R51 Holster review request

[Robert]

I have been playing around with making holsters out of kydex. I would eventually like to start making them for sale.

Made a OWB holster today as a prototype. Since I don't yet have much experience at this I need advice.

I'm sure some of you must have plenty of experience with holsters of various types.

Take a look at these photos and let me know what changes or improvements could or should be made.

I made it with screws instead of rivets so it could be reconfigured or have the clips switched to the other side or the clips adjusted up/down.

I added the aluminum side spacers to stabilize it and make it stronger. It has 2 retention adjustment screws. I did not ad a sweat guard as I thought with OWB, your shirt will be between your gun and skin and the sweat guard can jab you in the ribs if you take the gun out and then sit in the car, also the sweat guard could interfere with your draw. Sweat guard could be added though. It has a nice click/thunk when mold gun seats all the way in. Should be the same with actual R51.

I will probably end up making this holster without the large side aluminum inserts, but using aluminum spacers under the screws or I could stack aluminum or stainless 8/32 washers or rubber washers along the sides under the screws. Did try it with rubber spacers under the screws and it worked all right but would probably need locktight thread locker on those screws because I could not get them vary tight with the rubber spacers. Screws would probably eventually fall out so using some kind of solid spacer under the screw would be better.

This one is made from 1/8 heavy duty kydex. I can also make them out of .80 kydex that is more easy to work with and cheaper.

More photos here on my prototype page on my holster website: http://acmeholsters.com/prototype-holsters/remington-r51-owb-1/

[sebvox]

I think that it looks pretty good.  The 1/8" is really thick!  My review of it would be to crank the pistol forward so the center of gravity is not wanting to fall to the rear and to have the side wings bent so it contours to your hip.  See the attached photo of what I am talking about.

Will you be able to make it with the laser option?

[Robert]

I think that it looks pretty good.  The 1/8" is really thick!  My review of it would be to crank the pistol forward so the center of gravity is not wanting to fall to the rear and to have the side wings bent so it contours to your hip.  See the attached photo of what I am talking about.

Will you be able to make it with the laser option?

Thanks for the suggestions. With those slightly offset clips it kind of achieves the same as if the bent wings, it conforms pretty well to my hip. It seems tight enough so the slight offset does not seem to cause it to ride tilted forward towards the more weight side. I always thought the slight tilted holsters were done more for easy access to grab the gun grip vs a weight imbalance.

On the 1/8 thickness, it is thicker but it still has the perfect amount of flex so it allows the holster to pop or click into place when the retention grabs the trigger guard. There is plenty of adjustment with the 2 retention adjustment screws so you can increase or decrease the retention level. One thing, with the thicker kydex and aluminum side spacers it is more heavy. I ordered some 3/16 ABS to make the side spacers out of instead of the aluminum.

Right now, as made with aluminum and thicker kydex it feels military heavy duty. I am going to make one with the .80 kydex and the ABS spacers when my ABS sheet arrives. It should be plenty heavy enough to last but be lighter with the thinner kydex and the ABS side spacers. After I make that one I'll post photos of it and let you know how it feels compared to the present version.

Yes I have the CT R51 laser so yes I can make the holster for the laser equipped R51.

Right now I am setup to only do the version as pictured with the pistol setting straight up, not canted. Later I will redo the system so I can do both versions, straight up and canted.

Thanks
Robert

[Robert]

Remington R51 OWB holster prototype 2 Canted design - thinner kydex

I made this one canted, as much as I could without redoing the tooling.

Made it with .080 kydex and ABS plastic spacers instead of aluminum.

I would call this one "medium duty"


More photos here: http://acmeholsters.com/prototype-holsters/remington-r51-owb-2/