Thinking "inside" "the box" these new box style holsters ...

Magnum Wheel Man · November 12, 2010, 12:50 PM

OK... a while back, I bought a new TCP 380... it came with a "bulldog" holster, a pretty thin / light weight nylon black "box"... basically a 5" x 5" X 1.5" box that clips to your belt... I don't think I could stand to carry in that poor excuse for a holster... but my biker buddy bought one shortly after, & wears it everywhere, & claims no one has ever even asked him what it was... IMO, it's too big for a cell phone or a PDA... it's difficult to get the gun out of, & the belt loop ( forget about the included clip ) is too narrow for sturdy carry...

OK, that was my rant about the included holster that came with the little Taurus...

Well... I'm a budding hobby holster maker, & am making holsters for my close shooting friends this year for Christmas... I asked this guy, what he'd like a holster to fit, & he replyed, one for his double derringer in 38 special...

so... I'm starting "inside the box" & decided to build him a black leather box holster, but obviously much smaller than the one that came with the 380's... hmm... why not make a "cut out" in the front, to make getting the gun out easier, then make a flap cover... hmmm... an inset also in the front, would actually keep the gun in position better in the box, & offer up a 2 cartridge reload... my original box pattern I did in leather to start with was much smaller than the 380's, but I found I could make it a 1/2" narrower, & a 1/2" shorter, so I started a 2nd one... now the box is about 1.5 - 2 times the size of a pack of cigarettes, I made the belt loop full width of the box... so far I'm just stitching stuff together & fitting pieces, then will cut it all apart again & dye it black... being more complex than some of my other projects, I need to figure out the best sequence to assemble it ( sewing in a square cornered bottom on a 1" thick box is going to be at least challenging... btw... that 1st pattern is just the right size for my birds head grip S&W top break snubbie in 32 S&W, so I'll have to finish that one for my lil revolver, after I get the Christmas presents done... wonder if I can find room for 5 cartridge loops ??? probably, since the gun only has one barrel, & the 32 cartridges are so much smaller than the 38 special rounds, coupled with the fact that this box will be bigger...

open carrying, in a package that no one suspects is a gun, could be nice on days that I want to tuck in my shirt...

Thoughts or comments ???

anyone else carrying in one of those boxes ??? ( I think the company makes them for other guns )

armoredman · November 12, 2010, 01:14 PM

Nifty, pics when done?

Magnum Wheel Man · November 12, 2010, 01:20 PM

this thread will likely be dead in the couple weeks that it'll probably take me to finish the holster, but I'll for sure post pics somewhere here...

glenncal1 · November 12, 2010, 03:35 PM

I use an old Cannon camera belt case as a OWB holster for my LCP. Nobody pays it the least bit of attention. Very secure for the gun and can be easily moved around the belt for different positions while driving/walking etc.

vostracker · November 12, 2010, 03:45 PM

sounds like a design my trooper buddy was thinking of for his Kel-Tec .380. I know that Cabela's offers something like that. Good luck and will be watching to see how it comes out.

spacecoast · November 12, 2010, 04:32 PM

To make the gun truly accessible with a customary grip, it would seem that enough of the box would need to be cut away (maybe fall away when the flap is unsnapped/unhooked?) that it would be dangerously close to open carry. Interesting problem, I would be very happy to test it for you with my LCP.

armoredman · November 12, 2010, 07:18 PM

Find one of the very old Goshen UnHolsters for reference.

Magnum Wheel Man · November 13, 2010, 01:31 PM

this 1st one being a birdshead grip derringer, I only need to cut away enough of the front of the box, to allow the index finger to wrap the grip... same with my birdshead S&W revolver... the compact autos, with thier short grips should be similar... I'm just trying to keep the cutaway about 1/2" away from the edge corner, so the holster retains the correct rigidity... if there was room ( on the bigger boxes ) a 2 finger wide cut out would allow for a faster draw... but on this very small box derringer holster, I better keep it one generous finger wide... the Bulldog holster boxes that come with the Tauri, don't have the rigidity to do a cut out, & they are a royal pain to get the gun out, for someone with larger hands...

BTW... pretty cruddy weather outside right now, so even though I have some outside work to do, & will be busy on Sunday, maybe I can find a couple hours to spend in "the man cave" & bring it in for a couple pics on Monday, just in case I haven't been good enough at describing what I'm doing...

Magnum Wheel Man · November 15, 2010, 07:34 AM

well here are a couple "in process" pics... I don't have the cartridge loops sewn in here, but you can see the inset that will hold the cartridges... if I trim a little more off the bottom, the wearer will be able to "pop out" the inset, making the cartridges easier to remove from the loops, if a reload is needed...

the fold down cover will cover up all visible signs of the gun or cartridges...

the belt loop on the back is much sturdier than the bull dog holsters, & I've had bad expiriences with clips, so I don't generallly put them on...

