Interesting how fast holster wear happens. I purchased this 9mm Defender Lightweight in September 2020, and most of the time it is carried AIWB in a Black Arch Protos holster. Sometimes I carry it at 3:30 in a Wright Leather Works Predator. Consider that I carry a J frame far more often than I do this Defender.
The holster wear is still very light, but you can see it beginning on the edges where the gun engages the leather when holstering. Most of the time I carry stainless, so I rarely notice holster wear.
It's irrelevant on a carry gun. What's more relevant is the wear on the holster itself.
Eventually the holster should be replaced. Leather stretches and tears, kydex cracks. Depends on how much it's used. Goes without saying, quality is a better investment than low cost.
Some guns have a better finish than others. My Gen 4 glocks show little to no holster wear. My Gen 3 is the newest and shows the most, although still not too bad. My 1911s, both kimber and Dan Wesson, will show wear just from looking at them funny. Ultimately, other than the one kimber that I still have, all of my guns are tools, so I don’t care if they look like they’ve been used.
Not just holster wear! I can't take pictures right now, but my SIG P238 Scorpion has the worst quality FDE finish possible. It is my all day every day carry gun and the finish is totally worn off of the edges of not only the FDE coated parts of the gun, but also worn off of the metal-finish controls. And that extreme wear is not on the parts of the gun that go into a holster! I guess my soft cotton tee shirts and sweat shirts are more abrasive than I ever imagined they could be.
However, it is a carry gun and it works like it is supposed to. I don't daily carry my nice looking guns anymore although I do shoot them.
Not just holster wear! I can't take pictures right now, but my SIG P238 Scorpion has the worst quality FDE finish possible. It is my all day every day carry gun and the finish is totally worn off of the edges of not only the FDE coated parts of the gun, but also worn off of the metal-finish controls. And that extreme wear is not on the parts of the gun that go into a holster! I guess my soft cotton tee shirts and sweat shirts are more abrasive than I ever imagined they could be.
However, it is a carry gun and it works like it is supposed to. I don't daily carry my nice looking guns anymore although I do shoot them.
My sig has a bit of wear. I was using a kydex holster made by a guy here locally, to practice my draw stroke, despite the fact that it is a straight drop, and my normal carry rig is 15* can't. As soon as I found the wear, I switched back to using my carry holster for draw practice. The wear hasn't changed, or grown since the change, and I still practice daily. The shiny spot is the wear.
Not too much right now. I purchased this Springfield last year new to save wear on my Colts, but since then it has become a favorite. I also love a parkerized finish, and wear almost disappears when it is wiped with an oily cloth.
A few decades in a cops leather holster. I kind of like it this way. Shows its earned its keep.
You can always tell an ex LEO sidearm by the banged up outer grip panel while the inside one is near pristine.
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