How Matt Lee Built the Strongest Holster Hangers in the Game | Inside the Pew

(0:05) Hey, Dave here from Pewcentric, the marketplace where firearms enthusiasts just like you discover you need gear, services and training. (0:13) Inside the Pews are ongoing series of interviews with Pewcentric sellers and today we're joined by Matt Lee of Lee Holster Hangers. Welcome.(0:22) Hey, thanks for having me. (0:24) Well as always we like to start at the origin story of how did you get into firearms and what led you to create your business. (0:32) Got into firearms 30 years ago, started hunting.

Basically for a long time I was a hunter only had rifles, long guns that type of stuff. (0:43) Around about late 30s bought my first pistol and then found USPSA at my local club and that was about 2013 I guess and been hooked ever since. (0:53) Been shooting monthly matches a couple of different places, been traveled all over the place as far as Area 3, Nebraska, up into Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, all around the Illinois area.

(1:06) About 2019 I think I took over the Illinois section for running stats and electronics down there, registration so I've been giving back that way. (1:16) Last few years I've sponsored, been the state sponsor with my Lee Holster Hangar business. (1:20) Well let's talk about hangers and so you know for our viewers who don't know that's what is that and why did you decide to focus on making of all the things you could make why that and what did you see as the need.

(1:36) You know that was there. (1:38) Well, let's see so that goes back to probably around 2015 after I was in the sport for about a year. (1:44) I kind of looked around I was where I was just running a blade tech right on the belt type of thing.

(1:50) Holster don't even remember what division I would have been shooting at that time I've shot just about everything. (1:54) Every division in the sport at one time or another but I kind of started looking around and I've been a machinist for 30 plus years. (2:03) So I do everything I buy I look at I go what would I do to improve this what would I do to make this better what would I do to modify it.

(2:11) So I looked around and what was available on the market and I was looking at the prices of several like there's not that much money worth of metal in that. (2:19) I could I could do something else with that. (2:22) And so kind of settled on my very first design I guess and I've there's been three or four different evolutions of that ever since about 2015.

(2:31) Probably made my first one started wearing it to a match couple of my friends at the matches like hey can you make me one can you make me one. (2:40) And just kind of got started started that way and you know that goes in this sport for a long time all I did was the raw raw aluminum keeping the price down from people. (2:52) And then I started you know obviously like everybody in the sport everybody wants something customized they want something with some color to it you know.

(3:00) So I had to find an anodizer I don't do anodizing myself had to find an anodizer started doing just OK I'll do black. (3:07) Well then who wants blue who wants red who wants orange green. (3:11) So on then down the rabbit hole of six seven different colors and you know trying to keep batch one the on hand and ready to go.

(3:20) So the hanger again just for those who aren't aware that's what connects your belt to your holster right. (3:25) So there's a whole series of things that go between the belts and the holster. (3:31) What's special about yours.

(3:32) There's so many different kinds of hangers out there. (3:36) You know there are a bunch with that kind of started with mine. (3:39) There's probably two maybe three on the market.

(3:41) They were kind of a new thing because USPSA didn't use to allow you to drop an offset all like we do. (3:47) You know especially like single stack division and stuff. (3:49) So really there was a couple to look at.

(3:51) I was like the price on these things. (3:53) There's like four dollars worth of metal in these things you know. (3:56) And I'm like I'm a machinist.

(3:58) So well let me you know down that road was what makes. (4:03) I always say there's five there's five points that makes mine better than some of the competitors. (4:08) OK I make it out of thicker aluminum is stronger.

(4:11) You're not going to bend it. (4:12) You follow one of my hangers. (4:15) You're probably not going to break it.

(4:17) You might break the hip but you're not going to. (4:18) You're not likely to bend my hanger and have it break. (4:20) We hope their hangers are guaranteed to harm you if you fall and they won't be harmed themselves.

(4:26) That ad writes itself. (4:27) I get it. (4:28) I've seen a few bent ones.

(4:30) I've seen a few. (4:32) There's a line. (4:33) I don't want to disparage anybody.

