Iwb For Larger Folk

[vahillbilly]

I have had a couple of returns lately on IWB holsters sold online because the customer said they could not get the gun out of the holster. After getting them back and trying them myself, I can't find a problem. Are there any special design elements that you use to make them more "big people friendly"? I know that the belt involved, as well as the tightness of the belt could be a factor.

Has anyone else ever ran into this? Any input appreciated. Just a little frustrated.

Thanks,

Sam

[Luke Hatley]

I have had a couple of returns lately on IWB holsters sold online because the customer said they could not get the gun out of the holster. After getting them back and trying them myself, I can't find a problem. Are there any special design elements that you use to make them more "big people friendly"? I know that the belt involved, as well as the tightness of the belt could be a factor.

Has anyone else ever ran into this? Any input appreciated. Just a little frustrated.

Thanks,

Sam

I stay awayfrom I W B......i think they are uncomfortable.

He probably had his belt to tight.......

Wished i could be of more help..

[NoahL]

Did you reinforce the mouth of the holster with a steel band? That might help a bit

[vahillbilly]

I did not reinforce the mouth on this holster. I know that makes it harder to re-holster if not reinforced, but didn't think about drawing the gun being easier as well. Something else to think about.

[Shorts]

Hmm, that's tough to say really without watching each individual try to draw. Some of my customers are larger fellows but I haven't heard anything about difficulty drawing from IWB.

Just throwing out wild guesses I'd say position and cant might have been not suited for their particular limberness. If they had the belt cranked down it would also hang into the gun too but that's not something that shouldn't be overcome.

Really, if their love is hanging over the gun and holster, it's going to be difficult. I'm leaning towards a draw stroke and cant to help alleviate it. But the truth is all holsters fit better when a person can be in better shape.

[katsass]

I stay awayfrom I W B......i think they are uncomfortable.

He probably had his belt to tight.......

Wished i could be of more help..

I too stay away from IWB holsters. I tried one and found it to be uncomfortable to wear throughout an entire 12 hr. shift. I so advise my few customers that ask. All those have come back with gratitude in ending up with a tight-in belt holster or an avenger style. Mike

[Dwight]

I have had a couple of returns lately on IWB holsters sold online because the customer said they could not get the gun out of the holster. After getting them back and trying them myself, I can't find a problem. Are there any special design elements that you use to make them more "big people friendly"? I know that the belt involved, as well as the tightness of the belt could be a factor.

Has anyone else ever ran into this? Any input appreciated. Just a little frustrated.

Thanks,

Sam

Sam, . . . can you post a picture of each?

I make almost exclusively IWB, . . . have never had one come back for that reason, . . . perhaps we can see something collectively here that would make a difference.

And, . . . yes, . . . I have a couple of, . . . uhh, . . . umm, . . . larger customers. They all like my holsters, and while the mouth is reinforced, I have never found a need for the steel addition.

Anyway, . . . looking forward to seeing pics.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited October 2, 2010 by Dwight

[TwinOaks]

I always tell my customers of IWB holsters that they need to increase the pants size to comfortably carry that way. Otherwise, they're effectively adding an inch or more inside the belt. I agree with the statement about the belt being crucial. The choice of gun has a lot to do with it, as well. A slim gun like a 1911, High Power, etc., will be more comfortable than a blocky shape like Glock, XD, etc. A J-frame Smith would be okay, but a RedHawk would be uncomfortable. Also, the amount of pistol IWB contributes. Placing a revolver so that the cylinder is under the belt would be difficult to draw.

My set up is an IWB for an all steel 1911, worn at 4 o'clock, spares on the other side. On weekends I wear it for about 12-14 hours per day w/ no probs.

You may have to tell the customer that carrying a pistol under a roll of fat is problematic and they need to order style 'x' from you instead.

[vahillbilly]

Here are some pics of the holster in. Color is off in the first picture. This holster has basically zero cant, which could be part of the problem. It is for a j-frame revolver, with the cylinder behind the belt, not above or below.

