Holster Lessons Learned Expensively

[P-229]

I've learned a few things over the span of nigh on four decades of carrying guns openly and concealed. Maybe these might help you guys save money, which I wish somebody had done for me when I knew everything there was to know about everything. Now I'm wise enough to know what I don't know and to learn from expensive experiences.

The adage about getting what we pay for applies exponentially to holsters.

Know a holster's intended purpose: concealed or open carry.

Holsters don't play dual roles very well.

Buy a holster for a specified purpose.

No holster will retain a handgun with 100% reliability. If it were so, I wouldn't be able to draw my gun.

A snap on top of a holster holding a gun in place is not reliable retention. A bad guy can take it in a New York second.

I'll buy a holster for my use and only my use. If my kid or a friend wants to borrow it, I'm good. Just don't complain. It ain't your holster. It's mine.

Fancy leather engraving is fancy. But I don't buy holsters for looks. I buy them to provide ready access to my guns. In fact, just about all holsters I buy now are for concealed carry.

I don't prefer IWB holsters. I know that others do. Gun owners are not alike. What's right for me might be all wrong for another. I don't like IWB holsters because I want fastest access possible to my gun. If I have to divert attention to moving clothing aside, I might be surrendering a huge tactical advantage. That's never a good idea if I want to stay out of a casket.

I own one custom holster. I cannot say that it's better than a Galco.

There is no such thing as a 100% concealable holster. Wind will blow clothing against holsters thus printing what's under there.

Know what you want before buying. Kydex seems to be all the rage in holsters these days. I prefer leather. Others prefer Kydex. It's all about preference. Buy what's right for you.

All of us have opinions. Listen but don't necessarily abide by opinions of others. A holster is for you, not one giving you an opinion.

Know what design you want. Never allow a salesman to sell a holster to you. Go in knowing what you want. If a pancake works best for you, go that route.

I like Askin holsters. In fact, I own more of them than any other. I have one Aker Askins with a snap. The rest are Galco Avengers.

Know what brand you prefer. I've had excellent luck with Galco. I can't tell you if their customer service is any good. I've never had to return a Galco holster. I'm sure other brands are just as good if not better. But there comes a point where diminishing returns comes into play. Will a hundred bucks more give you a hundred bucks of better holster?

Be sure a holster is broken in before using it. There are a few methods of breaking in a holster. Conditioning leather and then wrapping a gun in parchment paper and stuffing it in a holster works well for me. Others will use plastic bags. Be care with plastic bags. They will cause condensation to form on your gun.

A guy who knows what to look for can spot a concealed gun. Bad guys look for off-duty cops before they do bad things.

Bad guys train to take guns from good guys, which is why I don't own a forward cant holster for urban carry. It's an invitation for a bad guy to take a gun. I do own a Galco Combat Master for my GP-100, which is my fishing in black bear neighborhoods gun. I figure a black bear won't know gun stealing techniques.

Know gun retention techniques. The best technique is to never allow a bad guy to get close enough to touch your gun. This implies situational awareness. Knowing how to spot bad guys is helpful. Avoiding bad guys is even better.

There have been times when I've stuffed a handgun in my waistband. Not a good idea. But it was when I had to run into a stop & rob for just a few minutes. It's always better to carry a gun in a holster.

Take care of holsters. If I take care of my equipment, it'll take care of me. This does not apply to fishing. Galco recommends Lexol. It's a lot less expensive than specialty leather conditioner, which probably won't do a better job. I have holsters that belonged to my dad that are still in good condition.

Store holsters in rodent-proof containers with moisture absorbent packets.

I hope this is helpful. It's always better to learn from mistakes of others. I've made more than a few. Even worse, used holsters are worth nowhere what we've paid for them.

Two of the above that I wish I had known when I was really, really smart and knew everything: buying a holster for a specific purpose, and buying holster for my intended use and not what others have told me to buy.

I'm good with custom made holsters if they suit specific purposes. But I'd more soon by a Galco if it'll work just as well.

One last consideration that I darn near forgot: a good holster will work a whole lot better with an appropriate belt. I can tell you from experience that a 20 dollar Walmart leather belt wasn't worth 20 bucks. It even has fancy leather design that was stamped. It was probably put there to confuse me into thinking it was worth 20 bucks. My advice is to go with an authentic gun belt.

Best of luck to all of you. And I hope that you guys avoid my expensive mistakes. And if anyone's in the market for used holsters that I want to get rid of for a reason, hit me up. But I have too guilty a conscience to sell them as authentic quality gun leather.