(4:34) There's a line of holsters that come with a very thin flimsy hanger system. (4:41) And so as few guys from around the country get a hold of me like hey can you come up with something better for this? (4:46) And I'm like yeah I can come up with something better. (4:48) It's a specific model that I sell.

(4:51) I said I don't want to disparage the company because they make great stuff. (4:54) But I made an improvement to what they offer. (4:56) Put it in the product line and now I offer a replacement for what they've got.

(5:02) It's stronger. (5:03) So I'm better aluminum or thicker aluminum. (5:07) I belt cut both sides of my hangers unlike some other that don't.

(5:12) So my hangers will they hang straight and true off your belt. (5:16) So they're sandwiched from both sides. (5:17) I use better hardware.

(5:19) Allenhead hardware. (5:20) The cell counter sunk 82 degree. (5:23) So when you torque my stuff down it ain't coming loose.

(5:27) You're not going to have to keep on going back and checking your gear all the time. (5:31) So you know better aluminum better better metal. (5:34) The the fastest are better.

(5:36) I you know I finish them and I sell them cheaper. (5:40) So it was really kind of the 3 4 5 points that I've got going. (5:43) Don't forget all the colors.

(5:44) Yeah, right. (5:47) Well, everybody's doing colors now. (5:49) You can't ask me as you.

(5:51) Well, I don't think so. (5:53) Maybe not. (5:54) But I like to offer variety.

(5:57) But it also does create headache on the back end of trying to keep up with how many different. (6:01) Well, I guess in the retail world is called skews. (6:04) But you know me is just piles of product on the shelf.

(6:08) Why did you branch into adjacent items like you figure it out hangers? (6:13) Yeah. (6:14) But then it's like well what holds the hanger? (6:17) You know to the both of what holds the gun to the hanger? (6:20) It's like why did you like where's this end to Lee? (6:23) Not you know why? (6:25) Yeah, well, I mean with my my like my y play I put both the safari land and the (6:31) play tech pattern on this on the y play and the extended play tech pattern on the y play. (6:36) So you don't have to buy something separate from me.

(6:38) You don't have to decide to change from a play tech holster over to a safari land. (6:42) You pick one up from somebody or you know you order one you want to try out. (6:46) You don't have to go back in order another $20 y play and have it wait for me to ship it to you.

(6:51) It's all I give it to y'all on one. (6:53) The roto ball rotation rotational ball mount about two years ago. (6:58) I had a guy kind of asked me hey can you come up with something and give it a little more rather than just straight up and down.

(7:03) And then the canting slot, which you know the canting slot on mine. (7:07) I use one canting slot so you're you got all the six positions on this one and you can can't it. (7:13) So I came up with the rotational ball.

(7:15) I put them out. (7:16) It was probably three four months worth of testing. (7:18) I had a couple of guys I know from around the country sent them out to.

(7:22) They put them through their paces started giving me some feedback on what they like what they don't like. (7:27) Went through a couple of different modifications there and then comes down to. (7:32) So that that's really the holes.

(7:35) I mean what you can put on the holster. (7:37) And then obviously no ball mounts are difficult because you can get one and then they move around. (7:43) Right.

(7:44) They don't stay in place. (7:45) I mean that's really why how many frustrations I've had with like I want to see a ball mounts. (7:52) But everyone like raves about yours.

(7:54) When you lock it down with my quarter 20 hour in hardware and you sees up on that thing. (8:00) It's going to take a sledgehammer to get that thing to move. (8:03) So like I got one right.

(8:05) They got the ball mount right here just manufacturing a new batch of change the radius in here. (8:09) So it's rather than a 90 degree cut. (8:12) We got a radius radius in here.

(8:14) That sucker a lot. (8:15) It's all one piece. (8:16) There's nothing separate on this.

(8:17) It's all one piece. (8:19) There's no screw in from the back or something that's holding that ball onto that mount. (8:23) This mounts right to your white plate.

(8:24) I purposely made the whole pattern so it goes on any white plate I've ever made. (8:29) So you bound that to the white plate. (8:31) Then it sandwiches I undercut inside of that rotational ball of the mounting card.