[vahillbilly]

Here are a couple of pics of the other holster.

Thanks,

Sam

[Deanimator]

My strong inclination would be that it has something to do with the buyer wearing or drawing in some odd way.

I'm by no means anorexic and use ONLY IWBs for larger guns, up to a 5" M1911 in length and a 3" S&W Model 65 in width. I have NO problems drawing, other than in tight confines like in an automobile. That's a well known issue. I never wear extra cover garments in warm weather and have a personal distaste for untucked shirts. That leaves me with tuckable IWBs or pocket holsters, both of which I make and use.

As stated above, the belt is EXTREMELY important. With an IWB, lousy belt, lousy carry.

Also every one of my IWBs has a reinforced mouth. I haven't found metal to be at all necessary. A strip of the same material used to make the holster body sewn at the top of the holster works just fine. My first IWB was one of the cheap Bianchis. I pitched it in a drawer after two days. It was EXTREMELY difficult to get the gun in the holster while on my body, so much so that I was afraid of the soft holster material near the trigger guard snagging the trigger and causing an ND. The clip was SO aggressive that I could barely get the holster over my belt and pants with my pants OFF. Attaching the holster with the gun in it while I was wearing my pants was a lost cause. I've had none of those problems with my Don Hume 715Ms or my own tuckable IWBs.

Some things just aren't for some people.

Edited October 2, 2010 by Deanimator

[TwinOaks]

I see an immediate "problem" with the first holster. With no support at the back (trigger guard side) of the holster, it's left to lift and rotate using the clip as its pivot. The result is as the holster pivots, the draw transfers from "up through the big hole" to "trying to draw the weapon through the stitching on the trigger guard side of the holster. Adding in the extra( loop like on the second one should alleviate that "problem".

The reason the word problem is in quotes is because for a crossdraw, it's in exactly the right place. It's not a problem of design, but implementation.

[Reaper]

Also the back where you have the leather to protect the weapon from the body sweat needs to be trimmed so that it does not end up betweem the thumb and pistol grip of it locks the weapon into the holster. Remember when one grabs their Rosco, they need it now and they are probably going to grip the hell out of it.

[jrvinny]

I agree with Reaper. The idea of having a body shield (or choose your favorite name for this feature) is to keep the sharp metal edges away from your skin. Guarding the grip from your side is not really an issue. It will inhibit your draw by keeping you from getting a full firing grip on the gun. You figure that out pretty quick when training and training with the equipment you carry is key. For me, I've found it's best to make it just large enough to cover the sharp parts and not so large that it bites you in the web of your hand on the draw. This photo shows a semi-auto but illustrates my point. The body shield follows the line of where your thumb falls naturally when gripping the gun.

[Deanimator]

I agree with Reaper. The idea of having a body shield (or choose your favorite name for this feature) is to keep the sharp metal edges away from your skin. Guarding the grip from your side is not really an issue. It will inhibit your draw by keeping you from getting a full firing grip on the gun. You figure that out pretty quick when training and training with the equipment you carry is key. For me, I've found it's best to make it just large enough to cover the sharp parts and not so large that it bites you in the web of your hand on the draw. This photo shows a semi-auto but illustrates my point. The body shield follows the line of where your thumb falls naturally when gripping the gun.

The size and shape of the body shield is going to vary with the firearm for which the holster is designed.

On my M1911 holster, it's quite big, because it's got to protect the body from the hammer at full cock, the tang of the grip safety and a reasonable array of adjustable sights, including fairly large ones.

On the other hand, my 2" J-Frame Smith holster has no shield at all. The hammer and any rear sight sit below the mouth of the holster.

My Glock holsters are in the middle. The Glock 22 holsters I make have a little longer body shield than those for the Glock 19. This is because I have a set of Pachmayr adjustable sights on my Glock 22. They project backward over the end of the slide. I didn't do this on the Glock 19 holster, since my Glock 19 has fixed sights and those guns are far less likely to have adjustable sights, especially ones the size of the Pachmayr.