Recluse Pocket Holster for Sig P365X

[Alllen Bundy]

I finally received a Reculse TS Front Pocket Holster for my Sig P365X. It took 1 day shy of 5 weeks before it was shipped. The lead time was estimated at 2-3 weeks. I can deal with hand made products taking longer than expect to manufacture. In fact, I tend to expect it.

But I didn't get what was pictured online and there are performance issues. I am NOT a happy camper. Let's look at what was pictured on the website vs what I actually received.

This is what was pictured on the website for a Sig P365:



Below is what I actually received. Note that he did make the holster wider to accommodate the taller grip module of my P365X. The flap on the upper left section is not as wide as pictured. But that is not the main issue.

Note that the portion of the holster that rests against your body comes up closer to the handgrip than what is pictured in the ad photo. This is making it difficult for the holster to spread wide enough, making it difficult to grasp the handgrip. Also, during the draw, my middle finger catches on this leather portion that is higher than it is supposed to be. This IS a problem!



It appears that I will need to lower the position of the horizontal stitching and remove the leather above the horizontal stitching.

Does anyone have any other practical suggestions?

Functionally, the DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster (Below) works much better than the Recluse, except that it prints badly.

.

 

[wiscoaster]

It seems to me there are some significant differences between what was pictured for the holster and what was delivered, and I think you have a legitimate case for a return.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

Returning the holster may not get me what I need. It will be faster to modify the holster myself and achieve what I want. I haven't done any leather working since the '60s, but it's no big deal to do a little stitching.

 

[TarDevil]

Still waiting for mine.

I'm not sure your holster is much, if any, wider than the promo photo. The website picture is slightly angled so it will look narrower. You have a point about the trigger guard height. My fat fingers would struggle to get a decent grip.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

My bad.

Moderators,

Please move this discussion to the "Handguns: Accessories, Holsters, and Optics" section.

Thanks.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

I'm not sure your holster is much, if any, wider than the promo photo. The website picture is slightly angled so it will look narrower.

Note that the pistol in the Recluse holster in the website photo is a P365. The pistol in my holster is a P365X with a taller handgrip.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

Just an FYI, the holster reeks! The holster was just finished only 3 days ago, boxed and mailed. The odor is probably from whatever was used to finish the leather and treat the edges. When I had the holster sitting on my bench next to me the chemical vapors were actually bothering both my nose and eyes. I'm sure that most people would want to air out the holster before using it. I've got the holster sitting in the windowsill with the breeze blowing over it.

 

[chicharrones]

Just an FYI, the holster reeks! The holster was just finished only 3 days ago, boxed and mailed. The odor is probably from whatever was used to finish the leather and treat the edges. When I had the holster sitting on my bench next to me the chemical vapors were actually bothering both my nose and eyes. I'm sure that most people would want to air out the holster before using it. I've got the holster sitting in the windowsill with the breeze blowing over it.

The smell will definitely fade away. But I agree with you taking issue with where the leather is stitched up to the grip.

Here's my Recluse TS with many years of pocket time. It used to be light colored like yours.

View attachment 1083156

 

[Alllen Bundy]

my Recluse TS with many years of pocket time. It used to be light colored like yours. View attachment 1083156

The holster leather feels like it's been treated with something.

Speaking of years of use, do you use any kind of leather cleaner and/or conditioner on your holster?

I see a lot of people recommending Lexol leather cleaner and conditioner.

 

[chicharrones]

The holster leather feels like it's been treated with something.

Speaking of years of use, do you use any kind of leather cleaner and/or conditioner on your holster?

I see a lot of people recommending Lexol leather cleaner and conditioner.

My holster smelled like leather dye when it was new. Maybe there was something more to the leather treatment from Recluse, but I really don't know.

I've never thought to treat my leather pocket holsters with anything, including this Recluse. I just blow them out with an air compressor at the same time I do the same to the pocket pistol.

My pocket holsters do soak up some sweat on certain days. Gotta admit my Recluse has taken the pocket wear better than my others, so far.

My newest pocket holster is an Azula, but it's an inside out holster. The inside is smooth and the outside is the rough side, designed to grab onto the pocket I'm sure. Point being with the Azula is that I won't be treating the "suede" side with anything either.

