Reduce Holster Wear on Nice Revolvers ?

[Huntolive]

Any other recommendations on particular holsters I should look into for the revolvers have mentioned please

 

[CraigC]

Everything I've seen with Kydex is worse, not less. And it's uglier the way it wears. I won't even carry a plastic gun in a plastic holster. Let alone a fine revolver.

 

[Jimster]

I love holster wear.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I learned lesson about letting a stainless gun in the holster. It's a nylon holster. But my spectrum the slide is stainless. It still ended up with some rust on it. Low grade stainless.

 

[CraigC]

Not low grade stainless. The stainless alloys that are appropriate to firearms' manufacture are not as corrosion resistance as those used for other things. 400 series vs 304, for example.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Thanks Craig. Good to learn something new.

 

[trackskippy]

Everything I've seen with Kydex is worse, not less. And it's uglier the way it wears. I won't even carry a plastic gun in a plastic holster. Let alone a fine revolver.

Kydex only wears at the contact points, which tend to be few specific points, and the rest of the finish is untouched.

Molded leather holsters contact a lot more of the guns finish, and you just end up with added wear more overall. Not to mention what the abrasives being embedded in the leather and moisture add over time. You dont get that with kydex.

Plastic guns do just fine too.

10+ years of daily carry and use in a couple of different kydex holsters. You have to look hard for the contact points. The trigger guard, where the gun locks in, is the most noticeable.



Ive carried a number of different guns in both types of holsters over the years, and the greatest damage done to the guns, was when they were in leather holsters.

 

[Terry G]

When I switched to a beautiful CZ P-01 for EDC I ordered a custom leather OWB holster from E.B. Leatherworks and I asked this very question. He said you won't get any holster wear if you just don't carry it in a holster."

 

[shoebox1.1]

I believe milt sparks website says ANY gun carried in ANY holster is GOING to get wear marks. Part of the game. Kramer says the better the fitting holster the less wear it will get. Kramer horse hides for my two “nice” guns

 

[CraigC]

The more contact the holster has with the gun it contains, the LESS it wears, not more. All the Kydex wear I've seen was rapid and ugly.

 

[trackskippy]

That makes no sense, even if you arent regularly drawing it.

I don't know what kind of kydex holsters you were using, or how, but that hasnt been my experience, and in fact, just the opposite. Constant overall contact with the guns finish, and constant hosltering and drawing is constant wear. Im not understanding how it isnt.

Add to that, try carrying a blued, or even a SS gun in a sweat-soaked holster for a couple of weeks in the summer, and see what contact with leather will do to it.

 

[Terry G]

For my Woods kicking around the holster is nylon. Cheap, usually will fit several guns, and the least wear.

 

[CraigC]

That makes no sense, even if you arent regularly drawing it.

I don't know what kind of kydex holsters you were using, or how, but that hasnt been my experience, and in fact, just the opposite. Constant overall contact with the guns finish, and constant hosltering and drawing is constant wear. Im not understanding how it isnt.

Add to that, try carrying a blued, or even a SS gun in a sweat-soaked holster for a couple of weeks in the summer, and see what contact with leather will do to it.

The more the leather contacts the gun, the less the gun is able to move, thus the less it wears. No matter how much you're drawing, you're always passively carrying it more. This is Leatherworking 101.

I've never used Kydex and won't be caught dead with the stuff. Ever.

 

[trackskippy]

You must be pretty sedentary if the gun isnt moving in the holster throughout the day, no matter how well it fits. Its a constant grind if you move around a lot. I carried in good, brand name leather holsters for about 20 years or so, and I saw plenty of wear on the guns in them. But, Ive always led an active lifestyle, and pretty much anything on me took a constant beating.

Kydex, once it showed up, was a savior as far as my guns finishes were concerned. Hard chrome was a big help too.

The fact you never owned or used a kydex holster doesnt add much credence to what youre saying about them. Just sounds like you dont like them, just because, and we shouldnt either.

