Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns What makes a holster good vs great

Its pretty hard to find a large selection of the same type of holster either because most shops don't stock much or their custom/semi-custom.

I would like a pancake style holster with a thumb-break. This seems like a fairly common style that is made by many makers. What I am wondering is, what makes one better than another? I like the El Paso version, but the Galco looks pretty good too and there's no waiting time. Andrews Leather makes one that seems to be cut a little tighter to the gun. The prices are all close enough not to be an issue.

What critera do you use to compare or rank the holster makers?

What criteria for a great Holster ???
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SAFETY: Does it cover the trigger guard?

ACCESSABILITY: Can you get to your gun in a hurry? "Time is of the essence."

COMFORT: If it is not comfortable, You are not going to wear it.

MATERIAL: I love leather, but have some great non-Leather Holsters.

Galco makes mass produced holsters but there quality is ok. I think the best holsters are made by Kramer, Milt Sparks and probaly el passo. I like "custom" made holsters and don't mind the wait.

I wear a gun everyday from the time I get up until the time I go to bed. I have some Kramer holsters and belts that have been worn almost everyday for the last ten years and still look almost new. Take into consideration that I wear a gun in a inside the waist band holster so they don't get beaten off of things as I walk.

Dink

Another vote for Kramer Horse Hide Holsters. I have a half dozen. Their IWB # 2&3 are good as are their belt scabbards. The one I have for my 1911 must be 15 years old. Milt Sparks makes good stuff as does Mernickle. I don't want a thumb break unless I would be wearing a uniform and worried about a "gun grab" or running around in the woods. You might also want to check out the guy from Texas named Tucker. He makes some beautiful stuff, especially his mag holders.

Add "retention" to your list...

i lost an issued weapon overboard that came out of a bianchi thumb break...
that little incident followed me for nearly 20 years....
would not be a bit surprised if the matter came up at my funeral....

check this guys stuff out... Matt Del Fatti

Has to fit the gun well. It has to retain the gun, no matter what, running, fighting, etc. Has to allow a quick, smooth draw even from awkward positions. Has to allow me to sit down and drive. Above all, it has to ride, carry the gun's weight well.
I've spent alot of money on gun leather. And I'm going to spend some more. E

What makes a great holster? Advertising, and gun magazine articles.

Anachronism...That statement alone shows you do not carry a gun. I have spent thousands of dollars on holsters,belts and mag pouches to be a able to carry a gun all day every day. I don't consider pocket pistols to be a real self defense type pistol and try to carry a pistol that I can shoot well. I try not to be foolish and spend money just because I can on holsters but I still have a five gallon bucket full.

I spend the money so I will always have a gun with me. A gun in the truck is just about as good as a gun that is home in the safe.

Dink

The best holster I have ever seen is the AW BRILL, Austin, Texas. Most of the Texas Rangers use them..He is dead now but perhaps someone copied his design pretty close. I have had some pretty good leather folks try an copy them but they never get it right..I am not a holster user but I do have a couple of old Brill holsters..The originals bring big bucks btw..It has so many things that are added and different, but you have to study them to see the difference. They are a interesting holster and they look great and they just work...

The better holsters have a few things in common.

They fit the gun. They provide access, support and protection to the gun. They are comfortable to wear.
They are made from top quality materials. They are produced by persons of skill. They are usually hand made.

Mass merchandise holsters do not exhibit these qualities. Inexpensive holsters will never be satisfactory.

Being hand made by a knowing holster maker is the key IMO...I am looking at a AW Brill holster I have had for 40 years. The holster is stitched to a back flap so it is stable..I notice a wedge in the bottom of the holster and it dawned on me the wedge, that hardly shows is there to keep the leather from rubbing the blue off muzzle, it creates a pocket for the sight and muzzle! ingenious! the welt is the same thickness as the frame of the gun that the trigger guard rests on. it has a partial lining that protects the cylinder and it does not rub the blue off..It is a snug holster but the gun releases easily but won't fall out. His last step was to attach a belt to the wet holster and wrap it around a big coffee can full of cement to shape the holster to the hip and to let a gun set up in it and when dry he waxed them and sold them..The old Texas Rangers almost entirely wore them. They are a beautiful holster, and sell for big bucks if you can even find one. I have 3 of them. I don't wear a holster often but I do appreciate good workmanship in my equipment be it saddle tack or holsters.

What makes a great holster is design and execution. In my opinion the greatest open top outside the waist band holster is the Bruce Nelson Professional Model. This is an open top verticle scabbard. Many other holster makers now copy this design. I use the one made by Rudy Lozano at Black Hills Leather. Another great design by Bruce Nelson is the Summer Special. It is an inside the waist band design. My favorite IWB holster is the Milt Sparks Watch Six. It is very thin and comfortable.

quality of leather and stitching, the design of the holster and its belt loops/tabs, the molding to the gun. Hard to see in pictures, not hard to see in hand even when compared to a very good mass produced product like the galcos.

I cannot handle the IWB holster, even the thinist bother me..I choose instead to wrap two or three rubber bands around the grip of my chiefs special and stick it in my belt butt forward over my right hip with just the round butt protruding..It worked really well for me for 40 plus years of LE..I like nice holsters and have a few really nice ones but I seldom wear one except for outdoor excursions or hunting, then I have them on a cartridge belt..