Dummy Guns For Holster Forming?

[Sandman0077]

Hello again all! I had a question and thought this would be the right spot for it. If not, mods please move it.

My question is, how do you form a holster when the customer isn't able to provide the weapon? Such as a long distance order? I learned from the Al Stohlman books how to make wood patterns for certain items, but how would you do it for a handgun?

My first thought was to use airsoft versions, but from experience, thoughs aren't always 1:1 scale.

My second thought was prop handguns or rubber dummies, like the kind used in movies and television. But a quick search on ebay proved that to be a little expensive, and if you were looking for a rare handgun, there may not be a dummy version.

So how do you guys do it? Is there a place to buy such things?

[Dwight]

I don't often encounter that problem, . . . but have in the past. Being an old model maker / carpenter / woodworker, . . . I have successfully made an LCP, . . . a Smith model 29, . . . a Glock 35, . . . and a little Keltec.

You need basically a side view, . . . top view, . . . and butt view, . . . a pair of calipers, . . . a good printer, . . . a calculator, . . . and a little luck.

You will have to "mine the internet" in some cases, . . . but there are sites that will give you the length, width, weight, thickness, etc of just about any weapon out there. Look long enough, and you will usually find one with a cartridge or other item in the picture where you can get a hard cold dimension, . . . and all other measurements are just multiples of that one. It is your base, . . .

May God bless,

Dwight

[renegadelizard]

you can get blueguns for almost any thing out there...35-40 bucks...not a bad price if you think it will make more than one holster..otherwise, sometimes you just have to say no can do...

[katsass]

From the grump; Dwight has it down a pot-load better than I do. I've made a molding dummy for a couple of auto pistols, but never tried a wheelgun. I'm NOT about to try one. The way I did it was to locate a good sized pic (on the computer) of the gun in question, and print it. I then found (again, on the net) the actual dimensions of the shooter. I then re-size the original pic on a copy machine, to the actual size of the gun (and knowing the width of the gun) make a paper pattern from that for the leather. When re-sizing I draw a dark line on the original, as close to exactly five inches as possible, and use that as a guide. Then finally cut and carve a block of wood to the actual dimensions and shape of the slide and trigger guard areas only - because that's about all that is in the leather. Takes time,and effort - - and the customer pays for that service, but it works. Mike

Edited October 9, 2012 by katsass

[George B]

You may want to check with RMB Leather who is a member of the site. I believe he has a rental program for Ring blue guns, if not I apologize. I normally purchase the dummy if it is a model I think I can use for future holsters.

[RMB Custom Leather]

If I can help just let me know site is below.

[chiefjason]

Rob (post above) is great. I've bought all my blueguns from him. Great service. I have been know to beg and borrow guns if I can though. My biggest score was getting the shield blue gun from a local gun store a solid 6 weeks before it went on sale. I made a few bucks. hehe

[mcn]

Bunkhouse Tools has quite a few molds.

[Sandman0077]

Great replies guys! Thanks a bunch. I'm gonna take a look at the blue gun option first. Then I'll give it a shot with the wood blocks.

[kimball]

In Canada we are not aloud to purchase Blue guns .so i have to figure something elese out also

[camano ridge]

Like most on here I use dummy guns rings, duncan etc. If you watch the for sale of this site you will frequently find them for less then new price. However there are times when you can't get a dummy for a certain model. I am making a holster for a person in Canada it is a holster for a Colt New Service .455 eley (no dummy found for it). There is no way for him to get the gunn to me. Yesterday I found a picture on the web found the length of the actual weapon and resized the picture to correct size. I cut it out so I had a paper pistol. Any measurments I could not get from the picture I could call the customer for. I went down to my shop found some dowel and a scrap piece of 1 x 6 pine layed the paper pistol on the 1 x 6 and cut out the pattern with a jig saw. I then drilled out a hole for the barrel (3/4") cut the dowel to the appropriate length inserted it into the hole. The cylinder is 1 3/4" I had 1 1/2" dowel cut to the right length and wrapped with duct tape to get the right diameter. In less then 30 minute using jig saw, drill and scrap found in my shop I had a dummy gun. You don't even really need the grip cut out unless you are going to build a flap holster and you don't really need the hammer unless you are going to add a retention strap. It's not pretty but it will work, this is not for a holster I will need to do a lot of detailed boning to. If it were I would just use a dremmel to ad some detailto the model. I will probably clean up the trigger area alittle not because I need to, but just because.

Edited October 12, 2012 by camano ridge