Are Milt Sparks Holsters that Good?

[FITH]

I've been watching Ebay for a Holster for my 4" kimber and well there it was... Watch it for another day ..and BOOM it now is up to $152.00...WTF...does he put gold in them? Make you shoot perfect? Reach around? SOMETHING!!!!!
Any way if someone can rec. a good holster..thanks?

OWB 4" leather ..no strap...for.cant

 

[Martlet]

I've been watching Ebay for a Holster for my 4" kimber and well there it was... Watch it for another day ..and BOOM it now is up to $152.00...WTF...does he put gold in them? Make you shoot perfect? Reach around? SOMETHING!!!!!
Any way if someone can rec. a good holster..thanks?

OWB 4" leather ..no strap...for.cant

They are. However, you can get other holsters that are just as good for much less. I have a CrossBreed for my P220 and just got a Southern Holster's for the 1911 I picked up from wchandler. Both were 50 bucks. Take a look at those. I love them, and have used just about everything. Both are my everyday carry holsters, now.

 

[iodonnel]

I have an HBE Leatherworks holster that I STOLE for 120. Custom made holsters will run you around that much, because of quality and time spent making it. This is the one I had made for my Commander 1911( http://www.imageseek.com/hbeleather/gallery/tuckable/Picture_042 ). He usually charged 160ish for the holster but again I STOLE it for 120. BEST MONEY EVER SPENT SINCE I GOT INTO SHOOTING and trust me a custom holster is worth it since the fit and comfort will be like nothing else.

 

[M.Nastek]

Milt Sparks are good but I think that Mitch Rosen is the best. Its a shame there expensive. My 1911 IWB with Belt and Double mag pouch ran $385.00. But I wear it all the time train with it etc and it is a dream. and worth every penny.

Good Luck on your quest

 

[RKG]

Milt Sparks are good but I think that Mitch Rosen is the best. Its a shame there expensive. My 1911 IWB with Belt and Double mag pouch ran $385.00. But I wear it all the time train with it etc and it is a dream. and worth every penny.

Good Luck on your quest

Concur 100%.

 

[Martlet]

I have an HBE Leatherworks holster that I STOLE for 120. Custom made holsters will run you around that much, because of quality and time spent making it. This is the one I had made for my Commander 1911( http://www.imageseek.com/hbeleather/gallery/tuckable/Picture_042 ). He usually charged 160ish for the holster but again I STOLE it for 120. BEST MONEY EVER SPENT SINCE I GOT INTO SHOOTING and trust me a custom holster is worth it since the fit and comfort will be like nothing else.

Check out some of the forums that the holster makers hang out at. Price is driven demand with the custom holster makers. Sparks makes a great holster and has been around awhile. They get a ton of orders and have a 20 week waiting period. As a result, they can charge over 100 bucks for a holster. They have to. Otherwise, they'd be backed up 50 weeks.

Southern Holsters, on the other hand, is a relatively new maker. He puts out a holster that is very similar in quality and style to Sparks, only at half the price and a 3 week turn-around. When his holsters become more popular, he'll be charging a hundred bucks and having a 20 week wait as well. I bought a IWB for my 5" 1911 and a belt from him.

Here they are: http://forums.1911forum.com/showpost.php?p=1526552&postcount=13

 

[M1911]

When I took LFI-1, Mitch Rosen visited the class and showed some of his holsters. I'll just say that Mr. Rosen seemed impressed with his holsters and himself. The work looked fine and the exotic leathers looked nice. But I'll spend my money elsewhere.

There are plenty of holster makers that will provide you with a good product at far less cost. For leather, I've had good luck with Rusty Sherrick. For Kydex, I've had good luck with Comptac.

 

[MassMark]

I have 3 Galco holsters 2 for my ParaCarry and one for my G22. They are superbly made, effective and "cheap" - compared to Milt Sparks anyway, ($75-100). Galco Website

 

[swatmedic]

I had a Sparks Summer Special 2 when I had a USPc. It was the first custom holster I owned. I learned that a good holster made for your gun, coupled with a good gun belt, makes carrying a gun 10-12 hours a day so much easier. Currently I have a holster and belt on order from Bulman
http://www.bulmangunleather.com/
This combo is over $250 and has been on order since Sept., but it will be worth it when it arrives.

Do you really want to carry a $700 gun in a mass produced $25 holster.

