Pocket/iwb-Tuckable Holster For S&w M&p .380 W/ Crimson Trace Laser

[Ablalock9]

These are a couple of holsters I have built for a Smith & Wesson M&P .380 with the built in Crimson Trace laser. I would love some feedback on quality, design, and anything else that needs attention. The Diamond pattern holster is designed to catch the pocket seam on the draw so that the holster will remain in the pocket (so it would have to be drawn to the rear). I'm also having some trouble with the belt clip staying still. I could drill another hole and use two screws, but I kinda like the option to tilt the gun in belt to which ever position one likes. I thought about adding another piece of leather between the clip and the holster. Feedback is appreciated!

[Rohn]

I like the diamond design on that holster. Looks great.

[Ablalock9]

I like the diamond design on that holster. Looks great.

Thank you! I'm pretty new to leather work and really want to improve my skill and technique. Thanks for your comment.

[stu925]

With no stiffener on the IWB it's going to make reholstering a bit difficult and probably require removing the holster to do it. A stiffener will keep the mouth of the holster open on the draw and make reholstering a one handed affair. I incorporated the belt clip into the stiffener so it doesn't move, just make sure you get the right belt clip, some of them aren't quite big enough to accomodate the stiffener and the belt. Here's a picture of what I mean.

Hope that helps,

Stu

[Ablalock9]

With no stiffener on the IWB it's going to make reholstering a bit difficult and probably require removing the holster to do it. A stiffener will keep the mouth of the holster open on the draw and make reholstering a one handed affair. I incorporated the belt clip into the stiffener so it doesn't move, just make sure you get the right belt clip, some of them aren't quite big enough to accomodate the stiffener and the belt. Here's a picture of what I mean.

Hope that helps,

Stu

That helps tremendously. The next one I do I'll incorporate a stiffener. As far as the belt clips, I get mine from Tandy. However, I am looking for other suppliers/styles of belt clips. Any ideas? Thank you for the feedback. when I make these I want the owners to be proud of them and their operation.

[Rohn]

I have been buying my clips from JRM Products. www.jrmclips.com

[stu925]

That helps tremendously. The next one I do I'll incorporate a stiffener. As far as the belt clips, I get mine from Tandy. However, I am looking for other suppliers/styles of belt clips. Any ideas? Thank you for the feedback. when I make these I want the owners to be proud of them and their operation.

Tandy has a couple of different clips, the one you'll want if you do it the same way I did mine is the 1240-24 SPRING BELT/HOLSTER CLIP. Just search the number and it should come right up, the portion of the clip with the screw hole is completely flat and the overall length is a bit shorter than the 1239-24 UNIVERSAL SPRING HOLSTER CLIP which has a hump on the back portion and appears to be the one you used. I used that one on the last holster I did and had to modify it to fit under the stiffener, I wasn't happy about it but it was all I had on hand and it was kind of a rush job.

Stu

[Deanimator]

That helps tremendously. The next one I do I'll incorporate a stiffener. As far as the belt clips, I get mine from Tandy. However, I am looking for other suppliers/styles of belt clips. Any ideas? Thank you for the feedback. when I make these I want the owners to be proud of them and their operation.

There are other ways to incorporate a stiffener without giving up the tuckability that your original design uses.

What I do is to cut a strip of leather to fit the mouth of the holster. I then sew it in place while the holster is flat, before I fold and sew the body. That creates tension on the mouth that keeps it open. If you don't need the holster to be tuckable, the way pictured will work.

What sort of screw did you use to attach the clip, and where did you get it? Also, did you put something on the inside of the holster to protect the finish on the gun?

[chiefjason]

Every single clip holster I've sold a replacement for and the customer mentions why was because their current clip was attached like that and it moved. Sounds fine in theory. But having a gun on a pendulum is not a comforting feeling.

And I'm curious about the hardware inside too. I try very hard to not put hardware inside a holster. The exceptions are thumb breaks and field straps but not many ways around those. If nothing is holding that T nut in, and the screw comes loose or just loosens up, the T nut is now riding directly on the frame of the gun.