Custom holster with a tight fit

[flightsimmer]

I recently purchased a very nice custom made holster and it fits but it is very tight, that is, I have to push it into place and then I have to hold the holster when I try to draw it out.
Now I know that probably leaving the gun in the holster over a long period it will loosen some on it's own but is there a recommended way to speed up the process like maybe wetting the interior or something that is safe for both gun and leather?

10mm. when you care enough to send the very best.

 

[Sam1911]

Find a plastic baggie and wrap the gun up tight in it. Press it in firmly and leave it in the holster for "a while." Should loosen up things in short order. Some bags are thicker than others. Might want to start thin and go for the heavy-duty ziplock industrial freezer bag style as a last resort.

 

[JerryM]

The plastic bag is a good start. However, some of my holsters never loosened enough to make a smooth draw. I use this on them. The holsters remain tight, but I can make a smooth draw.
http://www.kgcoatings.com/lubricants/kg-9-micro-ptfe-leather-kote/

This seems to be the same as Leather Lightning by Rosen, but is much less expensive.

Jerry

 

[Eaglestroker]

Here is a trick for you - take the already mentioned plastic bag and rub Johnson's Paste Wax on it. I start with a little and add more as/if needed, work the gun and all the 'tight' areas will lube up. I'm also told that Johnsons help prevent rust but I don't use it for those reasons.

That KG coating looks cool but for the price and ease of finding it I'll keep doing it my way!

 

[JTQ]

I recently purchased a very nice custom made holster and it fits but it is very tight, that is, I have to push it into place and then I have to hold the holster when I try to draw it out.

Remember this experience when somebody posts that they are looking for a concealed carry holster with some kind of retention device. You will be able to give them some valuable information about how good the retention is in a well made open top holster.

 

[Strykervet]

The plastic bag is good advice. Milt Sparks recommends to wrap the pistol in saran wrap and do the same thing. The saran wrap might work a little better too, as it will form fit the pistol better, especially if you wrap it up a few times. Their website has more information too. Personally, I don't do anything to them at all, I just let them wear in on their own. But I don't know how tight of a fit yours is, obviously it is fairly tight or you wouldn't be on here asking questions.

Try the bag/saran wrap. If that doesn't work, you may need to call the maker (or if unavailable, another good leather maker). As far as pastes, waxes, and oils go, I'd contact the maker. One may be as good as the other, but depending on how they treated it, some may not work at all. I have never used anything other than a damp rag on my Milt Sparks holsters. They are just like the day I got them, except they fit my belt better. The retention on them is about the same as it always was --firm.

Also, maybe dumb to point out but sometimes things get missed and you didn't mention exactly which holster you have, but some have a retention screw on the side. This will tighten or loosen the holster. Another given, wear the right gunbelt, belt loops, etc. If you wear the holster sloppy and it is a well made holster, the pistol can get stuck.

And no, the open top is not retention. I can still walk up behind you and relieve you of your pistol in short order. I feel this type of holster is only good for concealed carry (in which you are concealed --enough so that strangers can't tell you are carrying) or for range use or anywhere a surprise disarming isn't likely to happen.

I see all the open carry protests here and think how irresponsible a lot of them are. One of these days, someone will relieve one of them of their pistols and start a mess. Whose fault do you think that will be in the civil case? If you open carry, use something with a thumbreak or something like the Blackhawk Serpa, which has the retention on the trigger guard (when you draw, your finger should be over this area anyway --au naturale!). Otherwise, keep your non-retention holsters at the range, home, or concealed in public.

 

[JTQ]

Strykervet wrote,
And no, the open top is not retention. I can still walk up behind you and relieve you of your pistol in short order.

As an experiment, get a buddy with a SERPA or any other straight drop holster with a retention device you may be familiar with the operation of and another with a quality open top holster with an FBI cant.

Let me know which pistol is easier to remove. I'll bet it is the straight drop retention device holster, unless you are over a foot taller than the person you are trying to take the pistol from. You just won't have the leverage to grab the pistol out of an FBI canted holster from behind. Now if you come from behind and wrestle them to the ground, that is a different story.

Of course I did say...

Remember this experience when somebody posts that they are looking for a concealed carry holster with some kind of retention device. You will be able to give them some valuable information about how good the retention is in a well made open top holster.

 

[flightsimmer]

It might have been helpful of me to explain more about the handgun and holster in my original post but at that time I didn't think of it.
It's a single action handgun (Cimarron, Lightning) and the holster is also from Cimarrron (Texas Jack) and is made especially for that firearm. It has a retention loop that goes over the hammer spur so a tight fit for retention is of no concern.
I can report that after using a heavy plastic bag and leaving it in the holster for a couple of weeks it has loosened up considerably. It was very tight to start with, and it might benefit from some careful use of that Johnson paste wax that was mentioned.
Thanks for the help.



10mm, when you care enough to send the very best.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Most of the Milt Sparks holster I have received are like you described, and Alessi, too, if I remember correctly. Made to be SLIGHTLY broken in. It's a little tedious at first, just like squeaky leather, but it eventually becomes "justright". On another note, most of the Kramer holsters I've received fit so well, the gun kind of makes a snap when it hits the bottom of the holster. Really cool taking your gun and inserting for the first time and having it go in so smooth it "smacks" into place.