I picked up a Blade-tech paddle holster for my 1911, to be used in an upcoming training class. The fit is extremely tight. Even with the adjustment screws loosened to the max, the holster is tight enough to move the slide if the thumb safety is not engaged.

 

I can tell where on the chassis the pistol is catching by the bits of scraped plastic. Anyone have a similar experience with a polymer holster? I'm trying hard to stay away from the Dremel, but that might be the way to go.

Bladetech's holsters are generally viewed as some of the best (and I can tell you lots of competition shooters use them, I think I have 4). Conduct the following test: Remove the adjustment screws, holster the gun. Does it still bind? If no, then add the screws back (with some blue loctite) and tighten until the gun binds again. Back off a bit. That should do it. If that fails, you may have to take some heat to it, though I never had to do this with a Bladetech. Take a heat gun on the lowest setting, soften up the holster JUST a bit (don't melt it), holster the gun, and let the kydex cool around it, it will slightly reshape.

 

However before you do any of that, make sure you holster and unholster the gun perfectly straight, part of how the retainment system works is adding extra pressure and friction when the gun is moved at an angle.

One thing I would not do is use heat on a blade-tech holster. If Vlad's other suggestions do not work out, I would ship it back to them for a replacement.

Remove the adjustment screws, holster the gun. Does it still bind? If no, then add the screws back (with some blue loctite) and tighten until the gun binds again. Back off a bit. That should do it.

 

Tried this. With the adjustment screws removed, the holster does not bind. However, once they're put back on (even with EXTREMELY MINIMAL tightening) the gun binds. If the screws/rubber spacers were slightly larger, it wouldn't be a problem.

Slav makes a good point. Call Blade-tech and ask them. I have modified holsters with heat in the past with fine luck, but you do take the chance of destroying it.

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm gonna call Blade-tech tomorrow (class is on Saturday so hopefully they can give me a do-it-myself solution).

 

Regarding the heat gun, I'm not certain that would work with this holster. As far as I can tell, it's made from a harder polymer than Kydex (it's much more rigid, doesn't feel as "soft" as my other Kydex gear).

Its just thicker molded kydex instead of stamped kydex.

How about a tiny washer under the rubber bushing?

How about longer screws?