Now that I think about it, I simply treat my pocket holsters like a leather wallet. I use them until they are worn out or look overly disgusting.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

My holster smelled like leather dye when it was new...... Gotta admit my Recluse has taken the pocket wear better than my others, so far.

I'm about 95% certain that the leather was treated with some sort of conditioner or waterproofer. The holster has been sitting out for a day and a half and it's much better. I now have to get within 6" of it before I smell it. A couple more days of sitting in the windowsill and it should be fine.

My newest pocket holster is an Azula, but it's an inside out holster. The inside is smooth and the outside is the rough side, designed to grab onto the pocket I'm sure.

I was thinking about just that before I bought this holster. It would be easier on the hands during a draw. Then again, if the smooth side is on the inside, maybe the gun could come out too easily? Let us know how that holster works for you.

So now I'm up to 4 holsters. Two pocket holsters, a shoulder holster, and a fanny pack holster. I just can't see me using the shoulder holster. That seems to be more useful for people wearing suits, and I don't even own a suit. My fanny pack holster has been great for 40 mile plus bicycle rides. The DeSantais pocket holster worked well for short bicycle rides, except that the grip prints badly. I'm going to wait a few more days for the Recluse holster to air our before I wear it in public.

Now I need a holster for open carry while camping, etc. I'm not sure if an OWB belt holster or an upper thigh holster would work best.

 

[CNobbe]

Now I need a holster for open carry while camping, etc. I'm not sure if an OWB belt holster or an upper thigh holster would work best.

What do you intend to use a 9mm 365 for out in the wilderness?

 

[Alllen Bundy]

What do you intend to use a 9mm 365 for out in the wilderness?

For anyone that intends to do me harm. If I had the cash I'd be inclined to buy a P320 XTEN.

 

[CNobbe]

For anyone that intends to do me harm. If I had the cash I'd be inclined to buy a P320 XTEN.

Was gonna say... there are much better tools for the job than a 3" barrel 9mm.. That isn't going to do anything against a bear.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

Was gonna say... there are much better tools for the job than a 3" barrel 9mm.. That isn't going to do anything against a bear.

Bear spray is more effective than most pistols and many rifles. But there are also large wildcats that could pose a problem as well as rabid coyotes, rabid raccoons, and rabid dogs. I've already had to deal with rabid raccoons in the suburbs. I know that coyotes are about because I've heard them howling at night.

But at the moment my biggest problem is ne'er-do-well humans, like the ones that fired 35 shots two blocks from my home earlier this week. I had ridden my bicycle past the shooting location just 30 minutes before the shooting and I got back about 10 minutes after the shooting. FYI, I live in Murderapolis.

 

[CNobbe]

But at the moment my biggest problem is ne'er-do-well humans, like the ones that fired 35 shots two blocks from my home earlier this week. I had ridden my bicycle past the shooting location just 30 minutes before the shooting and I got back about 10 minutes after the shooting. FYI, I live in Murderapolis.

It's just sad what some cities have turned into...you're not alone. It's gotten bad where I used to live, the Green Bay area. Anywhere outside the city is peaceful and quiet, in the city...ugh.

If you camp near Brainerd or Walker - you're probably around some of my relatives..haha! FWIW, they're good people and Sig shooters They are up there all the time to escape the city chaos, have a plot on Leech Lake - one of my favorite places to fish.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

At about 3:19 AM this morning I heard 15-20 rounds of fully automatic gunfire outside my window here in Murderapolis. It's about 7:15 AM and the police are still at the scene about 3 blocks away. This happened a block away from the Minneapolis Convention Center at the South end of downtown. Most of the problems used to be isolated to a bad section of North Minneapolis and another section in South Minneapolis around George Floyd Square. But now the gunfights seem to be spreading.

 

[TransAmConvert]

I really like my one sided recluse. Looks like the two sided design may not be as well executed. Maybe see if they'll exchange for a one sided to try.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

I really like my one sided recluse. Looks like the two sided design may not be as well executed. Maybe see if they'll exchange for a one sided to try.

