Holster mod - just did it, works, no idea how long it might hold up

[M1A4ME]

I have a couple of those Safailand kydex holsters (thigh rigs) with the thumb release button sort of behind the grip/frame where your thumb automatically hits it and releases the pistol as you grab the grip.

I really like them except for one thing  They are wearing the finish off the slide of my M&P 9MM and my P07 9MM.

The M&P is the factory finish.  Not sure how durable it should be but I've never had the finish wear off like that on other M&Ps in spite of carrying them (different holsters) yeas ago.

The P07 slide was nitrided after the cut for the red dot and new back up rear sight was made.  I had that treatment done because everyone said it was such a tough long lasting treatment for the surface of hard use guns.  Daggone cerakote on my P07 .40 lasted years longer before it finally started to show wear through marks.

What I did was get some really thin leather pieces, some gorilla spray on glue (similar to the stuff used for headliner material installation on the backer boards of the head liners in cars/trucks). 

I took the holster off the rig, removed the screws (opens up like a clamshell) and thoroughly cleaned it out with alcohol and a lint free cloth.  Let it dry (doesn't take long).

I sprayed the glue on the holster and the leather (followed the instructions for wait time, etc. before putting the to sprayed surfaces together) and worked my way from one side of the holster, across the top/front and back around the other side in three steps waiting between so I could insure I was getting that leather pushed into the angles/recesses and letting it dry before moving to the next section.

Let it sit for a bit and put the thumb release mechanism back in, closed the holster up, put the screws in it and let it sit with the M&P in it for a bit.  Then trimmed the excess leather off the top and bottom.  Waiting on an Xacto knife hoppy kit to finish neatly trimming the leather before putting the holster back into daily use.

If it works I'll do the P07 holster (and take pictures next time.)

I have some other Safariland holsters with a similar lining inside to protect the finish of the slide (FNS and XD holsters) and they work great.  Figured I'd try it with these holsters to see if I could make it work.

Edited - it's not a "thumb" release.  It's contacted my the middle finger of the hand grabbing the pistol grip to remove the pistol from the holster.  Works great.

Edited to add - picture of the M&P holster with the leather trimmed with that very sharp Xacto knife (nope, did not cut myself on this one.  Blade is so sharp very little force is used to cut.  It's actually harder to guide the knife blade than to cut the leather with it.

[M1A4ME]

Just did the P07 holster (also a Safariland) this afternoon.

Took it off the thigh panel.  allen wrench, three screws and plastic washers.

Took it apart.  philips screwdriver, three screws, one longer than the others.



Dirty/dusty as can be.  Hard to believe it was that dirty and had to open it up to see all that.



Used rubbing alcohol and a lint free/microfiber cloth to clean it out.  Took three runs to come up clean on the cloth.



Did some test fitting to make sure I got the best orientation/fit between my leather scrap and the holster.

Shook of the can of spray glue and sprayed just over half the holster inside.  Then grabbed the leather and sprayed just over half of it (actually got the right half.)

Spent some time going over and over it to insure I got the leather pushed into the grooves, depressions, etc. on the first half of the holster.  Hard to tell looking at the soft/fuzzy leather but you can see some of the lines where the leather changes angles.



Let it sit a bit (few minutes) and then repeated on the rest of it.  Spraying, letting it sit about 30 seconds, pushing the leather into the holster and insuring good contact.  You can see the excess top and bottom that will be trimmed off tomorrow when the glue is good and dry.



Let it sit a few minutes (still doing some pushing/rubbing to make sure nothing came loose) and the put the thumb release mechanism in, closed it up and install the three screws.

Then put the P09 .40 in it.  Realized the P07 with RMR wouldn't fit until I got the Xactio knife and trimmed the excess off around the top/bottom of the holster.



So far (about a week) the M&P holster is doing great as far as holding up to having the pistol pushed in/pulled out of the holster two or three times a day.

[M1A4ME]

Yesterday the M&P was hard to pull out of the holster when I came in.

The M&P has a 5" slide/barrel on it (PC ported slide/barrel) and it sticks out of the bottom of the holster.

I believe that is the issue.  As I pull the pistol out of the holster I twist it a bit and the tall/straight front sight snagged the edge of the leather and pulled it loose in the sight channel.

The holster for the P07 won't have that issue as the pistol slide/barrel is shorter than the holster and that specific issue (front sight dragging the leather loose at the bottom edge) won't be an issue.  The P07 carry starts today when I go outside.

[Steve Menegon]

Looks great! Hope it works out as planned. New Xacto knives are sharp!

[M1A4ME]

Went ahead with the same addition to the similar holster made for the P09 (using a P07 in it).

Been carrying it now, every day, for a couple of weeks.  No issues so far. 

I checked the P09 in the holster and the muzzle/end of the slide is also well up in the holster from the bottom.  I wouldn't expect any issue with carrying the P09 in the holster either. 

The issue with the mod. done to the M&P holster is that the 5" slide stick out the bottom and the tall front sight on the PC optics ready slide to catch the leather with the front sight and pull it loose.  If I was carrying the 4" M&P .45 that wouldn't be an issue due to the shorter slide.

It would be some time (I think) before I could say it's stopped the wear problems on the finish.  I don't leave the pistol in the holster when I come in the house so it's going in and out of the holster 2 or 3 times a day.