Breaking In A Holster?

S

sigcurious

New member
I just received a Theis IWB holster(horsehide and kydex construction) for my m&p 9c. While I can't use it out of the house yet(still waiting on my CCW permit) I figured I'd get it broken in while I wait. Any tips or tricks for breaking it in aside from just wearing it?
 
Put your gun in it, empty of course, put it on your gun belt and wear it around the house. That will likely be all the break in you need.
 
put it on and wear it around the house. It will take a couple of weeks of wear to stop most of the creaking of the horsehide. I don't think that the gun has to be empty in your own house.
 
I jokingly tell all my customers to Google up a restaurant they like, . . . about 2 hours drive from their house (or a store, . . . wife, . . . ex-wife, . . . girl friend, . . . etc.)

Strap on the holster, . . . put the weapon in it, . . . take the drive. Eat, shop, or visit, . . . as appropriate, . . . come home.

The combination of the cramped quarters (strapped in in the driver's seat) and the constant body heat, . . . should get it all "moddyfyed" to your personal dimensions.

Haven't had one complaint yet, . . . other than the restaurant was a bad choice and the food was lousy.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
I agree, wear it around the house. Keep the firearm deeply seated with the strap snapped if it has one. Night and day if you want to. In some cases I apply some sort of leather cleaner or conditioner if it might apply. The wife might look at you funny, but explain you're breaking in new leather and not some sort of a gun nut.
 
Id say wear it and use it, a lot.

Constant presentations will loosen it up, and pay dividens in other ways. ;)
 
I've taken to wearing around the house while I am home. Still going to be awhile before I can take it out of the house. No wife, just the dogs to look at me funny. :p

I'll definitely have to take it on an extended test run once my permit comes in, as suggested by Dwight55. Might have to do more than 2 hours though, 2 hrs AFAIK in any direction from Las Vegas is a whole bunch of desert, or Barstow...but I'll pass on going to Barstow unless I have to. :D
 
A holster I got from Desantis said to put a thin dress sock around the gun and leave the pistol in the holster overnight to break it in.
 
If it's a "molded" Galco ,they recommend
covering the gun in waxed paper and
then shove it in the holster.
I had a shoulder rig and I inserted
the proper handgun,I couldn't get
the damn thing out.
One has to work at it
 
I have had holster which required no break-in at all for them to be usable. At least one, which I still have and use (belt holster) works perfectly well but it is one of those holsters which is so heavily constructed that in twenty years it would still fit the same (maybe!), even though it would be scuffed and worn on the outside.

I've never used anything on any holster I've ever owned to help break them in but I sometimes wished there was something to prevent squeaking, you know, the same way a saddle squeaks.
 
The holster is certainly useable, but the leather backing having come stiff and flat was not exactly comfortable. I am happy to report, after a couple of days of use around the house the leather has a curve starting to form, and is more comfortable. Less of a feeling that something is trying to escape my pants versus just in my pants.

Not sure how socks, wax paper or silicone spray are supposed to help leather form to your body?
 
Wax paper (or dress socks, I suppose) help the leather conform to the gun.

As far as your body, not sure what to tell you.

Leather conditioners and cleaners are typically not recommended as they can soften the leather, which in extreme cases can result in trigger impingement.

One of those cases made the internet last year; guy shot himself in the leg while holstering.
 
I was told a couple of times to put the weapon in the plastic bag the holster came in, put the pistol in the holster, give it a few days, and it should be a pretty good fit.
 
Plastic bags trap a lot of moisture. Sounds like a great way to start early onset of corrosion.

Wax paper or socks are safer.
 
At my age nobody notices if my holster creaks!

These are my favorites, carried the Don Hume/Smith & Wesson for many years, last two been carring the Bob Mernickle/Ruger outfit. When new I coated the inside with Lexol and wore the rigs at home before venturin g out. The single action rig bound up slightly, so I used Charles Askins' remedy of neatsfoot oil and graphite.
101_0023.jpg


The Ruger set-up is my favorite of all time.

Bob Wright

P.S. For breakin in a holster, this is the time of the year to do it, while the temps approach 100 degrees!
 
yeah, as long as you can draw it without too much effort, just wear it around to get the creaks out. if it sticks too much when you try to draw, try the wax paper trick. i definitely recommend a nice carry belt. they make all the difference in the world.

when you get your permit, make sure you go on the "walmart walk." you will feel like everyone in the store is staring right at you. my first time was late at night in a grocery store in a sketchy part of town. they had a cop on duty. man was i nervous!
 
A sock helps expand the leather slightly larger than the gun and keeps it from sticking to the new leather (I used a cloth rag). The wax paper and silicone keep it from sticking and will leave a film of lubrication on the leather. Haven't ever thought of silicone but that may net be a bad idea???
 
Approaching 100, I wish! I live in Las Vegas, at least the heat wave is over and it's only supposed to be 106 for the rest of the week. :eek:

I hope they won't be staring at me at walmart, walmartians can be pretty scary! Then again what does that say of me? I shop at walmart too, maybe I'm the scary one! :D

Drawing from the holster seems to be getting easier too, the kydex is pretty deep in the trigger area. I'll try the wax paper thing if it doesn't seem to loosen up anymore. Seems a lot easier than adjusting the kydex itself.
 
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