Happ-style guns, any ideas for non-top, non-side holsters? (other than U-bolts)

[MacGyver]

So I'm 70% done making the cabinet, and short of using leaf-spring u-bolts, I can seem to find any Happ (Area 51) style gun holsters.  I can find lots of holsters for them that bolt into the top of the CPO, or shotgun racks, or even smaller ones that look like they fit only the smaller revolver,  but no front mount holsters for Happs.
I need to figure something out soon (within two weeks) that looks nice, and will hold up over time and not let the guns scratch up the vinyl.

I was thinking of cutting holsters in the front (holes), but I'm afraid it will look crappy and breakdown over time. I might consider side holsters, if they looked great.

I'm interested to see what others have been doing.

Any ideas?

[tony.silveira]

if your panel is wider than your machine, maybe make the holes in teh back of the panel.  check out my machine, in my sig, to see my guns exactly like that

[MacGyver]

Sadly no, my panel is inside the cabinet so that won't work.

Here is one I like (sort of,but out of stock anyway):

or the utilitarian method of HotD2:


I think the HotD2 method would scratch up the front of the cab.

This is too much a western style for my tastes:


And the following are all out because they mount on the top:

And this

which I think is used here:

but that won't work (top&front mount).

So I guess I'm looking for something else.  I'm leaning towards this, I just wish I could find a molded and finished version of it.


Any thing I missed?   Any other ideas?  Or a commercial version of the last one?

Thanks again for any help.

[lilshawn]

how about a piece of black ABS plasic tube...maybe 2" in diameter?


I built a 2 player Big Buck Hunter World cabinet out of an old Buck hunter II cabinet (black and orange one). I cut 2 oval shaped holes in the front of the cabinet and placed a 3 or 4 inch cardboard mailing tube down to the bottom of the cabinet at about a 45 degree angle that the guns slide into.

no issues yet with that.

other than that the only thing i can suggest would be to maybe have a small hook or loop that you can place the nose of the gun into and then a dowel to go through the trigger guard loop. the weight of the cable should help keep things oriented properly.

bad MS paint to follow...

[Le Chuck]

^ +1

I did this on a cab.  No pics sorry, it was years ago before I documented anything.  I heated up some black plastic tubing and pressed it between two boards until I had a good oval. (I think I found the tube on a large shop vac)  Then I cut it off on a 45 in the middle and using a skillet on the stove melted a bezel onto the the ends of each cut piece that I then sanded to shape.  Cut ovals in cab (at a downward angle) sanded to fit and inserted the tubes.  Gun storage on either side of the coin door.  Then I added wire keepers and wired the guns through the tube so I didn't have wires hanging off the front. 

Another solution depending on CP depth is to install a keyboard drawer on the front and store the guns in there.  Just use a magnetic press catch so you don't have a knob on your cab.

[mcseforsale]

Bring the gun to a local pawn shop.  They always have TONS of holsters in a bin somewhere.  See if you can find one that you can modify.

AJ

[MacGyver]

I like the tube idea, although I question my lip melting skills, and I'll have to either buy a skillet just for that or be ok with a possible divorce.
I found a few more, added here for completeness to anyone looking for the same thing I am.
Oneshot.


Police Trainer.


Crypt Killer.


CarnEvil.



I think I will go with lilshawn and LeChuck, if the test pieces go the right way, otherwise I'll just build the box with rubber inside.  Thanks everyone.

[lilshawn]

Bring the gun to a local pawn shop.  They always have TONS of holsters in a bin somewhere.  See if you can find one that you can modify.

AJ

paint it black and then Bring the gun to a local pawn shop.


  sorry i just had to

[MacGyver]

I can't tell which one that would fit better in.

Advice Dog

Or Insanity Wolf.

[eds1275]

So I guess I'm looking for something else.  I'm leaning towards this, I just wish I could find a molded and finished version of it.

I need to finish that. Here it is to date:


I plan on finishing it by putting some angle aluminum around the hole, or possibly finding something like this the right size and cutting off all the plastic that goes inside.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=290-670&FTR=flange

[MacGyver]

I think that would look cool, I hope you can find one that isn't so expensive for the purpose you intend it for.

Is there rubber or carpet inside that opening, if not, how has the cabinet finish and the guns plastic fared?

[eds1275]

Inside the hole has been sprayed with the rattle-can spray on truck bed liner. The plastic on the gun is fine, the truck bed liner is rock solid. I have not however done all that much drawing/holstering the gun because it's just a test gun. I don't have the real guns yet and my cabinet isn't even finished... work got slow, and then I got married and renod the bathroom so money's been low. But I imagine that the guns will look fine for years to come after all is said and done.

