Blue guns

[rickybobby]

I have been making lots of Glock holsters because that is what I have to mold with, my friends with glocks are "swimming" in holsters I have made. I am ready to start some others but, what would be the most popular 4 or 5 blue guns to buy first? I really don't have a customer base yet but I would like to take some finished product to a gun shop that showed interest in hand made holsters.

I have noticed that most of the makers with websites have "shyed" away from making gunbelts, is there not enough profit in them? The prices I have seen are 60.00 to 85.00 for a double layer, plain (no tooling) stitched belt. At the saddle shop I work at we get $85.00 for a full tooled belt that I work on for 3 to 4 hours.

I am located in Az. and the 1911 is pretty popular here so my guess is that should be on the list.

Any help or comments are appeciated, all of you and your posts have been a huge help and I thank you for them.

Thanks,

Rick J.

[Echo4V]

I wouldn't presume to say which you should buy but I'll give you a list of the handguns that I see often here in Georgia. 1911's and 1911 clones are very popular as well as glocks and glock type pistols. After that I see a lot of S&W autos and then the revolvers, I tend to see mostly the S&W full frame revolvers and single action pistols more than any other revolvers. Occasionally I see some smaller snub nose "saturday night special" type pistols but I hardly ever see them in holsters. Hope this helps.

[Bree]

I wouldn't presume to say which you should buy but I'll give you a list of the handguns that I see often here in Georgia. 1911's and 1911 clones are very popular as well as glocks and glock type pistols. After that I see a lot of S&W autos and then the revolvers, I tend to see mostly the S&W full frame revolvers and single action pistols more than any other revolvers. Occasionally I see some smaller snub nose "saturday night special" type pistols but I hardly ever see them in holsters. Hope this helps.

Get yourself a standard XD-40 blue gun and you can use it for 9mm, 40 S&W and .45 ACP models from Springfield Armory. I don't think they will work for the new XD-M series.

[K-Man]

Get yourself a standard XD-40 blue gun and you can use it for 9mm, 40 S&W and .45 ACP models from Springfield Armory. I don't think they will work for the new XD-M series.

The Springfield XD .45 acp is a different size than the XD9 or 40. The XD-M is a different size all together, along with their XD tactical models.

Edited November 4, 2008 by K-Man

[Bree]

The Springfield XD .45 acp is a different size than the XD9 or 40. The XD-M is a different size all together, along with their XD tactical models.

I have an XD-45 Compact and the differences between it and the 40 are insignificant... same thing goes for the 9mm. The barrel length won't matter for most holster styles unless he is going to completely cover the barrel. Then you have to have the right length blue gun.

You are right about the XD-M That is basically a new model with different dimensions.

[K-Man]

There is a difference in the overall size, to include the width/thickness, etc. Each holster maker has to decide for themselves how critical those differences are in the proper fit of the gun in their respective holster designs. I know in a leather and all kydex holster that is well-molded to a 9/40 XD, the .45 version will not fit in it. Some holster makers utilize the larger .45 frame to mold all the XD models. Eventually that XD9 is going to start moving around in the holster, sometimes in pretty short order. IMO, that's not what you want to have happen. Slop in a holster may eventually create a safety issue. Perhaps if one had the time, they could query some of the top tier holstermakers and see if they utilize the specific gun to mold the holster or if they do the one size fits all method....

[Bree]

There is a difference in the overall size, to include the width/thickness, etc. Each holster maker has to decide for themselves how critical those differences are in the proper fit of the gun in their respective holster designs. I know in a leather and all kydex holster that is well-molded to a 9/40 XD, the .45 version will not fit in it. Some holster makers utilize the larger .45 frame to mold all the XD models. Eventually that XD9 is going to start moving around in the holster, sometimes in pretty short order. IMO, that's not what you want to have happen. Slop in a holster may eventually create a safety issue. Perhaps if one had the time, they could query some of the top tier holstermakers and see if they utilize the specific gun to mold the holster or if they do the one size fits all method....

Here are the slide dimensions:

.45ACP Service

bottom slide width: 1.087"

top of slide width: 0.948"

.40S&W Service

bottom slide width: 1.085"

top of slide width: 0.944"

9mm Service

bottom slide width: 1.051"

top of slide width: 0.914"

For a leather holster the 45 and 40 are practically identical. The 9mm is fractionally smaller. The Compact model is simply chopped on the grip... same grip as the Service but truncated. There are very slight differences in the ejector port position which should have no effect on a leather holster. Front and rear sight channels are the same for all.

My XD-45 and the XD-40 blue gun are identical in the position of the trigger guard which is a critical component for a holster. I used calipers to test that distance both at the front and back of the trigger guard from top of slide to bottom of the trigger guard. The distance from the top of slide to the bottom of the barrel is also identical measured by caliper.

I think you can buy the XD-40 blue gun and make leather holsters that will fit just about all the regular XD models. The biggest difference is between the XD-45 and the XD-9 and that difference is less than a millimeter. So if that .8 or .9 millmeter at the extreme is a deal killer then you have to buy more Blue Guns. For my sensibilities, the XD-40 Blue is fine. My $.02.

[K-Man]

Never mind....

Edited November 5, 2008 by K-Man

[TwinOaks]

Another thing to consider when choosing the blueguns: If you're going to be making holsters that utilize a very snug fit for retention, K-man has some valid points- even a little play can turn into slop, and tight molding is critical. I argued the point with him some while ago and made a complete arse of myself. After making some more holsters, and learning more than a little in the process, I realized that he knows a lot more than I do about holster making. If you wanted my 2 cents worth, I still owe ya some change.

Incidentally, for all tightly molded holsters I make, I use the actual pistol or revolover that will be in the holster- not a blue gun- and everything he said about tight fit (sometimes seeming too tight) has been absolutely on the mark.

Edited November 5, 2008 by TwinOaks

[K-Man]

TwinOaks:

Thanks for the comments. The basis for my comments come from my own experiences, and those include having made 5000+ holsters. The XD line of guns is the most popular semi-auto we make holsters for.

If a person is not concerned about the tight, molded, fit that the vast majority of customers are desiring in a holster, then you can settle for using one gun fits all type of holster. When you're talking about concealed carry, and the carrying of a loaded gun, then the perspective changes - or it should. That being that you provide the customer with a holster designed to fit that particular gun - period. There's lots of folks out there who can slap the leather together and call it a holster. As I mentioned earlier, you cannot put a .45 into one of my holsters molded for a 9mm. I know you can't do that either for kydex holsters from Comp-Tac. In fact, they don't even use blue guns for their molding - they use a genuine gun in the process. Same thing for Blade-Tech, the last time I checked. Same thing for the top tier leather holster makers. From my perspective, it's called quality control. The vast majority of my customers are pretty gun/holster saavy and know how a gun should fit in the holster. If it doesn't, they send it back. If that happens too often, you probably will lose them, and everyone they can tell, as a customer. It's that kind of quality control that contributes to the difference in your being considered just another leathercrafter/holster maker and someone considered knowledgeable in the making of a holster.

rickybobby:

With respect to your original question - the Springfield XD line; 3", 4", 5" 1911's, the new Ruger LCP, Kel-Tec's guns are very popular. The j-frame revolver (2") is also a popular choice.