Crossbreed

Leather to kydex, factory or custom.
benheart
Junior member
Posts: 44
Joined: March 26th, 2011, 6:37 pm

Crossbreed

Post by benheart »

Hey guys...

I haven't been on here for months, and really the reason I haven't been on here is- I have absolutely no reason to be! I have been carrying my P-64 EVERYDAY with NO issues at all. I draw the weapon from my carry rig about once a month when I go to my cabin, and it fires EVERY TIME WITHOUT FAIL. It is accurate and reliable. Nuff said. I would like to mention that I carry a Springfield XD with significantly more ammo capacity when I roll into zombie-land (Detroit). I carry the XD in a Crossbreed holster, and find it extremely comfortable and concealable. I found a Crossbreed that I believe was made for a S&W Bodyguard w/ laser that fit "almost" perfectly. A little work with a wet towel and a hair dryer (on the Kydex), and the fit is PERFECT. LOVE THIS RIG!!
I got pulled over by a state trooper a few months ago and informed him that I was carrying a weapon. After looking me over carefully, he said "Where?". I told him it was on my waist and carefully pointed to it. HE WAS SKEPTICAL!! Actually asked me if I minded if he felt for it. LOL. I was just wearing a T shirt and it was tucked in. He actually said "I've been looking you over for a weapon since we started talking and I was convinced you were probably unarmed." (Did I mention I LOVE THIS RIG?!) The only downside is that it is SO COMFORTABLE that I actually find myself occasionally reaching back to MAKE SURE IT'S STILL THERE!! LOL.
benheart
Junior member
Posts: 44
Joined: March 26th, 2011, 6:37 pm

Re: Crossbreed

Post by benheart »

To clarify- The S&W Bodyguard Crossbreed fits the P-64, and THAT is the rig I'm raving about. :-D
User avatar
lklawson
Senior member
Senior member
Posts: 469
Joined: February 19th, 2011, 8:39 pm
Location: Huber Heights, OH
Contact:

Re: Crossbreed

Post by lklawson »

Nice report.

I've avoided kydex on the belief that it would wear finishes faster than leather. Does this jibe with your experience?

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
The Cheapskate's Guide to Gun Cleaning and Maintenance - "You shouldn't have to spend thousands of dollars on expensive gun cleaning an maintenance products. Find out how to save money with inexpensive alternatives that work just as well."
User avatar
p64-1973
Member
Member
Posts: 56
Joined: March 6th, 2012, 2:36 am
Location: Indiana

Re: Crossbreed

Post by p64-1973 »

Man, the Bodyguard seems a lot smaller than the P-64, surprised it fits.
Those who beat their weapons into plows will do nothing, but till the soil for those who do not.
User avatar
dfunk
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1877
Joined: November 6th, 2005, 11:16 am
Location: Earth
Contact:

Re: Crossbreed

Post by dfunk »

I'd be surprised if it fit properly. Lots of guns 'fit ' in holsters made for other guns, but this usually equates to being able to physically get it in there. A proper fit is critical for safety, retention, and to minimize wear on the weapon and the holster.
benheart
Junior member
Posts: 44
Joined: March 26th, 2011, 6:37 pm

Re: Crossbreed

Post by benheart »

Ha! Great feedback guys! Let's see...
lklawson- yes! I believe that Kydex DOES wear the finish off of a weapon slightly faster than leather... (all things being equal). This is particularly the case at the edges of the Kydex. HOWEVER- any gun I carry is immediate written off in my head as a tool that is to be used (not abused) and I just NEVER carry a weapon that I am concerned with the resale value of. I've carried most of my adult life and I can tell you that if you carry on a daily basis (read that 24/7) NO MATTER WHAT YOU CARRY OR HOW YOU CARRY IT, IT WILL TAKE SOME ABUSE. LOL. (Unless you have an office job???? -I don't.) When I look at my carry weapons, every single scratch, ding, nick, and wear mark remind me that I've had constant protection for myself and my family. The nice thing about a P-64 is that they are inexpensive and yet reliable. The way I carry- that's a perfect combination.
dfunk- You are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT Sir! You will notice in my original post that I mention slight modification with a wet towel and a heat gun. This is NOT a perfect fit from the get go. (And I guess I should have clarified that if you do not know what you're doing when it comes to holster fit and retention this is probably not a good option.) Now, I've been a member long enough to know that YOU know EXACTLY what you are talking about when it comes to holsters. Keep in mind that this is a work rig and that I prefer something very similar to what I carry outside of work. If you want a nice presentation rig, this is NOT it. IT'S UGLY. LOL. But, It's 100% effective for me. I MUST have ABSOLUTE retention on the job. I can literally do cartwheels and feel secure, but present the weapon quickly. As I've stated, I practice at least once a month (drawling from concealment) with zero issues. But, I am in total agreement with you... If someone does not know what they're doing, it could be very dangerous to modify a kydex holster. (Especially with regard to retention and the trigger area)
mojo357
Junior member
Posts: 30
Joined: January 25th, 2012, 7:55 pm

Re: Crossbreed

Post by mojo357 »

I've heard that leather contains tanning acids that eat pits into guns if they're stored for long periods in the holster.

