How many old holsters do you have in a basket in your closet or garage? The record is well over 100. As we grow in our shooting skill and carry habits, our needs and comfort levels change. So do our holster and carry preferences. Maybe you start to compete and you need a holster suited for USPSA competition. Or maybe you upgrade the optics or light on your P365XL. Whatever the case, we can make you a custom holster in the store while you wait.
What Do I Need to Do?
Bring in your carry pistol (cased & unloaded, please). That alone will determine what size pre-made or blank template we need to start from. From there, we need to know about the following:
- Left or right handed – This one’s obvious, but we’ll make sure. There are some lefties out there, you know, and they are a different breed. 😉
- Inside the waist band (IWB) or outside the waist band (OWB) – Your preference, most likely driven by why you’re carrying. If for competition, definitely OWB. For every day carry, most likely IWB, but you might want an IWB for warmer months and an OWB for winter, when you wear a jacket or shirt over your waist.
- Taco or Pancake – A “taco” holster is made from one sheet of thermoplastic material, widely known as “Kydex”. Kydex is the “Kleenex” of holster material. It’s not made by Kydex the brand, but we refer to it as “Kydex”. A pancake holster is made from a pre-sized holster template of 2 sheets of material riveted together.
- Optic – Do you have a red dot? Make sure it’s on your pistol when you bring it in. That will impact the shape and size of the holster.
- Light – same for your light, though the light has a bigger impact on the holster because that and the trigger guard will really determine the tension on the firearm so it “clicks” into place.
How Does It Work?
Easier to show than explain, and we’re working on a video that will really open your eyes. But for simplicity sake, here’s the TL;DR version of how we make you a custom holster in just a few minutes.
- Size your pistol up for a pre-made template or raw kydex sheet.
- Use painter’s tape to attach “jigs” to make sure your optic, trigger, and light have the correct spacing.
- Heat up the material in the little insulated box.
- Prepare the squashing machine (aka a press) to the right size for your pistol.
- Put the pistol with all the jigs into the heated up material, and squash it down around your pistol.
- Clean up the edges and make sure your pistol pops into place securely.
- Trim it up to your satisfaction.
Takes anywhere from 20 minutes to maybe an hour. So, perfect if you want to head out on the range and shoot your other guns. When you’re done, your new custom holster will be done, too.
Get Your Own Custom Holster
So bring your favorite carry pistol in, and we’ll make you a custom holster while you wait. Easy peasy.
6 thoughts on “Custom Holster While You Wait”
Would love an rough idea of the cost. Say a SW 686 4” with a Streamlight TLR4 hanging underneath.
Starts at $55. For most pistols, that’s the cost. When you add a light or certain optics, the cost may go up a little, but not to more than $75 max. Might take a few more minutes to work the rough edges, but we’ll still get it while you wait.
What would it Cost for an IWB for my Walther PPQ 45 plain jane (no threaded barrel, no lights/optics/laser sights)? Can you also make magazine holders/holsters for same?
Plain Jane holsters $55, and yes, we can make mag pouches as well. Bring them in!
What is the retention quality like?
Custom. Since we’re heating up the material and molding it to your preferences, the retention can be as much or as little as you like.