I would buy an inexpensive leather holster, coat the gun in wax, wet the holster for a few seconds and then insert the gun and hand bone the holster to the gun. Let dry and you'd have a custom form fitted holster.

 

All you need is a freezer-ziplock - wrap the pistol in plastic and go. Similarly, you can fill a sandbag or 2 and wrap the gun, stick it in the soaked holster, and weight it down until it dries.

 

Thanks for the input but I'm not looking to adjust a current holster or even make my own. Rather a way to get a specific holster made by a specific maker (that's 1600 miles away) that I can't get the gun to.

A cast of the gun would be a perfect solution.

 

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If I understand correctly, most molds are made in two halves, with indexing pins or slots to align them. They are then assembled into a single unit (both halves of the mold) and used as a mold to actually create the model of the pistol; it's a fairly involved process.

You'll also need to note if the holster will be leather or Kydex; the molds can be different (if you use a 'prepped' mold) for each.

I would imagine a person with a laser scanner and 3-D printer could scan and print a fairly accurate model, but it will need to be strong enough to withstand some tensile and compressive pressures; most modern holster are a 'hard' fit into the wet leather, and then molded under pressure before boning.

What gun is it? Another option may be to modify an existing mold to work...

Larry

 

What gun is it? Another option may be to modify an existing mold to work...

It's an STI Guardian. The dust cover is longer (gov't length) but on a 4" gun. The other oddity is that the tri top leaves a little extra meat on the top so it's excessively tight in holsters, even when we block the mold for the dust cover. (We've done that, and it worked well)

@muzzleblast... built me an OWB that is great- he blocked the dust cover with a precisely cut piece of leather to fill out the mold to match. Then I used multiple baggies and some well placed masking tape to stretch it out to accommodate the slide difference. It was a lot of work to stretch it enough and right.

At the moment, I'm specifically after a Sparks Summer Special II for this gun. I've send pics and measurements to them and they can accommodate the dust cover but the slide is a hanging point.

Since this is a forever gun for me, I don't mind spending a few hundred bucks if needed, to have a mold made. I'm also considering a 2nd custom job on another Guardian base gun, so the mold would be used a number of times.

Depending on how "oddball" your gun is, many holster makers use "Blue Guns" to make their holsters.

Unfortunately they don't make this one in a blue or other dummy gun. (that I've found yet)

 

I have an oddball 4" that no holster fits well. If wasn't horribly expensive, I'd probably have a cast made to send to holster makers.

Depending on how "oddball" your gun is, many holster makers use "Blue Guns" to make their holsters.

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Kydex holster maker Aholster, even has this in their Question section Alhoster FAQ - AHolster Company

IF MY FIREARM IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE DROP-DOWN SECTION OF THE ORDER PAGE, DOES THIS MEAN THAT IT IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR ORDER?

No. If it is not listed, please email us to see if we can locate or assist with another weapon choice that will work with your weapon. Also, we offer a Blue Gun Training Weapon Trade-in. If you can locate a training gun that is an exact copy of your weapon, we will trade it for any of our holsters. See www.bluegunstore.com. Send contact email for instructions.

 

I agree with DT Guy...I've created dummy guns on a 3D printer to mold holsters...It's pretty easy and quick...

 

I've created dummy guns on a 3D printer to mold holsters...It's pretty easy and quick...

How do you get the file for 3d? I guess part of the challenge is measuring the differences from standard.

 

It's easy enough given a setup to do sand casting. When I was in high school shop class, a long time ago, we would sand cast handles for spear fishing - what we called Hawaiian slings - in aluminum from pistols and revolvers. Takes the mold halves, drag and cope, casting sand, ability to melt the aluminum and all the rest of it. I'd look for somebody with access to a high school or tech school shop. There may be somebody local to do the work commercially but I'd expect the price to be close to buying another handgun and sending it to the holster maker.

I have no knowledge of the process but I'd look at cold casting with resin and rubber molds as more practical for individuals. Might not work at all for all I know.

 

"Is it something a DIY type can do on his own?"

Yes.

 

Any help appreciated- links to provider or instructions? THanks!

 

I just do that sort of thing myself. I vary the materials and procedure to suit my intent for the finished product.