A few days ago, we talked about how to check out a new holster. Today, let’s talk about how to break one in.
Those of you with Kydex holsters can skip this post. The procedure below applies strictly to leather holsters. Specifically, it applies to leather IWB and OWB holsters, as well as to ankle, shoulder, or crossdraw rigs. Regardless of where you carry it, if your holster is made out of stiff leather, you should find this information helpful to you.[1]
First, a brief word about holster fit. When it first arrives, a really excellent leather holster should be “too tight” for the firearm. That’s because leather naturally stretches a bit over time. If the holster is not snug—perhaps very snug—at first, it will soon become too loose to hold the gun securely. This means the best leather holsters always start off with a very tight fit. When the holster first arrives, you may struggle to get the gun into the holster. Once it’s in there, you may have a tough time getting it back out again. That’s better than okay! It’s downright ideal, because that initial snugness is what creates the best fit for the long haul.