Caldwell Gunleather is a well kept secret. The proprietor of Caldwell Gunleather, Shannon Caldwell, runs a holster shop on Ebay (yes, Ebay). I do not recall how I came across his leather a few years ago, but I am glad that I did.
I ordered a black leather belt holster for a Glock 17/22. I was a little nervous since I was buying a holster from Ebay and it only cost $40 (they are $45 now). I was prepared to spend a lot more money than that on another holster. I wasn’t sure that you could get a decent holster for $45.
My fears were completely unfounded. The moment I opened the box and held that holster, I knew I was holding an excellent piece of working gunleather. The leather that Shannon uses is extremely thick and durable, at least twice as thick as some of the Galco and Desantis holsters that I have on hand. Shannon uses heavy duty nylon thread that won’t rot and his stitching is even and straight (a hallmark of good leather). The black dye is dark and rich with a nicely polished finish. Shannon also hand burnishes the edges of the leather. Many makers short cut this area by painting the edge. These are very well made holsters.
Holsters aren’t worth a thing if they only look the part. A holster has to function. It must present the gun in a way that allows it to be drawn quickly, carry comfortably, and conceal well. This particular holster does all those things. I like to carry outside the waist band when I can and this is my favorite holster to use for those times. It allows an immediate full hand grip so it is a very fast holster. It draws the gun into the body enough to conceal well while still being comfortable.
Caldwell Gunleather holsters are an excellent value.
Many of you will already be familiar with Barry Dueck. He is a former Marine, a nationally ranked IPSC Multi-Gun shooter, and president of the 
shoulder weld. The technique worked and proved itself in competition. It has even begun to find favor with military, police, and self defense minded shooters who may face an adversary at an unknown distance. It has caught on so well that now there are mounts that allow you to mount a red dot sight for use with the same technique.
