I've read many posts regarding loosening up a new holster and am in the process of trying to break in a Bianchi style #19 for a Beretta 92FS with not much success. I'm up to about three layers of a heavy contractor trash bag and while wrapped in all that plastic it draws and holsters ok but when I unwrap, holstering the the pistol racks the slide.
I've had success wetting the thumb strap on others but am a little reluctant to wet this entire holster. I've read in a lot of places that might not be a good idea.
So, so I leave it as is for a much longer time, add more layers of plastic, wet it or what?
I'd appreciate any ideas or advice.

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Back to back World War Champs.

I would say wet it. Back before holsters were factory made to exactly fit the gun, we would throw the holster in the tub and let it soak. Then we would wrap the gun in thin plastic and shove it in there. After that, we would kind of mold the holster to the gun with our fingers or another technique that worked was to put the holster with the (unloaded) gun in it between two couch cushions (shielded with plastic) and sit on it. Most of the time, the holster would be so well molded it would look like it was made formed around the gun. This worked pretty good with revolvers. You might need a little extra room for an auto like the Beretta where the safety does not lock the slide (like a 1911) but not much. A very light coating of silicone inside the holster may help slick it up some. Holsters used to be more or less a leather bucket the gun sat in. One model of holster would fit multiple guns (sort of) until you gave it a bath. For instance, I remember a Bianchi duty holster that was stamped on the back Colt Commander/Browning Hi-Power. I wonder if steaming it would work? Might be worth a try with one of those gizmos for steaming the wrinkles out of clothes. I bet if you called customer service at Bianchi, they could give you some professional advice about fitting the holster.

I have had good luck using wax paper to wrap the handgun in.

I also like the Leather Lightning product from Mitch Rosen.

Both have worked together and alone to loosen up some tight leather.

Have you let the wrapped gun sit in the holster for a couple of days?

If your doing a thumb break, you should be able to break it in by mushing it between your thumb and index finger for an hour or two.

The old quick draw guys used talcum powder or baby powder in their holsters to slick things up. Should be harmless to the gun.

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Living a dream - S&WCA #2364

Take a bar soap. ( I use Irish spring), run it in and our of the holster several times. Holster gat with thumb on slide. Should work better.

From the desk of Cpl. Coffman (Retired)

Please don't do any of those things that have been suggested. I've been doing this a long time, and the reality is that the maker has let you down: they have lost control of part of their process, likely drying or using a casting that is undersized.

It's Bianchi's problem, ask them to fix it. You're not imagining things, a holster so tight that it moves the slide against the mechanical and spring pressures holding that slide into battery (hammer and barrel link and recoil spring) should be considered dangerous. That's because of the risk of displacing the round in the chamber or a round in the mag, or both :-(

It's an essential quality issue that is rightly brought to any maker's attention.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

How do custom holster makers form fit their product to a handgun? I thought they wet the holster, then used a tool to shape the leather to the gun. Surely there is a holster maker here who can offer advice. But I agree that a holster should not be so tight as to rack the slide when the firearm is inserted. I'd be on the horn to Bianchi.

+1 I know it sucks to send something, which you were excited about, back, but this definitely sounds like Bianchi made a mistake. I'd send it back and ask that they either refund your money or send you a replacement (that they can assure you works) asap.

John Bianchi's latest book will give you good insight into how large and small makers go about this (An American Legend).

Wetting the holster is indeed the first step (!) but even small makers will then fit a mould into it and then put the whole lot into a rubber-padded press. Lots of knowledge goes into just how wet, what the pads are made of, just how much pressure, how much 'dwell'. Then a major maker, and a little one if they know as much as they should, will remove the mould and put the holster into a hot-air dryer (not an oven, though they may call it that). Again, how hot and how long is material to the result. This is to activate the collagen in the holster and harden it into its new shape. I followed this process even when I was making a single holster for a manufacturing client in my Nichols Innovation days; I do it now (well, it's been awhile) when I have a retail customer. An indispensable step that is considered dispensable by some makers.

Nearly every maker who does 'hand boning' is using a press first, and the bone afterwards. Easier, faster. Interesting when we consider that the boning IS the substitute for the press; that is, the method was created for LACK of a press. But at Bianchi, when in the 70s we worked out that customers valued boning, we ADDED the process of boning to the press moulding. Personally I don't have a press so have to do it all by hand. Not better, just necessary for me.

Anyway -- when the leather is overdried it will become smaller; it will shrink. And that's what I'm referring to when I say "loss of process control" by the maker. The leather can't shrink when the holster is dried at 'room' temperature; but put it in the sun on a dark or metal background -- think a sheet of black plastic or the bonnet (hood) of a car, and the holster will shrink big time! At least one big maker once used to do both, before they learnt better!

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

Happy to report on successful result after four days in three plastic bags the fit is quite nice, easy holstering and easy draw.

Too bad I live in NJ but one day if I need to carry it's nice to know I am ready.

Thanks for all the good advice.

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Back to back World War Champs.

Glad to hear it worked itself out!