Holsters

[Clay1]

What does everyone think of the new IDPA rule book and the equipment changes. I'm fairly bumbed in that I just bought a new holster and two mag holders and I think that both are illegal now.

What prompted this?

[Mark Perez]

What prompted this?

Have you ever read the former LGB?

I think this new edition is a major improvement over the LGB .

Mark

edited to stay on topic

Edited January 6, 2005 by Mark Perez

[Clay1]

Mark, I have read the old rule book and one of the comments that was always made was the amount of gray in the book instead of black and white. I see the new rule book did firm up some things and that is a step forward.

I guess personally I'm bumbed because I paid $85 for a holster and two mag holders about a week and a half ago and not they are both illegal. That just plain sucks!

In the old rule book I always thought it was funny that you couldn't put a $5 plastic plug in the grip and now you can. I'm fairly flexible except when it come to my wallet.

[Clay1]

One more question. Do these rules go into effect now or 12 months from now?

[Mark Perez]

One more question. Do these rules go into effect now or 12 months from now?

Page 11

Stability of Equipment Rules

Equipment rule changes will only be reviewed every two (2) years.

Any equipment rule changes will go into effect twelve (12) months

after approval.

They are in effect NOW .

Any changes will get reviewed and adopted at a later time.

That's how I read it anyway.

Mark

[Sac Law Man]

Looks like the holster rules are effective Jan 1, 2005

[Clay1]

So I can't legally shoot my equipment this weekend, Saturday is three days from now. That's just plan XXXXX. Self edited to take out profanity.

[Flexmoney]

Lets keep THIS thread limited to the new holster rules.

[Mark Perez]

Fwiw ,

I have no problem with IDPA making the UM holster illegal.

I tried one once and returned it to the point of purchase - it stuck out way to far - for me , to be considered as a carry holster.

Mark

[f250sd]

So is my blade-tech holster still legal or not? With the belt I currently use, you can see a little light if you look hard enough. But if I use a thicker belt you won't be able to see any light. This is just lame.

[Scooter]

There's also the less than 3/4" gap between the body and the gun. Of courese it doesn't really specify how or where it should be measured. This will affect the skinny people with outside waist band holster.

It took me about 10 minutes to make my Uncle Mike holster legal. I made a new belt hook that doesn't have a gap. But I'm not sure if I can use it because my gun has less than 3/4" gap in certain areas, while other places are further out. They should specify where to measure like the IPSC rule book.

You guys should also check your mag pouches since many mag pouches cover less than 50% of the mag.

[Sgtsvi]

I guess everyone can switch to one of those ultra safe IWB holsters that encourage you to flag the muzzle with your body as you wedge the pistol into it. I could still use my comp tac mag pouches if I change to a glock 26. They will be covered 50% by the pouch.

Dave

[Ted Murphy]

I would think that with the judicious use of a heat gun many holstes like the comp tac locking paddle will again be legal. I haven't read the holster rules as compltely as I want to but I do not recall seeing a prhohibition against modifying holsters in this book.

[K9-Bob]

It looks like IDPA wants to kill the sport with these "simplified" rule changes instead of promoting it. I guess I can use my "gamer" Comp-Tac for LEO duty as it's not tactical/practical for "real life" or IDPA use anymore.

[txaggie]

I agree Ted, the one thing that seems to be grossly missing is that in the past, you couldn't modify a manufacturer's holster. The way I see it, I can possibly modify my Comp-Tac locking paddle to be compliant by heating it up and pinching down the offset tab. As long as I can meet the 3/4" rule as well. As for the magazine carriers, I am going to have to think on that one.

[Derek45]

So is my blade-tech holster still legal or not? .....

I just sent info@idpa.com an email asking the same question.

I think this is a bunch of Bravo Sierra !

[Sgtsvi]

Ted,

Why would I want to take a heat gun to my perfectly good holster. I prefer it to remain the way it came from the manufacturer. I feel safer carrying a gun in a holster that I have not done some shade tree mechanic work to. Wouldnt it be considered a competition rig only if I modified the holster to meet the new rules.

I just found out about my Dale H. vest being thrown out also. I spent 100 dollars on the vest because that is what everyone said I needed to buy when I started this game. I also dont want to get mud, grass, grease stains on my nice 5.11 vest that I wear in public. In fact, lets just take away any form of competition and make all the stages par time so we can penalize the shooters that can move and shoot efficiently. We can take away David Sevigny's G34 since it is a tactical competition pistol, and make him shoot par time stages where he has 24 seconds to shoot a 12 round stage.

Boy that sounds like fun.

Dave

[Trader]

I just saved $35, and it wasn't by switching to Geico.

[MikeyG23]

I just found out about my Dale H. vest being thrown out also.

Dave,

I must have missed that one about the vest, please enlighten me.

Has anyone determined what might be legal and off-the-shelf in Kydex besides BladeTech ?

[Clay1]

So the IDPA has in effect created a class of competition only holsters defacto. Looks like I'm not the only one the is wound up. This will be an interesting ride.

[BigDave]

Excuse me, but the rulebook says

D. Holsters designed and/or marketed as “competition”  models. 

And from Wilson Combat's online catalog:

Tigershark® paddle. The result is a  very tough holster that requires very little maintenance.  It features a low cut front, generous sight track, double  belt slots and adjustable tension screw. The vertical  cant allows for a very natural wrist position as your  firing grip is acquired. The Practical™ rides extremely  close to the body for concealment while still allowing a  full firing grip before the pistol is drawn. This holster  sits a little lower on the belt and features the fastest  draw speed of any holster we offer.  I.D.P.A. Approved.

Now, is Dub-ya-C, by that line, marketing this perticular holster as a competition holster by saying it is IDPA approved? IDPA is, after all, competition, right?

[Scooter]

Why would I want to take a heat gun to my perfectly good holster. I prefer it to remain the way it came from the manufacturer. I feel safer carrying a gun in a holster that I have not done some shade tree mechanic work to.

It's not shade tree mechanic work. Kydex holsters are formed one of two ways. One is with a heat gun, the other is with poping the kydex into the oven with a temperature close to 300 degree F. Once the kydex is soft, you can mold it to just about anything. Most companies make a mold with a dummy gun, but with specialized guns they can make a holster off your existing gun.

A simple modification can make the holster legal. I made a new belt clip from my Uncle Mike holster to comform to the new rules. It took about $0.50 worth of ABS plastic and about 5 minutes with a heat gun. That's cheaper than buying a new holster.

It's not a competition rig, it's more carry friendly now.

[matto]

The thing that really gets me is all the worry about gaps in silly locations. If they are worried about losing the concealability, why not just have one simple rule about how far off the body the gun can sit. Who cares if light can pass between the belt and holster?

Also the mag carriers should be a simple issue of retention. Keep it simple. It either holds the mags or it doesn't. I've used my Comp-Tac holster and carrier for years, with tens of thousands of presentations. I can do a hand stand and the only thing that will hit the ground is the loose change in my pocket. Try that with a leather set up with same number draws.

[Ted Murphy]

FWIW, the hunnicut vest isn't on the chopping block. The comment on specially designed vests is oriented towards the cheater types who reinforce their pockets so they have essentially a bucket to drop their T.L.'s into.

Ted

[Clay1]

Ted, so what about the Royal Robins 5.11 tactical vest? It has a stiff front panel.