Do You Mold Ejection Ports?

[cleanview]

Experience has taught me some, but wanting advice from the more experienced.

Is the molding the ejection ports essential?

It seems too me that the rounded guns (1911, cz, ect) need that little extra catch. The plastic guns, I aint so sure sometimes.

Molding thought two pieces (re enforcement piece) seldom looks good. Is there some tricks?

[mlapaglia]

How about posting a picture of the holster so we see which one it is? My reinforcement on an Avenger holster is a 1 inch strip around the opening so I can mold as much or as little as I like. I do mold a little around the ejection port but normally do not make it really defined. Word of warning, DO NOT mold tightly around the rail. You will not be able to remove the gun. Dont ask me how I know this.

Michael

[JLSleather]

Me, too --- I'm not big on that broad, flowing "reinforcement panel" on a holster. Basically just making it thicker, while trying to conceal it, which seems ... uhh. not the best idea.

In fact, often a holster doesn't require any "reinforcement" at all. But, I do 'have' them and have done them. As a rule, I mold it if it's solid color and/or plain, and I don't mold it if it's tooled. But, like I said, unless you're tooling it, I dont have much use for a full panel. Something more like this (which, by the way,is also about 1" wide)..

Edited August 21, 2015 by JLSleather

[renegadelizard]

I typically mold ejection ports, but i dont do a whole lot of boning per se, i dont want the holster to look like the gun, i want to look like a holster...so i usually give it enough thumb and bone folder to sink it in and thats about it...

[Art]

I've found that the ejection port is variable with the gun. On a .45 ACP not a problem. On a Glock, I have had times that the molding on the ejection port has worked, shall we say, overly well. So while still wet, I reach into the holster and push the molded piece back out, or at least ease it a little. As far as looks go, I don't like molding the holster to the gun except maybe a little. As far as retention goes, sometimes, on off duty stuff, it is necessary. Glocks in particular have all these places that you can really mold into, and while they come out of a wet holster ok, they can really get stuck in a dry one. Also, with any of them with the flat (i mean really flat) top, or of course a high front sight, a channel is really important for the front sight; a fair amount of relief (like the old breakfront) is another way to cure a lot of retention problems. There are many ways to skin a cat (but they are too thin for holster material).

Art

[cleanview]

most of mine do have a larger panel that does in deed cover the port.

I guess what I was really getting at is....is it considered essential for retention? I have been told "that is where you get your retention" but after making them for a while, I kind of think that is bleed over from how a Hybrid holster gets its retention.

[JLSleather]

That "area" should retain the weapon WITHOUT molding the port. f r i c t i o n.

[renegadelizard]

retention is a function of your stitch lines, and to some degree, the trigger guard, but i don't think i would rely on the ejection port to set retention...especially on guns with sharp edges...they will erode the leather and eventually give out...

[chiefjason]

I mold them less than I used to. And not at all on IWB holsters anymore, or just enough to get a bit of detail but little to no retention. Stitch lines will do more for long term retention than the ejection port ever could. And with something like a Sig P238, boning the retention port deeply will result in a useless holster. BTDT. That port has a VERY sharp front edge.

BTW, hybrids don't get their retention from the ejection port either. Whoever told you that is probably helping speed up some finish wear. I mask my ports out almost entirely on hybrids now and no real noticeable reduction in working retention. But a noticeable increase in smoothness of the draw. And getting a vacuum table has forced me to mask them out more than pressing them did. That vacuum press will almost mold a logo on the inside.

Speaking of rails, I had to heat the rail mold out of one Sat for a buddy. Draw felt like a zipper being pulled.

[camano ridge]

I agree with all of the above. The retention comes from friction and I do like to mold in the trigger guard area a little. As to hybrids I make them and you do not want a lot of molding if any in the ejection port area. If you check out the gun molds made by Multimolds (http://multimoldguns.com/) they are made for kydex/hybrid holster makers and the ejection port is filled in as is quite abit of the trigger guard. They don't mold the ejection port.

Edited August 24, 2015 by camano ridge

[malabar]

A couple of radical thoughts....

There's two types of "molding"-- functional and decorative. Most of the molding you see in modern holsters from the big companies is more decorative than functional. In other words, it contributes little or nothing to retention.

I've heard various experts opine that "most of the the retention" comes from the ejector port or the dimple in the trigger guard. In my opinion, if that's true, then you're not making the rest of the holster properly. But it's also true that retention is the affected by different features on different type of holsters. A pancake holster exerts grip on a pistol differently than an Avenger-style holster, which is different still than an Summer-Special style holster.

But I've not seen any well-designed holster in which the ejection port was a key to proper retention. If you do depend on the ejection port, then you will lose your retention as the leather wears.

From my perspective, I typically do mold-in the ejection port lightly, but only for decorative purposes.

tk

[cleanview]

I am sure glad to read all of this. In the back of my head is a little voice "you aint done this long enough to go against the grain".....

I have so many thoughts and differences that have developed over the past 1-2 years, which contradict what so many people tell me. Most of the things are by people that wear holsters and not make them. People I have great respect for. and even greater respect for those that can actually grasp the fact that some one might think differently than them.

On that topic I think it opportune tune to mention. Don't get to caught up in the "praise" of your peers, or customers, but look for it in those that know more than you (applies to more than holsters)

The scary part is that some things that I am convinced of, I later am convinced another way.

long way of sayin......learning as we go

[JLSleather]

I've seen a LOT of holsters over the years. If you're making them in leather, then you should know leather. And if you're making it to use it for a gun, then you should know something about guns. I've seen some beautiful tooling on leather holsters. And I've seen some great looking holsters without any tooling at all. In the end, I certainly think that the best holsters are made by those familiar with firearms. Some holsters, you almost have to wonder if the guy who made that has ever actually used a gun.

Oh, and of course there's always that marketing guy --- doesn't really know leather OR firearms, but thinks he can sell you on his idea anyway

[Shooter McGavin]

I lightly mold the ejection port most of the time, but I use a little chunk of leather to build out the port to prevent me from going too deep.

[GaryNunn]

I lightly mold the ejection port most of the time, but I use a little chunk of leather to build out the port to prevent me from going too deep.

i apologize, i don't mean to deviate from the post topic, but McGavin, I LOVE that finish, how do you do that?

[Shooter McGavin]

The marbled color on the trim panels, or the actual topcoat?

[cleanview]

the marbled color

[Shooter McGavin]

first dyed brown, then black dye dabbed on with a very coarse textured sea sponge. Takes a little practice but looks really cool.

[Red Bear Haraldsson]

Ooh, I'm copying that for sure!