Statement: A tension screw on a holster means it isn't "boned" well enough...
False: Anyone that says that doesn't truly have an understanding of actual leather crafting and or is not using good judgment. Here is the truth. What matters more than boning a holster for fit is the stitching.. You will often see mass production holsters that are wet-fitted or "boned" decently; however, the stitching does not follow the shape of the gun that it is intended for. What happens is that, with use, the leather stretches and the fit becomes loose since the stitching does not come into contact near the margins of the gun that was wet-fitted. In other words, if the stitching was done tightly to the shape of the gun, then the leather can only stretch so much. Having said that, if you combine a nice wet-fitted (boned) holster with stitching that matches the shape of the gun, you significantly reduce the leather from stretching that much. Having said that, adding a tension screw can make a difference for several reasons. I will go over a few here...
1. When you have an inside-waist-band holster that has been nicely stitched near the contour of the gun and is wet-fitted properly, the friction that is in play when you wear it is sufficient for most guns in most situations. However, after years of wearing and holstering and un holstering, the fit becomes looser. I don't think anyone can intelligently argue that leather doesn't stretch over years. Wouldn't it be nice to have an adjustable tension device to apply the tension back on the gun a bit to compensate for the stretch that has occurred after years of use?
2. A tension device can be critical for law-enforcement who may need an additional restriction on someone trying to grab their gun in a fight. A holster that has loosened up over time will make it easier for someone to grab and pull the gun. A tension screw allows you to re-tighten the leather if there has been some stretch after years and will make it more difficult for someone else to pull your gun from the holster since it requires the bad guy to pull more straight up rather than at an angle.
3. If you have a gun that has most of its mass above the mouth of the holster such as in a short barreled semi-auto like the Springfield XD 3", then the argument for a tension screw is even greater. Think about it for a second... you have a gun like this and you are wearing it in a holster like an inside-waist-band design. Your belt intersects near the trigger guard area, leaving little "meat" below the belt line where most of the friction is. Obviously, the less mass in the holster then the less friction you have that can affect retention. A tension device can add additional friction on a gun where there isn't much in the holster to begin with simply because the barrel/slide isn't that long. There is no doubt a tension device will help with these newer type of ultra compact guns. Take a look at some photos that illustrate these points.
Click for Photo Illustrations
Statement: I have to buy bigger pants to be able to use an inside-waist-band holster...
99% False: Unless you wear your pants so tight that you can't even get your hand between your body and pant. About 99% of the Men I talk to don't need any new pants or jeans. Having said that... My rule of thumb is that if you can get your hand between your pants and your body (without your belt on) then you are good to go for an inside-waist-band holster.
Statement: You need to add an inch to my waist size when ordering a new belt to allow for an inside-waist-band holster.
False: No because after a few months your belt will stretch some anyway and then you will have the perfect fitting belt. If you had added that extra inch then when the belt stretched you will be almost an inch longer than the ideal fit. Let's assume your belt has 7 holes in it and you wear it in the center hole without a holster/gun on. If you were to put an inside-waistband-holster on then you would probably be one hole less than where you were; however, in a very short time (months) your belt will stretch and eventually you will then have to tighten back to the hole you were in before you started wearing the holster with that belt. So it is a short term problem. Also you should consider a 1.5" wide and relatively thick firm belt for supporting a gun all day. I definitely recommend a 1.5" belt. You don't need wider than 1.5", and I don't recommend smaller than 1.25" wide leather belts.
Statement: The holster company says they don't make holsters for my gun; however, my gun is almost the same size as(gun x) so I should be able to order the holster for gun x and it will fit my gun, right...
False: Since I build and precisely wet-mold and stitch each holster to the specific pistol selected, the weapon you selected is the only one that will fit in my holsters. The exception to that would be if you had two of the same gun sizes but different calibers. For expamle the Glock 17 and 22. The same holster will fit both models even though the caliber is different. Please call or email with any questions. 888-600-2377 or 
There are many myths and miss-truths floating on the internet. I have over 20 years working with leather and guns and carrying a weapon. I am not an expert in all matters related to concealed carry but I know a great deal about holsters of all types and guns and concealment. I learn more everyday as I speak with well informed customers that share their experiences and knowledge.
Respectfully Written,
Troy Harp (Owner)
|
Photo Gallery