Holster disappointment

[Old Dog]

Here's another perspective:
It is such a huge pain and expense to deal with all the "custom" holster makers and their "we'll ship one to you someday" attitude, that they have "cured" me of my holster snobbery.

Gonna totally disagree here.

There are a variety of off-the-shelf options available that you can order from such places as Midway, Top Gun Supply, etc., that are of much better quality than Uncle Mike's. You can have them in a few days, and they'll provide years of good service. TGS usually has some Milt Sparks (a custom holster-maker), Ritchie Leather, Milt Rosen (another custom maker) Express Line, Don Hume and others in stock. Midway has Galco (always reliable, although a bit overpriced), DeSantis (some really good options at good prices), and Bianchi (still good stuff) in stock. Lots of decent Kydex, including CompTac, Blade Tec, Safariland, Blackpoint Tactical and many others out there, instantly available, in internet-land.

If you like your handguns, they deserve real holsters. As others note, buy once, cry once. Life is too short to carry a nice handgun in a crappy, ugly holster that isn't fitted for your handgun, provides no decent retention and doesn't even conceal well.

Finally, a plug for the good gun-belt. Geez, I wish I had a dollar for every person I've ever seen packing a handgun in a holster on a cheap, thin belt.

 

[ms6852]

Buying cheap holsters is akin to buying a cheap Barska riflescope and mounting it to a $1500 rifle, I just don't get it. Regardless, a good leather holster or kydex in imperative to properly carry your firearm, and as far as leather reacting to the firearm, one should never store their firearms in the holster.

 

[TacticalJanitor]

Gonna totally disagree here.

There are a variety of off-the-shelf options available that you can order from such places as Midway, Top Gun Supply, etc., that are of much better quality than Uncle Mike's. You can have them in a few days, and they'll provide years of good service. TGS usually has some Milt Sparks (a custom holster-maker), Ritchie Leather, Milt Rosen (another custom maker) Express Line, Don Hume and others in stock. Midway has Galco (always reliable, although a bit overpriced), DeSantis (some really good options at good prices), and Bianchi (still good stuff) in stock. Lots of decent Kydex, including CompTac, Blade Tec, Safariland, Blackpoint Tactical and many others out there, instantly available, in internet-land.

If you like your handguns, they deserve real holsters. As others note, buy once, cry once. Life is too short to carry a nice handgun in a crappy, ugly holster that isn't fitted for your handgun, provides no decent retention and doesn't even conceal well.

Finally, a plug for the good gun-belt. Geez, I wish I had a dollar for every person I've ever seen packing a handgun in a holster on a cheap, thin belt.

You make good points, but there can be a lot more to it than that. In my case, I do not carry OWB or in a traditional location. As such, my holster options are severely limited (no matter who makes it or where you get it).

Also, I agree that there are plenty of "off-the-shelf" options available. Then again, they all likely cost more than five-times than the OP paid for his holster. And, the part of my post that you quoted referred specifically to custom holster makers and the associated wait times. Not sure what you are getting at there.

If a person carries at 3-4 o'clock, IWB or OWB, and is right-handed, then the holster world is his/her oyster. It's simply a matter of cost and availability. I would also agree that a holster has to be fitted to the model of pistol in question in all cases.

I DO NOT agree that a holster needs to be expensive or "nice". Buying an expensive holster proves that the person buying the holster likes to have, and can afford an expensive holster... and that's all.

Why on earth would anyone care about how a holster looks? I know some people do, but that isn't relevant to a holster's function. Who might you show it to? And why?

When you say, "Buy once, cry once" when referring to holsters, you are forgetting the very important point that you will be lucky to find the "right" holster within the first ten that you purchase for any given handgun. What if that $180 Sparks or $250 5-shot, or $200 Rosen doesn't fit you well? It might hurt you. It might not conceal your weapon. Should you buy eight more holsters at over $100 per until you figure it out? (Lord knows that I have gone this route).

If a holster fit you, fits the pistol, and keeps the pistol where you expect to find it, the rest is just hobby purchasing. Nothing wrong with that, I have many fancy holsters.

Overall, I would agree with you. A cheap and unfitted holster is...not something I would recommend. However, a cheap and fitted holster is nothing to sneeze at.

Just my opinion.

 

[Old Dog]

However, a cheap and fitted holster is nothing to sneeze at.

Not trying to have the last word, but I've never found one of these.

 

[JTQ]

My solution was...to buy four more of the twenty dollar jobbies and put them in the holster drawer. If mine breaks, I'll have a new one quick as I can get back to the house.

Just remember, that was essentially what the OP did. He had a holster sitting in a drawer for years, and the plastic deteriorated. In a few years you could have four holsters sitting in your drawer with brittle plastic.

 

[JTQ]

But, when I started with my current carry pistol, I bought a plastic Blackhawk holster that they had in the store at the time. It was $20, and turned out to be so very comfortable, and easy to put on and take off, that I'm not really interested in a different holster.