(8:37) I undercut so it actually rather than just the ball being right on two radiuses. (8:43) It's actually undercut in there and it sandwiches over the radius of the ball. (8:48) And when you in rather than some 832nd you know hardware to lock it down.

(8:55) I give you quarter 20. (8:56) And you pull on quarter 20. (8:59) You get that sucker locked in any movement.

(9:01) You know you'll break one of these. (9:04) I had a guy get a match. (9:06) He landed on his hip with one of these.

(9:08) It did shear off because it is aluminum. (9:11) It's aluminum poster but it did shear. (9:13) But he got into that to me.

(9:14) I was like I got your replacement in the mail tomorrow. (9:17) Don't worry about it. (9:18) You know glad to know that you know it survived.

(9:21) You know I broke broke that off. (9:23) But you know the holster didn't the gun didn't come out. (9:26) You know and he survived and he had a bruised hip.

(9:29) But you know that type of thing. (9:30) But yeah so those are those are what to harm you. (9:34) Yeah well yeah you know how it is.

(9:36) You go down into the sport you got aluminum mount on your hip. (9:39) Yeah if you land on that hip. (9:40) Yeah it's you know they're solid.

(9:42) So then then people wanted dye pads. (9:45) So I started in started with a plastic dye pad. (9:49) Now I'm 3D printing them.

(9:51) And usually PETG or PLA. (9:54) And I've even put out on even like my Facebook page yet. (9:59) About the new design here.

(10:02) The two holes here I've added to the bottom. (10:05) That's not on the older mounts. (10:06) That gives you a one inch wide.

(10:08) And you screw that thigh pad right onto there. (10:12) No more going through the middle. (10:14) It hangs right here.

(10:15) This is 3 eighth inch thick. (10:17) Yeah so 3 eighth inch thick thigh pad. (10:20) And once again quarter 20 screws.

(10:23) 82 degree countersunk. (10:25) You put that on there. (10:26) You lock that up.

(10:27) I mean you don't want to put a ton of pressure on it (10:29) because it is still 3D printed product. (10:31) But they mount up and they hold. (10:35) The other thing I offer is magnet mounts.

(10:38) That's the kind of a side thing. (10:41) So I do a single or a double. (10:43) They're there on the site.

(10:45) Pucentric. (10:46) Single or double. (10:48) Once again those are aluminum mount.

(10:50) Double cut for your belt. (10:52) So they sandwich your belt rather than just press against your belt. (10:56) Good hardware holding the magnets.

(10:58) They're 95 pound. (11:01) Cool magnets. (11:03) I run a single.

(11:05) I run a 29 round open stick. (11:08) And I put that on there for table starts. (11:11) Make readies.

(11:11) If I got to run a stage where I'm slapping off a table on that magnet (11:17) I know it's going to hold until I get to where I need to get my reloading at. (11:22) But then let's go. (11:24) Finding the butter zone on those magnet mounts is so critical (11:28) because I've seen somewhere like let go of my magazine (11:32) or I looked at it funny and it fell off.

(11:35) Somewhere in the middle is the right amount of strength (11:40) that you're looking for. (11:42) So guys they like to double because it keeps the rotation. (11:45) When you hit the mag onto both of them (11:48) you're not going to have it rotate on you.

(11:50) On a single you go running across the stage (11:53) you might get some rotation out of it (11:54) where the mag wants to, if you're not centered on it. (11:56) I run mine right up front, right next to my holster. (11:59) So it really is just a make ready mag (12:01) or a table start mag.

(12:03) I'm not trying to run it as a true mag pouch. (12:07) So basically you're taking decades of experience (12:10) in the machining industry and brought it to your passion. (12:13) And in making a better quality product (12:16) with more functionality at a lower cost basically.

(12:20) Since we're talking with you in your machine shop (12:23) where all the magic happens (12:24) can you show us a little bit of how (12:26) we holster hangers are actually made? (12:29) Sure, sure. (12:30) In the shop like I said (12:32) multiple different CNC machines (12:34) like here's the inside of the house. (12:37) Right now just two vices going on (12:39) working on some three hole hangers in there.

(12:43) Just held in a symbol set up. (12:47) Everything's programmed in. (12:49) Got the, you know on the control panel (12:50) running next gen.