 

[Terry G]

You must be pretty sedentary if the gun isnt moving in the holster throughout the day, no matter how well it fits. Its a constant grind if you move around a lot. I carried in good, brand name leather holsters for about 20 years or so, and I saw plenty of wear on the guns in them. But, Ive always led an active lifestyle, and pretty much anything on me took a constant beating.

Kydex, once it showed up, was a savior as far as my guns finishes were concerned. Hard chrome was a big help too.

The fact you never owned or used a kydex holster doesnt add much credence to what youre saying about them. Just sounds like you dont like them, just because, and we shouldnt either.

Well I certainly wouldn't say I wouldn't be caught dead with one, but the ones I've tried for the Glock 21 and the CZ75b were not good. I can't recall the maker, but the one holster grabbed my G21 so tight I had a Hell of a struggle getting it back out and yes it was designed for the G21.

 

[trackskippy]

Just like there are good and bad leather holsters, there are good and bad kydex. The better kydex holsters are adjustable for retention.

 

[CraigC]

You must be pretty sedentary if the gun isnt moving in the holster throughout the day, no matter how well it fits. Its a constant grind if you move around a lot. I carried in good, brand name leather holsters for about 20 years or so, and I saw plenty of wear on the guns in them. But, Ive always led an active lifestyle, and pretty much anything on me took a constant beating.

Kydex, once it showed up, was a savior as far as my guns finishes were concerned. Hard chrome was a big help too.

The fact you never owned or used a kydex holster doesnt add much credence to what youre saying about them. Just sounds like you dont like them, just because, and we shouldnt either.

The gun should move very, very little in the holster, no matter what you're doing. Whether you're sitting behind a desk or running a marathon. Minimizing movement is the goal.

A wise man once said, "I don't have to lick a turd to know I do not want to eat one". I don't have to have 20yrs experience with Kydex to have a valid opinion. Because another wise man once said, "Wise men learn by others’ harms; fools by their own." - Benjamin Franklin

 

[trackskippy]

The gun and/or holster moves all the same, and all the time, and all that dirt, grit, and other crap that gets embedded in it over time, just keeps grinding away. Add to that actually using it, by drawing and reholstering, and you get even more.

Thats just life when you carry a gun. Now, if youre really not using it all that much, you will probably have a much different experience.

From the looks of a lot of peoples guns and leather in their various pics, it looks like they dont really get much use. A lot of it is nice stuff, and maybe too nice to risk the use. But they look good in the pics.

As far as the quotes, all I can say, the only way you actually know what works for you, is to actually do what you need to learn and figure it out. If I listened to what you are telling us, with no experience at all on your part, and go with what you say, I would miss out.

 

[Drail]

Kydex or leather is NOT what is causing scratches and wear on your gun. It caused by dirt and grit embedded in the holster - it acts exactly like 1000 grit sandpaper. There is no way to completely stop it but if you frequently blow the holster out well with compressed air you can slow it down. Just accept that if your gun goes in and out of a holster it's going to show wear. Anyone who has had to maintain spit shined military dress shoes can tell you all about the grit that gets picked up every day on those shoes. All that grit is going into your holster.

 

[sgt127]

My first duty gun. I carried it in a Milt Sparks Duty holster. (No, they don’t normally make them. I had an “in”.

It was also in the 80’s. I shot a lot of IPSC. Usually out of the same holster or, a clone I had for a 1.5” belt.

A LOT of draws. and the holster was smooth leather inside.

 

[Anchorite]

Kydex only wears at the contact points, which tend to be few specific points, and the rest of the finish is untouched.

Molded leather holsters contact a lot more of the guns finish, and you just end up with added wear more overall. Not to mention what the abrasives being embedded in the leather and moisture add over time. You dont get that with kydex.

Plastic guns do just fine too.