I really think that they just screwed up on the stitching placement. The photo on their website shows the horizontal stitching about 5/8" lower than on the holster that I received. I'm going to let the holster air out for a few more days and then start cutting the stitching back to determine how low the horizontal stitching needs to be, and then restitch it.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

It's been 10 days and the odor of the holster has decreased to a tolerable level. I have to put the holster within 2" of my nose to smell it.

I've modified the holster so that I can now get a reasonable grip on my pistol before drawing it. While it's obvious that the horizontal stitching was too high and would cause problems for anyone trying to draw the pistol, because the holster would not open sufficiently, my XL fingers exacerbate the problem. I had to cut the leather back further than most people would require.


Another issue that I have with this holster is that I don't think that the leather was formed deeply enough, so the leather that goes to the outside of the pocket was getting sucked down against the pistol by the stitching and showing the outline of the pistol. Cutting back the stitching has reduced the printing. This wouldn't be an issue with an external holster. But printing on your pocket is an issue. Otherwise the workmanship on the holster appears to be good.



My 3rd finger would catch on the leather during the draw, so I cut the leather way back and I also made a beveled cut. The leather is temporarily held in place with rubber cement until I determine whether or not I've cut the leather back far enough. Eventually I'll stitch it down. I also haven't burnished the newly cut edges of the leather yet.

When I grip my P365X for shooting, my forefinger is within 1/4" of the muzzle of the barrel.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

I used a saddle stitch across the horizontal beveled cut in the leather. I can now get a fairly good grasp on the handgrip when I draw. Also, I can now draw the pistol more easily than I can from the DeSantis Nemesis holster. The Recluse holster remains inside my pocket when I draw and the pocket stays in place. Whereas with the DeSantis Nemesis holster, the holster would remain in my pocket during a draw, but it would pull half of my pocket out of my jeans during the draw.





Unfortunately, this holster prints badly. You can see the depression caused by the stitching pulling at the front side of leather holster. I consider this to be a good pocket holster, but NOT a good concealed carry holster. I would carry with this holster at night, but I wouldn't want to go shopping with it.

The basic design is good. But to do the leather molding properly so that it fully molds over the pistol, it will likely require a few wedges to be cut from the leather and then the cut edges be sewn together. I will probably need to make a molding form to hold the leather tight against the pistol as it dries.

I consider this a learning experience. I also think that I can improve upon this holster design so that the front will remain relatively flat, instead of being depressed in the front like this holster.

 

[TarDevil]

I still have not received mine. I emailed Recluse this morning and asked to cancel my order if they haven't started it, largely based on this thread. Got an email back almost instantly saying they have about 30 minutes more of work before shipping.

So... .guess I'll what, if any, issues I have in a couple days.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

Yesterday, I went out riding my bicycle, raspberry picking, and shopping, wearing the Recluse pocket holster and my P365X. It was comfortable enough for a 5 mile bicycle ride. Nobody batted an eyelash, be it civilian, security guard, or cop. But I still think prints too much, and I'm not talking about the grip printing.

It's the depression caused by the stitching pulling the leather inward that causes the outline of the pistol to show through my jeans. I keep my wallet, cell phone, pocket knife in my other pocket, so it helps make it look like I just carry a lot of junk in my pockets. But I think that most people in this group would recognize it as a pistol in my pocket.

I'm half temped to try to fill the depression with something to make to flat. But I'm not sure what to fill it with.

In a month or so, after I finish a few other projects, I'll order some horsehide and try my hand at creating a better pocket holster.

 

[TransAmConvert]

I really think you're missing the boat with the two sided. My one sided is flat so it doesn't look like an L shaped thing at all. It prints like a large wallet or soft cased phone.
I saw somewhere where they stitched a piece of kydex to a soft pocket holster and it did a similar good job. You need it to be flat on the outside.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

I really think you're missing the boat with the two sided.

I think that two sided is necessary to provide a moisture barrier. The inside piece just needs to be formed properly. It may be that the inside piece cannot be formed deeply enough with a single piece of leather without adding a few "darts" to the inside piece. It may even need two pieces of leather to be stitched together to form the inside piece. But I think that a two sided holster can be made that won't have the printing issues. It will just require a bit of extra effort and attention to details.