Bored on a Tuesday afternoon

Today was one of those days where it seemed to drag on. Maybe it was because my daughter decided she didn't want to sleep last night and also wanted to get up early this morning, and maybe it was because it took forever for her to take a nap. The plus to all of this is that when she did fall asleep she was out cold, and I had some time to myself to mess with the holster that I have been working on.

Since the unforgettable failed attempt, I have been thinking about other methods of completing the kydex molding. I looked on YouTube at how other people have done it and I was surprised at the different techniques. There are several different types of presses people have made and I even saw one guy use a zip-lock bag and vacuum. After looking through these, I decided to try again, using the same piece from the first attempt, but this time use my new toaster oven to get the kydex evenly heated. I decided to use some padding (throw pillow with a lot of stuffing) and my trusty oven mitts. I set my toaster oven to 350* and a timer for 3 minutes. It was cool to see the already formed kydex slowly loose its shape and turn flat again in a matter of seconds. One the timer went off I removed the very soft kydex and placed it on my gun and started applying pressure. After a few seconds, I lifted the pillow off and it had a nice shape, but the sides were not snug to the slide and trigger guard. Next I used my oven mitts and held those pieces against the gun and when it cooled, it had a great shape and pretty good retention. The only problem is that with the new placement on the gun, the original mounting holes were not usable anymore. I completely lost one in the side where the trigger guard is. With the mounting holes screwed up, it looks like I am going to have to cut a bigger piece and try again, but this time I know what I am doing. Since this week looks a little busy, I might have to save this project for next week. Maybe in the days to come I can put together some sort of press so I can give the throw pillows a rest.

Range Time

I had a chance to go shooting this morning with my friends Jeremiah and Rob. I had some free time to kill plus I wanted some more range time with my P250. I had previously bought some steel cased ammo and I figured today would be a great time to use it. I had posted on facebook that I was going and had an open invitation to anyone who wanted to join. Jeremiah saw it and he and Rob were already going, so we met up and headed to the range. Between the three of us we had a variety of guns. There was a 1911 .45, a 10mm, some CZ's, and several Sig's. To say the least, it was fun.  We went to Discount Guns and Ammo in Provo, UT which is a great store. They have an indoor range that isn't expensive and a great selection of reasonably priced guns and equipment.

Both Jeremiah and Rob had just bought the new Sig P238s and I was excited to see them in action. They are chambered in .380 ACP which is a small bullet but still packs a punch. They fall under the sub-compact or pocket gun category because they are seriously tiny! The whole gun is based around the Colt Mustang (not in production anymore) handgun which on the outside looks like a shrunk down 1911.

After seeing them shoot it, I wanted a turn. I loaded 3 rounds into the 6 round magazine and sent them down range. I was very surprised at how little recoil it had and the grip I could achieve on this little gun. I have medium sized hands and I was able to securely hold it despite having my pinky finger hanging out in the breeze. I shot the three is a decent group and I am very impressed. I have shot another sub-compact before and it was a completely different experience. It kicked hard and I could barely hang on to the thing.

After shooting that, I began working on my control with my P250. I am still getting used to the DAO trigger but it is a labor of love. If I pace myself and not shoot quickly, I can get 1/2 - 1" groups at about 25 ft. Once I start to rapid fire, I lose that grouping and my shots are pulling right, which I anticipate because after each shot, the trigger reset is longer and I have the tenancy to pull the trigger with the bottom half of my finger. What is supposed to happen is that I use my full trigger finger and pull the trigger straight back in one single motion. I ran into the same problem with my 1911; even with the short trigger travel I still used to pull to one side. Once I got that under control, I was able to begin shooting faster with better grouping. I had to focus more, but the end result was noticeably better.

On a side note, both Rob and Jeremiah had some issues when shooting my 1911. I have new grips on it that are larger and fit my hands better, but on the flip side, it spreads the back of your hand out (the webbing between your thumb and index finger). This is a crucial area when firing a 1911 because of the grip safety. You need that part of your hand to disengage the grip safety so you can pull the trigger. Add this with a stiff grip safety spring and you can potentially have a hard time firing it. I have never had problems with it, but then again, it is my gun and I know all the in's and out's of it. Evidently I have a stiff grip safety spring. Rob had his 10mm 1911 and his grip safety is very light. The difference was night and day comparing the two and I guess I have a very strong hand to be able to shoot my 1911. If I ever get the chance to swap out parts on my 1911, I will look into a new grip safety spring. I don't want to do that anytime soon because it will probably lead to many other things and I doubt that I could swing that with the boss (wife). 

