Help With Holster Pattern?

[kjmilligan]

Hey there! I am planning on making a leather holster next week. This holster is for an M&P Fullsize. I have made two trial holsters, so I have done the process. I did a mock of up what I am looking for in a holster, and I am looking for your input on my design.

This shows the un-assembled cut of leather that will be used to make the holster. The dotted lines represent stitching.

This shows how the M&P fits over the assembled holster. As you can see, I've left around 1/2 inch around the gun to account for the gun's width. To be clear: the stitching near the muzzle and at the top of the holster only attach the liner to the leather. The stitching running along the bottom of the pistol, following the contour of the trigger guard, is the actual welt.

How the pistol will look inside the assembled holster.

I added a steel belt clip to this rending, approximately where I would place the belt clip. This rending shows what the finished product will look like. Thoughts about this project?

[dakotawolf]

I have have a couple questions first: what style holster is this? I am assuming an in the waistband left handed holster? Secondly, make sure your holster doesn't cover the magazine eject button. Also, I find less than a half inch around most semi-auto trigger guards is better, usually s 1/4 inch or a smidge more depending on the thickness of your leather. I'm impressed by your graphic rendering; IMHO it shows you have the attention to detail to be good at this.

[chiefjason]

If it's left hand IWB ignore my advice.

If it's right hand clip on OWB, don't expect it to carry very tight to the body. I made one recently and it's sitting on the dresser. I'm back to the paddle holster. Eventually I'll make another one with a plastic paddle. The clip just did not hold well for me OWB.

And I second clearing the mag release.

[cleanview]

This is a left handed similar to your design that I finished last week.

I have done the sewn in clips but like the adjustable better. People are slow to try them but every customer I have persuaded to try them loves it because of the multi position. This model is called my omni..T-nut in between leather pieces, leather spacer, clip, lock washer and screw.

And while I am less experienced than most on here (listen to them over me) I find the stitch line measuremnets below the trigger guard should be less in distance than any where else. This affect how deep in the holster the gun goes and thats the part i get particular about.

[kjmilligan]

I have have a couple questions first: what style holster is this? I am assuming an in the waistband left handed holster? Secondly, make sure your holster doesn't cover the magazine eject button. Also, I find less than a half inch around most semi-auto trigger guards is better, usually s 1/4 inch or a smidge more depending on the thickness of your leather. I'm impressed by your graphic rendering; IMHO it shows you have the attention to detail to be good at this.

I appreciate the response! Yes, it is left handed IWB. I will take the trigger guard in a little, and add a little room around the mag release. What thickness do you recommend for the leather? As of right now, it should be about 8oz after the liner is attached.

[dakotawolf]

I think 8oz is perfect. I've heard that using two layers of leather is the cat's ass (Katsass, get it?). Just out of curiosity, what weight leathers are you bonding together to get 8?

[kjmilligan]

Right now I have some 4/5oz veg tanned that I am considering just doubling up to make 8/10oz. I don't have any other leather, as of right now. One of my draft holsters was just a single layer of 4/5, and it is way too flimsy.

[dakotawolf]

One other thing, make sure you have enough room to get a full grip on the gun before you draw. I see you allowed plenty of room between the grip and the holster itself. However, since this is an IWB holster, the belt may interfere with obtaining a full grip. Yes, lowering the clip location might make it a little less balanced, and shift more weight above the belt. But being an IWB, I don't think lowering the clip would unbalance it too much since the belt is pressing in on the holster body.

Adding some cant may solve the problem too, without changing the clip location (as in the pics Clean view posted).

[sgb]

Not a big fan of clips, I find belt snaps much more secure as they don't let your holster leave your waistband still attached to you gun ;-). This is a little more work but well worth it.

[Day Dreamer]

Right now I have some 4/5oz veg tanned that I am considering just doubling up to make 8/10oz. I don't have any other leather, as of right now. One of my draft holsters was just a single layer of 4/5, and it is way too flimsy.

I've been making some snap-on OWB pancakes using doubled 4/5 oz for each side of the pancake. One thing to consider, at least from my experience, is two pieces of 4/5 is way, way stiffer than a single piece of 9/10. By the time you get done molding it, it's about as stiff as Kydex, but thicker. That works awesome for OWB, but might be too much for IWB.