 

[Bob T]

Well thought out and well written.
Thanks for taking the time.

 

[bigggbbruce]

The adage about getting what we pay for applies exponentially to holsters.

I have holsters that belonged to my dad that are still in good condition.

Even worse, used holsters are worth nowhere what we've paid for them.



I can tell you from experience that a 20 dollar Walmart leather belt wasn't worth 20 bucks. It even has fancy leather design that was stamped. It was probably put there to confuse me into thinking it was worth 20 bucks. My advice is to go with an authentic gun belt.

Most of my holsters were free with a used gun purchase and I have the ones I like to use from these FREE ones.

I use the $11 Walmart belt, works just fine.

I've been cheap from the beginning, and it has been good for me..

 

[loeman]

Thank you for your views and opinions and taking the time to write them here. They are appreciated.

Saving money is important to me. I'd rather put that extra $100 or more into another gun than into a holster that may or may not work well for me. That's why I rummage through the used holster bins at my LGSs. I've found barely used vintage Bianchis, Safarilands and Galcos along with mag pouches and cartridge holders. All at a fraction of the cost of new. Some of them turned out to be highly useful and some not (like the time I accidentally bought a left hand holster). At any rate I found out what I like and can use without spending a lot of money. And, I have stuff I can probably sell at the next gun show.

 

[rburg]

A good summary. I wish the author would take the time to write it in more detail! OK, I don't agree with all of it, and he knew everyone would feel that way. First, I buy most of my holsters used. Back when I was young and stupid like him, I would buy new. Then another new one for that same gun. Finally I realized I wasn't really capable of imagining how I would like a holster.

Someone long ago pointed out that buying and using a quality holster can even get you out of trouble. Cops carry guns, too. And they know how much guns and holsters cost. Crooks buy dope, not quality carry gear. If they even have it, they stole it. Same goes for guns. Stupid criminals don't buy SIGs, they may steal a Glock. They'd rather shove it in their pocket than worry about a belt. Besides, their pants are down at their knees where any holster would cause problems.

I went hunting long ago (I don't any more, its too much trouble.) The one specific day I was hunting with some friends. We were legal. But along comes a game warden. He was checking everyone, and wasn't being nice about it. I'm kind of shocked no one shot him. One of our guys had seen him drive along a gravel road. No problem, but if he wants to waste our time, he'll have to walk to do it. Maybe that was why he was such a jerk. The first ones he checked were the guys with funny dress jackets. And the guys with Walmart 870s, mechainic's boots, etc. Yes, they were hunting, too. But making do with things they had. Finally he got to the last 2 of us. We had worn but well maintained hunting jackets, they had a bunch of experience and worked. And we had premium shotties, mine a Browning double, the other guy an old M12 with a stock he should have kept covered it had so much figure.

He was bored when he got to us. He'd also checked the other guys hunting knives. Particularly the guy hauling an old bayonet. We had the most expensive and also the smallest knives. We were hunting tree critters and knew you don't need a 12" blade for that.

I stopped throwing in the holsters with guns I sold. I only do that now if the holster was particularly useless to me. Its how I got a tub (Plastic) full of $100+ holsters, buy keeping the ones I should have never bought.

I like carving or figure on my leather. If you don't, I don't care. Just Saturday I picked up (for way too much money) a nice almost new Colorado Saddlery holster. I don't see that brand, but its clear where its ancestry was - Heiser. It came to me stuffed with disposable plastic bags. Keeps its shape that way. I haven't put it in a ziplock yet, but thats on the schedule for today. I keep all my holsters away from one another and maybe some infection one has picked up at a fungus factory.

If you spend $100 or so on a holster, keep it nice. How a holster looks today is a function of how its been cared for. I've got Heiser items that are older than me and that are in much better shape.

I look at holsters, new and used at every gun show. After a while you can tell the ones with quality workmanship that might last forever. I grew up thinking Bianchi as the best brand in production. Yes, the OP here likes Galco. they're a good brand. I don't discriminate against Mexican products when it comes to leather. It seems they developed a good production mentality for that. Other things, not so much.

Not everyone appreciates quality. Workmanship or materials. Do as you please, because you can be certain I will.

 

[P-229]

I have absolutely nothing against used anything if it works.

However, as I used to hear from my dad when I was a know-it-all: it isn't a bargain if you don't need it. But if you do and it works, grab it. I'm not one to let a great deal slip through my fingers when I find one.