Anyone know if that's true for modern made holsters or maybe just vintage ones?
User avatar
juniustaylor
Elite member
Elite member
Posts: 1408
Joined: February 9th, 2010, 10:56 pm
Location: KV, MO
Contact:

Re: Crossbreed

Post by juniustaylor »

For leather in holsters, they're usually vegetable tanned. The solution is made of non-caustic solution. I'll see if I can find the post that someone had wrote able tanned leathers as it pertains to gun metal.
US Air Force Veteran - OEF/OIF
User avatar
juniustaylor
Elite member
Elite member
Posts: 1408
Joined: February 9th, 2010, 10:56 pm
Location: KV, MO
Contact:

Re: Crossbreed

Post by juniustaylor »

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4447
lklawson wrote:As a side note on leather: Yes, leather can attract and "trap" moisture. But not all leather is created equal.

Most leather in use today is "Chromium tanned." It is cheap and produces good results on a large scale. But it doesn't last as other methods. It will degrade all by itself just sitting over a period of decades.

Top quality leather is "Veggie tanned." This is the "old" process used by cave-men on down to the early 20th C. (I think that's when Chrome tanning took off, anyway). Veggie tanning uses vegetable based products and doesn't contain the same sort of caustic salts. This is the stuff that saddles is made of because it lasts much better. But it is a lot more time consuming and difficult than Chrome tanning. It's also vulnerable to heat in ways that Chrome tanned leather isn't (which is often taken advantage of to mold and stiffen the leather in a process which used to be called "cuir bouilli"). I assume that most modern custom and mom & pop holster makers use Veggie tanned leather but I also assume that many (most?) mass produced holsters use Chromium tanned leather. I would particularly assume so of original holsters made for communist surplus firearms. If it's a surplus commie Police or Military holster, I assume that it's Chromium tanned.

Edit: I know we have a few holster makers here on this forum. Pipe in guys, do you Veggie tanned leather?

This isn't to say that it's "safe" to long-term-store firearms in Veggie tanned holsters, of course. Part of the tanning process does include lye. I just think it's safeER than Chromium tanned holsters.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
US Air Force Veteran - OEF/OIF
User avatar
dfunk
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1877
Joined: November 6th, 2005, 11:16 am
Location: Earth
Contact:

Re: Crossbreed

Post by dfunk »

Even the commercial holsters produced by Galco, Gould and Goodrich, etc. use veg tanned leather. Chrome tanned leather is used primarily by the garment industry and is tanned using chromium salts. These salts can and will harm your gun's finish. The resulting leather is soft and kind of stretchy. You can also tell pretty easily by looking at a cross-section of it, where the inside will usually be a lighter blue. I'd wager most of the old com-bloc surplus holsters are made of veg tan leather. Chrome tanning has only been around for about 150 years, and again, is not suitable for holsters. The only time I've heard of chrome tan leather being used today for holsters is when some people line them with suede, but those makers in-the-know will use veg tan suede.

The reason it's not advisable to store a handgun in a leather holster for long periods of time is because of the potential for moisture to be retained by the leather thus causing rust and corrosion. If the holstered weapon was properly maintained at a constant normal temperature and low humidity level 100% of the time, there would be no problem. This is rarely the cause though (ie, going from an AC-cooled 74° inside to a 88° 80% humidity outside), so it's best to store the gun somewhere that moisture can't form. Using any holster regularly still requires the user to inspect the firearm periodically and give a wipe with an oily rag now and then, but this is basic carry maintenance.
User avatar
juniustaylor
Elite member
Elite member
Posts: 1408
Joined: February 9th, 2010, 10:56 pm
Location: KV, MO
Contact:

Re: Crossbreed

Post by juniustaylor »

Great info dfunk, thanks!
US Air Force Veteran - OEF/OIF
User avatar
lklawson
Senior member
Senior member
Posts: 469
Joined: February 19th, 2011, 8:39 pm
Location: Huber Heights, OH
Contact:

Re: Crossbreed

Post by lklawson »

Thanks dfunk!

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
The Cheapskate's Guide to Gun Cleaning and Maintenance - "You shouldn't have to spend thousands of dollars on expensive gun cleaning an maintenance products. Find out how to save money with inexpensive alternatives that work just as well."
benheart
Junior member
Posts: 44
Joined: March 26th, 2011, 6:37 pm

Re: Crossbreed

Post by benheart »

Great info. :-)
DocCasualty
Member
Member
Posts: 57
Joined: May 17th, 2010, 11:20 pm
Location: Northern Michigan

Re: Crossbreed

Post by DocCasualty »

benheart wrote:To clarify- The S&W Bodyguard Crossbreed fits the P-64, and THAT is the rig I'm raving about. :-D
I have a PPK Crossbreed that fits the P-64 like a glove. In fact, I think I bought it used from somebody on this site. It's the thinnest IWB package I have and I'm not sure if you could get much less bulky than this.

My G26 remains my preferred CCW, though sometimes even that gets too big. That's when the P-64 shines.


NRA Life Member


benheart
Junior member
Posts: 44
Joined: March 26th, 2011, 6:37 pm

Re: Crossbreed

Post by benheart »

When you are wearing the P-64 in the Crossbreed... do you ever reach back just to make sure it's still there? LOL. Mine just... disappears. :-)
Post Reply