SCABBARD THOUGHTS

[Williamlayton]

First---if the moderators wants to move this it won't bother me.

Now,I am the last one that minds a little flameing or baiting when it comes to picking fun.
This my serious thought on Scabbards for most of us in this country.
There are a great number of instances when Holsters/Scabbards are the standard method of carry.
Then there are a number of folks thru history who have shunned them.
I own a couple---Horseshoe---and none finer---they are the best there is.
I have not used them in a great while.
I rearely carry for more that 6 hours at a streach and that is fairely rare. I have carried for almost 45 years, long before it was legal in Texas---but was done by a great many people who just ignored what Austin thought.
I have carried a great deal in my pocket---remember when we had skin tight pants--no scabbard.
Most of the times it was just tucked in my waist.
It is a lot easier and more secure than the scabbard makers would lead you too believe.
I carried a Sig P220 in my waist back in 1984 from Houston thru camping in Rocky Mountain National Park---yup--driving, walking, hikeing, tourist traps and gas stops. Nary a hitch, dropped weapon, uh-oh, no nothing.
Running around town, shopping--nothing is easier, quicker, less trouble, less hassle than just sticking it in the pants.
It hides better, rides better, moves less and fails to print easier than any scabbard man has devised.
I don't care what size it is or the format. I carry my 1911's Cocked and locked this way----not a safety issue at all.
Test me out boys--stick one in your waist the next time you run down too the orange Box and are wearing a pair of shorts and a tee shirt.
PS---wear a belt unless the pants are sufficently snug--not tight--just snug.
Blessings

[jimfox]

I'm proud for you.

I've tried the scabbardless carry and (for me) it's fine for a little bit - but when I get active? If I don't constantly adjust, sooner or later (mostly sooner) the gun'll hit the ground - either in front of me or down my pants leg. Even the "clip grip" type carriers can't do "universal" service.

For most of my life I've been scrawney. Scabbardless carry didn't work for me then. A few years ago when the doc's got aholt of me I porked up a bit. Worked a bit better for me then - but not a lot.

The exception is pocket carry - and I confess to sometimes having a revolver in my right hand front pocket. And, historically, sometimes maybe a little semi-auto.

[lookingforthewayback]

Only problem I have with just putting in in my waistband is moisture on the gun. I sweat quite a bit and you can do some damage to a finish pretty quick with sweat. Just requires cleaning every night. I use a holster, just more comfortable for me.

[budroe]

Bill - I thought you were going to start up about rifle scabbards, and I was just getting ready to show off - then you go back to that Mexican carry thing!! Well, I've been on a diet the last couple months (getting ready for that gumbo) and have lost about 25 pounds. I've done the sans holster thing a few times, and didn't have a problem with it. Of course I'd rather not do a lot of it carrying a glock, but I've even done that for a half hour or so, still in one piece with no holes. For an extremely lazy guy, occasionally I have to move quick and for long periods of time often over rough ground and rubble. I prefer wearing a holster, and its gotten to be a habit. That last IWB job I bought at Collectors the day we were trying to get Jim to spend all his money, is the most comfortable IWB I've used. I think I could get by not using a holster with my Commander or any 1911 (after retirement), but I'll probably keep wearing a holster. Its like a seat belt; I don't plan on needing it, but its nice to have around when bad things happen. When I'm packing a glock, its not an option!!

[Vern Humphrey]

Only problem I have with just putting in in my waistband is moisture on the gun. I sweat quite a bit and you can do some damage to a finish pretty quick with sweat.

That's why I design my holsters with high leather.

This one, for a Colt Detective Special, is a typical example. It interposes leather between the gun butt and your hide, protecting both. I work Sno-Seal or Mink Oil into the leather to sweat-proof it.

Notice that this is a "tuckable" -- it is worn up against the skin, so you really need that protection.

[budroe]

If I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt I consider packing a smaller gun and using a belly-band rig. As I don't care for smaller guns, I usually end up just wearing jeans and a pull over shirt.

[Vern Humphrey]

Here is another of my holsters -- this one for the M1911. I routinely carry this gun and holster in shorts and T-Shirt.

You can see the holster area under the grip is darker than elsewhere -- I carry this gun on a 5-mile walk each morning, including about 700 feet of climbing. When I get home, I'm drenched with sweat.

I examine the holster after each hike, and if I see signs of sweat-through, I clean the gun and rub in more Mink Oil or Sno-Seal. This particular holster is fairly new, and by now has had several treatments of melted Sno-Seal around the sweaty areas.

And remember, the keys to carrying a concealed handgun are:

1. Have a good, stout belt (mine are made from blanks from www.tandyleatherfactory.com) and cost about $10 apiece.)

2. Wear loose clothing.

[budroe]

Connectors on your holsters look much like the ones on my comp-tac MTac holster for my glock 23. It has the leather backing with a kydex front. Its worked extremely well for me, and will conceal well under shorts and a t-shirt. I'm looking at carrying my Commander more after I get home, and don't think I have the heart to carry it in a kydex rig.

