Holster Too Tight

[steelhawk]

I made a holster for someone and he says the retention is fine with gun inserted freeley in the holster but when he puts in on a belt it is too tight. He has put in in a plastic bag overnight and done lots of draws with it, but it is still too tight.

Does he need to use two plastic bags? I don't wan't to over stretch it. I have had tight holsters but they loosened up with the plastic bag or with lots of draws.

[particle]

If the holster was not built with enough curve when you initially formed it, he'll likely always have problems with it being too tight when worn. Plus, the extra flexing will likely break down the holster much more quickly than normal. Sadly, your best bet is probably to remake the holster for him... Make sure there is a clear line of sight from one belt slot, across the backside of the holster, and out the other slot. I'm no expert, but once I had to remake one for a customer for the same reason your customer is experiencing, I started making them all like this. This is a fairly old picture, but the only one I have that shows the curve very well.

And here it is from the front.

[Dwight]

I laughinly tell many of my (face to face & CHL) customers that the best way to get their holster to fit them and their gun: find a really good restaurant about 2 hours drive from home.

Put on the holster, put in the gun, get in the car, turn on the heater, buckle up, . . . go get a meal at that restaurant. When you get home and get out of the car, . . . it will be fitting you like a glove. It takes a little body heat, . . . time, . . . etc.

So far they have all laughed, . . . I don't know how many have done it, . . . but they haven't come back complaining either.

The next step is to have him put the handgun in a baggy, . . . put on the holster with the handgun, . . . and wear it around the house for a day or two, . . . especially seated, . . . maybe watching a movie or two. Again, . . . the body heat will take care of it if there is any taking care of it to be done.

It may be that you will have to remake it, . . . but so far I've been pretty much able to avoid that.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Denster]

I have to agree with Dwight. Wearing the holster with the gun in for a few hours will let the holster conform to the individual. I pre-contour all of my holsters as Particle does because it eases the break in period. A properly formed pancake style holster is always going to be tight the first time it is worn, even pre-contoured, as the belt tensions the holster front and rear around the weapon.