S&w 500 Pancake Holster?

[Shooter McGavin]

I have a friend who wants a pancake holster for his S&W 500 with a 4" barrel. I typically use 8-9oz leather for my holster but am not sure how well this would support the weight of that gun using the belt slots that the pancake style provides.

Any ideas? Would laminating 2 layers of 6-7 together for each panel ( creating a hefty 12-14oz single panel ) provide the support a gun this heavy requires? Or would that just be overkill.

I only want to make this once

Thanks!

[TwinOaks]

12oz sounds like it would be plenty thick to support it, but I have to wonder about the belt holding the holster. Maybe a chance to add a gun belt to the order?

[Rayban]

I'm talking with a fella who wants a pancake "just like the one you made for my .44 mag" for his 500......I told him I didn't think he was going to like wearing that gun on a belt for any length of time......I got him thinking a shoulder sling set-up may be the best bet. It would not be for concealed carry of course.

We're still in the "design stage"

[Shooter McGavin]

He is wearing one of my double layer belts already so were good there. Good call though!

Rayban: That rig looks great. If I ever get the time I'm going to build something similar for my sawed off shotgun. Mine will ride a bit higher though. nice work.

[Rayban]

Mine will ride a bit higher though. nice work.

Like this?

[katsass]

I have a friend who wants a pancake holster for his S&W 500 with a 4" barrel. I typically use 8-9oz leather for my holster but am not sure how well this would support the weight of that gun using the belt slots that the pancake style provides.

Any ideas? Would laminating 2 layers of 6-7 together for each panel ( creating a hefty 12-14oz single panel ) provide the support a gun this heavy requires? Or would that just be overkill.

I only want to make this once

Thanks!

FWIW from the old grumpy guy; I do almost all of my holsters from two layers of 4/5 or 5/6 or a combination of each. I find that after wet molding and heat drying, each of these are (to my observation) much firmer than a single layer of equal weight. I'm sure that a double layer of 6/7 would work well. I also think that a mix of 6/7 and 5/6 should also do the trick. To me, the biggest thing is to get good adhesion between the two layers of leather. JMHO Mike

[cjcinin317]

Please be sure and post pics of what you come up with. It's such a big gun. Really want to see what you come up with.

Sure it will be awesome.

CJ

[steelhawk]

I'd like to see pics as well. I was asked to make something like this last year but I had to turn it down. It was for a Super Blackhawk with a 10 inch barrel. I had never made anything like it and the customer wanted it in 3 days for a hunting trip.

[Rayban]

The customer lives an the other side of the state from me, so to get together with the cannon may be a problem.....meanwhile I can't seem to locate one any closer to me, so this project may not happen either. We'll see.