Made a holster for a friend's newfangled auto-pistol-thingie...

Jim March · December 22, 2009, 06:36 PM

As most know I'm a die-hard wheelgunner. But I made a holster for a friend's slidegun of a new holster design I've been working on.

It's a high-ride crossdraw with an unusual system of "grabbing" the belt and applying positive tension to it - adjustable tension at that. Comments welcome; I'm particularly curious to know if any other holsters are shipping that are this radically high, esp. with a relatively heavy gun like this full-size Ruger P85-Mk2.

If it's not clear yet, this can be put on and taken off without taking the belt off. The tapered cross-strap is tapered to resist slipping backwards out of the double-ring buckle.

The concho is at present a silver eagle in profile. It's purely cosmetic, screw-in and replaceable.

In some ways this rig is built like an "old west" setup, in that the leather isn't wet-molded to the gun. It's a bit like an old Threepersons setup, yet is very close-fitting in the modern "high and tight" style except...well, tighter

. It also adapts instantly to multiple belt widths. The tension across the body from the strap through the buckle also helps hold the gun plenty tight enough.

This is the third and latest one I've done of this general type, and I think it's the best. Others:

The one for my Ruger NewVaq was set up so I could choose between strongside forward-tilt or crossdraw as shown. The two diamond conchos are two possible locations for the lower cross-strap - choosing between them (with a screwdriver changeover) selects the "tilt angle". Crossdraw turns out to be MUCH better when you go this high.

How can I do this better? Is anybody doing anything professionally quite like this?

johnwilliamson062 · December 23, 2009, 09:30 AM

Quote:

How can I do this better?

You seem to have a lot of extra material around the barrel for an OWB holster. Not sure if that is necessarily bad.

Quote:

Is anybody doing anything professionally quite like this?

Maybe you, if you want to.

Can you make one of these for a GP100?
At what cost?
What about not so high riding and cant at a 30* angle up from the horizontal.

Dwight55 · December 23, 2009, 11:38 AM

If you want to see a different look at a crossdraw, . . . see Andrew's carjacker.

Your's has merit, . . . but you need to lose the lacing and go to stitching or contact cement or both.

May God bless,
Dwight

Jim March · December 23, 2009, 01:11 PM

Quote:

You seem to have a lot of extra material around the barrel for an OWB holster. Not sure if that is necessarily bad.

What that seems to do is, force the butt of the gun deeper in to the body. Yet it's flexible and doesn't stick too far down or dig in too bad.

That "extra area" was originally there to allow a strongside option. On the SA wheelgun rig, that lower diamond concho was an alternate mount point for the lower cross-strap, reseting it to "forward tilt strongside.

It turns out that strongside when you go this high doesn't work well. It's just too high. But in crossdraw mode, that lower "flap" or whatever helps to stabilize the rig - that's why it's still present on the semi-auto rig where the one concho is purely cosmetic.

The only way to go this high and strongside is to put it behind the waist, over the strongside kidney. But that's not a good idea at all when doing open carry, and it means you need a longer jacket for cover...otherwise bending over exposes it.

Crossdraw as shown, bending over isn't as big a problem and doing open-carry, it's easy to block a grab with your off-hand forearm across the butt.

johnwilliamson062 · December 23, 2009, 02:57 PM

I had a local artisan make me something that borrowed a lot from the carjacker. I did not like the cant of the carjacker.

I sort of like the lacing. Not for a CCW auto, but for an open revolver carry such as my CCW I like it. Contact cement as a backup might be good.

22wakute · July 21, 2015, 03:39 PM

Hi,

Just found this 2009 thread and was wondering if you are still making these holsters ? I like your high ride design. If so I'd be interested, and any more information.

Bart Noir · August 11, 2015, 05:25 PM

22, welcome to The Firing Line

Jim has interesting and novel ideas but I don't know if he actually produces for the rest of us. You can more easily contact him by Instant Messaging (IM) on this furum.

Bart Noir

December 22, 2009, 06:36 PM	#1
Jim March Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 1999 Location: Pittsburg, CA, USA Posts: 7,417	Made a holster for a friend's newfangled auto-pistol-thingie... As most know I'm a die-hard wheelgunner. But I made a holster for a friend's slidegun of a new holster design I've been working on. It's a high-ride crossdraw with an unusual system of "grabbing" the belt and applying positive tension to it - adjustable tension at that. Comments welcome; I'm particularly curious to know if any other holsters are shipping that are this radically high, esp. with a relatively heavy gun like this full-size Ruger P85-Mk2. If it's not clear yet, this can be put on and taken off without taking the belt off. The tapered cross-strap is tapered to resist slipping backwards out of the double-ring buckle. The concho is at present a silver eagle in profile. It's purely cosmetic, screw-in and replaceable. In some ways this rig is built like an "old west" setup, in that the leather isn't wet-molded to the gun. It's a bit like an old Threepersons setup, yet is very close-fitting in the modern "high and tight" style except...well, tighter . It also adapts instantly to multiple belt widths. The tension across the body from the strap through the buckle also helps hold the gun plenty tight enough. This is the third and latest one I've done of this general type, and I think it's the best. Others: The one for my Ruger NewVaq was set up so I could choose between strongside forward-tilt or crossdraw as shown. The two diamond conchos are two possible locations for the lower cross-strap - choosing between them (with a screwdriver changeover) selects the "tilt angle". Crossdraw turns out to be MUCH better when you go this high. How can I do this better? Is anybody doing anything professionally quite like this? __________________ Jim March

July 21, 2015, 03:39 PM	#6
22wakute Junior Member Join Date: July 21, 2015 Posts: 1	Cross Draw Holster 2009 Hi, Just found this 2009 thread and was wondering if you are still making these holsters ? I like your high ride design. If so I'd be interested, and any more information.

August 11, 2015, 05:25 PM	#7
Bart Noir Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2000 Location: Puget Sound, USA Posts: 2,215	22, welcome to The Firing Line Jim has interesting and novel ideas but I don't know if he actually produces for the rest of us. You can more easily contact him by Instant Messaging (IM) on this furum. Bart Noir __________________ Be of good cheer and mindful of your gun muzzle!

December 23, 2009, 02:57 PM	#5
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	I had a local artisan make me something that borrowed a lot from the carjacker. I did not like the cant of the carjacker. I sort of like the lacing. Not for a CCW auto, but for an open revolver carry such as my CCW I like it. Contact cement as a backup might be good.