.45 holster questions

[Scary Leatherworks]

does anyone have any advise/ideas for a .45 holster with the hold down going between the hammer and gun/firing pin. never made a holster before and was asked by a friend if I could give it a try.

Thanks, Scott

[carr52]

does anyone have any advise/ideas for a .45 holster with the hold down going between the hammer and gun/firing pin. never made a holster before and was asked by a friend if I could give it a try.

Thanks, Scott

I just ordered the Blue gun for the Gov. 1911 so it looks like we're both going to try this for the first time. I'm not sure how I'll go about it but I just like trying new projects.

Tom

[Mike Craw]

Hey Scott!

That call should be made by your customer. If he is a law enforcement officer and carries a 1911A1 or clone, he probably carries it "cocked and locked" or hammer back, safety on. The holster should have a thumb break and the strap should go over the rear of the slide and under the hammer. If your customer is not used to carrying a .45 and just wants something to carry it on the pistol range, he may want to leave the chamber empty and hammer down until he's ready to fire.

Tom,

Your blue gun will come with the hammer molded in the "down" position, so if your customer wants to carry "cocked and locked" then you will have to allow for that when you make the thumb break.

Mike

[TwinOaks]

Sure, I can offer some advice. Make the thumb break strap about as wide as the rear of the slide, and reinforce the leather that will have the second half of the snap. If you're asking if it's safe, then yes, presuming you're talking about a 1911 when you say "a .45"....that is of course provided the pistol is in proper working order, and doesn't have any safeties disabled, and the owner has intentions to carry it in condition 1 (cocked and locked). If you're referring to one of the many models of single action revolvers that fire .45 LC, then that's another question.

Other than that, what specifically do you need advice on?

[Tac]

Murse,

If you are looking to add a "thumb break" to the holster, you will have to add the strap to the front piece of leather that will foldover the back of the slide, blocking the hammer spur. You can put a line snap on this end. Then add a similar strap to the back piece of the holster that you can fold over, and add a liner of some sort for rigidity inside the fold, then drill it and place the female side of the line snap on it, so that when the gun is in the holster the two meet on the back side of the holster and snap together. I have used small pieces of steel sheet metal as well as rawhide for the liner in the fold of the "thumb break". Either one worked well to give the thumb something to leverage off of when breaking the snap to draw the pistol.

I wished I had a photo if what I am talking about, so that I could better illistrate what I mean. I don't build alot of holsters with thumb breaks and most of my 1911 holsters are made for those who are comfortable with the hammer being exposed. My open top holsters have enough retention with the tight fit an hand molding that a thumb break is not needed.

Below is a link to Bianchi's web site, with numerous thumb break style holsters. The model 19L is a good example of this style. Obviously with the 1911, the hammer would be back in the cocked position and the strap would fold between it and the back of the slide.

http://www.bianchi-intl.com/product/CatList.php?numSubCat=1

Hope this helps.

[Billsotx]

Are you talking about a hammer thong for a Single-acton revolver?

[okie44]

If you are talking about a 1911 style .45, here is a photo of one style holster with strap under hammer.

Most of these will also fit over the hammer if it is down. Hope this helps. John

[carr52]

Hey Scott!

That call should be made by your customer. If he is a law enforcement officer and carries a 1911A1 or clone, he probably carries it "cocked and locked" or hammer back, safety on. The holster should have a thumb break and the strap should go over the rear of the slide and under the hammer. If your customer is not used to carrying a .45 and just wants something to carry it on the pistol range, he may want to leave the chamber empty and hammer down until he's ready to fire.

Tom,

Your blue gun will come with the hammer molded in the "down" position, so if your customer wants to carry "cocked and locked" then you will have to allow for that when you make the thumb break.

Mike

Thanks Mike, Thats what I love about this site, everyone is so willing to help out. I have learned more from leatherworker than I can ever say thanks for.

Tom

[Scary Leatherworks]

Thanks for the replies. Since I've never made a holster I don't know the lingo either. The gun is not a revolver and he wants to carry it locked and cocked. he also wants it to be a cross draw so does the thumb break get made the same way and stays on the back side of the holster?

[Tac]

Yes, even cross draw holsters have the thumb break on the back of the holster. It's made the same as the holsters that are pictured, the strap just rides between the cocked hammer and the back of the slide. With the thumb break on the back side of the holster, when the shooting hand grasps the gun in the draw, the thumb leverages off the snap, freeing the "thumb break" and releasing the gun to be drawn from the holster. If it were on the front of the holster, it would have to be released prior to the draw, or somehow leveraged off by the trigger finger, either of which is slow or an un-natural motion.

One bit of advice when cutting your leather from your pattern, in regards to the strap/thumb break; cut the straps larger/longer than you think you will need them. It's easier to trim them to fit once the holster body is created, than it is to try and stretch them because they were cut short or shrank during the wet molding process.

Good luck and have fun experimenting... thats what makes it interesting.

[Mike Craw]

Thanks for the replies. Since I've never made a holster I don't know the lingo either. The gun is not a revolver and he wants to carry it locked and cocked. he also wants it to be a cross draw so does the thumb break get made the same way and stays on the back side of the holster?

Hey Murse!

Yes, a thumb break on a cross draw is made the same way as for a strong-side holster because the snap needs to be on the "Inside" so that when his hand grasps the weapon in shooting position to draw, his thumb will move down the left, or inside, of the weapon if he's a right-handed shooter. What will change is the position of the belt loop or slots to position the muzzle the opposite way for cross-draw.

Mike

[TwinOaks]

.

One bit of advice when cutting your leather from your pattern, in regards to the strap/thumb break; cut the straps larger/longer than you think you will need them. It's easier to trim them to fit once the holster body is created, than it is to try and stretch them because they were cut short or shrank during the wet molding process.

Sage words of wisdom there!!!! That little bit of planning is the difference between cutting out the pattern and cutting out leather to add to the pattern.

[Lobo]

Here are some photos of holsters I have made with thumb-breaks. I reinforce the thumb-tab with a strip of 24-gauge sheet metal sewn in between two pieces of leather, then pierced for the snap.

For the 1911-style pistols, when used for defense purposes, "Condition One" (cocked and locked) is the sensible method of carry. Thus, the thumb-break design not only provides for retention, but also provides an added measure of safety to the practice.

If using the "blue gun" to make this holster, it is advisable to cut the hammer off of the blue gun so that the strap and snap fit is correct.

Lobo Gun Leather, serious equipment for serious business.

Colorado Territory, USA