[Vern Humphrey]

I make my connectors (I call them "stablizers") from either saddle leather (on the Colt DS) or Kydex (on the M1911.) The belt loops can be made from saddle leather (on the Colt DS) or lighter leather (on the M1911.)

The holsters themselves are made of leather thoughout.

As you can see, I use Chicago screws (post screws) to attach the stablizers to the holster and to attache the belt loops to the stablizers. This allows me to convert from a tuckable to a standard IWB (by attaching the loops directly to the holster near the throat) or to a pancake belt holster (by removing the stablizers and loops completely.)

[Don D. Snow]

I favor scabbards for knives, because I keep mine razor sharp.

I favor holsters for pistols, because of appearance. However, I learned the hard way to not wear clip on holster. I carried a lot, when I drove cab, before there were CHLs. One time, with my pistol in a clip on holster, under a sports coat, I got out of my cab and went into a Denny's restruant to eat. Right inside the door, as I walk by the cash register, the holster pops off my belt and skitters across the floor one way while the pistol slid another way. (Since that time, any holster I wear has a snap down over the pistol.) I picked up my gear, reholstered the pistol with the feeling that everybody was staring at me (not true, but I felt that way), dropped the rig in my side pocket of the sports coat and went to eat.
Twice, I've had cops see the pistol under my jacket when driving cab. Carrying it in the holster prevented the appearance of gangstas who carried it in pocket or waistband, in this area.
When I carried while driving cab, I wore the rig on my left side, for a cross draw or left back handed draw. That was the best place I could think of to put it in the cab, so a passenger in the cab couldn't get to it before I did. I also wore a sports coat or jacket and tie when I carried. My mother taught me that appearance is important, and it sure helped with illegal carry while driving cab.

I like keeping a pistol in a holster when I'm not wearing to keep it from getting dusty. Also, I have worked twice as an armed and uniformed security guard and have become accustomed to wearing the holster high on my right hip.

[budroe]

Don, doesn't really matter (I guess) with stainless steel weapons, but you don't want to keep a blued pistol or revolver in a leather holster for a long period of time. Something in the leather really does a job on the blue finish. I bought two model 58's at give-away (to me) prices, due to finishes being ruined after keeping the guns in holsters for a long time.

[deputy]

my prefered carry mode off-duty is a "j" snub in the pocket for over the past 20+ years. works well when dressing nice, casual, or my slob days.....it plain works.

At times i may just shove a duty-size weapon butt forward iwb just behind the hip corner for strong side cavalry style. Don't know why but iwb holsterless cavalry style has always been the most natural comfortable style of holsterless carry for me should i pass on pocket carry.

i've had bad experiences with the iwb clip-on holsters as well.

a bit of turtle wax goes a long way protecting the gun finish from sweat.

[Don D. Snow]

Originally Posted by budroe

Don, doesn't really matter (I guess) with stainless steel weapons, but you don't want to keep a blued pistol or revolver in a leather holster for a long period of time. Something in the leather really does a job on the blue finish. I bought two model 58's at give-away (to me) prices, due to finishes being ruined after keeping the guns in holsters for a long time.

Thanks, budroe,

I didn't know that.

I guess I'll call the guy I sold my .357 mag. service revolver to, with all its accessories, including holster, and pass that along.

[Vern Humphrey]

On the other hand, because I thoroughly sweat-proof my holsters with Sno Seal or Mink Oil (both basically wax) and keep applying the stuff, inside and out, until sweating-through is controlled, I can leave my guns holstered and the wax actually protects them.

[Williamlayton]

I have carried this way longer than dirt.
I sweat more than nost.
I just wipe then down and go about my business.
I have never suffered issues that some are suggesting.
Blessings

[budroe]

Keep it cleaned, keep it oiled, and there's not much that can go wrong.

[Don D. Snow]

Originally Posted by budroe

Keep it cleaned, keep it oiled, and there's not much that can go wrong.

Oh, Ok. The guy I was going to call has other weapons, so I'm sure he'll clean and oil the pistol I sold to him, too.

[Stevejet]

Unlined holsters will wear blueing, suede lined hardly wear it at all. The tanning solution residuals in leather will corrode brass cartridges and buckles/snaps. That's why peace officers had nickle plated brass cartridges for their revolvers way back when.

[KathleenElsie]

Originally Posted by Stevejet

Unlined holsters will wear blueing, suede lined hardly wear it at all. The tanning solution residuals in leather will corrode brass cartridges and buckles/snaps. That's why peace officers had nickle plated brass cartridges for their revolvers way back when.

Boy this made my memories flash. I was allowed to clean those cartridges while my stepfather cleaned the gun. I also loved the smell of the leather and begged to clean that. Later I graduated to cleaning the gun.