Still Trying: Iwb For Ruger Lc9

[Fredo]

I guess I'm what you would call a walking R&D lab. If I buy a gun, I use it to test out diff holsters before I offer them to others.

Well here's my first attempt at using belt clips on a IWB. made for my new Ruger LC9 with low mount Lasermax sight.

I see I could use a little more room in the grip area, maybe try a different style clip. I will be adding adjustment holes to move the clips up and down for cant / cross draw flexibility.

Your thoughts and critique always welcome.

Horse Butt

Dyed with Tandy's Pro Water Stains

Hand Stitched

Edited November 1, 2012 by Fredo

[SooperJake]

Looks good, Fredo. Interesting design.

How well does it stay put with the belt hooks upsidedown? Looks like they might gouge the body some, especially when sitting.Do you have to thread the belt through the clips to put it on?

Jake

[Dwight]

There is an old axiom that says that "form follows function" and quite honestly, my friend, . . . I don't see any function there that two leather straps with snaps at the top won't do and do better.

Not meaning to be mean or cantankerous, just trying to get a handle on why you would make a holster like that. Now if you mounted the top of the clips to the bottom of the holster, . . . so you pushed it down over the belt or pulled it up to get it off, . . . I could understand that, . . . makes getting on or off easier & quicker.

The leather work does look good though, . . . but you also might put the back side of the nuts inside the two pieces of leather, . . . doing so will protect them from rust, . . . protect your body and undershirts from rust.

May God bless,

Dwight

[particle]

The holster itself looks great, but I'm confused by the belt clips being mounted upside down as well. It also looks to ride very high. Rotating the clips would allow it to ride much lower, allowing the pants to help pull the grip closer to the body. It seems any benefit of using a clip at all is totally erased if you can't simply slide the holster on and off like the clip was designed to allow.

[katsass]

The old grump has to agree with rest of the crew. I just see no benefit from the positioning of the clips. Mike

[IngleGunLeather]

+1 on flipping the clips if you're going to stick with metal clips. If you stay with metal clips, I'd recommend these..... http://www.tandyleat...ts/1240-24.aspx . They're a 1/4" shorter than those you have pictured.

Edited November 2, 2012 by CountryTrash

[Fredo]

Thank you everyone for your input. While reading your suggestions I was able to visualize the improvements you all described. I will be treating this holster as a "Mule" and make changes until I get to a well thought out design. First up with be to retrofit the belt clips. I used what I had on hand so I'll replace these with leather straps/snaps. Pics to follow

Thanks again

[TwinOaks]

Aside from the above comments, I recommend molding a bubble/bulge over the areas of the switch for the laser. I was slightly embarrassed when a friend was wearing one of my OWB holsters for his PF9 (Keltec version of that gun) and similar laser. The gun was secure and he reported the holster to be comfortable...the only problem was the little red dot on the floor. The holster was molded closely enough his movements would push the gun/laser into the leather and activate the laser's switch. We solved it by cutting out a small circle on both sides where the switch was. I would have been much happier to just make a bubble where the switch was and avoid cutting a finished holster.

[katsass]

Just a comment, and a meandering thought or two from the grumpy old guy; I've been around holsters and shooters (guns) for a day or two now. I've watched with interest the progression of holster design and seen many come - - and many go. Things like the old Hoyte shoulder rig, the Safety Speed (old style mechanical clam-shell), the 'semi-shoulder rig (a modification of the pull-through design), the pull-through with it's open back side, the IWB, and of course the break-front styles. Most of these were carried by many - - then were found to be lacking or deficient in one way or another. It seems to me that as time goes on, holster makers have rethought and redesigned the things to the point that many have gone beyond that which a holster was - - a pouch in which to carry a gun, which is secure for the gun, easily retrievable for the shooter and comfortable to wear. Security, availability, and comfort are things that seem to me to be easing into the nebulous area of computer design and the idea of more is better. Holsters now have snaps and straps and tension adjusts and what-all on them. Currently, LEO's have to deal with level 4 'retention' holsters, with their 'push down, push forward, draw straight up type of design just to remove the gun. Personally I feel that the old high-rise Border Patrol rig was more secure and one hell of a lot quicker - but I'm just a grumpy old fart - that carried one. As to IWB holsters, they were designed IMO to be a quick on, quick off, concealed rig for small framed weapons. Small framed weapons, because they conceal better and are more comfortable to wear. A simple pouch with a clip to keep the gun from wandering down the pant-leg. These simple, straight forward rigs have morphed into something vastly different nowadays, and, I don't feel that they perform in any better way than those old simple rigs. I'm very much a traditionalist in my design and workmanship. This, the result of looking at the simplest and least complicated way of doing things. It's my opinion that the simpler the better and when designing my stuff, and proceed along those lines. I am in NO WAY demeaning any-one's work or efforts, but am suggesting that one may want to ask 'why' we are puting as much leather, snaps, straps, tension adjusters and/or clips into a rig designed to conceal, as we are puting into many open carry rigs. NOW, these are just he ramblings of a grumpy old man that may be living in the past, but one that is comfortable there, and, again, am in no way demeaning the works of others. Mike