holster in warm water for a FEW minutes and then wrap the pistol in saran wrap. Put the gun in the holster and leave it over night. The holster will take the shape of the gun and fit just right. Pops

12-12-2009, 07:05 AM	#8
LDBennett Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hesperia, CA Posts: 5,719	Re: Should a holster be THAT tight? armedandsafe is right. I had a custom made holster made for my Sig P220. The last stage was when the leather guy took the gun, wrapped it in Saran Wrap, soaked the leather in water, stuck the covered gun in the wet holster, and let the leather dry out over a day or so. It molded the leather to fit the gun perfectly. I had a 1911 holster and tired for years to put the Sig in it. I even made a oversized wood replica and kept it in the holster all the time but that dry stretching never really did it. When the holster finely came apart I commissioned the new holster and then wondered why I didn't do it years ago. LDBennett

12-12-2009, 07:27 AM	#9
rocklinskier V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 295	Re: Should a holster be THAT tight? O.K. Good to know. Like I said, this was not a holster for me, it was a guy who walked in while I was there, but It's good to have the info for the future, plus, I couldda spoke up and helped verify the guy at the counter. Now I know! Thanks __________________ Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free ~Ronald Reagan.