Gun Fits Loose In Holster

[hotwing]

I bought a used Bianchi #4/4l at a gun show yesterday.My plan was to try and make a "copy" of it for my first build. The holster is kind of an avenger style for a 5" 1911. When I got it home my pistol fit loose in the holster. Should I try and "wet" it to shrink it to fit my gun better? If so, how should I go about doing it? I'm not worried about wrecking it, because as it is I cant use it or resell it. Anybody got any ideas?

[Denster]

You can't shrink it to fit. Leather does not work that way. That style of holster puts tension on the weapon when worn and probably holds the weapon fine when on a belt.

[Rayban]

Without knowing just how loose it is, it's tough to recommend a remedy.......if it's just a "smidgun".....maybe glue some leather strips vertically, inside at just the right places to form a friction fit to the gun.

[Shooter McGavin]

Wouldnt soaking it in water and allowing it to airdry shrink it up some?

[Rayban]

Wouldnt soaking it in water and allowing it to airdry shrink it up some?

I say yes....some.....the question I have is how much "some" do you need to make it work?

Maybe it's "too big' enough you could soak it, mold it to the gun, and there may be enough to stitch another line closer to the gun.....but again, without knowing how much.......

[Denster]

Wouldnt soaking it in water and allowing it to airdry shrink it up some?

No it would not. We may be getting the cart before the horse here anyway. The OP said it was an avenger style. That means two belt attachment points that put tension on the weapon when on the belt. How loose is too loose? Does the OP mean that off the belt the holster will not retain the weapon when inverted? This is a used holster, possibly well used, but if it retains the gun well when on the belt not necessarily ready for retirement.

[hotwing]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Sorry, I should have tried to explain the gun to holster fit. Worn with a belt, the holster is just slightly loose, by that I mean the gun fits in the holster and fits well, Its just that on the draw and holstering the gun there is no frfriction of any kind. Other leather holsters I have have just enough friction so that it takes some effort to remove the gun from the holster. Example: if the holstered gun is tilted at a 45 degree angle the gun would slide out of the holster. A Milt Sparks summer special I have holds the gun just enough that you could hold it almost up side down and the gun would not fall out.

The holster is used, but shows very little "wear". No signs of cracking or streaching. I like the idea of trying to glue something to the interior of the holster. Thanks again guys.

[Rayban]

Try a piece of calf skin in the right spot, it's thin and it's a little "grippy".

[particle]

Just a thought, but if your initial goal was to use it as a reference to build your first holster, why not cut the stitching out so you can open it up and lay it flat. Then, trace the pattern onto card stock. You could inset the stitch line a little if you wanted to, but for your first holster, I wouldn't recommend it.

Since you've opened up your Bianchi, you could stitch in a sight channel with thin leather which would put additional friction on the top of the slide. Then, hand sew it closed and add it to your holster collection.

[Dwight]

I bought a used Bianchi #4/4l at a gun show yesterday.My plan was to try and make a "copy" of it for my first build. The holster is kind of an avenger style for a 5" 1911. When I got it home my pistol fit loose in the holster. Should I try and "wet" it to shrink it to fit my gun better? If so, how should I go about doing it? I'm not worried about wrecking it, because as it is I cant use it or resell it. Anybody got any ideas?

There are a couple things you can do, . . .

One, . . . get it WET, . . . not just damp, . . . in water that you can just barely stand to have your hands in, . . . insert the gun (don't cover it with a plastic bag or saran wrap, . . . just the gun), . . . and mold it as tight as you possibly can to the gun.

VERY, . . . gently extract the weapon, . . . and push down on the area between the ejection port and the trigger guard. Generally, it likes to lift when you pull out a 1911. Don't push it down too far, . . . just about 1/8 of an inch of so below where it would be if there were no gun in the holster.

Dry the holster with a little heat, . . . try to get it at about 130 degrees, . . . and leave it there until it is absolutely hard rock dry, . . . minimum of 16 hours.

Mix up a solution of 50 / 50, Resolene and tap water, . . . apply liberally, . . . inside and outside, . . . brushing until you get a bit of a foaming action, . . . then brush out the bubbles. Use a wool dauber to fully coat the inside.

Dry this, . . . again with a little heat.

You will most likely get it to where it provides friction against the weapon.

NOW, . . . if you have someone who is a wood worker, . . . who has a vacuum bag used for veneering, . . . you can use the vacuum bag instead of the hand molding, . . . it will do a better job than hand molding of getting it pulled up tight to the gun. (Pick up the directions above and follow every thing else in the same order.)

Anyway, . . . best wishes.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited November 29, 2011 by Dwight