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Holster stretching

sureshot

Regular Member
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Aug 1, 2008
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47
Location
Michigan
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Does anyone here havea good and easy way to stretch a holster. I ordered a holster for my Glock 31. When it came in the mail, I tried to insert the weapon into the holster. It went in but only up to the trigger guard which left the trigger completely exposed. I tried to force it and it racked the slide and loaded one into the tube without covering the trigger or trigger guard. Any suggestions :question:
 

t33j

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Dec 28, 2009
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King George, VA
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Suggestion 1: Don't ever put a loaded gun into a holster it has never been into before... especially a new holster

Suggestion 2: It takes time for a holster to get used to the gun. Galco recommends holstering and unholstering many times (tens or hundreds of times) to work it in. Working the leather by pushing outwards from the inside with only your fingers is also recommended.

Galco also mentions that simply holstering the gun and leaving it for a few days does next to nothing.

All that was in the paperwork that came with my leather holster.
 

Michigander

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Aug 24, 2007
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Mulligan's Valley
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Assuming it's leather-

What I would do is oil it up with boot oil if you have any, otherwise motor oil. Then wrap the gun with wax paper to make it even thicker, and force it in the holster. Leaving it holstered with nothing on it will indeed do nothing. However leaving it holstered while covered in a bunch of sheets of wax paper will force it to get bigger.

When you push it in, don't push it by the frame. Push it by the slide.
 

goforlow

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Aug 22, 2009
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Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA
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Do not just oil it up!

Talk to the manufacture and ask what they recommend. They built the item, they should know what you need to do to make the holster and firearm fit better.
 

Grapeshot

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May 21, 2006
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Valhalla
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Michigander wrote:
Assuming it's leather-

What I would do is oil it up with boot oil if you have any, otherwise motor oil. Then wrap the gun with wax paper to make it even thicker, and force it in the holster. Leaving it holstered with nothing on it will indeed do nothing. However leaving it holstered while covered in a bunch of sheets of wax paper will force it to get bigger.

When you push it in, don't push it by the frame. Push it by the slide.
Please do not use oil, particularly not motor oil. This would be very detrimental to the leather.

Yata hey
 

shad0wfax

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Oct 11, 2008
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Spokane, Washington, USA
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gutshot gave some great advice up above in the boldface black.

+1 to that idea. Just make sure you don't have any moisture in the plastic bags and that you don't have excessive oil on your frame/slide as that can sometimes degrade the bags and then get to the leather.
 

230therapy

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Aug 10, 2008
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People's County of Fairfax
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Don't stretch it at all or use oil.

Put the gun in the holster. Heat the holster on all sides with a hair dryer on the hot setting. Get it good and toasty. Let cool. Repeat...probably three times or so. The leather with shrink and expand around the gun until it's perfect. Sometimes I put the gun on while warm (usually for a troublesome or very squeaky holster).

If you don't do this, your body heat over time will cause the leather to expand and contract over time. The hair dryer just reduces the time to 20-30 minutes or so.

I learned this trick from an old saddle and boot maker. I have never had to use the plastic bag technique since doing this.
 

AbNo

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Jun 8, 2007
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Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
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230therapy wrote:
Don't stretch it at all or use oil.

Put the gun in the holster. Heat the holster on all sides with a hair dryer on the hot setting. Get it good and toasty. Let cool. .....
But do NOT use a hair dryer to remove moisture, or do the above to a wet leather holster.

Care and Maintenance of Leather
Do not submerge or saturate your leather product in water or any other liquid. Do not dry your leather product with heat from a hair dryer, oven, radiator, direct sunlight, etc.

http://www.usgalco.com/QA.asp
 

Grapeshot

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AbNo wrote:
230therapy wrote:
Don't stretch it at all or use oil.

Put the gun in the holster. Heat the holster on all sides with a hair dryer on the hot setting. Get it good and toasty. Let cool. .....
But do NOT use a hair dryer to remove moisture, or do the above to a wet leather holster.


Care and Maintenance of Leather
Do not submerge or saturate your leather product in water or any other liquid. Do not dry your leather product with heat from a hair dryer, oven, radiator, direct sunlight, etc.

http://www.usgalco.com/QA.asp
Any job worth doing is worth doing properly - it just takes a little patience and very little skill in this case.

I guess it depends on what value you place on your equipment/holster.

Yata hey
 

Huck

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Mar 27, 2008
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Evanston, Wyoming, USA
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I find it strange that one should have to stretch out a leather holster in the first place. If the holster's supposed to fit, say a Glock 19, then the pistol should slide nice and easy into the holsterright out of the box. My leatherholsters are made by El Paso Sadderly, Circle KB,and Bianchi and at no time did I have to stretch them.
 

VietVet68

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Mar 12, 2010
Messages
23
Location
Washington Township, Michigan, USA
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Huck wrote:
I find it strange that one should have to stretch out a leather holster in the first place. If the holster's supposed to fit, say a Glock 19, then the pistol should slide nice and easy into the holsterright out of the box. My leatherholsters are made by El Paso Sadderly, Circle KB,and Bianchi and at no time did I have to stretch them.

Maybe the OP ordered the wrong holster because, I agree with you.
 

beest21

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Joined
Mar 18, 2010
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3
Location
, ,
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No they do need stretched, I just bought one from galco as well. If you stretch it the way they say too it works. I also keep practicing my draw which help too. Galco does sell a lubricant for the holster called Draw-EZ. It is like $10 and it wont soak into the leather or hurt the finish on your firearm.
 

.45acp

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Jun 18, 2009
Messages
333
Location
Salt Lake City, UT
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I will reinforce the comments to NOT USE OIL OR SADDLE SOAP etc. Oils or treatments will soften the leather to the point that the holster will collapse making insertion of the firearm difficult while wearing the holster. The reason for stiff holsters is so that the firearm "snaps" in to place and is held securely by the molded leather and will allow for 1 hand reinsertion of the firearm. The last leather holster I bought took 2 weeks to break in. I personally like a holster to be tight to the fit when new. In my experience, A tight holster will maintain it shape and hold its grip on the pistol for years.

As far a motor oils go, they contain ingredients that will breakdown leather and destroy the stitching threads....works well in engines...but not as a leather lubricant.



Are you sure you bought the correct holster?



Steve
 

Damiansar-15

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Joined
Nov 25, 2009
Messages
199
Location
Mercer Island, WA
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Buy a well-fitted kydex holster by one of the top names, and don't mess with leather...A holster should fit properly out of the box and if you have to fit it, someone sold you an inferior product. That is like buying a new gun that can't shoot and you have to refit everything before it runs... Also, be careful of kydex makers, many will chew up your gun's finish if they are not made properly... I don't really care to have jewelry guns- I just don't like to have rust form from finish wear...
 
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