Magnum Wheel Man · November 17, 2010, 07:31 AM

worked on it a little last night, cut it all apart, & dyed the leather, figured out the cartridge loops, & sewed the bottom back in for good ( I hope )

Skans · November 17, 2010, 07:38 AM

Looks a little like the pocket holster I use. I bought mine - didn't make it, but the idea of giving a "wallet type" print is the same.

November 12, 2010, 12:50 PM	#1
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	Thinking "inside" "the box" these new box style holsters ... OK... a while back, I bought a new TCP 380... it came with a "bulldog" holster, a pretty thin / light weight nylon black "box"... basically a 5" x 5" X 1.5" box that clips to your belt... I don't think I could stand to carry in that poor excuse for a holster... but my biker buddy bought one shortly after, & wears it everywhere, & claims no one has ever even asked him what it was... IMO, it's too big for a cell phone or a PDA... it's difficult to get the gun out of, & the belt loop ( forget about the included clip ) is too narrow for sturdy carry... OK, that was my rant about the included holster that came with the little Taurus... Well... I'm a budding hobby holster maker, & am making holsters for my close shooting friends this year for Christmas... I asked this guy, what he'd like a holster to fit, & he replyed, one for his double derringer in 38 special... so... I'm starting "inside the box" & decided to build him a black leather box holster, but obviously much smaller than the one that came with the 380's... hmm... why not make a "cut out" in the front, to make getting the gun out easier, then make a flap cover... hmmm... an inset also in the front, would actually keep the gun in position better in the box, & offer up a 2 cartridge reload... my original box pattern I did in leather to start with was much smaller than the 380's, but I found I could make it a 1/2" narrower, & a 1/2" shorter, so I started a 2nd one... now the box is about 1.5 - 2 times the size of a pack of cigarettes, I made the belt loop full width of the box... so far I'm just stitching stuff together & fitting pieces, then will cut it all apart again & dye it black... being more complex than some of my other projects, I need to figure out the best sequence to assemble it ( sewing in a square cornered bottom on a 1" thick box is going to be at least challenging... btw... that 1st pattern is just the right size for my birds head grip S&W top break snubbie in 32 S&W, so I'll have to finish that one for my lil revolver, after I get the Christmas presents done... wonder if I can find room for 5 cartridge loops ??? probably, since the gun only has one barrel, & the 32 cartridges are so much smaller than the 38 special rounds, coupled with the fact that this box will be bigger... open carrying, in a package that no one suspects is a gun, could be nice on days that I want to tuck in my shirt... Thoughts or comments ??? anyone else carrying in one of those boxes ??? ( I think the company makes them for other guns ) __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust... Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; November 12, 2010 at 01:32 PM.

November 12, 2010, 01:20 PM	#3
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	this thread will likely be dead in the couple weeks that it'll probably take me to finish the holster, but I'll for sure post pics somewhere here... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

November 12, 2010, 03:35 PM	#4
glenncal1 Senior Member Join Date: April 21, 2009 Location: Denver area Posts: 504	I use an old Cannon camera belt case as a OWB holster for my LCP. Nobody pays it the least bit of attention. Very secure for the gun and can be easily moved around the belt for different positions while driving/walking etc. __________________ Jim Many K and N Frames

November 12, 2010, 03:45 PM	#5
vostracker Senior Member Join Date: February 4, 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 416	holster sounds like a design my trooper buddy was thinking of for his Kel-Tec .380. I know that Cabela's offers something like that. Good luck and will be watching to see how it comes out.

November 13, 2010, 01:31 PM	#8
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	this 1st one being a birdshead grip derringer, I only need to cut away enough of the front of the box, to allow the index finger to wrap the grip... same with my birdshead S&W revolver... the compact autos, with thier short grips should be similar... I'm just trying to keep the cutaway about 1/2" away from the edge corner, so the holster retains the correct rigidity... if there was room ( on the bigger boxes ) a 2 finger wide cut out would allow for a faster draw... but on this very small box derringer holster, I better keep it one generous finger wide... the Bulldog holster boxes that come with the Tauri, don't have the rigidity to do a cut out, & they are a royal pain to get the gun out, for someone with larger hands... BTW... pretty cruddy weather outside right now, so even though I have some outside work to do, & will be busy on Sunday, maybe I can find a couple hours to spend in "the man cave" & bring it in for a couple pics on Monday, just in case I haven't been good enough at describing what I'm doing... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

November 12, 2010, 01:14 PM	#2
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,309	Nifty, pics when done?

November 12, 2010, 04:32 PM	#6
spacecoast Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Location: Sunshine and Keystone States Posts: 4,461	To make the gun truly accessible with a customary grip, it would seem that enough of the box would need to be cut away (maybe fall away when the flap is unsnapped/unhooked?) that it would be dangerously close to open carry. Interesting problem, I would be very happy to test it for you with my LCP.

November 12, 2010, 07:18 PM	#7
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,309	Find one of the very old Goshen UnHolsters for reference.

November 17, 2010, 07:38 AM	#11
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,144	Looks a little like the pocket holster I use. I bought mine - didn't make it, but the idea of giving a "wallet type" print is the same.