Magazine Carrier

I made a pistol magazine holder that clips to your pocket.  Almost anyone looking at it will think it is a pocketknife.  There is a similar product on the market the has a patented protrusion on the side that "snags" the inside of the pocket to prevent the carrier from coming out with the magazine.  I wanted to make my own and you don't need the "snag" thing, which I will explain later.

All of the materials for this project were purchased from knifekits.com.

0.80" Kydex, $3.99 for a 12"x12" sheet
#8-8 1/4" rivets, $1.60 for 10
#8 .1875 x .250, $3.95 for 10
pocket clip, $4

As for tools, at a minimum, you will need:
boxcutter
heat gun ( a hair dryer might work, but I haven't tried it)
1/4" drill bit (bradpoint is best) and drill
#8 rivet setting tool, $11.99 at knifekits.com
hacksaw if you don't have a Dremel or bandsaw
sandpaper
gloves

Some other tools that might make it easier:
Dremel tool with cutting wheel and sanding drum
bandsaw
belt sander

Before you get started, watch some Youtube videos on the basics of working with Kydex.  You don't need an oven or toaster oven for this project.  It is not as complicated as making a gun holster.  You will need to cut a piece of Kydex about 3" longer than your magazine and about 3" wider.  The part that the clip attaches to is 1" square, so cut that out centered on one end.  Put a snap cap into your mag.  I wouldn't recommend heat forming plastic around live ammo.  I didn't have a snap cap, so I pulled a bullet from a live round and stuffed it into an expended piece of brass.  Position the magazine just where you want it below the 1" square part and use a heat gun to heat up and bend the the Kydex around the lower end.  Trim the lower end to the width of the mag.  Then use the heat gun to form the sides.  I made a cut out for my thumb to make it easier to grab the mag.  A Dremel with a sanding drum works well for this.  Drill a 1/4" hole in the 1" square part, centered.  If you don't have a brad point bit, use a center punch to mark the hole location before you drill.  Take a 1" square scrap of Kydex, bevel one edge, and drill a hole in the center.  Rivet it in place so the 1" square part of the mag holder is a double thickness of Kydex.  This is important, so that the Chicago screw will fit tightly.  Now fasten the pocket clip to the rivet with a Chicago screw.  Sand up the rough edges.

When you go to pull out the magazine from your pocket, your thumb goes onto the cutout in the carrier.  Your index finger goes into the groove on the lower end of the clip.  So your index finger keeps the carrier from sliding out of your pocket while your thumb pulls out the mag.

The materials and rivet setter will cost you $25.  You could buy a SnagMag for $35.  For $10 extra you could save yourself the hassle of making it.  If you enjoy making things, then make your own, save $10, and learn some new skills.  If you want to make a bunch of these as gifts, it would work out to about $6 each.  Chances are, you will find other applications for the leftover scraps of Kydex.  The band keeper on my Timex Ironman watch broke, so I made a replacement out of Kydex.  My belt sander requires an Allen wrench for adjustments.  I made a little holder for the wrench out of Kydex and pop riveted it to the side of the belt sander.  The applications are endless.  Working with Kydex can be addictive.

Wach band keeper.

Allen wrench holder on belt sander.

Front view of magazine carrier.

Back view with Kahr CM9 7 round magazine.  Note thumb cutout.

Side view.  It is hard to see here, but the there is a double thickness of Kydex where the screw goes through.  The lower edge of the inside piece is beveled to help the mag slide out.  

In the pocket.  Looks like a knife.  Maybe I will round the corners a bit more on the belt sander later.