Holsters and Gun Wear

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saemetric

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I know if you carry in a holster,leather or kydex, that there will be wear marks on the gun from holstering. How many worry about getting finish wear on an expensive gun even from an expensive holster? I don't see how it can be avoided -even my Glocks get shiny spots on the Tennifer finish. Any comments.
 
I for one hate for my guns to show "character". If character was a good thing or even desirable, people would line their holsters with sandpaper for extra character.

Holster wear is something that cant be avoided, but there are things that can be done to minimize it.

For the gun:
Stainless is more resistant to holster wear than other finishes.

For the Holster:
Leather is a little more easy on you gun than kydex.
 
I don't worry about holster wear, especially in a carry gun. I did buy a "cheap" kydex holster once that put deep scratches down the slide of a "cheap" 9mm. That didn't thrill me too much as it was more like damage than wear. Expensive is a somewhat subjective term. Most of the guns I carry are in the $500 to $700 range. For me the most expensive handgun I own is a $1000 Kimber. It has some minor wear from carrying it around the house. I thought that was going to bother me, but turns out it really doesn't.

I guess bottom line I wouldn't put any gun in a holster if I didn't want the finish to be affected. I only have one handgun that meets that criteria and it's by far not expensive. It's my first gun, a S&W 586 no dash.
 
My handguns are GLOCK's, 23 and 27. They are butt ugly utility guns to begin with so I will not worry about holster or use wear. I only care about reliability and accuracy for self defense.
 
Regardless of the holster material wear on a gun is inevitable. Kydex or leather same deal. However, holsters that are kept clean will, in fact, cause less wear than those that are allowed to get grimy/dirty. For leather use a good leather cleaner sparingly and not so the holster gets soft. I consult the holster's maker and ask what they recommend. Kydex can be cleaned with hot water and soap and allowed to dry. Hybrid kydex/leather holsters are somewhat more problematic but keeping them clean allows for less gun wear just the same.
 
A lining of suede or, better yet, some synthetic material can minimize - but never eliminate - holster wear. Be sure to keep it clean, as the soft material can allow dirt to embed in it and cause scratches. All but the very hardest "high-tech" gun finishes will eventually show burnishing on the friction points. My ten-year-old Glock 19 is starting to show some on the edges and corners of the slide (just the black coating, not the hardening treatment to the metal), and, until I replaced it with a night sight, the plastic front sight corners were getting rounded off.
 
I've always found leather to be harder on the gun than kydex. Just from a wear standpoint, leather tends to contact more of the guns surface than kydex and tends to take off more of the finish over time. Kydex on the other hand, tends to wear more in certain spots due to less contact with the gun and specific pressure points.

The biggest issue with leather is the tendency to get wet and stay wet. Once wet, they dont dry out quickly and your guns tend to rust more. You still get some minor rust with a kydex holster, but its usually at points that the holster doesnt protect, like in the grip area. I've yet to have a gun that was carried in a kydex holster rust anywhere the holster protects it.

Kydex holsters are a lot easier to keep clean. A quick rinse under the tap followed by a quick wipe with a paper towel and your done. They also tend not to have debris embedded into them like leather does.
 
I was told when I started golfing not to spend too much time looking for errant shots... just a little. "If you can't afford to lose those balls golfing, get cheaper balls">

Kind of the same thing with a sidearm isn't it? If you can't afford for it to get worn, buy a cheaper sidearm.
 
I like that mine has a few scratches on it. I do like the character.

I think it's the same philosophy as my car, I live in the city, and I manage a store in the mall. I take care of my car, but inevitably, it's going to get a scratch or 2 on the bumper.

Now that it is "broken in" you could say, I don't have to sweat over it anymore. I won't be bummed if it gets another scratch or something like that, the initial one almost put me at ease. I'm bad at explaining this, but I'm sure someone on here knows what I'm talking about.
 
Anytime two or more things rub against each other they're going to show wear.

Guns and holsters rub against each other to one degree or another. They are both going to show wear.
 
Geez, I don't think these replies were at all what the OP was hoping to hear!

Nonetheless (and despite my usual contrarian viewpoint), I'm in agreement with most here. My guns are tools, and while I own more than a couple, I have never intended to buy a "collector." If I don't think I'll shoot it, then I won't buy it. All in all, however, I find that the holster wear on my handguns is not extreme (keep the rig clean, as noted above), and since I'm not taking them out all the time and "playing" with them, I don't even think about it, because I rarely see it.

I do understand the reluctance / remorse of that first scratch, however. The auto example above is a good one. When I notice that first scratch on my new motorbike, it's like, "Awww... shucks (or something like that)." But the more I ride 'em the more they get scratched.

Say la vee / c'est le vies / oh well
 
There is/was a swivel holster that involved a simple grooved metal plate attached to the belt, and an extended stud attached to the gun. The stud fits into the groove on the belt and the gun can either be quickly slid off the groove or simply swiveled up and fired while still attached.

This arrangement is impractical from any number of standpoints, but is the only option I'm aware of for wear-free carrying. A better solution, IMO, is to learn to love a gun with character.
 
You know as proof that there are no new ideas, I thought of that! When cellphones were all being held on a little clip by a stud on the back, I had the idea "Why can't I attach/weld a stud to a revolver and use that clip to hold it?". They had little locking levers on the top so the chance of it being popped out was small. I actually contacted my gunsmith about moving forward with the idea, when he showed me pics of what .38 special just described. The idea was already used in the 19th Century. :eek:
 
If the wear gets excessive you can always have your handguns refinished. Ceracoat / Duracoat are options if you don't want to have it refinished at the factory.
 
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