BigDonny521
04-20-2009, 11:12 PM
I’m new to the HK forum, and thought I would at least make my first post be something useful. I recently purchased the HK45 pistol, my first HK pistol, and am thoroughly impressed and also now one of the afflicted... LOL It is a wonderful pistol, accurate as all get-out, and probably the best out of the box pistol I have ever owned.
I primarily purchased the HK45 to replace my current duty pistol, a Sig .40 cal. Like many other HK45 owners on here, I found there to be a serious lack of on-duty holsters. I’ve been a Safariland user for years in both the LE and military market, with multiple holster styles carried, without a single failure. I corresponded with Safariland, repeatedly, about getting a 6280 series holster for the HK45 with a TLR-2 and the standard response I always received was that there was one for the SureFire X300, and no plans whatsoever to develop one for with the TLR-2; even though the TLR-2 is THE industry standard when it comes to laser/led light combos.
So, after a few months of no progress, and seeing the sheer amount of frustration by other members after dealing with, or more like being ignored by Safariland, I grabbed my HK45, strapped on my TLR-2, and drove about 1 & ½ hrs to the biggest uniform retailer in my area of SoCal, a Gall’s store. I tried the Glock .45 holsters like a few members mentioned, but no dice short of cutting the holster apart and compromising it’s safety.
After about 2 hrs of grabbing other TLR-2/M6 compatible holsters from the "Wall of Holsters" and playing “plug & play,” I found one that fit so close I thought it was too good to be true. The holster was for the Springfield XD.45, with the 5” barrel, M-6/TLR-2 (model 6280-14921). It slid it in until about the last ½ inch, then stopped cold. Without the TLR on, the pistol fit PERFECTLY, with the rear sights fitting just below the upper ridge of the sight channel like it was built for it.
I looked at the holster to see where it was binding; the TLR-2 was hitting on the bottom portion of the laser’s forward shroud. The XD’s trigger well is not as extended as the HK’s, so the only problem with the holster was that the channel was rounded up higher on the bottom and does not extend all the way down to the base of the cap. I figured if the Thermold plastic was originally heated to be formed, heat could be used again to change its shape. Safariland holsters are made from a sandwich of sueded leather on the gun-side, Thermold plastic in the middle, and then an exterior leather in whatever finish you like. I spent the cash on the holster, with my plan already in mind…
I unscrewed the tension screw on the bottom of the holster and popped out the plastic cap with a screwdriver. I used a paint-removing heat gun, set it to about 900 degrees, and heated up the plastic very slowly. Once the plastic was moldable, I used the back of an adjustable wrench to stretch and round-out a longer channel in the groove, and popped the cap back in. It worked so well, it didn’t wrinkle the leather or melt the plastic. I also used the heat gun to heat the upper holster flap on the left side of the holster near the rotating hood mech, to give a little extra leeway for the safety selector on my V1. After those quick mods, I holstered the HK45 in it and stuck it in the freezer for about 10 minutes to lock in the adjustments.
My modified holster fits better than the Safariland holster I have that was made specifically for my Sig & TLR-2. I took it to my Dept Armorer to have him inspect it; he didn’t believe the holster was for the XD until he looked at the stamp in the leather. After a quick duty qual, he Ok’d it for patrol.
I hope this helps out some of you guys out that are looking for a good holster for the HK45 & TLR-2. I get the ebbie-jibbies thinking about cut straps and glued holsters out on-duty!!! LOL Happy tinkering, and thanks again for allowing me onto the forum!
I primarily purchased the HK45 to replace my current duty pistol, a Sig .40 cal. Like many other HK45 owners on here, I found there to be a serious lack of on-duty holsters. I’ve been a Safariland user for years in both the LE and military market, with multiple holster styles carried, without a single failure. I corresponded with Safariland, repeatedly, about getting a 6280 series holster for the HK45 with a TLR-2 and the standard response I always received was that there was one for the SureFire X300, and no plans whatsoever to develop one for with the TLR-2; even though the TLR-2 is THE industry standard when it comes to laser/led light combos.
So, after a few months of no progress, and seeing the sheer amount of frustration by other members after dealing with, or more like being ignored by Safariland, I grabbed my HK45, strapped on my TLR-2, and drove about 1 & ½ hrs to the biggest uniform retailer in my area of SoCal, a Gall’s store. I tried the Glock .45 holsters like a few members mentioned, but no dice short of cutting the holster apart and compromising it’s safety.
After about 2 hrs of grabbing other TLR-2/M6 compatible holsters from the "Wall of Holsters" and playing “plug & play,” I found one that fit so close I thought it was too good to be true. The holster was for the Springfield XD.45, with the 5” barrel, M-6/TLR-2 (model 6280-14921). It slid it in until about the last ½ inch, then stopped cold. Without the TLR on, the pistol fit PERFECTLY, with the rear sights fitting just below the upper ridge of the sight channel like it was built for it.
I looked at the holster to see where it was binding; the TLR-2 was hitting on the bottom portion of the laser’s forward shroud. The XD’s trigger well is not as extended as the HK’s, so the only problem with the holster was that the channel was rounded up higher on the bottom and does not extend all the way down to the base of the cap. I figured if the Thermold plastic was originally heated to be formed, heat could be used again to change its shape. Safariland holsters are made from a sandwich of sueded leather on the gun-side, Thermold plastic in the middle, and then an exterior leather in whatever finish you like. I spent the cash on the holster, with my plan already in mind…
I unscrewed the tension screw on the bottom of the holster and popped out the plastic cap with a screwdriver. I used a paint-removing heat gun, set it to about 900 degrees, and heated up the plastic very slowly. Once the plastic was moldable, I used the back of an adjustable wrench to stretch and round-out a longer channel in the groove, and popped the cap back in. It worked so well, it didn’t wrinkle the leather or melt the plastic. I also used the heat gun to heat the upper holster flap on the left side of the holster near the rotating hood mech, to give a little extra leeway for the safety selector on my V1. After those quick mods, I holstered the HK45 in it and stuck it in the freezer for about 10 minutes to lock in the adjustments.
My modified holster fits better than the Safariland holster I have that was made specifically for my Sig & TLR-2. I took it to my Dept Armorer to have him inspect it; he didn’t believe the holster was for the XD until he looked at the stamp in the leather. After a quick duty qual, he Ok’d it for patrol.
I hope this helps out some of you guys out that are looking for a good holster for the HK45 & TLR-2. I get the ebbie-jibbies thinking about cut straps and glued holsters out on-duty!!! LOL Happy tinkering, and thanks again for allowing me onto the forum!