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Leather Holster Sticking on Draw

Marek71

Marek71

Master Class
I bought a leather holster for my Hellcat Pro from 1791. I love the holster and have done the multi plastic bag break in process but no matter how loose the gun feels going in and out of the holster it completely binds once on my belt. I just double wrapped it and put some wax paper on top of the bags to make a little more room. Any advise from the leather holster guys out there?
 
Marek71 said:
I bought a leather holster for my Hellcat Pro from 1791. I love the holster and have done the multi plastic bag break in process but no matter how loose the gun feels going in and out of the holster it completely binds once on my belt. I just double wrapped it and put some wax paper on top of the bags to make a little more room. Any advise from the leather holster guys out there?
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inside waistband, or outside..????
 
After doing what Hayes or Sid recommend and it dries completely, put your gun in the holster and strap it on your belt. Just wearing it, even if it's just around the house for a few days, your movements will also help your holster break in. When you take it off at bedtime, leave the gun in the holster overnight. I've had success doing this with a few tight holsters.
 
Is this a generic holster "off the shelf" or is it specific to your firearm? Generic holsters (1791, Bianchi, Galco, etc) may not be molded specifically to your pistol. Those makers make their holsters to fit similar sized pistols.

Is the front sight dragging? I experienced a drag on one of my leather holsters and determined the front night sight had sharp points on the trailing edges which dug into the leather on the draw, but the leading edges were smooth/rounded which allowed for a smooth holstering. I filed the sharp points and cold blued them. No more issues.

Have you contacted the maker for their suggestions? Most better holster makers will advise not to put anything on the leather as it softens it.

Mitch Rosen does sell a product called Leather Lightning™ that is supposed to make the inside of the holster slicker.

Additional Products

mitchrosen.com mitchrosen.com

The leather fibers do stretch with time. Just as you shouldn't carry a firearm that has not been thoroughly tested, the same applies to a holster. Wear the holster around the house for a few days. Body heat will help loosen the holster with the (unloaded) pistol holstered.
 
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Make sure your belt is not to stiff, I have some belts I used that for some holsters worked great but for others the stiffness of the belt caused the holster to pull/pinch the holster too tight around the gun.
If the draw is smooth and yet
“not to easy because you want retention” with the holster off the belt but impossible to draw when on a belt while wearing, it’s the belt.
My opinion.
 
In my 3-day courses for security officers and PI's we had the students perform a 4-step draw a minimum of 200 times before setting foot on the range. Done in 25 rep sessions is best. With a little silicone spray inside the holster and 200 repetitions, it builds neuromuscular memory for the grip and draw, and helps break in the new holster. We gradually add sight alignment and trigger management to the holster drills. It is also a good shakedown of your belt and equipment plus drives home the importance of having a secure platform for the holster. Thse drills generally erased problems with stiff holsters.
 
I have an old belt that shrank (not long enough), I put the new holster on the belt while using the baggie system and let it set for a few days
 
Marek71 said:
I bought a leather holster for my Hellcat Pro from 1791. I love the holster and have done the multi plastic bag break in process but no matter how loose the gun feels going in and out of the holster it completely binds once on my belt. I just double wrapped it and put some wax paper on top of the bags to make a little more room. Any advise from the leather holster guys out there?
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Others have posted some great advice.
When I've had issues like this I usually look at the holster to see if I can figure out where it's hanging up and then put extra plastic wrap around that area and leave it for 24 hours or so. I had one leather holster that I used an old sock instead of a plastic bag and it worked well. You don't want to make the holster too loose but at least with a leather one you can use a little water to shrink it up if necessary.
I also agree that getting in lots of draw practice is very useful in helping solve a sticking issue.
 
IMO doing anything other than just using it normally to break your holster in just increases the wear and shortens the service life to some degree.

I use Kramer Leather holsters. I "broke them in" by just carrying the gun and using it.

I might not recommend that if I thought I was about to get into a gunfight but if I thought I was about to get into a gunfight I would try to go someplace else.
 
Marek71 said:
I bought a leather holster for my Hellcat Pro from 1791. I love the holster and have done the multi plastic bag break in process but no matter how loose the gun feels going in and out of the holster it completely binds once on my belt. I just double wrapped it and put some wax paper on top of the bags to make a little more room. Any advise from the leather holster guys out there?
Click to expand...
FROM A SHOE STORE PURCHASE PROPERTS ,BOOT SLIP ON SPRAY INSIDE THE HOLSTER AND PROBLEM IS OVER
 
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