UPDATE: it seems that the injection-molded hard nylon holsters cannot be reshaped.

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I have a Phalanx Defense Systems compact OWB holster that I’d like to use with an HK P30.

The P30 just doesn’t quite fit. A Glock 19, on the other hand, fits perfectly. Phalanx makes “generic” holsters but it looks like they use a Glock to mold.

Anyway, is there a way to heat this thing up and sort of remold it? I don’t need it to be a perfect mold of the P30, but just closer than it is now.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: striker1,

I have done some very minor reshaping of holsters, but not to that degree. I suggest you determine what part(s) of the holster are too tight, heat them with a heat gun until just barely soft and, before the holster has a chance to cool off and harden again, quickly push the gun (unloaded, obviously) into the holster and let it cool. Do it carefully and a little at a time. Be advised that the same heat used to soften the holster will also be conducted to your gun's frame. The plastic used in holsters melts at a much lower temperature than the kind used in gun frames, so I think you'd be safe. Even better would be to use a dummy gun used by holster makers as your mold. However, this would probably rival or exceed the cost of another holster.

I tried a hair dryer (can’t locate my heat gun). It’s not getting the material (Phalanx calls it a polymer) soft.

Kydex = thermoplastic acrylic-poluvinyl chloride

This thing is apparently injection-molded nylon.

A hair dryer wouldn't be nearly hot enough. My personal heat gun (normally used for heat-shrink tubing and electrical connectors) has two settings, ~500° and ~900°. I used the lower setting, held about an inch from the holster, and it took just a few seconds to soften it, IIRC. (It has been nearly a year since I did it.)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: egregore,

I use a Wagner heat gun on the high setting. You just have to be careful of the temperature of the kydex.

I've remolded kydex holsters by placing the holster in almost boiling water. The entire holster is pliable.

Kydex is different from injected molded plastic. The former can be reshaped. The latter not so much.