Kydex holster and wear marks

[B!ngoFuelUSN]

We (wife and I) recently purchased a few 'nice' handguns (two S&W 1911's: one a full size Government Performance Center model (with the slide lightening cuts) and the other one is an E-class Commander model). Both to me are very well crafted and I'd like to keep them looking 'fresh'. But I do like Kydex as pistol material because it locks so well and permits running and jumping without worrying about a nice 1911 going flying.
So before I buy a nice (G-code or Raven) kydex holster for them, how likely will the stainless and aluminum/Scandium alloy finishes to be scratched with worn contact points and edges? And would using their 'tactical fuzz' coating lining over the kydex remove my need for concern?
If not, I could go with leather but it's not my first choice.
The same question applies to my three Smith revolvers and for my aging, valuable and cosmetically excellent H&K P7M13 and two M8's that we've been holding on to for years. All but one of the P7's are nicely used but we do take finer care of them than our standard firearms.
Anyway, any ideas and perspectives on this would be welcomed.
B

 

[JTQ]

Kydex will take the finish off a gun, but so will leather. Of course your guns are stainless, so there is no finish to take off. Stainless will eventually show scratches from use, but it can be blasted out.

But I do like Kydex as pistol material because it locks so well and permits running and jumping without worrying about a nice 1911 going flying.

Guns do snap into unlined kydex holsters and I like that ease of holstering and the knowledge that your gun is fully inserted into the holster. However, I'm not sure what your leather holster experience is, but you can do gymnastics with a well made leather holster and your gun is not going to fall out. Most questions you get from guys with a new leather holster are "How do I loosen this up? I can't get my gun out of the holster." You may prefer kydex for competition because it is faster, but leather will offer plenty of retention for running around.

I have a Raven Concealment Systems (RCS) Phantom. It is a very good holster and very versatile. It gives you a lot of carry options as far as ride height, cant, and OWB or IWB with just one holster. For a kydex holster it conceals pretty well. It did remove a long strip of finish off the blued slide of my Colt in just a handful of presentations though.

Garrett Industries offers leather lined kydex, and also offers a design better suited to competition than the RCS Phantom if you want some sort of lined kydex. http://www.giholsters.com

 

[Backroad]

I have an .45 XDs with the stainless slide that I carry in a FOBUS kydex. I see no wear to date and I wear it about 95% of my waking hours. I have a .45 Colt Lightweight Officers model that's all blued and used to be carried in a leather Milt Sparks. It shows some wear.

al

 

[herrwalther]

Kydex will take the finish off a gun, but so will leather. Of course your guns are stainless, so there is no finish to take off. Stainless will eventually show scratches from use, but it can be blasted out.

Depends on the finish. Blued will definitely rub off. But most nitride, Tennifer, Melonite coatings are harder than Kydex aka plastic.

 

[OpticsPlanet]

The kydex will eventually wear a bit off your finish but like the others have said, it shouldn't be as bad (or at least noticeable) with a stainless finish.

If you don't have your eye on something yet, we do offer a lot of different kydex holster options on our site.


Mike C.

 

[CraigC]

Leather, leather, leather. A properly constructed, well-fitted leather holster is just as secure as Kydex and it won't wear the finish off in a month. For a concealment rig, contact member Eaglestroker.

But most nitride, Tennifer, Melonite coatings are harder than Kydex aka plastic.

Nitride is a finish and Kydex will wear it off. Tenifer and melonite are not coatings but surface hardening treatments (modern day case hardening) and Kydex won't hurt them but it will wear whatever finish is applied over them.

 

[Jim Watson]

Kydex will burnish the usual brush or matte finish on stainless.

And it does it in small contact areas, these holsters are not really formed for full contact with the gun as can be done with leather.

I found the suede lined Safariland to be easy on finishes, even blue; as long as it is brushed out every once in a while to remove the grit that seems so scary to many holster shoppers. It will wear the finish but spread over much wider areas than Kydex, and slower to make a noticeable mark. Probably approaching never on a stainless gun.

Garrison makes leather lined Kydex for a compromise design.

 

[JTQ]

Garrison makes leather lined Kydex for a compromise design.

Jim, did you mean to say Garrett Industries, rather than Garrison? http://www.giholsters.com

 

[Jim Watson]

Yes, that's the brand.
What you get depending on memory instead of looking stuff up as you are paid to do.
Wait, I would get paid for looking stuff up?

 

[jhb]

Kydex will wear through glock coatings, sig coatings, s&w coatings, steyr coatings, walther coatings, bluing, every coating. Stainless will show wear marks and scratches. I know cause all of my carrying guns have wear points. Yep even my gen 3 glock 19 has a couple of wear points down to the steel. They wore in fast too...maybe a year of carry.......and i didn't carry it every day. None fared dramatically better than the others. I do have a cerakoted lionheart. It hasn't worn yet...but I haven't had it long enough yet.

Leather holsters both cow and horse hides have worn down the finishes. Different kind of wear...more like smears of the finishes.....but there is nothing that won't if it contacts the gun at some points or areas.

I haven't tried a fobus or other types of plastics so I can't comment on that.

 

[Winkman822]

I've got a Wilson Combat CQB Compact that I carry in a variety of holsters including a kydex Blade-Tech tucakable holster, an injection molded Blackhawk SERPA, and a couple of different leather holsters. The gun is finished in Robar NP3 and it certainly shows wear marks near the muzzle end of the slide, and also on the top of the slide near the ejection port where the Blackhawk holster contacts the gun. When I first got the gun, it was finished in Wilson's black Armor Tuff finish and it also wore in a holster. Bottom line, if no matter what holster you use, it's going to wear through your finish eventually.