Gun Belt

P

pacerdude

New member
Hey guys and gals!

I just ordered my first gun belt from Bullhide Belts. I'm splurging a bit with my commission check.

I've noticed that even on my heavier western style leather belt carrying my reasonably light FNS-9c, forces me to cinch my belt extra tight and the belt still sags a bit from the weight of the gun. I'm hoping this will make it easier to carry my guns.

I'm new to carrying so I guess I've still got a lot to learn. I'm just glad I'm able to afford a nicer gun belt now.

Regards!
 
Yes, even with a heavier belt and lighter gun, you'll still have to cinch things down a little. A proper gun belt certainly supports the gun better than a regular belt, but it doesn't actually make the gun lighter.
 
Spats,

Thanks for the reply. I think I'm still pretty self-conscious about carrying a gun on a daily basis, since I've only been carrying since January. I'm sure that I won't notice the gun as much once it feels more natural to me. I still feel like people notice I'm carrying wherever I go.

I worry about printing a lot here in SC, since we don't have any form of open carry. Though I'm sure most people don't notice anything under my blazer for the most part, except for police and other CCW carriers.
 
We live in a world where folks have had strange lumps around their beltlines for 30 years. Pagers, phones, a Walkman . . . When I first started carrying, I just kept waiting for someone to start shrieking that I had a gun. I've carried for 5-6 years, and it's never happened. Still, I think everyone is self-conscious at first.
 
Just started wearing my new Bullhide belt. I've been wearing a Galco gun belt for a few years. The Bullhide definitely is heavier and slightly supports the gun and holster better. Still have to cinch it up snug or pants sag, at least on me with straight waists and not much butt. Very thick leather and a quality product. Don't waste time or money ordering the "distressed leather" unless you just want the surface to have random scratches on your belt.
 
Last edited:
rg1,

I ordered the brown water buffalo belt. It was on sale. It's the most expensive belt I've ever purchased but the reviews made it seem like a good value.

I'm fairly thin myself 5'11'' and 145 lbs.
 
The way I see it, you can buy one expensive gun belt, or lots of cheap ones. You are better off to buy a good leather belt the first time because it will out last a lot of cheaper one.

I bought a nice one from The Beltman and even after more than 5 years, it is still stiff and still holds a gun well.

As mentioned above, you will still have to tighten the belt down, but a good gun belt will keep the sag down and keep you from constant readjustment.

As far as that lump, it's natural to think at first that people will instantly pick up on it but with the age of cell phones, no one even gives it a second thought.
Additonally, there aren't many people who are observant of their surroundings. Most people are simply oblivious to their surroundings.
 
The belt arrived today guys and it is definitely a full 1/4 inch thick. It should work a lot better than my normal leather belts. Fingers are crossed that it holds up well and turns out to be well worth my money.
 
Man, the price of a decent gun belt is just nasty - heck, the price of just about any belt is stupidly high, and unless you are actually buying a quality gun belt, almost all leather belts now are nothing but glued together leather fibers, not real solid leather. And that kind of garbage is not worth owning.

But I have found two great options for heavy gun belts at great prices - these are THICK solid leather belts suitable for casual wear:

The first is a 1 3/4" solid Black or Brown Leather Holster Belt from Buffalo Arms for only $22. http://www.buffaloarms.com/Leather_Holster_Belts_it-161754.aspx
This is a plain, unadorned single massive slab of leather - perhaps the best basic gun belt I have ever seen. The only drawback is that at 1 3/4" wide, it can be a bit too large for some IWB J-hooks (can't use it with my Alien Gear holsters).

The second option is an unbelievable steal, but you need to do a little work on it. Go to Harbor freight and buy one of their 2" Embossed Leather Tool Belts for just $8! http://www.harborfreight.com/embossed-leather-tool-belt-47637.html
This belt is also a solid one piece slab of leather, not quite as thick as the one above, but still thicker than most other belts. It only comes in natural tan, so it looks a bit funny, and at a full 2" wide, it won't even fit many pants, but the fixes to both are quite simple. A little black die or even a simple coating of black liquid shoe polish makes it look like any other belt. If it fits your belt loops and your holster, then the 2" width really supports a gun of any weight without sagging. But I needed one just a tad smaller, so I just took another 1 5/8" belt and layed it in the back side to use as a straight edge with a pen to trace two lines that were exactly 1 5/8" apart, then I used a straight-cut Aviation Snips to cut down the lines. This gave me the perfect size gun belt AND a couple of 4 foot long rawhide strips for free. And if you do not already own a pair of metal shears or snips to cut the leather, just buy one at Harbor freight for $4 while you are there: http://www.harborfreight.com/straight-cut-aviation-snips-39611.html
and you will still have a finished belt for just $12.

You cannot cut off the edges past the rivets that hold the buckle in place, so the head of the belt and the buckle are still 2" wide, but you can't really tell. And if you really want to finish it off nice, this belt is so long you have plenty of leather to just cut off the old buckle and replace it with one of the exact size you like. If you need a casual gun belt and want to save $50 to $100, you cannot go wrong with this option!
 
Last edited:
A gun belt does not need to be thick, but it needs to be stiff. I have been carrying full size guns since 1968, and the best belt to come along in the last 48 years is Wilderness Tactical Original Instructors belt in 5 stitch.

oib.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top