I am sure this question has been asked 1000 times?

[Ace Lungger]

How do you form fit a holster if you do not have the gun that goes in the holster! No one could own every gun (maybe they could) and buying fake guns could run into a lot of cash. I am making a good friend of mine a holster, it is a 1849 Colt , and the holster is a Slim Jim, i have the pattern, and have it cut out. He doesn't want much tooling so it will be simple, but I want to do as nice of job as I can, and I guess all I can do is put it toghter, and send him a small omout of treatment and tell him what to do, annd then treat it That isn't what I want to do, but there isn't anyone around that has a 49 colt for me to use!

As allways, I need the advice, on how to handle this! I will be very great full for the advice!!!

Thanks again & again & again!
ACE

[St. George]

Since it's a blackpowder weapon, he can ship it to you with no restrictions.

Borrow his, oil it and wrap it in plastic for the forming - then as the holster dries, remove the weapon and re-oil.

Early holsters weren't wet-formed - the leather was thinner than that in common use today.

Scouts Out!

[Ace Lungger]

Thank you, for the advice, i hate to ask him to ship the gun to me, I think I will check the pattern agains my 51 navy US MARSHALL and se if it is close. Or I might send him the treament and tell him what to do, and then it will be done right!
I do thank you for the help and the advice, because that would be the proper way to do it.
Thanks
ACE

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[Dalton Masterson]

A 49 is a lot smaller frame Ace, so the 51 probably wont work for that.
The best route would be to have it shipped to you, or do what I do and beg, beg, and beg the Mrs. to let me get another pistola for pattern making.  
DM

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I agree that the best thing is to have the pistol to work with. If that isn't possible, you're going to need to tell him how to wet mold it himself. You can always send him the link to the thread here so he can read how it's done.

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,5106.0.html

[Ace Lungger]

DM,
I like your thinking, but it isn't going to happen!!!
MW,
You hit the nail on the head! That is the only way for him to get a good fit, so I will bottle a little treatmeant, and he will hav to go to the store and get a bottle of EVOO, to finish the job, or how ever he want to finish it!

Thanks for all the help, we do have a muzzule loading club 20 miles, i will try and find out if any one has a 49 Colt.
Thanks Again, have a ggod one!!
ACE

[springfield]

Yeah, that can be a problem. If you do leather commercially you end up with a lot of guns you don't shoot and some guns that DON'T shoot and a bunch of movie props or aluminum castings of guns. I once promised somemone i would make their daughter a holster for her Dragoons, figured I would just buy one of those fake zinc guns. After I received the money I found that the Dragoon had been discontinued, NOBODY had one. So I ended up buying a real one from Midway so I could make her holsters. It was such a cool gn I now have 2 of them. Haven't made any holsters for MINE though, too busy.

[Ace Lungger]

I do think it would be super to own a lot of pistols, because I love guns!! But my beter halfhas atotal diff. look on things kie that . and i have to keep her happy
I had a night mare today, I am making a friend of mine a rig for his Ruger Black Hawk, I could not believe how long it took me to make the patter for a Slim Jim for it and make it look like a Slim Jim should look
 But I got it, and that is all that matters.
Thanks for all the advice
ACE