I was lucky enough to come into a pair of new Kimber 1911s recently - a vanilla Custom II (5" Gubment size) and an Ultra Carry II (3" chop-job). They make quite a pretty couple sitting next to each other!

Anyway, I recently picked up my CCW license and now I'm nosing around for holsters. I've seen a bunch of 1911 related posts on this site and thought some of you more experienced folks might be able to shed some light on my search.

I think I'm looking for two holsters: an IWB rig fit for daily carry of the 3" and a strong-side type that'll fit both frame sizes for IDPA shoots I'm planning on competing in soon.

I've pretty much narrowed it down to a Kramer IWB #3 in horsehide for my carry needs, but there are so darn many open-bottom belt-slide style holsters that'd hold both pistols that my mind is boggled.

Two questions:

Anyone here ever use the Kramer IWB #3, and if so what's the verdict?

What belt-slide / yaqui-slide style rigs do you think are worthwhile, knowing the primary use is IDPA but taking into account that I may want to use it for actual carry of a full-size 1911?


Shael

Shael,
All my pistols wear Comp-Tac Holsters
The folks at Comp-Tac are shooters and they treat their customer like customers ought to be treated, nicely!

Last year I got the IDPA book about the Nationals and the most used brand of holsters by competitors was Comp-Tac.

I highly recommend www.thewilderness.com Zip-slide. That's the only holster I have for my HK P7 M10 and I've had it for years and it's been used for many an IPSC match too ! This type of holster must be made very well to work properly and the Zip-slide certainly is.

Thanks Mete & Rusty. Those are two manufacturers that I hadn't encountered before. I'll check them both out. I appreciate the pointers.

Shael.

For what it's worth, I've been using Kramer #2's (horsehide) for years and they are great. The #3s should do at least as well.

Also, Kramers offers a refinish service if their holster ever gets tired looking. I simply redyed and repolished mine; almost as good as new. Here is a thumbnail for an old Kramer for my Hi Powers:

Thanks, Poohgyrr. Most folks I'm hearing back from seem to like the Sparks holster a whole lot, but I started out oriented towards the Kramer product... there just seems to be an excelletnt quality of construction there.

The only holstermakers I could recommend are Horseshoe Leather (if he is still in business!) or Kramer.

My vote would go for a yaqui slide holster.

I believe IDPA has a list of "authorized" holsters you may want to look at. The guys who compete can also give you some recommendations.

About the middle of page one of this thread, wheelgunner357 posted about 20 links to holstermakers. About any of these are probably good for IDPA. There might even be a few for them newfangled bottomfeeding autopistols..

http://smith-wessonforum.com/groupee/forums?a=tpc&f=530...=972109809#972109809

Here is a pic of a Hoffners IWB, with a mag pouch by Rafter-S

A Yaqui slide will fit both & offers you another carry choice that's pretty inconspicuous.

I've heard that the yaqui slide rigs aren't reliable for daily carry. That doesn't prevent them from being a good option for IDPA competition, but I want to compete with whatever rig I actually use.

Thoughts?

Agreed, and I would look at Mernickle's web site.

quote:

Originally posted by thornell:
My vote would go for a yaqui slide holster.

quote:

Mernickle's

Wow... Merinckle's got some fancy rigs!

The Milt Sparks Co. no longer makes the Yaqui Slide. I've had one for my Colt's Govt. Model .45 since the time that Milt Sparks lived in Idaho City, before moving to Boise (where he died).

The Yaqui Slide is an excellent "holster" IF, I say again, IF you are standing up for most of the day, i.e., working a counter in some store such as a stop-'n-rob, etc. Otherwise, if you're sitting a lot, up and down, etc., there is a strong possibility you can knock the pistol out of the slide on the arm of a chair.

Kinda embarrassing when your .45 goes crashing to the floor in front of some soccer mom and her little kiddies.

The Milt Sparks Co. today still makes excellent holsters. I carry my old Colt's Lightweight Commander in a Kramer Pro-Line horsehide strong side holster. Still in very good condition after many years of carry.

FWIW. L.W.

I've always used leather holsters for my revolvers. I'm looking for a holster for my new Kimber Pro-carry II.

I was thinking about this belt holster from Horseshoe. http://www.holsters.org/covert_28-holster.htm..... (pic is a pop-up)



Rusty - Why Kydex? Is due to Texas weather? Does the holster mare the pistol's finish?

Mete - I like the zip slide, with it being softer that leather does it ever hang up on the front sight as you draw?

I've got a Lou Alessi IWB holster for my full size 1911, and a Milt Sparks Summer Special IWB for my compact 1911.

Maybe it's me, but when I tried an open bottomed "slide" rig, the front sight would sometimes catch on the draw stroke. Sometimes bad, sometimes just momentarily. Regardless, for a carry rig, I saw that as a major negative. While I do think they look cool, I'll not be using one when I'm carrying and may need to get my gun out, fast.

You also might want to check out www.1911forum.com for some more info....

Here's a neat holster for driving:





http://www.andrewsleather.com/