10+ years of daily carry and use in a couple of different kydex holsters. You have to look hard for the contact points. The trigger guard, where the gun locks in, is the most noticeable.
View attachment 1037935
View attachment 1037936

Ive carried a number of different guns in both types of holsters over the years, and the greatest damage done to the guns, was when they were in leather holsters.

I agree. With kydex it’s like the wear is to a point, then stops. And the cool thing about kydex is the resistance to moisture. Forget it if your leather gets wet (or ballistic nylon). But I still like leather too, just depends on the piece and the application.

 

[Anchorite]

I've never used Kydex and won't be caught dead with the stuff. Ever.

I felt the same way for years, then I stumbled into a deal and couldn’t pass up trying a kydex holster for my G22. It stuck with me. And hey, those polymer pistols have no soul like a finely blued revolver, or classic 1911.

I look at holsters like golf clubs…..can’t have just one, and there are different uses for different applications..

(PS ~ my kydex guy actually fitted my holster to my G22 while I stood there with him and watched- it wasn’t a mass-produced affair. Fits like a glove, and will probably never loosen up. But that said, I do love fine leather too)

 

[45 Dragoon]

Trackskippy, maybe you're not aware but CraigC is a very accomplished leather smith. I would trust his opinions/ words concerning something that he knows extremely well. For me, these are the times to listen and learn . . . it's kinda like arguing with Bill Elliott about how to drive a car fast . . . lol.

Mike

 

[trackskippy]

Trackskippy, maybe you're not aware but CraigC is a very accomplished leather smith. I would trust his opinions/ words concerning something that he knows extremely well. For me, these are the times to listen and learn . . . it's kinda like arguing with Bill Elliott about how to drive a car fast . . . lol.

Mike

That's great, but my experiences with leather haven't been good, when it comes to actual use. And I've had a number of decades of daily use with both to know the difference.

I like good leather as much as the next guy, I just won't use it for anything serious/hard use, as I've found kydex to be superior for that use.

If he's got leather holsters that stop that wear, and don't soak up sweat, and stops/keeps guns and knives from rusting, I'd love to see them and see what the guns/knives look like after a couple of years of daily carry, especially in a harsh, hard use environment. That's the bar to pass if you want to prove it to me. Until then, leather is basically for ceremonial or light duty use.

 

[CraigC]

The gun and/or holster moves all the same, and all the time, and all that dirt, grit, and other crap that gets embedded in it over time, just keeps grinding away. Add to that actually using it, by drawing and reholstering, and you get even more.

Thats just life when you carry a gun. Now, if youre really not using it all that much, you will probably have a much different experience.

From the looks of a lot of peoples guns and leather in their various pics, it looks like they dont really get much use. A lot of it is nice stuff, and maybe too nice to risk the use. But they look good in the pics.

As far as the quotes, all I can say, the only way you actually know what works for you, is to actually do what you need to learn and figure it out. If I listened to what you are telling us, with no experience at all on your part, and go with what you say, I would miss out.

No, it doesn't "move all the same". A handgun moving around inside an ill-fitting holster will wear much more quickly than one that is properly fitted. As I said, this is Leatherwork 101.

No one here has said that leather holsters do not wear guns, I think we all know that is not true.

I don't carry guns inside my pants and you might keep that in mind, not everyone does IWB.

I don't have a full picture of what you're doing to your equipment but I'm pretty sure you're not the only one who's used holsters for decades. In addition to decades of use I've also studied and learned how to make them, from the design aspect to materials and construction. I'm no expert but I know this idea that more contact = more wear flies in the face of everything I've learned.

I also don't have to have experience with something to know that I do not want experience with something. We can rely on our deductive reasoning and information gleaned from others. The shooting sports is the only place where people seem to think you have to experience everything possible to know anything about it. If Kydex works for you, more power to you and I feel in no way inclined to convince you otherwise. As I said, I won't be caught dead with one and I don't need to use one for 20yrs to affirm that position.