Rancho Roy Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Bought a beautiful rig for my new cowgirl wife off a pard on this here forum. She loves it, but the Shotgun loops are extremely tight. I wrapped a few loaded shotgun shells with a few layers of electrical tape and shoved them in hoping they would stretch he leather. Other than having at it with a sanding drum is there anything else I can do to open up the loops? BTW, these are closed bottom loops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pit Bull Tex Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 (edited) I used some white 1/2" PVC pipe to stretch mine.You can't keep it in all the time like some people put balls in the holsters.I put in in over night then take them out and try the loops.Do it again and try and again if needed.If you keep them in all the time they will make them too lose.Cut them to the lengths you want and sand the end so it puts a crimp like edge,so it want cut the leather. Edited January 1, 2017 by Pit Bull Tex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Leather or canvas? Single or double loops? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Chance Morgun Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Have you used a leather stretcher spray on them with the wrapped shell in them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rancho Roy Posted January 1, 2017 Author Share Posted January 1, 2017 Leather double loops........ Leather stretch spray?....do tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickel City Dude Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 (edited) Leather is pliable when wet. If you soak the loops with water and then insert the shells with the tape on them and let it dry naturally the leather will conform to the new dimensions. Edited January 1, 2017 by Nickel City Dude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Attica Jack #23953 Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 I sprayed my shotgun loops with alcohol, inserted a taped shotgun and let them sit until dry, you could use water also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Payne Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Snap caps with microfiber cloth stretched over them & let sit for about 5 days. Did this twice for my wife's new rig, & it's now perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 I sprayed my shotgun loops with alcohol, inserted a taped shotgun and let them sit until dry, you could use water also. Best solution. Works on too tight boots as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goody, SASS #26190 Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Best solution. Works on too tight boots as well. Very interesting. What brand/model shotgun did you put in your boots? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafe Conager SASS #56958 Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 I used to just drink the alcohol then walk around with the boots on till they stretched! Happy New year Rafe 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Leave shells in the belt all the time. They will stretch out PDQ. OLG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace_of_Hearts Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 The leather will stretch to fit the shell. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/162513/kg-kg-9-ptfe-micro-leather-kote-2-oz This product will make it much easier to to remove the shells from the loops. You can also use it to park a Cadillac in a dog house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 I used a short water soak, then stuck some 10 ga. shells in the loops until things dried out. Pretty loose now, but I can't bend over with shells in them!!!☺ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Junky Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Leather is pliable when wet. If you soak the loops with water and then insert the shells with the tape on them and let it dry naturally the leather will conform to the new dimensions. That's what I did....plus the amount of tape you add to the shell will let you "groom" the fit. Too tight they don't come out....too loose and they fall out when you run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rancho Roy Posted January 2, 2017 Author Share Posted January 2, 2017 Used wet pieces of micro fiber cloth. Jammed the shells in and this morning all was good. Shells slide in and out perfectly. Thanks for the suggestion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Bill Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Shotgun shell wrapped with 3m blue masking tape. 3 or 4 wraps left in a week and good. can increase or decrease wraps as needed. Was stretched I leave in taped shells during storage. Works great for leather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc McCoy, SASS #8381 Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 A leather worker friend told me to use water to shrink the leather or alcohol to stretch it. I've done that with holsters, boots and a few other leather items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rancho Roy Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 I'm not sure if alcohol stretches leather....but my experience shows it does indeed stretch the truth! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder SASS #13056 Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Although alcohol will work, it dries out the leather a great deal and removes important "oils." So most leather workers I know do not recommend it. You do not need to soak the leather in water, just get it wet. The sprays for setching seem to work well too. Just don't over stretch or the shells will fall out. You see that a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN Mongo, SASS #61450 Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 As a leather maker, I would advise against using alcohol (as stated earlier) it can dry out the leather and it can remove some of the leather dye, changing the color. Dampening the leather with cool water water is the best plan of attack. Once the loops are damp, insert shells with a layer of tape or two and let them dry (with the shells in the loops). Once the loops dry, coat the loops with a little neatsfoot oil, because the leather will be a little stiff. If the loops still feel a little tight, put a shell/shells in the loop and work them left and right and front and back. If you get the loops to loose, it's a simple matter to add leather "stops" under the loops to stop the shells from falling through or to position the shells exactly the height you want them. Most good shooters that I have made leather for want the loops to have little or no resistance when they are trying to grab them during a stage. They want them to be in a specific location on the belt and don't want them to fall out. Elastic loops are becoming very popular and I've made a lot of belts with canvas loops. I haven't had many requests for leather loops for a long time. Leather two shell pockets are also big sellers. Another fix for loosing up leather loops is to cut semi-circles/U-shapes on the top front of the loops. A number of very good leather makers sold shotgun belts like this for many years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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