With holsters, though, I've found that there's a reason great holsters that I can put to good use are not often found on the used market.

I've spent hours at gun shows going through boxes of used holsters. I bought one. I bought it to refinish it. Its previous owner had applied some sort of lacquer to it. After I got to thinking, which I should have done before I bought it, I decided it wasn't worth the effort.

 

[P-229]

BTW, my post was intended for guys who carry handguns for self-defense. We all know that there is no price to high when it comes to remaining above ground.

 

[M29since14]

Interesting. Thanks for the advice. I have never bought a holster I was entirely happy with, though a couple designs do come close. I tend to obsess a bit about protecting the finish of the gun yet usually am looking for minimum bulk, which, of course, are generally mutually exclusive.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Excellent post. Reminds me of my "mantra" that I repeated many thousands of times during my years in the holster business:

Everything in holster design involves compromises among the four basic factors of comfort, accessibility, security, and concealment. Whenever one factor is emphasized there will be compromises in the other factors. Only the user can decide which factors are most important and how much compromise is acceptable. There is no such thing as the "perfect" holster for every user and circumstances.

Several times every week I would receive an inquiry from someone wanting to know which was the best holster for a certain gun. Time to repeat the mantra.

Then there are always the most recent graduates of Holster Genius Academy, each of whom has an idea in mind for the "perfect" holster and is looking for someone to turn that idea into reality. I learned early on that when such ideas did not work out as the Holster Genius Academy graduate dreamed that it would they never seem to remember that it was their stupid idea in the first place, but they always remember the holster maker who failed to get it right.

 

[bigggbbruce]

BTW, my post was intended for guys who carry handguns for self-defense. We all know that there is no price to high when it comes to remaining above ground.

If I'm awake and dressed my CCW is with me it holds my pants up. So it is an important part of my attire.

As I mentioned I'm cheap, and the right holsters have just shown up from others cleaning house.

 

[P-229]

If I'm awake and dressed my CCW is with me it holds my pants up. So it is an important part of my attire.

As I mentioned I'm cheap, and the right holsters have just shown up from others cleaning house.

Best of luck to you. I hope it continues to be all roses for you.

I'd bet Lobo can recount a zillion stories of guns falling out of inexpensive holsters. I know of a few. But I was in the carrying business. Lobo made the stuff that kept me safe. So he assuredly has accounts of guys who had gone the less expensive route, had bad experiences, and found out the hard way that having gone good quality at the get-go would have prevented grief.

Since I'd rather pay taxes than take up marble garden existence, I'd willing pay a premium to get a holster that I can count on to save my life.

I do wish you the absolute best.

 

[P-229]

Hi rburg,

I love your choice of shotguns. Ain't nothing like an excellent SxS.

Thanks for your reply. You've included a lot of informative stuff.

Can you please help me out with something you've included? This is that to which I'm referring: "Yes, the OP here likes Galco. they're a good brand. I don't discriminate against Mexican products when it comes to leather. It seems they developed a good production mentality for that. Other things, not so much."

I found a Galco plastic box in which contained a recently purchased Avenger. It indicates that the holster was made right here in the USA. Is Galco's claim of American made products deceiving? From what I was told, by Galco, I believe, all of their leather holsters are made in Arizona. Has that changed?

I do like Galco. However, I'd prefer that Galco leather holsters for 1.5" belts. But the 1.75" belt slots aren't a deal breaker. I do own a 1.75" x .25" thick gun belt that I used for hunting and fishing. While I never carry any handgun while hunting, I will carry one before and after. We hunt the Rockies where there are a lot of mean critters. Sometimes I'll carry a .357 Mag while fishing, especially if we have to walk to where we want to wet lines. Anyway, I've yet to experience a single problem with Galco.

I'd go with a good quality custom made holster as preferred. However, they're far more expensive and delivery time is almost always extended. But if I were to carry a concealed handgun every day, I'd probably have a professional craft a holster to my specifications. Since I rarely carry, Galco works well for me.

I buy hunting and fishing stuff to hunt and fish. My Sako rifle once had a beautiful stock. I'll go with it being seasoned. I know that when I return from any Rocky Mountain hunt, my rifle will have additional seasoning.

It reminds me of a friend. He has an original Weatherby. His rifle's stock looks like a piece of badly used furniture. Its dents have dents. However, he has his trophy room just about covered with trophies, probably about 140 of just about everything that can be killed in North America except polar bear. He does take care of his rifle, but its primary purpose is hunting.

