So im on the hunt for an IWB under $60. I would prefer it to be a leather/kydex combo but ill consider anything atleast once. Its for a S&W 457 that I may be acquiring soon. Any ideas?
It's really difficult to beat Milt Sparks or Mitch Rosen as holster makers go. They may be a little more than you want to spend but you will get it right the first time and have a quality holster. I would suggest a phone call to either and ask for suggestions, then they can make what you want for the gun you carry, not just a one size fits all.
Crossbreed if you can spend a little more. They're much longer lasting than a Galco King Tuck or the (now defunct) Kholster. Tucker Gun Leather also makes a very nice leather/kydex hybrid, but they're more expensive than Crossbreed, and they line the kydex with leather which can be a + or - depending on your perspective.
Ima Uncle Mike's man muhself. I mean, they sell um at the Walmart, so ya know they're good. If ya wanna get real spendy, maybe a Fobus.
I too am curious about the Alien Gear stuff. Couple guys I know got them for small 1911s and like them a lot, but they have only had them a couple months.
I wish there was a store that carried a big variety of holsters that you try before you buy.
At $60, you will be hard pressed to find anything of substantial quality. I would look at Galco or Desantis, great production holsters at reasonable prices. Milt Sparks and Mitch Rosen, epitome of quality, at a price and a wait fitting of the quality. For kydex, Dale Fricke is your man!
Don't assume that expensive means good. I Paid $200 for a fitted/lined High Noon holster. Worst holster I ever owned. Threw it in the holster box and replaced it with a Mitch Rosen that is the best I've owned so far. From my experiences with IWB, the N82 holsters offer superior protection and comfort for a modest price and If you don't want the bulk of a leather/kydex then a company called "on your six" offers slim/lightweight kydex holsters that almost make your gun dissappear with comfort in mind.
I like Don Hume holsters for pistols and my friend in MI makes great belts and revolver holsters for me too. If he is unable to make the brand and revoler I want though I use Simply Rugged for a nice, classic, Sourdough Pancake.
Have a Tupperware box full of "perfect" holsters. DeSantis is one I really like, also Tagua makes a decent leather-well fitted holster. Galco, Safariland, Bianchi are honorable mention, they are costly. After it's over being new, they all do the same job. Actually use a couple of DeSantis N87 Nylon with a really strong clip. Have a couple of older Bianchi soft IWB- with a super clip. Check your model, scout a little on Ebay, some are really a deal w/ included shipping. Gun shops will run a 10-15% off sometimes, that's not bad.
Everyone needs a basic-protect it holster, so Uncle Mike's or Blackhawk rules for light service or nightstand duty.
Your firearm deserves a well made holster.
I've been really happy with my Incog from GCode. The price point is only a few bucks more than your number and mine is holding up well. I ended up removing the mag caddy and use the mag holster in my pocket to prevent rounds from stripping off and to keep lent out of my mag.
I have a FIST K10 and a Foxx that I trade off with. The FIST is all ultra thin Kydex and conceals well with its J clips. The Foxx is a bit more bulky but not much. It has the over the belt style clip. I've carried the FIST most often for the last 5 years. If I ever get a different carry gun, I'll order another K10.
I've been rocking a Galco Trident kydex for a couple years now, still looks new and works great. Good retention, nice ride, good belt clip, and not crazy expensive.
I still prefer leather holsters. For standard production holsters Galco, DeSantes, Safariland, and Kramer are what you find around my pistols. For a couple of the odd handguns needing custom work (odd barrel lengths or sight configurations) I have used Milt Sparks and a couple others whose names I have forgotten. I had a complete synthetic duty rig set up from Bianchi. It seemed well made, but I never used it much.
When you think about it, if you are strictly talking leather, whatever brand has the design that you want would be equal to any other brand. You can easily see the quality of the leather, stitching, workmanship and test the fit just by looking at it. If I saw a holster that was well made, of a design I like and fit my handgun well, I woud still buy it even if I never heard of the brand.
I am admittedly no expert on the plastic and cloth holsters that are getting more popular. I have two that came in the box with new handguns that I never took out of the package.