The Best Way to Break In Holsters

Most new leather holsters may seem overly tight or stiff when you first place your pistol in them, especially if your holster was wet-molded to your specific model of pistol. During wet molding, as the leather dries a small degree of shrinkage occurs, causing temporary tightness (fortunately this condition can be compensated for). Your new holster will become more comfortable to wear as it sees more use (like a new pair of leather boots, the leather softens and conforms to your body), but there are a few actions you can take to expedite the "breaking in" process. When you are using your pistol solely for the purpose of breaking in your holster, make absolutely sure that it is unloaded.

Instructions

1. Use your hands and fingers to manually stretch the leather, one area at a time. Continue until you have covered the entire holster.

2. Twist the retention strap back and forth approximately 12 times. This will reduce the stiffness in your strap.

3. Place your unloaded handgun into the holster and put it on.

4. Practice drawing your pistol and placing it back in the holster until it begins to feel as if it's going in and out with less resistance.

Tips & Warnings

• As an additional method of breaking in your holster, wear it around the house as you do your daily activities.

References

• Galco Holster: Breaking in a Holster
• US Galco: How to Break in a Holster