Advice needed on a mag pouch

[olds cool]

I did a few holsters for a guy and he asked me for a rather unusual request, at least in my opinion.  He wants to carry 12 mags for a 1911.  Yes, I said twelve.   He was thinking of 2 pouches, each holding 6, divided in the middle, with a flap for each side.  This sounds pretty easy, and maybe it is but I can't seem to wrap my head around the best way to go about it.  I don't have 12 mags sitting around so I made a wooden form that is just slightly bigger than 3 mags side by side. 

My first attempt consisted of 1 panel bent on the ends to form the front & sides.  Then a long second panel, to form the flaps, back, & bottom.  This panel was sewn to the other with a bend to form the bottom.  A divider was sewn into the middle.  It looks like garbage.

My second attempt was to wet mold the 2 halves then stitch them together in the middle.  I'm using leather in about the 6-7oz range and I couldn't get it to stretch enough at the bottom, leaving a lot of ugly wrinkles and overlaps. One side didn't mold right because I couldn't force the leather around the bottom enough to make it flatten out so now it's not deep enough to put the wood form in.

I can't afford to keep wasting leather on attempt after attempt until I get it right.  Any advice on the best way to go about this? 

[Dwight]

My first comeback to him would laughingly ask him if he had a plastic Walmart bag, . . . they're free to anyone buying anything there.

But seriously, . . . I would make a mold like the one you see in the pictures here, . . . it'll have to have much thinner sides, . . . and you can only mold one at a time, . . . but I've used this home made rig for the last umpteen years, . . . makes perfect pouches out of 6 oz leather.  

In your case you would make a row of 6, . . . put the piece on the back for the flap, . . . after you have sewn belt tunnel straps to that back piece.

Once you have the piece of leather in place, . . . a large "C" clamp at each end, . . . slowly draws the pieces together and forms that pouch for you.

The trickiest one I do, . . . is for shoulder holsters, . . . two pouches, back to back.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

Edited September 27, 2017 by Dwight

[chiefjason]

Some jobs are not worth taking.  

I have not wrapped my head around pouches just yet.  I made a functional shell carrier for sporting clays, but it sure was not pretty.  I would go away from holster ideas and look into pouches.  The shell pouches are too big, but they look similar to what you are talking about.

This turning it down talk is coming from a guy that took on a shoulder rig for 2 Desert Eagles, so take it for what it's worth.  Sometimes the idea is so crazy you just have to try.  lol

[Lobo]

As a combat infantryman in Vietnam I carried a M-16 rifle with 5 or 6 twenty-round magazines, usually with a M1911A1 .45 pistol with 3 seven-round magazines, plenty of water, couple of frag grenades, maybe a WP or two. Everybody in the squad also carried a couple hundred rounds of ammo for our M60 machine gunner.

As a police officer during the 1970's I carried a .357 revolver with a total of 18 rounds of ammo while working uniformed patrol. While working in plain clothes I carried a .38 or .357 revolver and 12 rounds. Later, as an investigator working serious crimes I carried either a Browning Hi Power or a Colt .45 Automatic, with one spare magazine.

Fast forward a few decades and I found myself as a retired cop and holster maker dealing with too many air head kids, many of whom wanted to carry their full Sam Browne belt equipment while off-duty, or even going to the rest room. I was frequently assaulted by all of the most recent graduates of "Holster Genius School", each of whom had the idea for the "perfect holster" or "perfect carry rig" and looking for someone to turn their idle dreams into functional reality. Think "TACTI-COOL" and you will have a feel for these limited mentalities.

My best prediction is this: No matter what you produce for this kid with big dreams it will not perform to his unreasonable expectations. Why bother with bozos like this when there are so many people out there who have legitimate needs and reasonable expectations?

By the way, still carrying the .45 automatic with one spare magazine just about anytime I go out of the house. If that doesn't get the job done you can expect to hear no more from this old man.

 

 

 

 

[plinkercases]

With that many mags on his belt you should also sell him some matching suspenders.....

and now seriously  - Personally I would have concerns about the person's under lying reason for carrying if he feels he needs that much ammo onboard. that is not needed at the range unless he's a fool and just never wants to load a mag when a the range ( I don't know of any shooting discipline where that many would be needed or even practical to train with - before going back to the bench or "starting line") and if he plans to walk around off range like this....That is not what is needed for a self defence encounter..  that is a fire fight (and even the good guys don't plan for them to last that long)  or a massacre plan for ammo.

[olds cool]

Dwight, I appreciate the info and especially the pictures.  I was trying to do a form in nearly the same way but dimensionally it is tall and narrow.  I can't get enough stretch at the bottom to avoid a bunch of puckery bunching in the corners (oh man, that sounds funny!).  If I do manage to flatten it out, then it won't stretch enough to actually clamp the 2 halves all the way together.  I've also managed to break 2 forms so far while trying to clamp it together.  A good woodworker I am not.  I'm having a tough time explaining it exactly but I imagine you understand what I mean from similar experiences.

Chief, I hate to do it, but you could be right on turning down the job.  My last effort was reaching out to the voices of experience for some more ideas before calling it quits.  I'm sure his idea is possible but I haven't really done much in the pouch area.  I found my niche in holsters and I've kinda stuck there.

Lobo and plinker, I wish I could tell you it was some punk kid and I'd be more inclined to turn down someone like that.  This guy is former marine/navy (yes, he re-enlisted), retired police officer, front-line on 9/11, and recent cancer survivor.  Hell of an interesting guy, but also very picky.  He's been buying a lot of stuff recently.  Not sure if it's a vendetta or if he got a big chunk of money from the government for the cancer since it was caused by breathing in all the crap in the air during the 9/11 attack.  I would assume the pouches are for the range but I really don't know and I'll take plausible deniability, thank you very much.  I tend to focus more on the customers design requests rather than focusing on the why.   Sometimes weird requests can pay very well and as long as I an't breaking the law, I'll give it a go.

