How to Break in a Leather Gun Holster
New handgun holsters are usually stiff and tight. They should be, because the leather will mold itself to you and your use like a baseball glove or shoe. You may be tempted to speed up the break-in with a heavy dose of neatsfoot oil. But that will leave the leather soft, making for a difficult draw. A quick survey of holster manufacturers, and a trip to a gun range, revealed some more effective methods.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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-
1
Empty your handgun and the clip of semiautomatics of any bullets.
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2
Push the handgun deeply into the holster, until you can push it no more.
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3
Wear the holster and handgun around the house, as much as possible. This will speed up the holster conforming to the gun and to your body. Wear a belt holster with the belt you usually wear.
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4
Draw and holster the pistol whenever you find a few moments. Only through repetitive use will drawing and holstering become easier. Work any catches or snaps as well, to break them in also.
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5
Twist the holster on occasion, perhaps once or twice a day for the first week, flexing the leather one way and the other. This will loosen the collagen fibers (the tough inner structure of leather).
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6
Store the handgun in the holster at night. The leather, softened by a day of your body heat and sweat, will continue to break in overnight.
Wet Method
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1
Wash the holster inside and out with a glycerin-based soap, if breaking it in is taking too long. Use only glycerin soap and water--this is based on the recommendation of every significant holster manufacturer, including Bianchi and Galco. Water temporarily softens the fibers, but will not permanently soften them as does oil.
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2
Avoid soaking the holster, if you wash it. Only dampen the surfaces.
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3
Wrap the handgun in a sandwich bag, and push it into the dampened holster for an hour.
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4
Remove the handgun, and allow the holster to air dry, completely, before reuse.
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1
Tips & Warnings
A good-quality holster is made of top-grain cowhide, with a good finish; it will be very stiff, and fairly impervious to moisture. It may take some weeks before the holster feels natural. A hard plastic holster (for example, of Kydex) will not break in at all.