Holster Part 1 1/2

Sorry that I haven't finished this already, things are taking longer than expected. A few days ago I received my kydex sheet in the mail and it was thicker than I had planned. About two years ago when I got my 1911 I made some kydex magazine holsters and the kydex I used was what I thought 0.093" thickness, which was in fact 0.080". So I ordered 0.080" thick kydex for this holster thinking it would be thinner and it isn't. It is still do-able, but it is harder to mold with that I had planned. So my first trial run did not turn out as good as I wanted. I only used a small section of kydex, so I still have enough to take another stab at it, but the next time I will be doing some things differently. Here are some things that I have learned...

Use a toaster oven or conventional oven to heat the kydex instead of a heat gun.

I thought that because I am using a small piece of kydex I could just use my heat gun, but because of having to hold it in different spots it did not heat evenly. Next time I am going to use my oven set at around 230*-240* and monitor it so it doesn't melt.

Use some sort of foam while applying pressure when molding the kydex

I tried several DIY methods while molding the kydex and because I do not have a press it did not turn out as defined as I would have liked. I was able to get a good shape by applying direct pressure with oven mitts on different areas at a time. It took a while, but I was able to make a solid shape that held the gun, BUT it looked very loose. I am chalking it up to lack of a press and thicker kydex. To remedy this problem I plan on making a foam press out of some scrap wood and foam (either walmart camping pad foam or order some actual kydex press foam online). I have some plans rattling around in my head of how to make one, so when I do that I will have to post my how-to.

Get correct size kydex for your application

What I need is some 0.060" thick kydex. This is by far easier to work with and it is not as bulky. Now, I am not saying that it can't be done with what I have, I would have liked to have the thinner stuff. I try not to waste materials and because what I have is thicker, it is great for my magazine holsters. You want material that can take a beating and not snap when pressure is applied. The thicker material is good for the integrated belt loop that I include in my magazine holsters. You do not want that snapping when ripping the magazine out in a fast reload. Also, these are not concealed, so they need to be able to take a beating like getting snagged on clothing or from personal experience, get snagged on doors (I don't know how this happens to me, maybe I just don't realize how fat I really am). 

Location, Location, Location

After I finished the rough mock-up I realized that my gun sits too high on the holster. At first, I thought that it was just the way I was looking at it on the table, but once I put it on, it was very clear. I thought that I put the kydex mold low enough based on the location of the gun on the leather back, but it needed to go lower. Another reason this happened was that the kydex was too low on the gun itself. I wanted to make sure that I covered the trigger guard completely, but it shifted during the molding process and ended up lower, thus raising the gun's location on the holster. This will be solved by the press and using the oven for even heat distribution.

Plan for problems/human error

Going into this I was a little bit cocky because of my past experience with working with leather and kydex. I found out fast that I need to be open to things not working out as planned and not give up, but push forward. I did have some choice words with my heat gun and kydex, but now I know what to expect and the next attempt will hopefully be smoother and produce a better product. This was a great learning experience.

My Truck Works Again!

We went on vacation this summer to Virginia to visit my people for about a month and a half. We had tons of fun, but when we got back, the second after I finished unloading the car I went to start my truck. I have a great 1995 Ford Ranger that has been very good to me over the years. I got it when I was 16 and since then it has held a special place in my heart. It even waited for me while I was on my mission. Anywho, so I went to start it and nothing happened. I figured that this would happen because it had been sitting for a month and a half, and it did the same thing a two years ago when we went back east. So I cleaned off the battery posts of that nasty white corrosion stuff and tried again. Nothing, I even tried to jump it and it didn't have enough juice to start it. So I went down to my favorite store, Harbor Freight, and picked up a battery charger. I was so happy on the way home thinking this will charge my battery and I will be driving around town the next day. FALSE, it turned out that the battery was dead as a door nail. It would not keep a charge and the battery charger was not the solution.