 

[Martlet]

I had a Sparks Summer Special 2 when I had a USPc. It was the first custom holster I owned. I learned that a good holster made for your gun, coupled with a good gun belt, makes carrying a gun 10-12 hours a day so much easier. Currently I have a holster and belt on order from Bulman
http://www.bulmangunleather.com/
This combo is over $250 and has been on order since Sept., but it will be worth it when it arrives.

Do you really want to carry a $700 gun in a mass produced $25 holster.

I agree. However, I think the point some people are trying to make is that you can buy a quality custom made holster, that in my opinion rivals the big names, for 1/4 the cost.

 

[richgetsy]

I love my Milt Sparks with shark trim.

 

[MassMark]

I agree. However, I think the point some people are trying to make is that you can buy a quality custom made holster, that in my opinion rivals the big names, for 1/4 the cost.

Exactly. One has to weigh cost, quality, function and availability. No one is suggesting that you put your gun in a $25.00 holster, though there are rigs at that price range that are just fine. Some folks treat gun leather like window dressing and that's just fine - freedom of choice. However, just because you pay $250.00 and wait a year for a holster, does not make it magically a better rig, it just makes it an expensive custom rig...Like I said, I have three Galcos and almost bought a 4th for my S&W 642CT. I went on their site and experienced sticker shock at how much the prices have gone up. For me personally however, $250.00 on a holster would land me in a sticker shoch psychiatric facility....BTW, my 642CT resides now in a Mika Holster...A whopping $15.00 and quite possibly one of the best pieces of equipment I've ever purchased....Money is not everything....

 

[Uncle Fester]

I got a custom IWB rig for my P7 from Southern Holsters and love it. I picked the basic design on his ecrater site, and then emailed him the changes I wanted (degree of cant and the addition of a sweat shield). I had the holster in 3 weeks (from initial contact to arrival on my doorstep), at a total cost of $60. He's a really good guy to deal with, and makes a good product.

 

[FPrice]

Many holsters are very well made, but not all perform the same. I have a $25 Don Hume IWB holster for my Glock 26 that holds it better than the more expensive Mitch Rosen which I bought from a guy. The Hume holds it closer to my body. So go figure.

 

[FITH]

I love my Milt Sparks with shark trim.

Thanks like i need more pain...seeing what my Kimber would look like!

 

[Soxfan9]

+1 for Milt Sparks. Mine work great for my Sigs (VMII model) comfortable and great concealment.

 

[Secesh]

Milt Sparks are good but I think that Mitch Rosen is the best. Its a shame there expensive. My 1911 IWB with Belt and Double mag pouch ran $385.00. But I wear it all the time train with it etc and it is a dream. and worth every penny.

Good Luck on your quest

I bought a IWB, double mag pouch and belt from Mitch Rosen's Premier line. Plain, not real fancy but my 4" Kimber fits perfect. Plus he's close enough I went and tried some different models which helped a lot. It was about 1/2 the cost of his custom stuff.

 

[Chris]

Milt Sparks are good but I think that Mitch Rosen is the best. Its a shame there expensive. My 1911 IWB with Belt and Double mag pouch ran $385.00. But I wear it all the time train with it etc and it is a dream. and worth every penny.

+1 on the Rosen Quality. My belt, carry holster and ammo carriers are all Rosen and have served me well for years.

By the way, I love the Rosen double mag pouch design. The canted offset gives you a lot of room to grab the mag and it seems to form around the body better.

That said, I have holsters from Kramer gunleather, High Noon, Milt, and others and each has things I like. I still can't stand kydex. Just feels wrong. (^_^)

 

[The Goose]

Are Milt Sparks Holsters that Good?

In my opinion, yes they are!

 

[RKG]

I agree. However, I think the point some people are trying to make is that you can buy a quality custom made holster, that in my opinion rivals the big names, for 1/4 the cost.

Logic says you're right; after all, a holster is just a hunk of leather cut and stitched a certain way, and how hard could it be?

But: I have one Sparks and two Rosens, and they are by far the most comfortable holsters I've ever owned. All are for full-sized autos, and the former is an IWB for a P35 Browning and the only truly comfortable IWB I've ever tried.

 

[Gammon]

I have a couple of Milt Sparks holsters and I love them BUT the new plastic holsters are pretty good. I would stay with leather for an IWB rig but take a close look at the plastic offerings for a belt holster. I have a couple of "Uncle Mike's" holsters (S&W 6906 and Glock 22) that work just fine. The 6906 holster needed a little "tweaking" to get a perfect gun to holster fit, but It only cost me $19.95 to start with.