Holster Wear

by
posted on September 17, 2013
wiley-clapp.jpg (1)

What exactly is holster wear? Commonly, it means a burnishing of the steel surface that comes from taking the gun in and out of the holster, and it is a term most associated with blued-steel guns.

Contact between the blued surface of the gun and the leather of the holster tends to somewhat strop the prominent edges and corners of the gun. I have several older guns that have radically rounded edges and corners that are the hallmark of long and hard use, as well as being carried in a holster. With blued guns, the oxidation of bluing can also be physically worn off. The passivation process of finishing stainless-steel arms is much more durable.

Sometimes, visible wear on the edges and corners of a handgun comes from contact with a mildly abrasive surface other than a leather holster. Kydex holsters will polish the highlights off your new Glock in short order. And other times, fabric works its remarkable magic. I remember when a jail sergeant had the trusties cut square patches of old carpet to line the bottom of the individual gun lockers at the booking area of the jail. If you did a lot of booking, your handgun went in and out of the little steel boxes many times every day. The finish took a beating.

Also, when a revolver has true holster wear on the barrel and cylinder, it almost always has similar wear on the exposed bottom of the trigger guard. In this regard, I recall a small batch of police trade-in Colt Officers Model revolvers I once examined. They were all well-cared for, but had extreme pitting and abrasion on the bottom of the trigger guard. It turned out they were used by motorcycle officers and their underneath sides were exposed to road salt.

After a lengthy discussion with an experienced collector and gun buyer, we concluded that sometimes bluing wear on a handgun, often dismissed as “holster” wear, is actually wear associated with storage in a drawer or bin where the gun drags across fabric of some kind.

Latest

Model 1841 Mississippi rifle closeup right-side view sidelock hammer brass trigger guard wood stock AMERICAN RIFLEMAN text bottom right
Model 1841 Mississippi rifle closeup right-side view sidelock hammer brass trigger guard wood stock AMERICAN RIFLEMAN text bottom right

I Have This Old Gun: Model 1841 Mississippi Rifle

Of all the U.S. military arms of the mid-19th century, one of the most interesting, effective and well-built was the Model 1841 rifle, often called simply the "Mississippi rifle."

New For 2025: Springfield Armory 2020 Heatseeker

A new Model 2020 rifle from Springfield Armory, the Heatseeker, will come wrapped in an aluminum Coyote Brown-colored chassis from Sharps Brothers featuring M-Lok modularity and more.

I Have This Old Gun: Forehand & Wadsworth British Bull-Dog

Many eagle-eyed NRA members viewing the 1993 Western “Tombstone” no doubt recognized the Forehand & Wadsworth British Bull-Dog so deftly welded by actress Joanna Pacula, portraying Big Nose Kate, during a contemptuous card game between Doc Holliday and Ed Bailey.

Medal Of Honor Marine Receives Henry Repeating Arms Tribute

Henry Repeating Arms presented a Spirit of the Corps 250th Anniversary Tribute Edition rifle to Maj. Gen. Livingston for going above and beyond the call of duty on May 2, 1968, during the Battle of Dai Do in Vietnam.

Preview: Duramag 1911 DS Magazines

Duramag’s 1911 DS Magazines are compatible with numerous 9 mm Luger-chambered 2011-style handguns on the market.

Colt Monitor: The FBI’s “Fighting Rifle”

In the years between the World Wars, a rare variation of the Browning Automatic Rifle proved its reputation as an effective, devastating automatic rifle for combat between the country’s lawmen and its outlaws.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.