(12:52) Everything, it's back there somewhere. (12:54) Back there somewhere there's a running shop probing system. (12:57) Everything's probed to the thousandth of an inch (12:59) and it runs on G-code.

(13:02) These three hole takes about two minutes 34 seconds (13:06) to make a three hole mount. (13:08) You know, one part of it. (13:10) There's three parts to all my hangers.

(13:12) So the main mounting plate over here (13:15) spin around. (13:16) We got a proto track lathe (13:20) running for lathe work there. (13:23) And then a couple of manuals (13:27) over here.

(13:28) But also still CNC capable (13:31) because they are proto tracks. (13:34) So we do the radius work here (13:36) so that when we throw them in the (13:38) high CNC machines (13:40) they've all got the quarter inch radiuses on them. (13:43) So that everything locates up the same (13:45) every single time.

(13:46) So we get the same set ups. (13:50) Still set up in here (13:52) ran a shop probing 10 tool carousel (13:54) but making some of the (13:56) the ball mounts there (13:58) for the rotational ball mount (13:59) big in the ball. (14:00) So same thing there.

(14:02) They started out over on the proto tracks (14:04) cut the radius into them. (14:06) Those start out right here (14:09) is raw stock. (14:11) Just cut on a saw.

(14:12) Put one little radius on there (14:14) then into the CNC machine (14:15) for precise location. (14:17) It goes and takes a few minutes (14:21) and makes one of those. (14:24) After that it's off to finishing.

(14:25) So do we do (14:28) on all my stuff sand (14:30) sorry sand it (14:31) tumble it (14:32) just added this (14:35) this to the shop here (14:38) I'll see it down here (14:39) got a tumbley (14:42) tumbley machine (14:42) obviously you see that (14:44) you get ready to run (14:46) you get ready to run a batch (14:47) of hangers here (14:49) different stuff all in there (14:51) going to run it for about 5-6 hours (14:53) oops I don't think you can see that (14:55) what am I seeing (14:56) out there it is (14:57) we're going to run a batch (14:59) of hangers down there (15:00) and in some plastic media (15:02) so get everything (15:04) get everything to be bird (15:05) shined up ready to go. (15:08) One thing that's really interesting (15:09) about pure centric sellers (15:12) is that it's not just the level (15:14) of skill that they have in their craft (15:16) but their attention and focus on customer service (15:20) I've said this before (15:22) it's easy to find (15:23) or maybe not easy to find folks (15:25) but there are plenty of folks (15:27) that are good at making something (15:29) but they can do it repeatedly (15:32) at scale (15:33) dealing with customers (15:35) when they run into inevitable issues (15:37) and I think the measure of a seller (15:39) is not just what they do (15:41) when everything goes right (15:42) but when something inevitably goes wrong (15:44) even if it's not their fault (15:46) you've been doing this for a while (15:48) so I wanted to get your perspective on that in your experience (15:51) my experience is like I said earlier (15:53) I won't sell you anything I don't have on hand (15:58) everything I got listed (15:59) it's ready to go right now (16:01) so I get stuff in the mail (16:04) day or two no problem (16:06) or not normally two but normally the next (16:08) either the day you ordered (16:09) or the next day (16:10) it's going to be in the mail (16:11) unless I'm out of the match (16:13) you don't travel under something (16:14) because when something happens (16:17) you need something added on (16:18) you need something else (16:19) you break something (16:20) you lose a pack of screws or something (16:24) reach out to me (16:25) I put my email (16:27) facebook page (16:29) in every package I send (16:31) so you reach out to me personally (16:33) through facebook messenger (16:34) wherever you know get ahold of me (16:36) I'll get you what you need (16:38) get you back up and running (16:39) it's not a problem (16:42) well it's been a pleasure talking with you Matt (16:45) Matt is the owner (16:47) of Lee Holster Hangers (16:48) you can find his store on Pucentric (16:51) at pucentric.com (16:53) slash Lee Holster Hangers (16:55) the links are available in the description below (16:58) and as always (16:59) please like, subscribe (17:01) and share to help grow the community (17:02) and we'll catch you next time