Do I need a lined holster for my SAA?

[Lovesbeer99]

I've kind of new to this style holster and carry. What's the benefit to the lining? What if I only carry it once in a while for an hour or two? What if I only carry it 3 times a year for 3 hours?

Thanks
Steven

 

[dfariswheel]

You don't need a lined holster.
Suede lined holsters may even wear the finish worse as grit and dirt get caught in the sueded surface and abrade the finish.

The "best" lining for a leather holster is a smooth surface. Either a holster lined with the same type of leather as used for the outside, or with a surface finished to a smooth finish.
The sueded, pig skin, or "orthopedic elk" linings are soft, tend to hold grit, and make more contact with the finish, which causes more wear.

Truth is, if you want no wear to the finish from a holster, never put the gun in a holster at all. If you put the gun in any holster, its going to wear the finish.

 

[BCRider]

For that amount of carry time and provided you clean the inside now and then you'd be fine. Otherwise a smooth lined holster is going to be easier to clean, hold dust and grit less easily and generally be nicer to the gun. But for the amount of time you're talking about I'd just get something inexpensive but that is shaped well to hold the gun securely. There's lots of quick draw holsters that the gun barely sits in without falling on the ground. What you're after is more like the "slim jim" style where the gun will sit well down and far more securely in the holster.

 

[mbt2001]

I would second the unlined option...

 

[rcmodel]

Proper fit has more to do with finish wear then whether it is lined or unlined.

A loose fit allows the gun to flop around inside the holster with every step you take, which wears the finish off.
Cheap holsters often don't fit, or fit a wide range of brands and fit none of them properly.

A lined holster is generally a better quality holster, and in general, will fit the gun properly.

I disagree that lining is worse on the finish.
I have El Paso Saddlery holsters & holsters I made myself that are lined with pig-skin, and holster wear is almost zero after several years.

Anyway, it's not the lining that wears the finish.
It's dirt acting as grinding compound.

Keep the holster clean inside with occasional maintenance and holster wear will be kept in check.

rc

 

[BCRider]

It's definetly the dirt. It's just that I've seen it written, and tend to agree, that it's easier to clean a smooth face leather inner liner than the rough suede surface. But yeah, a good fit and keeping it clean and either option will work as well as the other.

 

[rcmodel]

But, most all unlined holsters have the split grain of the leather inside, and the smooth face leather outside.

So the inside is, in effect, just as rough or rougher then suade lining.

Which is rougher then pig-skin lining.

rc

 

[Oro]

I disagree that lining is worse on the finish.

+1. For a fine gun that you want to protect a high-polish blue, nickel, or even case hardened finish, a soft pig-skin lining in a quality holster is hard to beat. If you are not caring it much at all in reality, then the cumulative wear will be much less and you can get by without it.

 

[AULefty]

If you have an unlined holster, you can spray it with food grade silicon spray. It will take several applications, but you'll eventually feel it smooth out.

 

[BCRider]

Sorry, when I was reffering to the suede surface I was thinking the rough split inner surface on a single layer. I should have said "suede like" to describe it.

But my point was that the split side with all the little curlies, fibers and flappy bits is going to hold and hide grit and make it harder to keep the inside of the holster clean. At least on all the split sides of leather goods I've seen the surface is like that. Heck, in the shop I've got a couple of bits of leather glued to sticks split side out. I've charged the leather with compounds for stropping knives and chisels and carving tool edges. It's held the compound so well that I have not had to re-apply any new compound for literally something like 15 years.

 

[Lovesbeer99]

Thanks for all the responses. Here is a link on ebay of the item I was (more or less) looking at. You can see the photos including the last one with a good photo of the suede. Looks like a nice holster and the belts look great too.

My other option is an unlined from Triple K or Hunter that I can get at cabelas.

http://http://cgi.ebay.com/All-Leather-holster-SAA-4-3-4-Right-Handed-Draw-NEW_W0QQitemZ220436303391QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3353070e1f&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1205%7C293%3A4%7C294%3A50

 

[jim147]

I wear my SAA almost every day while I work around my place. I carry it in an old leather holster that fits very tight. All that is stamped on the back of the holster is Handmade By Viking.
I was wearing it this afternoon for four hours on the tractor. When I got done I couldn't even tell it had screws in the back. I took it to the air compressor and blew off the gun and holster. I just pulled it back out to take a look at the finish (I don't worry about it much because it is a work gun) and it is just slightly shiny on one side of the barrel and the ejector housing.
I couldn't till you how many hours this has been carried. But if you only carry for nine hours a year I don't think you'll every wear the finish off.

jim

 

[Lovesbeer99]

I ordered the Triple K holster and belt from Cabelas today. Both are on sale.

Thanks