So today I finally broke down and headed down to Les Schwab and picked up a battery. While I had the battery out I also changed the terminals to some shinny new color coded red and black ones. Once I attached the new terminals I saw the light turn on under the hood and that was a sight for sore eyes. I slammed the hood down and hopped into the cab and started the engine. It choked up at the beginning but then with a few revs it calmed down and started purring like a cat. Now I get to clean it out (mostly dusting) and get it back in action. Best day ever!

New Project!!

OK, so I am starting a new project now that I am done with my first semester of grad school. I have 2 weeks before class starts, so I need something to do to pass the time. I recently bought a new gun, and I want to start carrying it. (Side note: I am a card carrying Utah CCW permit  holder, so I carry a gun on me whenever I get a chance.) I have been wanting to make my own holster for a while, and with the new addition, it is a perfect time to start.

This holster is based off of a new design that has become very popular. (Just for educational purposes, there are several types of holsters and you are either wearing your gun out in the open or wearing one concealed by clothing. Since I have a CCW permit, I can carry a handgun concealed by clothing.) I am making a custom IWB holster. The IWB stands for inside the waist band, where it hooks onto my belt but rests inside my pants. The holster I am making is based around a Crossbreed SuperTuck. Here is a picture of one that I already own for my 1911.

It is very ugly, but it is never seen by anyone. It is considered a hybrid holster because it is made up of two different materials: leather and kydex. Kydex is a thermoplastic that is very rigid, but when it comes in contact with heat it becomes very pliable and can be molded into many different shapes. Once it is cool, it becomes rigid again and will not lose its shape, unless heated again, but it has to be super hot for this to happen by accident. The holster's base is a large leather piece with a small molding of the gun in kydex attached. Then there are metal belt loops with 4 adjustment settings for however you want the holster to sit inside your pants. Because of the large leather backing, the weight of the gun is spread out evenly and that means added comfort. I love this holster and it is worth every penny I spent on it. But now that I know what they are, I want to make one of my own.

Ingredients:
Leather (1/4" thick)
Kydex sheet (0.06 thickness)
Chicago screws (x6)
Tee Screws (x2)
Silicone washers (x2)
Metal Washers (x2)
1/4" #6 screws (x2)

Tools:
Heat gun or toaster oven
Oven mitts
Thick gloves
Utility knife
Drill w/ drill bits
Phillips screwdriver

Now I am currently waiting for my kydex to come in the mail, so this will be a two part blog thingy. But in the meantime I will walk you through the leather working.

Leather back:
I picked up a scrap piece of leather from a leather working and saddle store here in town. Since it was a scrap it only cost me $3.50. I took in my old holster and found a piece that was perfect. While at the store I picked up the chicago screws because they were cheaper there. I came home and traced the pattern I wanted onto the leather piece and cut it out with my utility knife. I had a new blade in so it cut like a hot knife in butter.

Once everything was cut out, I wanted to round the edges over a little. This is not necessary, but it does make it look nicer. I found my wife's cuticle cutters from her manicure kit and went around the perimeter of the leather and took the edge off. After that I did the same to the reverse side. Now it is rounded on both sides and it feels great.

The next step is creating the holes for the belt loops. I placed my old holster on top to generalize where the holes needed to be and marked the holes with a pencil. After that, I went through my drill bits and found a bit that was large enough to make the holes. You can use a hole punch, but I don't have any. A drill works great. I started off slow and gradually drilled faster until I went through the piece of leather. I cleaned up the holes with the cuticle cutter just because I am OCD with stuff like that.

Now I have my leather back complete with rounded edges and belt loop holes. I didn't want to start with the holes for the kydex mold because I wanted to make it first. Once that is made I will drill through the kydex and into the leather so the holes will match. Just for fun, I put the belt loops from my old holster on to get a good look of what it will look like. Although these belt loops are metal, I am going to make mine out of the kydex material. It will be lighter that way and I can make them to fit my 1 3/4" belt.

Overall I am very satisfied with how things are turning out. The next part is going to be tricky. Molding kydex isn't extremely hard, but it can get difficult. I have worked with it before making magazine holsters for my 1911 and a phone carrier for my Droid. Working around the shape of my P250 will be different, but I am up for the challenge.

My nerd side...

