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Author Topic: Belts and Holsters?  (Read 4078 times)

Cato the Younger

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Belts and Holsters?
« on: January 21, 2010, 09:22:50 am »
Dear All,

I have been CCW-ing regularly for several years.  However, here is my issue- I wear at least business casual (khakis and a navy blazer) every day.  Some days, I wear suits.  The dress belts I currently have do not do a very good job of keeping my pants in place, when I wear my ccw (a steel j-frame in a pocket holster).  I have been looking at belts online, and have decided I need three belts:

1. A brown dress belt
2. A black dress belt (with a suit)
3. A plain brown belt (for wear with jeans)

Both the Galco and Milt Sparks products look very nice, however, I am trying to decide between the two of them.  Also, I assume that dress pants are not cut for bigger than a 1 and 1/4 inch belt- would I be correct on this?

Finally, I am thinking about carrying my Browning Hi-Power IWB, in a Summer Special or VM2- are different manufacturer's belts compatiable with Milt Sparks holsters- or will only a Milt Sparks belt properly mate with a Milt Sparks holster.


Best,




Cato
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    Harm

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    Re: Belts and Holsters?
    « Reply #1 on: January 21, 2010, 11:17:45 am »
    Cato if your dressing professionally I'd look at The Beltman.  GREAT stuff! 
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    ArizonaIn Deo Confido

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    luke213(adamsholsters)

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    Re: Belts and Holsters?
    « Reply #2 on: January 21, 2010, 02:31:20 pm »
    To answer your question on belt compatibility, most belts should work just fine. The one thing I would watch is going to a super thick belt(thicker than normal gunbelt) you might have issue. Most of the guys making belts seem to be making them fairly standard, seems though belts like beltman's have been thicker than an off the shelf 5.11 belt or the sort but not hugely thick unless you get a ton of options.

    I would say the high power with a good belt in a VM2 should work good I think the spread of the weight, along with the IWB you should be dividing the load between the belt and pants which should alleviate some of your thin belt issues.

    Luke
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    MichiganI am the owner/proprietor of www.adamsholsters.com Custom holsters made for you. To contact me please use E-mail rather than Private Messages, luke@adamsholsters.com

    Cato the Younger

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    Re: Belts and Holsters?
    « Reply #3 on: January 21, 2010, 07:24:49 pm »
    Dear All,

    Thank you for your advice- it looks like "The Beltman" it is!  I will probably pick up a VM2 at some point, as well. 


    Best,




    Cato
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    THE NORSEMAN

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    Re: Belts and Holsters?
    « Reply #4 on: January 22, 2010, 10:16:52 am »
    What you need here is a purpose built set up.  The narrow dress belt, to be rigid enough and not overly thick will have to be reinforced.  The holster, to avoid sloppy fit, will have to be built with narrow slots to be properly secured on the narrow belt without shifting around. 

    Do a quick search for custom CCW holsters/belts.  There areMANY smaller custom shops out there deserving support along with the big names.  When you run into something that catches your eye, bring it back here and run it by us.  Most likely someone on board will have info/experience with that specific maker.
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    This may be considered as the true palladium of liberty. . . . The right of self defence is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any colour or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction- St. George Tucker, Blackstone's Commentaries

    Outbreak

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    Re: Belts and Holsters?
    « Reply #5 on: January 22, 2010, 12:11:41 pm »
    With jeans, I found a plain brown belt at a department store (don't remember the brand of belt, or what store I found it in) that works pretty well for my guns, and looks good enough with jeans. Its thick and rigid enough and didn't break the bank.

    I also have an Instructor Belt that works really well with holsters, but not for fashion. I also wear it when I shoot pistol competitions with a paddle holster. Best part about it was I didn't pay for it. It was given to me.
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    TexasOutbreak

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    luke213(adamsholsters)

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    Re: Belts and Holsters?
    « Reply #6 on: January 23, 2010, 04:30:16 am »
    One thing with belts that I forgot to mention also is that 5.11 belts are decent, the finish will wear a little premature but they are awesomly priced and worth a look for testing out a "gun belt" they are reinforced with a polymer insert(read somewhere metal but the full of it, I've drilled a new hole and it's certainly polymer of some sort).

    http://www.lapolicegear.com/511-tactical-59502-closeout.html

    They have some awesome deals on clearance 5.11 gear on that site I'm actually wearing some of their tactical khaki's right now and I love them. Can't beat the mag pouches in the pockets as well:)

    Luke
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    MichiganI am the owner/proprietor of www.adamsholsters.com Custom holsters made for you. To contact me please use E-mail rather than Private Messages, luke@adamsholsters.com

    Tanner

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    Re: Belts and Holsters?
    « Reply #7 on: January 23, 2010, 11:52:49 am »
    I bought two 5.11 "dress" belts.  They held up well, but looked like crap in short order.  All along where the belt holes are it lost the coloring right away.
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    MichiganTanner


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    DMGNUT

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    Re: Belts and Holsters?
    « Reply #8 on: January 26, 2010, 12:45:07 am »
    These are awesome belts...
    http://www.thewilderness.com/
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    Cato the Younger

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    What about a beltman kevlar-reinforced Cordovan belt?
    « Reply #9 on: February 01, 2010, 06:17:33 pm »
    Dear All:

    What about a "Beltman" Cordovan Belt in horsehide, with the Kevlar reinforcements?  I am thinking it would look good and do the job, as well.  Anyone have experience with them?


    Best,




    Cato
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    THE NORSEMAN

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    Re: Belts and Holsters?
    « Reply #10 on: February 02, 2010, 12:33:37 am »
    Personally, no.  But I have yet to read a bad review out of the many I've come across.
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    This may be considered as the true palladium of liberty. . . . The right of self defence is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any colour or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction- St. George Tucker, Blackstone's Commentaries

    luke213(adamsholsters)

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    Re: Belts and Holsters?
    « Reply #11 on: February 02, 2010, 02:53:00 am »
    I've heard allot of good the only somewhat negative comment that I've read and it's not just them is guys who bought the belt without the extra stiffener and then a few years down the road realized that the belt is starting to relax some and not stiff enough to carry comfortably. Granted this is second hand info but I've heard enough posts about it that I think if it were my money I would throw caution to the wind and get the stiffener. Though people have different tolerances on stiffness of the belt, myself I actually don't think I've found too stiff yet.

    I built a shark/horsehide/kydex monstrosity last week to test and it was just a hair over 1/3in. thick and crazy stiff but after a couple days it's still comfortable in my opinion. My real complaint that I realized as I was building this beast is that most of my clips just won't go wide enough to clear the leather;) So I had to make bigger clips etc, so back to my normal cheapie 5.11 belt, and the crazy shark belt gets relegated to a range day belt:)

    Luke
    (I just want to state, I don't make belts, I don't want to make belts to sell, and making one which will likely be my first and last hand stitched belt my hands wanted to fall off when I finished stitching that thing, by guesstimate it took me around 11 hours of stitching. I had blisters for days:) Just wanted to make sure everyone knows I'm not in the belt selling business;)
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    MichiganI am the owner/proprietor of www.adamsholsters.com Custom holsters made for you. To contact me please use E-mail rather than Private Messages, luke@adamsholsters.com

    Harm

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    Re: Belts and Holsters?
    « Reply #12 on: February 03, 2010, 12:10:05 pm »
    So Luke, are you telling us you DON'T make Belts?  Or was that reverse psychology marketing?   :devillol
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    ArizonaIn Deo Confido

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    Live and die on this day
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