Measurements

[rccolt45]

I am try to build a OWB with 2 1.5 inch belt slots.

My question is how much room do you put between the guns slide and the belt slot wings.

Right now my holster pater meansures about 7 inches from one wing to the other. But it just looks to big. On the other hand I am affraid to make it too small for fear the gun wont fit. Any thoughts?

[TwinOaks]

Enough room in front of the slide to allow comfortable wear, and enough room in the back (rearmost slot) to allow for a full grip, but still pull the butt of the pistol in snug to the body.

The closer you can get the slot size to the actual belt width the better off you'll fare.

[Lobo]

TwinOaks has described it well. Only thing I would add is this: your patten will contract significantly upon forming because of the width/thickness of the handgun, and contouring the finished holster to fit the hit.

7-inches across right now will probably be closer to 5-inches across when fitted and finished.

Best regards.

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

This is a subject that a lot of folks don't really understand (even a bunch of the pros). There are several things that should be taken into consideration when designing a holster (especially a custom rig).

What purpose will the holster serve? The placement of the slots will have a lot to do with determining how the gun rides. With a concealed carry holster, if you add more space between the front slot and the pistol than from the rear slot and the pistol you will end up with a holster that hugs the butt of the grip in tight so it doesn't show through a cover garment. If you do the opposite with a range holster the grip will be more accessible allowing for easier draws and re-holstering. Keep in mind that the width of the pistol will largely affect how the spacing works as well.

What kind of belt are your holsters designed to work with? If you are making a concealed carry holster, it will need to be carried on a good CCW belt so the weight of the pistol won't cause it to sag or roll and be uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. Because a CCW belt is thicker than a standard belt, the slots will have to be far enough from the pistol that there is ample room for the belt leather to flex and then conform back around to the shape of the waiste. If the slots are too close, the belt will have to bend more to thread into them, resulting in a sharper bend in the belt that may cause a lot of discomfort after a short amount of time wearing the rig. The same close dimensions with a Wal-Mart belt wouldn't be a problem since it would flex more - in fact, it would probably help some with stability (although it wouldn't vbe nearly as comfortable or stable for concealed carry as a real carry belt).

Also keep in mind that the other dimmensions of a belt slot, as well as the way the holster is formed, will play a fairly large role in how a holster performs. The slots will have to be just wide enough to accommodate the customer's belt, and just tall enough to allow room to thread the belt through without leaving any excess room for additional play (so the holster can't shift or "walk" around on the belt). If the holster is formed or molded around the belt when it is constructed, the dimensions can be a little tighter than they would be otherwise, since the belt doesn't need as much room to flex (the pre-shaped slot in the holster allows the belt to thread in straighter instead of bening over the edge of the holster and back under the pistol).

OK, now as if this wasn't complicated enough, how is your customer shaped? If it is for a large guy, the slots may be a little farther apart than if it is a really thin guy that is ordering it. If the slots are too close on the big guy's holster, we will have the pressure point mentioned earlier where the belt gets bent tight and pushed into a single spot. You might even have to build the thinner guy's holster so the outside is boned and the inside is flat, which allows you to reduce the over all dimensions of the holsetr so it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb on his smaller frame. Now consider whether the holster is for a woman with larger hips. The angle of the belt slots will make a difference in how closely the gun rides at the grip or the muzzle. This can mean the difference between a comfortable carry and the muzzle or grip pressing in to her body to the point of discomfort.

[ABC3]

What he said.....

[ArcherBen]

It seems like every time I start think that I am progressing along rather well, I stumble across one of BoomSticks instructional posts and am quickly humbled into feeling like a beginner again. BoomStick, thanks for the very informative post. You are obviously passionate about your business and it would appear that you have done considerable research in an effort to perfect your work. I dream of the day that I achieve the knowledge and skill that you've got pertaining to gun leather.

[dbusarow]

Boomstick,

I have to add a ME TOO to ArcherBen's statements. Thanks!

Dan

[dickf]

It seems like every time I start think that I am progressing along rather well, I stumble across one of BoomSticks instructional posts and am quickly humbled into feeling like a beginner again. BoomStick, thanks for the very informative post. You are obviously passionate about your business and it would appear that you have done considerable research in an effort to perfect your work. I dream of the day that I achieve the knowledge and skill that you've got pertaining to gun leather.

+1000000

I couldn't have said it better.

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

Thanks for the awfully kind words, guys. The truth is, I don't know nearly as much about holsters as some makers. I'm sure that there are pages worth of information on the subject above that I haven't even begun to consider yet. There are several things I would like to know how to do better, and it will probably take years if not a lifetime to figure some of it out.

I think the most helpful thing for me has been to carry and use my own holsters as much as possible to learn how to improve their performance and design. I think about every holster maker out there started out by sewing some leather together and calling it a holster. The thing is, nobody has to stay there. Sometimes you don't know what you don't know, so you need to make every effort to figure it out. If you guys haven't done it yet, try taking some training classes somewhere using the equipment you designed yourself. If you have any friends that carry and shoot a lot, make some gear for them and get their feedback on how they would change or improve things. Heck, I think it is even a good idea to make a rig every once in a while that you push to the point of failure just to learn more about what it will take.

[Lobo]

Thanks for the awfully kind words, guys. The truth is, I don't know nearly as much about holsters as some makers. I'm sure that there are pages worth of information on the subject above that I haven't even begun to consider yet. There are several things I would like to know how to do better, and it will probably take years if not a lifetime to figure some of it out.

I think the most helpful thing for me has been to carry and use my own holsters as much as possible to learn how to improve their performance and design. I think about every holster maker out there started out by sewing some leather together and calling it a holster. The thing is, nobody has to stay there. Sometimes you don't know what you don't know, so you need to make every effort to figure it out. If you guys haven't done it yet, try taking some training classes somewhere using the equipment you designed yourself. If you have any friends that carry and shoot a lot, make some gear for them and get their feedback on how they would change or improve things. Heck, I think it is even a good idea to make a rig every once in a while that you push to the point of failure just to learn more about what it will take.

Very good advice, well written and on point.

Best regards.