CCW holster selection - slide wear

Breckinridge · 01-12-2013, 14:39

Hey there... first post...

I've carried a G2 Glock 19 for years in a Fobus paddle style OWB holster. Holster is great... secure, easy on and off with the right twist and a great matching dual mag carrier as well. So, functionally great. What's not so great is that it has left a decent amount of wear on my slide.

I now picked up a Glock 26 for more of a summer carry option. It's just that much smaller and lighter and I want to go IWB this time for better concealability. Only now, I would like to avoid wearing my slide finish. Sure it's made to be used (trust me, it has easily seen 5000 rounds with lots of abuse, not enough cleaning, and one FTE in 10 years ) but, the only visible wear on it is from the plastic holster.

Anyone else had a similar experience? Have any recommendations?

The Crossbreed concept is pretty cool but, I see it has a polymer carrier...

Thanks!!

Breckinridge - and I'm back quiet

IndyGunFreak · 01-12-2013, 15:23

Every holster will cause holster wear, because holsters use friction to help with retention. Wherever there is friction, there will be wear.

Bill Lumberg · 01-12-2013, 15:28

FOBUS is known for causing not just wear, but damage, but that's mostly with older model holsters. The newer ones just aren't very good, they don't normally cause damage.

That said, any quality holster, used frequently, will cause some minimal slide finish wear. Not slide wear, but some shinyness, etc. Not much. Not damage, not wear that you should be concerned about. Most slide "wear" attributed to holsters is actually from improper cleaning, carrying a gun in a dirty holster, or sweating up the gun in the holster, and just leaving it in the holster for perpetuity. When I get off, when it comes time to take my gun off at home, it always comes out of the holster, so it and the holster can air out. Particularly important with leather, (kydex and glock sport holsters are actually less likely to cause appearance changes than leather, if they're wiped out once in a while) but important with any holster (except for some duty holsters, which are sufficiently removed from the body as to be almost exempt from getting soaked by sweat).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breckinridge

Hey there... first post...

I've carried a G2 Glock 19 for years in a Fobus paddle style OWB holster. Holster is great... secure, easy on and off with the right twist and a great matching dual mag carrier as well. So, functionally great. What's not so great is that it has left a decent amount of wear on my slide.

I now picked up a Glock 26 for more of a summer carry option. It's just that much smaller and lighter and I want to go IWB this time for better concealability. Only now, I would like to avoid wearing my slide finish. Sure it's made to be used (trust me, it has easily seen 5000 rounds with lots of abuse, not enough cleaning, and one FTE in 10 years ) but, the only visible wear on it is from the plastic holster.

Anyone else had a similar experience? Have any recommendations?

The Crossbreed concept is pretty cool but, I see it has a polymer carrier...

Thanks!!

Breckinridge - and I'm back quiet

dosei · 01-12-2013, 15:33

My experience has been that leather wears more than a good kydex holster. Fobus is not kydex, and wears heavily on the gun. This is compounded by the generally tight fit many Fobus holsters have. If you want a good IWB that is as "gentle" to your gun's finish as possible...try this one:
http://www.flccw.com/X-Concealment/i...b2a992c2e126b0

Breckinridge · 01-12-2013, 18:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by dosei

My experience has been that leather wears more than a good kydex holster. Fobus is not kydex, and wears heavily on the gun. This is compounded by the generally tight fit many Fobus holsters have. If you want a good IWB that is as "gentle" to your gun's finish as possible...try this one:
http://www.flccw.com/X-Concealment/i...b2a992c2e126b0

Here's the ol' 19 and the holster.

Check out the finish wear on the slide at the forward edges.

Let me know what you think...

Good info on leather vs. Kydex.

Thanks!!

Breckinridge

Breckinridge · 01-12-2013, 18:53

The flash really highlights it... although not as obvious in natural light, the amount of lost original finish is accurate.

Swipter · 01-12-2013, 18:55

I don't understand why the slide would get damage from a holster if it's in the gun.

RPVG · 01-12-2013, 19:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breckinridge

Here's the ol' 19 and the holster.

Check out the finish wear on the slide at the forward edges. The flash really highlights it... although not as obvious in natural light, the amount of lost original finish is accurate.

Let me know what you think...

Good info on leather vs. Kydex.

Thanks!!

Breckinridge

What does the other side of the slide look like? Same wear?

Breckinridge · 01-12-2013, 19:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPVG

What does the other side of the slide look like? Same wear?

It's the same on the other side... almost identical in amount and location. Only a little more on the flat side.

RPVG · 01-12-2013, 19:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breckinridge

It's the same on the other side... almost identical in amount and location. Only a little more on the flat side.

Just curious. Can you draw any conclusions re the "kydex vs leather" thing as far as wear?

IIRC, your holster has both. Can you see any differences?

Breckinridge · 01-12-2013, 20:14

My Fobus (circa 1998) is all plastic. Don't know if it's Kydex.

That's mine in the pic...

Reswob · 01-12-2013, 21:07

My 19, carried for the last ~5 years in a Comp-Tac C-TAC, and drawn and re-holstered quite frequently, shows ZERO holster wear.

RPVG · 01-12-2013, 22:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breckinridge

My Fobus (circa 1998) is all plastic. Don't know if it's Kydex.

That's mine in the pic...

My bad! At first glance, it looked like a leather back.

dosei · 01-13-2013, 06:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breckinridge

My Fobus (circa 1998) is all plastic. Don't know if it's Kydex.

That's mine in the pic...

Fobus has never used kydex...as I already posted.

R*E · 01-13-2013, 06:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breckinridge

Here's the ol' 19 and the holster.

Check out the finish wear on the slide at the forward edges.

Let me know what you think...

Good info on leather vs. Kydex.

Thanks!!

Breckinridge

Your "holster" wear appears on the part of the muzzle not covered by the holster. The part covered by the holster looks fine. Rubbing against your clothing caused the wear, not the holster.

Breckinridge · 01-13-2013, 08:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by R*E

Your "holster" wear appears on the part of the muzzle not covered by the holster. The part covered by the holster looks fine. Rubbing against your clothing caused the wear, not the holster.

Actually, the way it rides in this Fobus, the only parts that touch my clothing are the ones toward the back. The front is totally covered.

Breckinridge

vafish · 01-13-2013, 15:44

Any holster is going to cause some wear.

In my experience kydex and other plastic holsters cause more wear in concetrated spots. Leather holsters cause less wear but over a wider area.

I look at holster wear as a badge of honor on a gun.

If you want your gun to not get any holster wear, leave it in the gun safe.

SCmasterblaster · 01-14-2013, 12:33

http://www.bianchi-intl.com/

IndyGunFreak · 01-14-2013, 16:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reswob

My 19, carried for the last ~5 years in a Comp-Tac C-TAC, and drawn and re-holstered quite frequently, shows ZERO holster wear.

Then you're not holstering/unholstering near as frequently as you think.

I've got guns that rode a lot of hours in a C-Tac, and they ahve wear.

I didn't read the whole thread, but it's worth mentioning, that Kydex tends to wear "at points"(ie, end of the muzzle, trigger guard).. where leather tends to wear the whole muzzle end of the gun