In my case, I do not carry OWB or in a traditional location. As such, my holster options are severely limited (no matter who makes it or where you get it).

Are you talking about different holsters here, or is the $20 Blackhawk holster one that accommodates your non-traditional carry location?

 

[JDeere]

I don't care what you buy but if it involves plastic it will deteriorate over time new or used. I bought a cheap holster once, never again...

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

No, I didn't!

I expect that any holster on the market, no matter how cheap, stays on the belt, holding my revolver. Products like this just shouldn't be on the market. PERIOD! Turning blind eye on something like this and blaming customer that if's his fault, is just fueling this shady business practice. If I am manager in charge, I will make sure that something like this newer happen again in my company!

Ummm...yes. Yes, you did.

There's no sense in being upset at this, either. It's not as if this isn't something other people haven't gone through.

There's a reason why Uncle Mike's holsters are so cheap. It's because they ARE cheap. And the plastic belt clip is obviously a cheap part of that cheap holster and, like many (if not all) plastics, it looks to have suffered over time and this is the result.

THERE IS NO SHAME IN HAVING LEARNED THIS LESSON, THOUGH.

As I said before, others have gone through this. In fact, the whole holster experience is quite often an expensive learning experience for first timers, myself included.


I will make you this sincere offer, though. The Sidekick holster is less than $20 new on the Uncle Mike's website even today. I suspect it was probably a few bucks below the current price shown ($18.95) when you bought yours.

For you (and you alone), I'll offer you this one time offer:

I will send you a crisp $20 bill and buy that holster from you. All I ask in return is that you ship it to me so that I can burn it. OR, if you want to save the shipping cost out of that $20 bill, post a picture of you tossing it into a fire. Either way is fine with me.

All you have to do is PM me with your address.

It's a win-win: You get your money back from the holster experience without having to go through any kind of customer service (which probably won't produce results on a years old holster anyway) and I get the satisfaction of helping a fellow gun enthusiast recoup his loss towards a new holster.

 

[Ks5shooter]

Not my cup of tea but to each his own.

 

[Charlie98]

So I sat down on the bench, slipped on one skate, and then yanked on the laces. Pop! The entire upper of the skate tore off and was dangling from the laces in my hands.

I had the same sort of thing happen with my motocross boots. The plastic hardware simply deteriorated from age and heat. I went to buckle them up, and they simply fell apart.

 

[racepres]

Ummm...yes. Yes, you did.

There's no sense in being upset at this, either. It's not as if this isn't something other people haven't gone through.

There's a reason why Uncle Mike's holsters are so cheap. It's because they ARE cheap. And the plastic belt clip is obviously a cheap part of that cheap holster and, like many (if not all) plastics, it looks to have suffered over time and this is the result.

THERE IS NO SHAME IN HAVING LEARNED THIS LESSON, THOUGH.

As I said before, others have gone through this. In fact, the whole holster experience is quite often an expensive learning experience for first timers, myself included.


I will make you this sincere offer, though. The Sidekick holster is less than $20 new on the Uncle Mike's website even today. I suspect it was probably a few bucks below the current price shown ($18.95) when you bought yours.

For you (and you alone), I'll offer you this one time offer:

I will send you a crisp $20 bill and buy that holster from you. All I ask in return is that you ship it to me so that I can burn it. OR, if you want to save the shipping cost out of that $20 bill, post a picture of you tossing it into a fire. Either way is fine with me.

All you have to do is PM me with your address.

It's a win-win: You get your money back from the holster experience without having to go through any kind of customer service (which probably won't produce results on a years old holster anyway) and I get the satisfaction of helping a fellow gun enthusiast recoup his loss towards a new holster.

Welp...That beats my Bid!!!!!

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Welp...That beats my Bid!!!!!

I've done this before on another forum. And the guy did post a picture of him tossing his holster in a fire!

There are a LOT of holster lessons to be learned out there. Some good, some a pain.

 

[doubleh]

I own a couple of nylon holsters. I don't remember the brand name but it's what my LGS has hanging on the wall. The reason I have two is to fit different sized guns. I didn't buy them for carry holsters and will not use one for that purpose. With the metal belt attachment removed they make excellent protective devises to stick a handgun in and place it between the seat and console in my jeep where it fits snugly when I go boondocking. The gun is right at my hand if needed and stays there no matter the quality of the road of I am traveling. If I want a carry holster I am capable of making a good one from leather.

 

[bannockburn]

I have several Uncle Mike's nylon holsters purchased new 35+ years ago. Didn't have a lot of cash to spend on them and found their holsters, at the time, were a decent buy for the money. This was back when they were made here in the U.S. and were, in my opinion, made from higher quality materials. I used them regularly, mostly while hiking, for many years and then gradually replaced them with nicer leather or Kydex holsters when I could finally afford them. All of the nylon holsters I have are still serviceable without any parts breakage or wear and tear to them.