I did find kinship in your story of a box of 100 dollar holsters. Apparently I'm not the only one who has learned expensive lessons ;-) What I've also learned is used holster economics. What I pay for a holster doesn't indicate its resale value, assuming it has one.

Holsters will show usage marks. I'm good with them. When they need it, I'm apply leather conditioner.

I couldn't agree more with Lobo. Buying any holster involves compromises. One compromise is cost-quality. I'd love to get Gucci quality at Walmart prices. But that isn't realistic. I sure as heck don't want my gun to fall out of a holster, yet I don't want to waste what might be life saving time trying to bring a gun to battery. I know from experience that I will more often than not leave a gun behind if it's not comfortable to carry. Hence, a Combat Master on a 1.75" handmade gun belt. Having the right stuff makes carrying a handgun where black bears and mountain lions establish rules a whole lot easier. I'm good with their rules as long as those rules do not include my kids and me. And when I get back, my holster had better not look like it did before I left. I want to have a good time fishing. If my holster and gun come home with scratches, I'll be good, even better if the fishing was good.

Take care,

P-229

 

[PuertoRican]

Something I think you missed is "luck or chance". I recently bought 2 custom holsters from a well known maker. One for 1 1903 Colt hammerless, the other for a 1955 Detective Special. The hammerless holster was perfect. The Detective Special - completely useless. Same Maker same cost - totally different outcomes.

 

[cbore]

I think P-229 is right on track. You do get what you pay for. I too have a box full of prior holsters, some I like some wonder why I bought.

Am the same in that I tried different holster for different purpose. Bottom line left up to true gun safety and your likes and capabilities. We all have preferences and different purposes.

My go to holster an old Safariland suede inside the waist holster. That has been altered twice to hold my SW J-frame.

Great post and god comments.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

This is all great stuff. I do have to start off with one funny remark, stimulated by a remark above. I, too, accidentally bought a left hand holster, about a year ago, right from a Forum member. I didn't go back to check his ad - I KNOW he didn't omit "left handed" and I simply missed it. Made me laugh. Not an expensive error, fortunately.

Anyway, those are some great thoughts - and I have a box of holsters, mostly high quality, some not so much, because every time I buy a new hand gun that is not like one that I already have I get a holster for it. I have a lot of guns = I have a lot of holsters.

Custom made, high quality holsters don't always cost that much more than a Bianchi or a Galco so I'm not perturbed by custom pricing because that holster will meet my specifications precisely.

My biggest problem with concealment holsters is not the holsters - it's the concealment. So I try different things with variable results. The thing I like about OWB rigs is the ease of drawing the handgun - but the IWB rigs create a much better environment for concealment. So I switch off depending on where I'm going, what gun I'm planning to carry, and so forth.

But even my EDC, a snubby K frame, doesn't always travel in the same holster. Thus, choices are important. If you can, always have choices.

 

[rburg]

OK, we've covered a bunch of ground with this thread. Yes, Bianchi sometimes have their stuff made in old mexico. I don't see a quality difference between that and Safariland and Galco. Sometimes it appears they've stolen each others designs or employees. I don't know that for a fact.

There are/were domestic makers that I like and feel make great quality items. Just recently I picked up a Colorado Saddlery holster that appears to be great. Just like it was made from Heisers foundry (or whatever they called their leather shop.)

I've still got my Browning SxS, but I'm trying to transition over to an old prewar M21 Winny. It feels good.

I do have a problem. Its called distrust. I've been burned so many times that I'm guessing the cost of a good holster is maybe $500. None of them cost that much, but it takes that many cycles to buy one that really works.

At the last gun show I sold an old but still new Bianchi J frame holster for $10. I'd paid $5 for it at a flea market and just felt it needed to be in a gun persons hands. The extra $5 I added on was storage and handling.

My mistakes buying new stuff is endless. I've got a box of new stuff I haven't used. Included is a Bianchi stiff gunbelt. Its mismarked as a 36 but it won't fit around my fat belly. It was intended to be used for hauling a steel N frame around. Its really a gunbelt, but maybe for a scrawny shaped guy.

Someday I'll splurge and buy an alligator skin Galco *** with a belt to match. I know its a dream.

Gawd I hate the automatic censor here. The *** stood for "Small Of Back", not the term I use for the guy who felt every use of those letters might offend the prissy who live here.

