BOOMSTICKHolsters

Ruger SP101, Smith & Wesson Model 60, and Smith & Wesson 625 are all SOLD

Right now Duncan's charges $45 per gun and $12 dollars per magazine. They usually need a little clean up with a dremel before they are ready to use, but it is worth it when you end up with a mold that won't wear out.

I was checking out the dummy gun rental thread and it made me ponder an idea. I have a hard getting the dummy guns I want. I'm sure several of you guys do as well. Duncan's Customs requires a minimum of four orders before they will cast a dummy gun. How many of you are interested in using a forum thread to guage shared interest in having specific models cast? If you need a specific gun cast, you make a post to let everyone know you want that model (a post declairing your interest in a dummy gun would be treated as a commitment to buy). Anyone else who also wants that model would add a +1. Once we hit four requests, all interested parties would place a call to Duncan's. One of the issues with trying to get a dummy gun cast is comming up with a gun to send in in the first place, and covering the costs. I would be interested in floating some extra money towards anyone who is willing to send their pistol in if that was an option, and I'm sure some of you guys would do the same. So what do you think? Description Legend: C&L: this means the pistol is to be cast with hammer back, and the safety on. D-C: this means the pistol is to be cast de-cocked with the hammer down, but with the safety off (ready to fire). D-C/S: this means the pistol is to be cast de-cocked with the hammer down, but with the safety on. Here's my interest list: 1. 4" bbl 1911 C&L. Either a Kimber Pro Carry II, or a Springfield Champion. Preferably, the pistol to be cast would have an ambidextrous safety. 2. H&K USP series; USP45 C&L, USP45C C&L, USP9 C&L, USP9C C&L, USP45 Expert C&L and D-C, USP9 Expert C&L and D-C. 3. H&K VP70z. 4. H&K P7M10. 5. H&K P30L 6. Browning Hi-Power MKIII C&L 7. Kahr K9 8. Kahr T9 9. Kahr TP9

rickybobby - Thanks! Shorts - I definitely know what your talking about. There are two viable solutions that I know of. First is to cut the holster pattern so the leather is at a diagonal angle from the rear the to the front & top to bottom, if that makes any sense. Of course you need to adjust the angle and the cut so the trigger is fully covered. Technically, the sharper the angle the better. This holster has a minimal angle but it is still there if you look closely. When you get the angle right, the slide of the pistol will open the trigger guard up a little while it is being holstered (but I think that is only because people tend to get the insertion angle a little wrong when they reholster their pistols). The other solution I use is to "lift" the edge of the holster with a bone folder while you are shaping the holster so it flares out a bit - not much, but enough that the front of the trigger guard doesn't bump into the leather when the pistol is reholstered. This is why I don't fully bone the front trigger guard area on holsters for certain pistol models. I want the trigger guard area to act like a ramp; with a smooth transition and the a bump at the end that acts as a catch. This results in a bit more retention than you might get otherwise, and it also allows the holster to make a small "pop" when the pistol is fully seated (and that's so cool ). Well, there goes another ultra secret trick of the trade!

We really put our holsters (and ourselves) through their paces today. It was a long day but we had a lot of fun shooting carbines, pistols and shotguns. It was a great opportunity to test out some holsters (including the Glock holster I just posted - it was for one of the instructors at the class). We really did crawl over rocks and dirt to get some pretty awkward shots from cover. I had to laugh when I saw Jared [and his holster] completely caked with dirt. I wish I would have brought my camera. It was also really funny whenever Jared holstered his H&K with the slide back only to have it fall because he boned it so tightly. Anyhow, I thought this was pretty nice for a first holster. Jared did all of the work and occasionally asked a few questions. It was also his first time using a stitcher, and I think he did a good job for never having done anythig wuite like this before. There is a little room for improvement, but this one definitely puts my first holster to shame. I can see Jared making some really nice holsters as he gets more experience under his belt. GOOD JOB, BUDDY!

I like an 8x32 flat head cap screw seated in a finishing washer, coupled with an 8x32 T-nut. I like to use fuel line as a compression washer.

That was from using a stitched belt as a forming blank when I was shaping the holster (I couldn't find my normal belt form and I was in a hurry). Oops...

I too am concerned about open carry. I don't want to surprise or startle anybody who may suddenly notice that I am carrying a gun. In order to avoid this awkward situation I have adopted the policy of waving my gun in the air and yelling out "I have a gun" when ever I enter a social setting like a restaurant, or bank, so as not to subject anyone who is uncomfortable around firearms to the kind personal shock that they might experience if they noticed the pistol on their own. It seems to work incredibly well, so far. You wouldn't believe how polite people are once you try to accommodate them. I have gotten all kinds of free meals and no matter how many with drawls I make at the bank my account never seems to get lower. A couple the other day even gave me some jewelry and a watch for no apparent reason. Isn't it great how tolerant people can be when you try and meet them half way.... Just kidding - I figured you guys might enjoy my warped sense of humor. 'Carry on.

