Leather Thickness - 1911 Avenger Design

[Abram]

Folks I know I have seen the info on here before but what weight of leather do you prefer to use on an avenger Style holster? I have made them using 8-9 oz. and the seem to be bulky, I have some 4-5 oz. right now that I was thinking of using but I am not sure how it would hold up. This is for a full size 1911.

Thank you

Edited October 11, 2012 by Abram

[renegadelizard]

4-5 seems really light to me...i prefer 7/8 for just about everything that im doing as a single layer...i would do the 4-5 in a double layer...

[Dwight]

One of the "nice" features about an Avenger holster, . . . you can add reinforcement around the mouth, . . . which will very effectively strengthen your holster.

I have a Rhodesian IWB I made some time back with no reinforcements at all from just barely 6 oz, . . . it stays open for re-holstering with no problem.

I do, however, use Resolene as my finish, . . . I finish both the inside and outside of these type holsters, . . . which does help make them fairly stiff.

When I first made this holster, . . . I vacuum formed it around my commander size 1911, . . . slipped it out, . . . let it dry, . . . and have been very satisfied with it.

I would say your 4-5 should work if it is up in the thicker side, . . . say up around .075 thickness.

May God bless,

Dwight

[katsass]

For what it's worth from the grump; I usually make my holsters for 1911 sized guns out of two layers of 4/5oz shoulder. Doing this, true 'molding' works well, but if you intend to 'bone' the rig - - it ain't going to take too well. I find that the 'two layer' method firms up to a greater degree than does a single layer of corresponding weight, and to boot, the holster is lined. I believe Dwight found this out when he made a holster of 'two layer' method. A pic of my last avenger style, made for a Sig 226 from two layers of 4/5oz. Mike

[particle]

I use 8oz and have never had a complaint. Well, I saw one person comment it was pretty thick, but the majority are happy with the thickness.

Mike - Do you ever get comments about your mag pouch design having mags facing different directions? I assume not, because I know the design is pretty common, especially in the kydex realm. The reason I ask is because I've had two customers contact me saying I made the mag pouch facing the wrong direction. I've always felt the bullet should face forward, so you grab the mag with your palm facing your body. This way it's a natural swing to keep your palm facing upward, insert the mag, then drive it home with the palm of your hand. Anyway, since I've had a couple people directly contact me about it, I was just curious if anyone has ever had a similar comment about your design. Nice looking set, by the way! I wish I wasn't so anchored to the detail boned market. Perhaps it's time to add it as an alternative option...

[Abram]

Thanks fellas. I have some 8/9 oz. left over but was saving it for a Revolver Project, might be time to visit Tandy and dig through their inventory....lol, hopefully I will get lucky and find a nice side, we will see.

[Boothill Bob]

I use 9oz. Makes the holster realy stiff.

[IngleGunLeather]

I've experimented with most of the weights up to 9/10 oz. my personal favorite is 6/7 oz. For what I do it's the most versatile weight to have around. If I'm doing western stuff I double it up. For my lil clip ons, pancakes and avengers I use single and reinforce the mouth. It's just costs too much for me to have all the weights lying around.

[katsass]

I use 8oz and have never had a complaint. Well, I saw one person comment it was pretty thick, but the majority are happy with the thickness.

Mike - Do you ever get comments about your mag pouch design having mags facing different directions? I assume not, because I know the design is pretty common, especially in the kydex realm. The reason I ask is because I've had two customers contact me saying I made the mag pouch facing the wrong direction. I've always felt the bullet should face forward, so you grab the mag with your palm facing your body. This way it's a natural swing to keep your palm facing upward, insert the mag, then drive it home with the palm of your hand. Anyway, since I've had a couple people directly contact me about it, I was just curious if anyone has ever had a similar comment about your design. Nice looking set, by the way! I wish I wasn't so anchored to the detail boned market. Perhaps it's time to add it as an alternative option...

Actually I have had a couple of customers mention it. Coincidentally, I had a woodworker friend make me up some of square bottomed wooden molding dummies for single stack .45 and 9mm just this week, and am waiting for similar ones for double stack mags in the same calibers. I'm looking into a double stack .40 caliber just to see if there is enough difference to warrant him making a set of those. Our Highway Patrol carries .40 caliber S&W autos, but the public around this neck of the woods hasn't seemed to pick up on them to any great degree. Mike

Edited October 12, 2012 by katsass

[particle]

Actually I have had a couple of customers mention it. Coincidentally, I had a woodworker friend make me up some of square bottomed wooden molding dummies for single stack .45 and 9mm just this week, and am waiting for similar ones for double stack mags in the same calibers. I'm looking into a double stack .40 caliber just to see if there is enough difference to warrant him making a set of those. Our Highway Patrol carries .40 caliber S&W autos, but the public around this neck of the woods hasn't seemed to pick up on them to any great degree. Mike

I was debating the wooden blocks myself. How do you handle the radius'd leading edge of the magazine? Or do you just leave it squared off on the front and back edges since it has a squared non-directional bottom?

Also - for the double stack mags - will you be tapering the bottom of the magazine down like some of the mags (don't have my mags in front of me to list specific models), or the same thickness top-to-bottom so it'll be more universal? I suppose adding a tension screw at the top might make it not matter so much if it was tapered or not. I obviously haven't worked with wooden blanks before, so not sure if I'm over-thinking it or not.

[katsass]

I had him build them pretty long, for ease of working with, just round-over all edges, then slightly taper one side of the front end a little, to help getting it into the damp leather. On the double stack ones I'll have him keep the same thickness all of the way, except for the slight taper for ease of working with. I don't think that it would be of any real benefit to have them tapered down to try and match the open end of the mags. to match different models. Mike

Edited October 12, 2012 by katsass