Hey Guys,

I just got a nice Alessi shoulder rig for my Colt Python.  Fits like a glove.  Maybe a little too much like a glove, it's really tight.  What's the best way to break in the leather?  Should I apply a conditioner like saddle soap or something?  I don't want the gun falling out, but I really gotta yank on it to get it outta there.

Thanks!

Don't use saddle soap.  What I do and what seems to work very well is to take your firearm, seal it water tight in a plastic bag, dunk the holster in a bucket of water for about 1 minute.  Take it out of the water, insert your PROTECTED firearm in it and let it dry.  This will mold the holster to the gun, stretching the leather for a better fit.

I do this with all my new leather and it works great.  Soaps and oils have a tendency to stain clothing while wearing as your body heat or even sunlight warms the leather up.  I found this out the hard way with a Cowboy Action Shooting Rig I bought years ago.  Hope this helps.

You can also just store the gun in the holster for a while, it will loosen up over a period of time.  A good quality holster tends to be rather tight when new.

Quoted: You can also just store the gun in the holster for a while, it will loosen up over a period of time.  A good quality holster tends to be rather tight when new.

Put it under the seat of your car on a nice sunny day. Worked for me on a new Desantis!

Wear it/Use it

I got a small bottle of something called Leather Lightning from Mitch Rosen Extraordinary Gunleather.  Whatever it is works.  Takes about ten applications of 3-4 drops each on the inside of the holster or magazine holder.

Leather Lightning now gets used on all my leather holsters.  BTW it doesn't stain your clothes.

Leather Lightning works great !
The only way to really break in a holster is to use it, draw repeatedly.
Leaving it over night or two with the gun wrapped in a thick bag (like what the holster came in) inserted into the holster works well.
You still not going to get around breaking it in w/o use. Most everything else will just f*** up a good or bad holster.

Cowboy Action Shooting

Geez, you're not supposed to say that here. Some people think we're not real shooters.