 

[4011]

I still delighted with my snubbyfan belt an holsters. One strong side forward cant. One weak side forward cant. I think I'm still strong enough to keep the bad guy from taking my weapon. Not over priced either.

 

[MygunisaS&Wrevolver]

A.E. Nelson Leather Company in Scio Oregon makes some of the finest holsters with the best grade of leather available. Easy to find on the web. They have made holsters and leather gear for many law enforcement agencies and sportsmen for at least 40 years. You will pay a little more but you will be glad that you did. If they don't have it in stock, they will custom make it.

 

[ChiefStealth]

I agree with the OP remarks, except the first one. The statement that you get what you pay for. I don't agree. I have never found it true that a fancy, expensive holster from a big name maker is any better, or lasts any longer than less expensive holsters. $140 dollar leather doesn't work any better than $30 dollar leather. $80 dollar kydex doesn't work any better than $30 dollar kydex. Even the stuff I have made myself, for nearly nothing, works as well as the expensive pro stuff.

 

[iPac]

Those are all good thoughts, and I thank the OP for his contributions.

I can relate to this because I just bought a 2.5" Python recently and needed an OWB holster for mountain hiking and an IWB holster for conceal carry. My budget was $25 a piece, and had my work cut out for me.

The tip from the OP stating make sure you know what you want out of it before you buy is important. I found a nice vintage Strong leather holster made just for the 2.5" Python. I got it for $25. Well, I didn't think about how it fit the holster to start, and when I got it, it left almost ALL of the rear half the frame exposed. Since this is an extremely expensive gun, I needed a holster that gives almost total coverage and is very protective. So I had to return that holster.

Then I ordered an IWB leather holster from AceCase. Got one for the Python and one for a Detective Special because they offer the 2 for $30 deal. Well, the one for the Python did not fit as well as I hoped and they sent me the wrong one for the Detective, so returned both of them.

Back to square one, and after paying return shipping on two order I now knew exactly what I NEEDED in a holster. After looking through all the leather holster options, there were only a few that had the coverage I wanted. Unfortunately, the prices were no where near my budget, or they weren't made anymore.

I ended up deciding on the Bianchi Accumold 7001 sz 3 with thumb-break for my OWB holster. It was designed for the 2.5" Python so I knew it would fit, and gave the coverage I wanted. I found one on ebay and worked out the $25 price with the seller. When I got it, the fit was excellent and the coverage was just what I wanted. One problem though, Bianchi totally botched the design of this holster in respect to the velcro adjustable thumb break and the belt retention.

One important thing the OP recommended was a GOOD belt. I second that recommendation and it makes a world of difference. This past Christmas I got an actual gun belt from Bullhide Belts. They are expensive, but if you aren't super picky they clearance all their return items. I got just the belt I wanted for $45. Now this belt is about 1/4" thick.

Back to the Bianchi Accumold, the thumb break is adjustable and it runs right through the belt retention piece. Even if I had a normal belt, it still would not fit through with the thumb break installed, let alone my 1/4" thick gun belt. So I had to customize the holster by cutting the thumb break off and sewing it onto the holster that way no part of it is running through the belt retention slot. I did a good job and it works perfect now. Anybody considering that holster should keep that in mind.

Next I needed an IWB holster. With AceCase being out of the question, there aren't many options left for a gun that is no longer produced. Well, I found a seller on ebay who bought out a local gun shop and had a Bianchi leather IWB model 6D4 which is for a 4" Python. The same seller had one for a 3" Detective too. I got both for the opening bid of $5 each and they combined shipping, so I got both for $18 total.

Once I got them, the 6D4 for the Python was not designed well either. The gun needed to go in further but was stitched to not allow it. Not to mention the extra barrel length of it. Same with the Detective holster and the extra barrel length because I only own 2" D frames. Well, the price was right, so I decided to customize these to fit my needs.

I cut down the Bianchi 6D4 for a 2.5" barrel, then I ripped half the seams out and re-sewed it to allow the gun to fit deeper. Once done, the holster is perfect now. Doesn't look pretty, but completely functional for my need. I plan to do the same cut-down on the Detective holster too, but will not need to modify the stitching on that one. FYI, the best IWB holster for a 2" D frame Colt is a Galco Tuc. I got one with my second hand Cobra purchase and it is the best I have seen.

So finding a holster to suit your need exactly is hard to do, especially if you want a very certain or specific fit. Even more so when you don't want to pay for a custom one. Although if you can find ones cheap enough and have the capability to alter them, one can make it into whatever they need like I did.