[FALSE]

And the following are all out because they mount on the top:

Why dont you just mount one of these to the front of your cab but turn them upside down?
Might need some plastic or something to fill in the gaps with, but could be functional and not look terrible.


*disclamer* i have no cab of my own and am drinking currently lol

[MacGyver]

Well, the one on the left I think would be too small upside-down, the right one looks like without the roller at the now bottom, would scratch the crap out of the gun every time the gun is removed and put back.
This is just a guess, I would like to know for sure, but don't want to be the Guinea Pig. If in fact the ones on the left work with my style of guns mounted "upside-down",  I'd place the order today and be done with it. 

Anyone else done the same and have pics?

[PL1]

Have you considered making custom-fit kydex holsters?

Detailed how-to at http://www.defensivecarry.com/forum/defensive-carry-holsters-carry-options/39371-make-your-own-kydex-holster.html

I like how the author uses a sock to protect the gun's finish.  Should work for yours as well, since it only takes a minute for the kydex to cool.  If you don't want to chance damaging your gun, try carving a templare out of a 2x4.

Kits here if you're wondering what hardware and materials are commonly used.
http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=41_54_137

Most of the kits use .060" - .125" thickness sheets.
http://www.amazon.com/Kydex-T-Sheet-Thick-Calcutta-Thickness/dp/B004U6TNTE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343299612&sr=8-1&keywords=kydex

You mentioned earlier that you liked this one.  Easy to do in Kydex.


For this one, just turn the design so the mounting flanges are vertical.  You could also fold the flanges in and overlap them for a double-thickness back


One final thought: Keep the template.  You never know when the boys are going to wrestle near your cab.
Just ask Nep.    


Scott

Edit: Added sheath design inspired by eds1275's hole in cab design.  Not drawn to scale.

The rectangle part is the exterior bezel, with the mounting holes part bent around so you can attach it to the inside top of the hole in the cab -- protects the upper lip and gives a clean bezel.  

The wing shaped part angles need to be adjusted for your preferences, but the mounting hole pieces also attach inside the cab.  The center part is curved to the width of the hole+gun.  The lower flaps on the side fold together and protect the lower lip of the hole in the cab.

[dfmaverick]

I'd expect more from MacGyver.





 

Have you strolled through the hardware store? It's amazing the kinds of things you run across that you can alter to fit your needs.

[BadMouth]

Take:


Mount it halway into the front of the cab:
(I was limited to MS paint at work and couldn't adjust the angle of it   )



Or maybe even keep the original angle and make a bump-out below it...or just cut the bolts off.

[lilshawn]

  maybe?

[MacGyver]

Hardware stores in Germany are weird, and not really geared toward out-of-the-box thinking.  They might have 25 kinds of rope, but be completely out of 8mm T-nuts, and half of the store is plants and petfood.  1 of 4 hardware stores had peg-board, the other 3 looked at me like I was stupid. I said "for hooks to hang tools" they pointed me towards a bunch of 12" interlocking metal squares, each sold separately and the hooks were sold separately in a box of 4 for like 8 Euro,  I was like "not only will that cost 200 euro, it would weight 100 pounds".  Oh and there is always a bakery in the front. 

I'm not a fan of holsters, but I will take another stroll through the bakery, um I mean, hardware store, and see if some sort of molded oval surround pops out at me.

Thanks again guys, I got a lot of good ideas now. 

[Le Chuck]

Hardware stores in Germany are weird, and not really geared toward out-of-the-box thinking.  They might have 25 kinds of rope, but be completely out of 8mm T-nuts, and half of the store is plants and petfood.  1 of 4 hardware stores had peg-board, the other 3 looked at me like I was stupid. I said "for hooks to hang tools" they pointed me towards a bunch of 12" interlocking metal squares, each sold separately and the hooks were sold separately in a box of 4 for like 8 Euro,  I was like "not only will that cost 200 euro, it would weight 100 pounds".  Oh and there is always a bakery in the front. 

I'm not a fan of holsters, but I will take another stroll through the bakery, um I mean, hardware store, and see if some sort of molded oval surround pops out at me.

Thanks again guys, I got a lot of good ideas now. 

Einhaupl?  Those had a pretty good bakery in the front and had usually a good steak-schnittchen stand out front. 

[MacGyver]

So I went with BadMouths idea, and just won the ebay bid, now I'll just have to file the opening until the angle is right. Thanks again guys.

[mcseforsale]

And lobby your government for a new Home Depot for god's sake. 

AJ

So I went with BadMouths idea, and just won the ebay bid, now I'll just have to file the opening until the angle is right. Thanks again guys.

[MacGyver]

Not my government mcseforsale, I'm just visiting.  I'll be back home in the land of Home Depots, Lowes and Ace in about 3 years.