Leather Holsters and Striker Fired Pistols

[RabbyTat]

On 12/8/2023 at 9:09 PM, Gosut said:

Is there a way to form and incorporate a rigid metal support for the opening of the holster? Is there some other way entirely?

I see this is an old thread, but wanted to add a few thoughts for any holster projects out there.

Good questions. As you see, the cheap Jakslide holster involved in that photo is infamous for causing unintended discharges. Its thin leather flexes badly at the critical top of the holster and is dangerous for single action or "safe action" firearms during the re-holster process.

I owned and discarded a Jakslide decades ago because I saw this dangerous tendency on my own.

There are ways to safely counter this issue through better holster design. For instance. one of my favorite makers, Milt Sparks uses a metal band at the top of the holster to stiffen and prevent sagging for re-holstering. They are outstanding holster makers. Others have used thick or laminated layers for stiffening this area. I used a very stiff contrasting leather in the photo of one of my IWB carry holsters for that purpose. Glued and stitched. 

The entire trigger should be covered while holstered.

But be aware that items such as jacket draw string toggles can follow your gun into the holster as you lean forward to replace your gun and activate a trigger. This can happen with any gun, but is particularly a concern with single action or striker (safe action) guns due to the lesser trigger pull needed to cause them to fire. 

Even greater concern exists from the trend to appendix carry which orients the gun toward the lower extremities. I suggest that people remove the holster and place the gun in it and then put the holster back on the belt rather than putting it straight back in the holster while mounted and oriented toward critical body parts. You might consider this when designing a holster which might be used in this condition.  

[Dwight]

On 12/10/2023 at 10:26 AM, chuck123wapati said:

..........Common sense!! Build and or buy what you need and works for you in the environment you intend to use it, not what some youtube expert says you need.

That is why I am presently carrying a Springfield 3 inch barreled 1911 in .45ACP . . . If I laid it on a table . . . most gun guys would think it is an EMP . . . it just looks like one.

9mm modern ammo will expand to basically 1/2inch . . . (.19 square inches)  putting a hurt on the bad guy.

Modern 45ACP ammo will expand to almost 1 inch . . . (.78 square inches) putting 4 times the hurt on the bad guy.

I carried a P365 for a while . . . couple different Shield's . . . Ruger p89 . . . Taurus G3C . . . never, never felt secure and comfortable with them.

This little baby does the trick.

But as Chuck said  . . . get what is best for you . . . I like this one . . . and it will never find a home in a plastic fantastic holster.  Leather all the way . . . or Mexican carry at certain times.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Stetson912]

Well, it's my thinking that if the gun is functioning properly, you have to really design the holster for it to unintentionally fire. That is, if the holster is molded to the gun, even with heavy molding in the trigger guard, the rest of the molding will prevent the gun from moving downward in the holster causing it to unintentionally discharge. You would have to have really deep molding in the trigger guard and push the gun through the stitches to cause it to fire. And that's just not feasible and would suggest a peoblem with the operator not the holster

[Mablung]

8 hours ago, RabbyTat said:

Even greater concern exists from the trend to appendix carry which orients the gun toward the lower extremities. I suggest that people remove the holster and place the gun in it and then put the holster back on the belt rather than putting it straight back in the holster while mounted and oriented toward critical body parts. You might consider this when designing a holster which might be used in this condition.  

This is a nothingburger, if one uses decent leather molded well and of the right temper and thickness. In other words, make the holster properly and you’re fine. It’s also a lot harder to shoot oneself in either the family jewels or the femoral artery than many think. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, but it’s not the imminent risk it’s made out to be. Don’t be an idiot when reholstering, and it’s perfectly safe to reholster with the pistol still in the pants, regardless of the pistol’s action.