[Dwight]

Olds cool, . . . I don't know what wood you were using, . . . and I didn't specify.

That is southern yellow pine, . . . the kind mostly used for treated lumber.  But you can also find it in dimensional lumber, . . . usually 2 x 8 or bigger, . . . 

It is tremendously strong, . . . 

If you notice my mold, . . . there is more than ample room for the leather in the "cracks", . . . and absolute necessity, . . . and maybe why yours are cracking.  Also, . . . 5/6 oz is about the thickest you can do this way.

Anyway, . . . good luck, may God bless,

Dwight

[plinkercases]

23 minutes ago, olds cool said:

 

Lobo and plinker, I wish I could tell you it was some punk kid and I'd be more inclined to turn down someone like that.  This guy is former marine/navy (yes, he re-enlisted), retired police officer, front-line on 9/11, and recent cancer survivor.  Hell of an interesting guy, but also very picky.  He's been buying a lot of stuff recently.  Not sure if it's a vendetta or if he got a big chunk of money from the government for the cancer since it was caused by breathing in all the crap in the air during the 9/11 attack.  I would assume the pouches are for the range but I really don't know and I'll take plausible deniability, thank you very much.  I tend to focus more on the customers design requests rather than focusing on the why.   Sometimes weird requests can pay very well and as long as I an't breaking the law, I'll give it a go.

 

Fair enough. You looked him in the eyes so you are far more informed than I am. I guess it was a bit of an arm chair reaction. that said I am curious to see how you build this rig.

[OLDNSLOW]

there is at least one company doing them out of ballistic nylon although it may not have that many mags.  I was looking at tuff products just yesterday, the reason for me looking up their website is that,  the holster that came in the recent promotion from Springfield Armory had a ballistic holster for the XDe that I bought.  Take a look at their site it might give you an idea as to how they do the nylon stuff.  Think along the lines of bullet strap on a belt, anyway look at their site to see if it is any help, he may have seen someone with one of their setups and wants it done in leather, and if you have a cowboy or cobra sewing machine it might not be hard to do. 

www.tuffproducts.com

 

[plinkercases]

Here's a neat idea to save real estate around the belt.. if he isn't worried about concealment this is an idea to stack them perpendicular to the body...

Edited September 28, 2017 by plinkercases

[CaptQuirk]

On 9/27/2017 at 7:52 AM, Dwight said:

My first comeback to him would laughingly ask him if he had a plastic Walmart bag, . . . they're free to anyone buying anything there.

But seriously, . . . I would make a mold like the one you see in the pictures here, . . . it'll have to have much thinner sides, . . . and you can only mold one at a time, . . . but I've used this home made rig for the last umpteen years, . . . makes perfect pouches out of 6 oz leather.  

In your case you would make a row of 6, . . . put the piece on the back for the flap, . . . after you have sewn belt tunnel straps to that back piece.

Once you have the piece of leather in place, . . . a large "C" clamp at each end, . . . slowly draws the pieces together and forms that pouch for you.

The trickiest one I do, . . . is for shoulder holsters, . . . two pouches, back to back.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

@Dwight- Did you measure out your mold for any particular mag, or is it just a generic "fit most mags" mold?

[Dwight]

Actually this is for a 1911, . . . 8 round mag that just about everyone is carrying these days, . . . who carries a 1911.

I also have one for a Ruger p85, . . . works for Glocks and other double stack 9's.

If it keeps up, . . . probably gonna have to make one for a Shield too, I'm thinking.

If you make one, . . . allow enough room to get your leather in there, . . . and a few thousands over won't hurt you at all.

The pic of the mold you see, . . . if I recall correctly, . . . it was for a little Springfield Micro .45, . . . 

Key to using it is get your leather well wetted, . . . I use a couple of "C" clamps, . . . one at each end, . . . slowly draw it down, . . . takes me 3 or 4 minutes to draw down each one, . . . but I sincerely do love the final effect.

May God bless,

Dwight

[alpha2]

The ONLY reason I can come up with to carry that much .45acp ammo would be a serious 3-gun stage. In which case, ditch the 1911 and get a G17, or G19 with G17 mags, or ANYTHING ELSE. I get it, people love 1911's. I LOVE my 1911, but I don't use it for 3-gun. I'm guessing this dude has a belt rig AND a chest rig for 12ga shells, too. Plus, 6-mags per side for .223/5.56 carbine. 

Remember, you're not just building mag rigs, you're also designing, engineering and building mock ups for the same. Before you even begin making the actual mag rigs. Are you being paid for that?

[Dwight]

1 hour ago, CaptQuirk said:

@Dwight- Did you measure out your mold for any particular mag, or is it just a generic "fit most mags" mold?

Hey, Cap, . . . to save you a bit of time, . . . I went out and grabbed my mike, . . . 

The tongue on the male part of the mold is .560 deep and 1.385 wide.

The trough on the female part is 1.700 wide, . . . by .635 deep.

The mags fit just right in the pouch this mold makes.

May God bless,

Dwight

[roo4u]

i very much like the look of that mag holder thanks plinkercases for that..im about to try practical shooting and need to carry multiple mags for my bersa.  im also think this would work for the mags for my marlin 795 if i get the chance to shoot at an appleseed  id need to have approx 10 loaded mags....need to get crafting.

[OLDNSLOW]

go look at tuff products if you want more great ideas, there is reason more defined folks want leather, but there is also a reason why nylon comes in to play, leather cant fill all the needs.

[roo4u]

i spose that is true but problem i have with some of the nylon products i have tried is they collect dust and dirt very quickly due to the texture of the stuff.  tuff does have some neat stuff though.