Nowadays I believe the bulk of Uncle Mike's products are made overseas and are nowhere near the same quality as they were years ago. But then again, what is...

 

[BJung]

That is an easy fix. Remove the plastic and trace it on a piece of leather. Then either have a cobbler sew it on or you can do it yourself with a leather sewing kit.

 

[GBExpat]

So ... have you contacted the Uncle Mike's folks yet to see if they had anything to say about this?

 

[Miguel Loco]

I DO NOT agree that a holster needs to be expensive or "nice". Buying an expensive holster proves that the person buying the holster likes to have, and can afford an expensive holster... and that's all.

Most people pending good money on a holster are doing so because they know EXACTLY what they want. Your "not comfortable expensive holsters" are usually only not comfortable because the purchaser has no idea what they want.

If you're clueless on what you want..... then you need to pay the price for education. The broken $20 Uncle Mike's is just part of the OP's continuing education.

 

[TacticalJanitor]

Most people pending good money on a holster are doing so because they know EXACTLY what they want. Your "not comfortable expensive holsters" are usually only not comfortable because the purchaser has no idea what they want.

If you're clueless on what you want..... then you need to pay the price for education. The broken $20 Uncle Mike's is just part of the OP's continuing education.

So, everyone who has purchased a holster that didn't work out is clueless huh?

Good to know. I appreciate your tact.

 

[hutch51]

Not surprised. Plasticizers evaporate and the plastic turns brittle.
Used to live in southern Nevada and you ought to experience what the heat and sun can do to plastic. Had one trash can shatter and deliver a nice cut to my arm.
Have a couple of Galco leather holsters and a decent gun belt from them. Cheap belts just do not hold up.
Lots of quality vendors out there, I just happened to buy from Galco. (No association with them.)

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

So, everyone who has purchased a holster that didn't work out is clueless huh?

Good to know. I appreciate your tact.

No.

Everyone who has purchased a holster that didn't work out LEARNED something.

I'd be hard pressed to find someone who had NOT, at one time or another, bought a holster that was somewhat lacking.

 

[Styx]

There's nothing wrong with Uncle Mike's or the like holsters. Me, I use the one size fits all cheap nylon hosters to hold me over when I buy a new gun that Iwant to carry until I find a molded kydex or leather holster for it. They work for what they are, but expecting them to have the longevity and to be just as robust as other holsters made out of different materials makes little sense. Expecting the thin polymer belt loop to last after heavy use is also unrealistic. Its a cheap holsters for a reason. Use it until it degrades, and then buy another or a more rebust holster.

Materials degrade over time. I even have old cars and motorcycles on the past that had the plastic and rubber components start to degrade and need replacement....

@Onty you got several years out of a $20 holster. I've paid several times that for other holsters. I'd say you got your monies worth. That cheapo belt loop wasn't ever going to last as long as quality leather or thick polymer. Out of curiosity, how long have you owned that holster?

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

My $20 offer above still stands, by the way!

 

[TarDevil]

My $20 offer above still stands, by the way!

Er, I have two nylon holsters I'm willing to burn! Can I get $40??

No idea where one came from. Second, I took my Colt Police Positive to a gun shop over a decade ago looking for a holster. Didn't have the heart not to buy...poor kid was so proud of what he found for me.

I cannot answer, however, the obvious question... Why do I still have the dang things?

 

[TacticalJanitor]

Are you talking about different holsters here, or is the $20 Blackhawk holster one that accommodates your non-traditional carry location?

All my holsters (that I use) are for the same carry position, which is AIWB. I have a handful of 3-4 o'clock holsters, but don't carry them in public. I can't conceal them.

 

[TacticalJanitor]

Just remember, that was essentially what the OP did. He had a holster sitting in a drawer for years, and the plastic deteriorated. In a few years you could have four holsters sitting in your drawer with brittle plastic.

Could be. I'd like to think that by the time we get to the second holster, we can figure out how things are going to go from there. If holster 3, 4, and 5 are trash...put them where they belong. It's a $60 problem.

I shouldn't have piped up in this thread, but it's hard to see a gaggle of keyboard commandos and fudds pile a bunch of disdain and shame upon a fellow gun nut because he bought a holster that didn't provide the value he expected.

The OP has just as much right to complain as you good old boys have to disagree. And, let's not forget that it's his thread. What I see to this point is that the OP has not suggesting that anyone else is clueless, simple, or cheap.

I say Boo to you fellows. If you can't support the Ops concerns, be polite, or offer helpful suggestions...I have to ask, just what it is that you expected when you inserted yourselves in this thread? Not very THR in my opinion.

There is an upside for me. A handful of you (in this thread) have been added to a very special list that is available to each THR member. I will never again need to suffer your opinions, because the quality of your character has been made plain.