Bronson, Rock76, MADMAX22 & Tac - Thanks! I keep trying to improve an it sure feels nice when somebody appreciates my efforts. rybord - Thank you for the compliments. I put a lot of thought into my designs so they are as functional as possible. The reinforcement of the sweat shield is cut so that it will not only be clear of the belt (and therefore closer to the shooter's body), but also theoretically it will help support the holster if the belt sags any (assuming the customer is wearing a poorly designed belt that wont support the weight of the pistol ). As to the finish question: To get this finish I buffed the holster on a cloth wheel, then I brushed Angelus 600 onto the holster with a foam brush until it won't absorb any more. I then wiped any excess acrylic off and buffed the hoslter again. Once that is done I spray a fine mist of Angelus 600 over the whole piece with an airbrush to get that matte finish. If you want to at this point you can go back and brush Resolene on the edges for a smooth, glossy finished look that contrasts with the rest of the holster. 10X - Thanks. That is the rough side out on the rear side. With the rough side against the belt, it helps resist movement or shifting of the holster (plus it makes the front view of the holster look really slick). No rough leather is against the wearer's body if the shirt is covering the holster because the sweat shield reinforcement is smooth side out. brinyar - Thanks for the constructive criticism. I wondered who would notice that . I was shaping the holster and I couldn't find my normal belt blank, so I used an actual belt, thinking 'what's the worst thing that could happen?'. I won't be doing that again. Please let me know if you notice anything else that could use some improvements. As to the draw angle - I don't know if I mentioned it before, but I started doing the 23 degree grip angle to support the weight of a loaded P7 in the 4:30 to 5:30 position in an IWB holster. It worked much better for me than I had imagined it would, so in certain situations I recommend it to customers with specific needs. So far, they have all been really pleased with it. DCKNIVES - Yeah, I don't do that many holsters in such a deep can't, but occasionally it fits well with a customer's shooting/carrying style. It seems like I can classify my customers into of certain groups; Uniformed LEO's that wear their pistols right behind their pants seem, and civilians with classic weaver stance training are often the ones who ask for stright draw holsters (usually a Bruce Nelson style holster). Plain clothes Officers or investigators and civilians that side with more recent shooting styles, like the modern isocolese, tend to use the FBI cant holsters (about 50/50 between the Roy Baker pancake style or Bruce Nelson scabbard style holsters in this case). The rest of the angles I make holsters in are customs at the request of the customers, ranging from 4, 11, 19 or 23 degrees to who-knows-what. I try to make sure that they know that the cant and the postitioning of their holster will affect their hand and wrist positioning during the draw, and that their wrist should be as locked out as possible during the draw so they won't lose the gun while running or in a close quarter struggle. Most of my customers already understand this concept thuroughly and adhere to it unless they have specific physical limitations that require certain circumstances are met, or they need to sacrifice a stronger drawing postion for better concealability. The customers that have never taken thest things into consideration usually appreciate that I am trying to help them determine what fits their "needs" more than their wants, and most of them are very open minded when it coumes to helping them decide what will serve them the best.

Thanks guys! I can still see some flaws, but that's usually the case when you look at your own work I guess. Rybord, the slot placement does definitely help with printing, although aestheticly speaking I would actually prefer the front slot to be closer in (but it serves a purpose so that's how it stays). I used to think that the bigger the holster, the more it would print. Now I know that's not necessarily the case. The front wing is also pre-bent, and the rear wing is almost straight (except for the deformation to allow easier threading of the belt through the slot). That helps the grip stay in against the body also. With the slot placement and the angle of the draw making the grip more vertical, it actually conceals nicely for an OWB carrying a thicker pistol.

Well, pocket holsters aren't my normal thing, but I have made a couple. The considerations I take into account and the features I try to accomplish are: 1. To make sure the pistol is held in the pocket at the same place every time - this is a big help for consistent draw practice. 2. To make sure the trigger guard is completely covered - you sure don't want to pull the trigger while you are trying to establish a grip. 3. To protect the cylinder or the breech from any lint or debris - this is overlooked sometimes, but I have seen an LCP that was so locked up from a small piece of lint it took a rubber mallet and a bench vise to get it apart (a fun task with a loaded pistol). 4. To camouflage the shape of the pistol so it doesn't look like a firearm. 5. To allow a consistent, positive grip on the pistol before it leaves the pocket. 6. To make sure the holster stays in the pocket when the pistol clears leather. We want to see some pics when you get one built! (no pressure or anything, though )

Hey guys. I just thought I hadn't posted any holsters in a while so I decided to put some pics up of a plain jane Glock 19 holster. The cant is 23 degrees at the request of a customer who likes to carry at around the 5:30 position. If you have any suggestions to help me improve, or any questions as to why I did something a certain way, feel free to comment. Thanks, Jeff

Your work looks better every time you post. Which tannery is that leather from?

