I broke my 45-year personal embargo on plastic pistols a month or two ago when I bought a Glock 30S in .45 acp.

Then I figured, well, if I'm going to have a plastic pistol, I can at least buy it something pretty to wear when we go out together. So I did.

This is El Paso Saddlery's lined Garrison Belt and Sky Six suede-lined holster with their Extra Fancy Floral Carving.

Frankly, even after looking at examples of their floral carving in their catalog and online, I still wasn't sure I was going to like it all that much. Now I know. I don't just like this rig. I love it.

I may never go back to border stamped belts and holsters again.

Attached Images

54.jpg (134.6 KB, 351 views)

I like belt slide holsters myself, though I live dangerously and skip the thumbsnap. A few of mine do have a tension screw retainer, which is O.K. with me.

Believe it or not, the Glock Sport/Combat holster is one of the finest rigs you can buy for a Glock. Inexpensive, impervious to weather, and ambidextrous. Yours is too pretty to get wet.

I hear what you're saying. And just as I imagine the Glock will be my only polymer-framed pistol, this will probably be my only thumb break holster. I just wanted something different.

Fishin' for compliments? I'll bite...

I love the plastic fantastics; I'm a fan of what works -- and works well -- and they do.

They deserve nice rigs just like any other sidearm you stake you life on. That set-up looks great and performs. Enjoy.

I've never been a huge fan of the belt slides, but most of my guns are revolvers with tall front sights to snag. Your new rig is one of the nicest I've seen for a Glock - truly impressive it comes out of a production shop to boot.

Always called these "Lipstick on a Pig' which tends to ruffle a few feathers.

Neither have I, if you want to know the truth. All my other holsters, except for an Austin style (Wild Bunch), are Threepersons holsters.

This rig is a first for me in several ways. First floral, first thumb break, and first belt slide. So I figured I'd give it a try. It's said that variety is the spice of life, right?

Another reason I like this rig is that EPS seems to have gone a shade or two darker than their standard russet color. The difference is apparent when I put this side by side with one of my earlier rigs.

Plus, I ordered this when EPS was having their 20%-off Labor Day sale. I'd have to go back and look up the amount I saved, but it was a nice little dollar amount.

Watchdog,
That is a most beautiful belt and holster. The black plastic thingy in the holster ..... well, not so much.

Reminds me of:
Christie Brinkely/Billy Joel

John
Scoundrel and Ne'er-Do-Well in Training

I can't find anything wrong with that. Looks great.
Heck, I see a lot of ugly people riding around in pretty cars. What's the difference?

Even the Frog gets the Princess sometimes.

Very nice work! I have the same pistol and don't know if I could bring myself to buying such a rig for it, it's just not worthy of such fine craftsmanship.

Very nice!

I've been needing a new carved rig for awhile and I'm leaning heavily towards el paso. There's a few talented hide benders right here on the forum and their rigs look great. I'm having trouble pulling the trigger on this, I just can't decide who to go with. Your rig look great and you've pushed me a little closer to making the call. I have one question though on the belt, does it seem like it would "stretch" once broken in. I have a single layer belt from a big name custom shop, and the thing stretched 2" from new to broken in.

Chris

Your belt stretched 2 inches? Consider yourself lucky, most folk's belts shrink 2 inches.

Did you do these Eaglestoker??

I'm not sure I can answer your question. All I can tell you is what I do, okay? I always get lined belts, or else belts that are thicker than normal (like Bullhide Belts). I just think single-layer belts aren't thick enough to support a heavy pistol like a full size 1911 or a big N-Frame revolver without sagging. And if a belt will sag, that means it'll stretch.

Sometimes I'll go to a custom saddlery shop up the road from me and have them punch a couple of extra holes in the belt, just to give myself a bit more leeway.

I think about the heaviest gun I'd even think of carrying on a single-layer belt would be a Chief's Special...and depending on the holster, even that might be a bit iffy for me.

Again, this is just how I do things, and it's all just my opinion. Everyone is different, you know?

I understand what you mean. Maybe I figured if I get the fancy leather, no one will notice the plastic pistol?

In all seriousness, if you take away the fancy carving, the exact same rig would be as plain and utilitarian looking as the Glock. Especially if you got it in black, but I'm not really partial to black gun leather. The same would apply if it was a Shield or an M&P .45 or whatever. But EPS does offer less expensive floral carving than the Extra Fancy.

Bottom line for me is that I've always liked nice gun leather. I'm only gonna be on this ol' earth once, so why not indulge myself now and then.

Truer words were never spoken.....

Seems like good advice, thank you.
BTW, the belt that stretched was 1 3/4" by 1/4" and used to carry various 4" nframes. The holsters from them are great, belts not so much.
Thanks again

There's nothing like a nice leather rig! The only Synthetic gun accessory I use is a DeSantis Nemesis Pocket Holster - the rest is either Horsehide or Cowhide.

Yessir, some of my older hide bending. Still not bad looking though.

A single layer will never hold up the way a double layer belt will. The glue/stitching acts to bind the two pieces, and prevent one another from continually stretching as you earlier described. The wider the belt the more inherent stability with your trade off being personal comfort around the buckle area especially for folks with a little extra girth.

Some folks would prefer to buy a single layer multiple times vs a more expensive double belt - and some sellers offer single layer belts with wording that would imply it's "just as good" which can be a bit misleading.

Main thing is base it off experience. If something gave you a good service life it's find no matter what the interwebs say, but in this case it didn't which indicates that the belt was not complimentary to your heavy handguns/holsters.

Watchdog ,, that holster & belt even makes a glock look good.

We are pretty much in the same camp on synthetic stuff.

Over the past three years, the only synthetic stuff I had was a S&W M&P-15 in .223 and a Mossberg 12-gauge 930SPX. Black guns with lots of plastic-polymer-composite parts. Sold both of them this year. Now I have the Schlock...I mean, the Glock...and I bought it simply for its concealibility, power, and reliability. It may have actually been sort of a whim-impulse buy. I've shot it just enough to know I'm competent with it, but it'll never be a real favorite. I'm an older guy, and I'm more comfortable with older guns. The Glock is one of only two new guns I own.

It kinda does, doesn't it?

As Eaglestroker says, it's sort of a lipstick-on-a-pig thing.

Watchdog,

Your photo has finally got to me. Sent el Paso an email last night, just waiting on their reply before I place my order.

Thank you...


I think

Thats puuurdie!

__________________
Stay protected my friends.

Definitely a case of the frame being much prettier than the picture!

I know.

I had a friend tell me just yesterday that the belt and holster look like they cost more than the pistol.

Beautiful rig, sympathies for the glock.

__________________
John

on "plastic guns" I'm using Kydex holsters lately, saving the leather for all steel guns, on Kydex you can leave the gun in with out the worry of attracting moisture, like leather.