Leather or Plastic holsters?

[GigaBuist]

Then again, at ~$98 for this C-Tac holster I'm a little iffy on dropping some serious coin on a leather holster. Leather is always more expensive than Kydex. Any reccomendations for a guy thats gotta work two jobs?

I'd take a look at K&D Holsters or HBE Leatherworks. Both are members here and I've gotten a number of good things from them. Prices run from $50 - $75.

Leather is worth it. That you can get it hand-made at less than or equal to what I see around here for mass-produced retail is great.

Look at it this way. You've probably got a $600-$700 at least in that 1911 and it's loaded up with the best ammo you can find that likely runs you $30 for a box of 20. Consider how often you might cycle that pratice ammo. Two boxes a year seems reasonable. That's the cost of a good holster. Put it into perspective.

Ain't much point in putting a gun designed by the holy prophet John Moses Browning loaded up with premium Federal Hydra-Shok ammo into a nylon holster that might let it fall out if you tip sideways or a Kydex one that'll rattle around and give you an unholy wedgie upon draw. I'd rather carry a lesser pistol in a great holster than a great pistol in a lesser holster.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

Two Words:
Mitch Rosen

 

[Wesker]

Are you sitting down for this? I don't carry my 1911, it's too heavy. It sits in my nightstand next to the Trojans for extra protection AND I put WWB FMJ's and hollowpoints through it. I've had nothing but success with WWB's personal defence rounds and their FMJ's don't give any of my other guns gas.

As soon as my finances settle down I'll make the conversion to leather in the event I do carry it, and especially for my P2K I carry regularly. Thanks for the holster suggestions, I'll check 'em out.

 

[Black Majik]

Are you sitting down for this? I don't carry my 1911, it's too heavy. It sits in my nightstand next to the Trojans for extra protection AND I put WWB FMJ's and hollowpoints through it. I've had nothing but success with WWB's personal defence rounds and their FMJ's don't give any of my other guns gas.

Carry that full size 1911! I do...



I carry my fullsize Kimber every day in a Milt Sparks IWB #1 Heritage. Its doable, with a good holster and belt.

For me, I prefer leather. Both have their advantages and disadvantages... and I use both. For carry, leather is much more comfortable since it's more flexible than Kydex.



My leather of choice is Milt Sparks. Absolutely awesome holsters. The fit is amazing, your guns will "click" when it's inserted into the holster. Fit and finish is beautiful. Wait can be a little long, but you can find them from other dealers without the wait. Take a look at them, leaps and bounds way beyond the factory makers such as Galco and Bianchi.

Only time I use Kydex is during matches. My preferred Kydex holster is Comptac. It's faster to draw, and has adjustable tension. Belt slide Kydex sits closer to the body IMO, and that is great so the gun doesn't feel like it weighs as much. Its still, heavy duty, and would suck to carry IWB. I rarely wear my Kydex, only at matches. Plus it's ugly.

If its for conceal carry, go leather. It's classy, beautiful, and well worth it!

Go Milt Sparks.


Milt Sparks 55BN w/ Sharkskin OWB (outside the waistband)


Milt Sparks #1 Heritage IWB (Inside the waistband)



Don't be weary to carry that 1911.

 

[AK103K]

I like both, but for hard daily use, kydex is the only way to go.

With constant use, both will wear the finish on your gun.

With daily use, kydex will out last leather by a long shot, especially if you carry IWB, live in a warm climate and sweat. I used to go through a couple of good, brand name leather holsters a year. My first Blade Tech IWB(now retired, but still going strong) is over 10 years old and was worn daily, year round the whole time. I have yet to find any leather holster that can match that.

Leather is for BBQ's and special occasions, kydex is for everything else.

 

[larry starling]

Leather...

 

[usp_fan]

For me, leather just seems to fit "me" more comfortably. I love the idea of Kydex, I own Kydex (blade tech) but leather is what I usually end up carrying in.

--usp_fan

 

[the naked prophet]

AK103K if your holster wears out, even in a hot climate with sweat while worn 24 hours a day, in less than two years, then you need to buy a better holster.

 

[AK103K]

I work physically outside year round. I also sweat like a pig. In the summer here, it gets to be in the 90's with high humidity on a regular basis. By 9AM most mornings in the summer, I'm already soaking wet and so were my leather holsters. Once wet they would not dry out and I tried rotating them, which just lead to two wet holsters that never dried out. The worst type of leather is rough out. It sucks up sweat like a sponge, so its even worse. I used to even try putting duct tape on the side against my body to slow things down, to no avail. Blued guns dont fare well in a wet holster in short order. I did have my Commander hard chromed, which helped, and I went to the Blade Tech IWB a short time later and never looked back. The last couple of leather holsters I had used were good, quality holsters, LFI's from Blocker and Galco Royal Guards. The Blocker did better than the Galco because it wasnt rough out. I did wear most all the finish off it in about the first month though. You never would have known the Royal Guards were rough out to start. When I was done with the the first one, it looked like polished leather on one side.

These are two off my Blade Tech's. The one on the right is 10 years old, the one on the left is new in that pic and was bought as a back up

This was my last Royal Guard. Thats about one months wear in the summer in that pic.

same holster with a half assed attempt to slow down the sweat.

 

[Wesker]

Yea. I'm just irked at the holster wear already being shown on my P2K. It's like the laser etched letters on my slide are grinding with the holster as I pull it out or it's making contact some other way.

I've heard that armor all is a good thing to put inside a kydex holster to lube. Don't know how long it'd last though.

 

[Autolycus]

I generally prefer leather. Though kydex is faster.