[autospike]

Alright, got my holster in. I had requested a different model from Earl. I wanted one with loops. But, Earl told me he would check all of his IWB's and find the one that fit.

Apparently, the 308 is the only one that fit right.

Earl had told me that the 308 was built specifically for a Compact P99. As far as I know, all the compacts were done in 2004, so they have the slightly modified trigger guard and the guns are 3mm wider than the other ones.

So far, this is the ONLY holster I have found made specifically for this gun. What follows is my own little unsolicited mini review.

 

[autospike]

The holster is black leather and stamped with the Walther Logo. It is also stamped P99.
The leather feels fairly rigid to me. That should work in some.
The finish is very slick and the holster is unlined.
A very nice site channel is sewn into the holster.
The holster lacks any "forming" on the inside. In other words, details such as the slide serrations, ejection port, etc. are not molded into the inside.
I think the thickness of the leather is OK.

The stitching is all black and it seems to be very well done on the outside.
However, on the inside, where the clip is attached, the stitching is fairly rough and is very worn from drawing and holstering the pistol.

The holster features a big honkin' chromed clip.
It seems to have plenty of tension.
The clip has 1 3/4" of clearance.
It is sewn on straight up and down - there is no cant.

There is no support to keep the mouth open during reholstering.

The side of the holster that rides toward the wearer is higher than the opposite side. That provides the wearer some padding and protection against the rear of the slide, but about 3/4" of the slide extends above that.

The holster is about 3/4" longer than the barrel of the pistol.

The trigger guard and mag release are fully covered.

The holster is cut in such a way as to allow a good "combat grip" on the pistol.

 

[autospike]

So, is it any good?
First, I have to admit, I'm biased against clip on holsters.
The biggest problem for me is that the holster will move back and forth, changing the cant of the gun.
I worry spring clips will become sprung, rendering it even less stable on my belt.
The clip on this one barely fits my 1 1/4" custom belt. That's just because of the belt's thickness.

I prefer holsters that have a rougher exterior. That just seems to keep everything in place better. This one is so slick, that clothes do tend to slip around.

I would have preferred that the holster be more fitted to the gun. I think fitting around the slide serrations, ejection port, rails would have made the gun fit better in the holster. I know some of that will come with time.

The fitting around the trigger guard might be a little too loose as well. The gun certainly does not snap into place like my P7 snaps into my Milt Sparks VM2. Overall, it feels secure, just not as secure as it could be. It's just a friction fit.

The holster is fairly comfortable to wear. Though I have only worn it for one full day. I wish the holster was built higher on the inside edge, to provide more of a sweat guard (and cushion).

The whole package rides fairly close to you, so printing is minimized.

Drawing is smooth and snag free. But, my old bias makes me worry that when I need it most, my draw will result in me pulling the gun and holster out of my waistband all at once. If only it had loops.

Reholstering is a pain. I've had to nearly remove the holster to do it.

Craftsmanship is pretty good, but for some reason, it reminds me of older police and military style holsters I have handled through the years.

I will say that I like this holster *almost* as much as any other clip on I have tried. It really is pretty comfortable. Shifting (rocking) was present so the grip angle was changing, but it was minimal compared to other clip-ons (think Uncle Mike).

To put my comments into perspective, keep in mind a few things:
I don't normally do reviews.
I'm biased.
I don't like clips.
I am comparing this holster to my favorites. That means customs from Milt Sparks, Wild Bill, and KC Custom Gunleather.

I think they could have done a lot better. For example, my all time favorite clip on holster is one I purchased for a sig P230 several years ago. It is very slim, has the roughside out, and has a non-collapse top.
I think I paid $35 for it.

Would I buy it again?
Yes. Especially since there is nothing else out there. Bottom line is, for me, "It will do for now".

I think it's a bit overpriced for what you get.
But, as far as I can tell, it's the only game in town.

 

[P88]

Thanks for the review.

It's hard to beat a Milt Sparks holster. I have many of them. All the guys at Milt Sparks are top notch and dedicated to making the best holsters out there. They're all really good shooters too.

 

[Nocturnal]

Thanks for the review!

 

[Yelf]

What a disapointment! IMO that holster was not made specifically for the P99C, otherwise it wouldn't be too long.
I really should of waited for you to get yours, now I have one on the way!

 

[Airfix]

At first glance, it seems the holster is made by (PWL) Price Western Leather Company Ltd (England). In general, PWL uses fine leather and quite durable.