Leather is the original holster material, and plenty of shooters still prefer it. This entry in the Gun Websites What Holster to Buy series walks through a table of leather holsters and what to watch for as they age.
Where leather shines
- Time-tested, attractive and comfortable for many people.
- A simple leather holster is a fine choice for hunting, ranch work or open carry with a single-action revolver.
- Old military flap holsters, like the World War era 1911 holster, are collectible. An original holster can add real value to an old pistol.
- A high-quality leather holster looks good for open carry at an event, which Kydex cannot match.
How leather changes over time
- Two copies of the same small-of-the-back revolver holster showed the difference: the worn one had shrunk, curled, discolored with sweat and taken the shape of the gun and the wearer.
- Worn leather softens. A holster that stayed open when new may collapse, making one-handed reholstering harder, especially behind your back where you cannot see it.
- Some designs leave the trigger exposed. Make sure the holster covers it.
Inside the waistband in leather
- When the pistol is drawn, belt pressure flattens the holster mouth. Kydex stays open.
- Designs with a stiffened mouth or a leather flap give you somewhere to guide the pistol back in, and keep the slide off your body.
- Offset belt loops with rubber bushings reduce stress on the leather and help it keep its shape.
Hybrids
- A thick, well-made leather paddle holster with a reinforced thumb break feels much like a Kydex paddle.
- A nylon holster mounted on a leather carrier combines the strength of leather with a replaceable holster body.
- A clip-on IWB holster with a Kydex thumb break suits a small, light pistol.
A note on small-of-the-back carry
- It was once a popular way to carry a small revolver. After more classes, the reviewer stopped using it.
Takeaways
- Thicker leather lasts longer and holds its shape.
- Inspect older holsters for a collapsed mouth and an exposed trigger.
- See Inside-the-Waistband Holsters for Glock Pistols and Training Gear.
Based on a video from the Gun Websites YouTube channel. Took a class recently? Write your After Action Report and add it to the Training Log.
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