I use a press to save time and wear and tear on my knuckles and wrists. If you have physical limitations than this may be a cheaper solution than using a hydraulic press, but I don't know that it will save you any time. It could allow you to "be a dad" and leave the work area for a while as mentioned, but I really only leave the holsters in the press for less than a minute. It might also be a good way to learn where your boning lines should be. It is definitely a creative solution that costs a little less (and that's always a good thing). Now with all that said, I still encourage everyone to get good at boning the shape of your holsters by hand (especially hobbyists or casual builders). It is my opinion that you should learn to hand sew, hand bone, and edge your leather by hand before you resort to tools that do the work for you or speed things up. It gives you a better understanding of the craft, not to mention more appreciation for the work that goes into a holster when you don't take short cuts. It also shows you what kind of results you should be trying to emulate with your machines if you are trying to save time without sacrificing quality. So do I think that cutting, edging and shaping by hand is better? Not exactly; it is a great education to start with, though. Once you have a good understanding of hand work and the use of machinery, I think it is possible to produce a superior product in less time. In my opinion, it is so much better to use a machine as a tool than as a crutch. Just something to think about as you decide what kind of tools you will spend your hard earned dollars on.

Colt Commander and Taurus PT 24/7 are SOLD.

Hey folks. I need to move some dummy guns I am no longer using to fund a new project. I am taking a big cut on these so my loss is your gain. The dummies have been cleaned up and had a sight rail installed (for molding a sight channel in your holsters). The following dummy guns are available: BLUE GUNS: Ruger GP100 4" bbl $30 shipped Ruger SP101 3" bbl $30 shipped Smith & Wesson Model 60 3" bbl $30 shipped Colt Commander 4.25" bbl, hammer down $30 shipped Taurus PT 24/7 (no sight rail) $30 shipped Duncan's Customs: Smith & Wesson 325 PD 2.5" bbl $35 shipped Smith & Wesson SW99 Compact $35 shipped Smith & Wesson 625 4" bbl $35 Shipped Smith & Wesson SW1911 Railed (hammer down) $35 shipped Taurus PT145 (Gen 1) $35 shipped Hi Point C9 $25 shipped

If you have access to a blasting cabinet, walnut hulls will take most of the blue dye off of them. Chase that with a little laquer thinner and that should do the trick. - Or you could just mold a couple more holsters and then there won't be much dye left on the dummy gun

I would do that, but "Pimp-Stick Holsters" sounds silly. I'm just having a little fun with you for the shot you took at me a while back. Whether you are an artist, a craftsman, or something entirely different, there is nothing wrong with taking pride in workmanship; a good looking rig isn't any less functional than a plain one (sometimes they're actually better if the differences serve a purpose). I have a genuine admiration for the original designers and holster makers as well. I am attempting to do what they did in their time; strive to improve both my craftsmanship and my designs as the needs of shooters evolve and become more refined. There is more than one way to appreciate the efforts of our predecessors, just like there is more than one way to build a holster. If reproductions are what you enjoy building, I hope you continue to excel at them and carve a niche out for yourself in the holster market. That really is the nicest piece I have seen you post here. My regards to you, Sir.

That is the best work I've seen you produce, LOBO. Any pimp or rookie cop would be proud to own that one!

I would rather have them oversized so I could cut them down anyhow. Do you think the material is sturdy enough to take two small holes drilled through from front to back? I am thinking that a couple of matching holes in the dummy gun and some creative use of dowel pins and some JB Weld would make for a repeatable and more consistent mounting method. 'Hope your pics come out. In my case I think that I would trade a day of rain for some good picture lighting. My garden needs some help this year....

Shorts, I'm really impressed with the solution you came up with. I don't think I would have come up with that one. Can we see pics of the holster? Would you consider casting a few more of those and selling them?

Hey Kevin. I just now found this post or I would have answered sooner. I know cost would be much higher, but what are the odds of getting these made in stainless as a one off?

Here is a standard Askins style holster like dbusarow mentioned: Here is the same thing in a cross draw variation. Make sure the belt loops are tight and encourage your friend to get a good carry belt if he doesn't have one already, or the pistol will not carry comfortably riding this high.

I don't know that the batch that I got mine from is the same as the ones they have now, but mine is in spec.

Duncan's had them in stock as of the 11th. They require a little bit of clean up but you don't really have a lot of choices here.