Along with my fascination with firearms, I really enjoy gaming, specifically Xbox 360 first person shooters. Back in the day I had a Nintendo 64 and one of my favorite games was James Bond. That was my first introduction to first person shooters ans it progressed to the Halo series. I got into Halo while in college and my roommates and I would play all night long. We would play custom games with other dorm buildings, and sometimes would hack into an online gaming server and play people across the country. It was great, but then I was introduced to Call of Duty 3 and everything changed. Their online gaming was fun and addicting. I loved playing with people I didn't know and ripping them apart. It is always satisfying getting the drop on somebody that wasn't paying attention. So it continued on with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Army of Two, Rainbow 6 Vegas I & II, and then the newer stuff like Modern Warfare 2 and Black OPS. Those were great, but there is one that definitely stands out. That one is Battlefield Bad Company 2. This game is great in the fact that it is team based and not just a Rambo run and gun type game like COD. It has been out for a while and there is a huge following still playing which is nice, because I haven't been playing it long.

But the best is still to come. Come October 25, Battlefield 3 comes out and it is supposed to be the greatest shooter of all time. The COD franchise is also coming out with Modern Warfare 3, but BF3 is probably going to blow it out of the water. BF3 has an all new graphics engine where MW3 is still using the old one from MW2. The game play that has been released is ridiculous. It is very sharp and the movement of the players and environment is outstanding. I wish I was chosen to be part of their Alpha testing and I didn't buy Medal of Honor, so I am not able to get in with their Beta testing. I guess I can wait until it comes out, but when it does I will be glued to my TV. I hope the neighbors don't mind the 5.1 surround sound blasting explosions and automatic gunfire. If it is anything like the sound of Bad Company 2, then it is going to be amazing.

New P250

I came across the P250 while looking through some online gun stores and was amazed at the price. It's several hundreds less than the other Sig models and so at first I thought that it was a new style of their .22 Mosquito. It turned out to be their version of a polymer framed handgun. It looked great overall, but I had one reservation with it, it has a DAO trigger, which stands for Double Action Only trigger. This means that with each pull of the trigger it sets the hammer back and releases it. Once the first shot is taken, the hammer doesn't lock back for the second shot. This produces a very long trigger pull each time you fire, sort of like a revolver. I went into my local gun store and tested out the trigger and to my surprise it was very nice. It is very smooth and I know exactly when it will break. It is going to take some time getting use to it because it is very different than any of my other guns, especially my 1911. My 1911 has a Single Action Only, where it relies on either my racking the slide or the first initial shot to lock the hammer back. The only thing that happens when I squeeze the trigger is it releases the hammer.

I wanted a compact 9mm and so I started looking around for the best deal I could. I was only looking for the base model (black slide with contrast sights), I ended up getting an upgraded version with their stainless slide and it even came with Sig's SIGLITE night sights. After my purchase, I raced home so I could get to know it a little bit better. It came from the factory with a born on date of early February 2011 and it was covered in a generous amount of oil. Once that was removed I started to break it down to get a better understanding of the internals and to clean it some more.

The genius of this gun is the firing mechanism. It is all contained into one piece that fits snugly in the grip module. This firing mechanism can be switched out and installed into a full size, compact, and sub compact grip module with respective full, compact, and sub compact slides. Really, it is several guns in one. 

Range Time:

Last Tuesday I was able to take it out for the first time. I went with my buddy Greg and put 100 rounds through it. I was shooting basic range ammunition, Remington UMC FMJ. It wasn't a lot, but it gave me the opportunity to test out the DAO trigger which turned out to be great. After the first 10 rounds or so I was able to identify when the trigger would break. I was able to put 15 rounds, back to back, in an area of about 3" x 3" at 20 feet. I felt like I had more control over the gun because I had more time to adjust while pulling the trigger. After some warm up shots I tried rapid firing, and I definitely need more practice controlling my follow up shots. After a few double shot drills, the two shots were almost on top of each other, but not exactly where I wanted them. I guess I will have to go to the range more :) .
Along with shooting my new P250, I took my 1911 and had fun with that one too. It was an adjustment going back and forth, but it performed excellent as usual. To sum up the trip to the range, I love the DAO trigger system, limited recoil, very accurate with range ammo, extremely fun to shoot. I can't wait to get back.