allenruger

Gotta know this guys. I've always heard about Mitch Rosen and all these custom holster makers and how great they are. I use a Galco and a Desantis holster and I want to know if there is a dramatic difference between these and one like Mitch Rosen's. I mean, I know we all want to own custom items but long wait times just seem kind of crazy to me. What am I missing? Thanks!

JD

Well it ultimately depends on which Galco and Desantis holsters you are using, and which guns are being carried.

For IWB carry if makes a BIG difference IMHO. The IWBs from Rosen, Sparks etc.etc. carry much flatter and more well balanced than say a Galco Royal Guard or Desantis Cozy Partner. For IWB it's all about the loop placement.

On the above mentioned Galco and DeSantis rigs, the loops are right on the gun and close togeather, this adds thickness and doesn't support the holster as well as an IWB with the loops out further from the portion of the holster carrying the gun, spacing the loops out further makes the rig more stable, which also leads to being more comfortable as the weight is better distributed along the waistline and the belt.

For OWB, I don't see much over all difference, I love my Galco Avenger OWB just as much as my Milt Sparks VMII.

I don't know whay major non-custom makers like Galco and Desantis do not make a more well thought out IWB.

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allenruger

Sorry about that... I carry a G26 and use either a Desantis MiniSlide or a Galco Summer Comfort. Thanks

lance22

There will be a difference:

(1) In how and where retention is managed
(2) In the quality of construction
(3) In the qualilty of the hardware & how this affixes to the holster
(4) In the quality of the finish
(5) In the size and fit of the belt loops to YOUR belt
(6) The time and means of molding the leather to your gun
(7) Available options to make this YOUR holster, not everyone else's.

You could look at it like this: An S-Series Mercedes and a Chevy Cobalt will both get you to work but we are not under any misconceptions about the differences between the two vehicles. In the world of holsters, there is roughly a $ 40.00 difference between OK and spectacular - the cost of meal at a restaurant will upgrade your purchase from "It'll do" to "WOW!" ... and that's why people like Mitch Rosen have so many loyal customers.

cockedlocked01

There is a difference. On some things, it's subtle, but the overall F&F, comfort, & resale value (If you're so inclined, maybe you'll sell the gun down the road), is definitely in the custons advantage.

There're some nice custom products out there that are not that much more expensive (Or are about the same) than a Galco or Desantis holster.

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Ti Carry

Yep, there is a difference, most of the time a huge difference. If you decide on a custom holster, do careful research before deciding on who you want to go with.


Ti

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QKShooter

Well, Galco and Desantis have been making holsters for a very long time. Obviously their holsters are working fine for many people otherwise they would be out of business by now.

My personal opinion is that the Galco owbs tend to close up after a few months which makes re-holstering more difficult but, not impossible. I've not bought one for years so I do not know if that is still the case.

BTW Galco also has a CUSTOM Shop where they will fabricate true custom rigs.

I personally like the fact that I can request a greater degree of cant or a skin shield from the custom makers plus I happen to like the exotic leathers.

So...DO some people spend more & order a custom when a "ready made" will serve them just fine? - For Sure.

Do I personally really appreciate that extra effort concerning stiffer leather selection and minute other attentions to small details? Like how the stitching is ended past the high stress points and the nicer hand boning. I do.

Much of it also has to do with the fact that folks spend a lot of money for their personal self-defense firearms & they want them to live in a super nice house. I know I do.

I also appreciate the individual hand finishing and the confidence that comes along with knowing that I've got the EXACT holster that I want.
Would I die in a gunfight because my "off the shelf" rig had 5 degrees less cant? Probably not.

Heck...this is America. Buy what you can afford and practice with your set-up and for the number of gun-fights you're going to get into in your lifetime you'll be well served.

For me personally...I like being able to call a custom maker up and be able to specify where exactly on a hide I want my personal holster cut from.

Should anybody feel terrible because they don't want to spend more money on a true custom?
No...probably not.
But, if and when you do get the exact holster that you want and your skill level can truly appreciate the subtle differences that make it tailored to you then it's difficult to go back to a production rig.

So for me...even when I contact a custom maker...I don't say: Send me a XXY CoolCarry - I say: Make me a XXY CoolCarry BUT, I want it to have ABCD & add a CDEF and I want it blah blah blah with some shark skin. Whatever,,,,,,,,
For me it's worth it to fork out the extra beans for a custom holster.

For somebody else it might be overkill but, that's fine because I don't have to wear your holster and you don't have to carry in mine.

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TerryD

For IWB I went from a Galco $109 holster to an Andrews $70 holster.

Spent less, only had to wait about 6 weeks, and there is a HUGE difference in the comfort (safety covered), on the Andrews to the uncovered Galco. Plus the horsehide Andrews used is thicker by far, and the attention to detail is downright astounding, especially for the price.

Plus if you ever have to deal with Galco customer service, just realize you're wrong and they know everything, then you'll have no problems.

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Supertac45

Those brands are good holsters, but I prefer Sparks.

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ripley16

I have both custom and Galco holsters, (and others), and frankly I don't think there's a decernable difference between them. For everyday use my Galco gets the call. I only wear OWB. The Galcos I've used have always fit better than custom and wore just as well. Maybe IWB is different but as far as OWB goes, Galco is as good as anybody IMHO.