Working On An Iwb With Metal Clips Holster, Needing Some Advice

[Guy W]

Hey I'm working on my 2nd holster and I messed it up, so back to the drawing board, but figured I'd ask some advice about doing an IWB holster with metal clips instead of leather loops. Here's a picture of what I put together today. It's just glued up and I noticed I didn't leave enough meat around the bottom left side for stitching, so back to the drawing board.

So I cut slots in the front of the holster and after glueing it up I slide the clips into place. I plan on riveting it in on the final version. But, I'm just not crazy about it. The slots that the clips slide down into are really rough, I did 2 small punches and then cut the slot between the punches, and it's just not very clean. You can't really see it, but in the back of my mind I know.

I also don't like how they line up. Because the leather is so much higher on the right side it just looks kind of off to me, but I also didn't want to have a boring boxy design. I'm not sure how to make it look better since I need to have the room for the clips back between the 2 layers of leather.

My 1st holster was a 1911 holster with leather belt loops and I found that the line 24 snaps didn't stay closed securely, you can bump them and they would unsnap. If you look at this image, the way I did my loops was I didn't set the stud to the eyelet, since I had to mount the screw threw the stud to the t-nut behind the strap.

Anyway if anyone has some suggestions on the G19 holster with the clips or setting snaps on holster loops or anything it's appreciated.

[camano ridge]

One of the big things I see is I don't like the way the metal clip sits up on the left side. It looks like when you go to draw and you try to get your hand around the grip hou stand a good chnce of hitting that metal clip with your hand.

On your straps that you talked about if they unsnapped that easily it is probably because the socket was not fully seating on the stud. usaually the reason is that you used a screw that did not seat low enough to allow clearance for the socke to seat all the way down.

[chiefjason]

You can buy bag punches to cut the slots out. That is what I use when I need a slot for a clip. Any reason you are not leaving them outside and making them adjustable with a couple of holes punched?

For leather loops go ahead and spend the extra money on pull the dot snaps. Well worth it IMO. They do not come unsnapped easily, and only in one direction. Solve the bump from the front unsnapping problem. I set mine to only release by being pulled down from the top.

As for boxy, the shorter the slide the more they tend towards boxy. You want sexy, use a 5" 1911. lol

If you want to salvage that one with the tight stitch, run one stitch down and back in that tight space. It might look different, but it will function. Basically, run a normal stitch down, then backstitch and continue up the slide.

[Dwight]

Remove the rear (left side) clip, . . . take it to a grinder or sander, . . . remove all the metal you can up to about 1/8 of an inch below the rivet hole. That will make it tip forward a bit, . . . bring the butt end up out where it belongs.

Then place it back in the holster, . . . shove it as far down as you can, . . . re-punch your hole, . . . it should make a good holster from what I can see here.

Make your stitch lines tight to the frame of the gun, . . . you'll be doing two outlines, . . . down next to the weapon, . . . along the bottom, . . . then up the outside, . . . and across the top, . . . finish up at the bottom of the weapon for best looks, . . . double stitching about 4 or 5 stitches.

The fact that you cannot stitch the very bottom is good, . . . it allows "stuff" to fall out the bottom and never plug up your barrel, . . . which produces a never forgotten moment.

Honestly, I don't understand the trouble you are having with snaps, . . . the military has used plain old snaps for about a hundred years, . . . I've used em for many years, . . . just do not have a problem. Perhaps you are doing something wrong in the setting of the snap. If the male portion (bottom) is not secure, . . . fastened down tight, . . . they come unsnapped a bit easier, . . . but that's the best advice I know. Reverting to another type of snap is to ignore the bottom line problem you have now with snaps.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited August 8, 2014 by Dwight