Help for a confused purchaser

[Emmett]

I would suggest you look at the Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm compact. I carry that with an IWB and it conseals very well, and it shoots good, I have put qute a few rounds down range with out any problems. No FTF or FTE, an excellent carry weapon in my opinion.

Good Luck,
Emmett

[The Annoyed Man]

Alternatively, you could get overweight like I am, and then hide all manner of objects about your person....

Just kidding, don't do it.

Seriously though, I have found that holster choice makes all the difference with IWB carry, and I've wound up purchasing several until I found the two that work the best for me right now. And since I am left handed, I actually have fewer choices than most people, but I still was able to eventually find the right holsters. Because of my (very attractive) "love handles," OWB carry makes both my pistols stick out too far from my side to easily conceal. Thus, some manner of IWB or pocket carry are my main realistic choices.

My first holster purchase was was an OWB paddle from Fobus for my USP Compact. That didn't work, but fortunately, it was only about $25.00. If anybody wants a left handed Fobus OWB paddle for cheap that fits a USP Compact .40, let me know. My second purchase was a Galco Summer Comfort IWB holster for the same pistol. My third purchase was a custom made kydex IWB for my Commander sized Sig 1911. I no longer own that pistol, but I kept the holster, which did work well, for the day that I buy another Commander sized 1911. My fourth purchase was a D.M. Bullard IWB holster for my 3" Kimber. It is a beautiful piece of work. Really a nice holster. Unfortunately, after a few weeks of using it, it positions the pistol up too high for my dreaded "love handles," and the holster moves around too much. I've lost 39 pounds this year already with Weight Watchers, so I'm keeping that holster against the day that I will be able to wear it closer in to my body. My last purchase was a Galco Royal Guard IWB for the Kimber. It is perfect.

The thing that both the Galcos and the custom kydex holsters all have in common is that they position the pistol lower down inside the belt so that they are firmly retained and do not stick out. Although I don't wear extremely tight fitting clothing, neither do I wear extremely baggy clothing, and even "business casual" attire conceals both pistols effectively with shirt untucked. In fact, the USP Compact, which is the larger of the two pistols, actually conceals more effectively than does the Kimber, because the USP, with its longer frame and barrel, carries its weight (and center of gravity) a little lower down behind the belt line than the Kimber.

FWIW, nothing screams "Man with a gun!" like a fanny pack. I would avoid that one like the plague. It just makes you into a target. If you're going to carry a small, light, smaller caliber pistol, try something like this holster if you are really concerned about attire.

Finally, one thing you haven't mentioned in all of this, and which you ought to consider, is how you are going to carry either a backup magazine, or speed loader if you're going to carry a revolver. Granted, if things go sour enough that you have to deploy your weapon and fire it, statistics say that you'll probably not have to fire more than 2-3 shots. But if it goes downhill from there, you're really going to wish that you had planned for that extra ammo.

[Dan20703]

The truth is, you're not going to find any comfortable method of concealed carry given your current clothing style. "Tight" and "concealed" just don't go together without a cover garment of some kind.

I accepted reality and gave myself a personal makeover when I started carrying. No more tight jeans and tucked t-shirts. Looser jeans, a good heavy belt, and usually an oversized camp/bowling/club/Hawaiian shirt over a t-shirt.

Alternatively, you could keep the tight jeans and wear OWB with a blazer.

You can actually look more in style this way, not that the current fashion has ever worried me.

I did a "style" makeover too when I made the decision to carry all the time.

[kauboy]

Ok, since nobody else has said it, I'll recommend Thunderwear.
They claim you can perfectly conceal a full size 1911 with little difficulty.
Of course depending on the degree of tightness you prefer , you might develop other problems...

Seriously though, the advice given by all is sound.
Compromises have to be made when you make the decision to carry a firearm. I started buying my pants about 2" bigger in the waist and wearing longer tailed shirts.
Now I can IWB or OWB without a problem.
But the most important thing you can take from all this is BUY A GOOD BELT. And I don't mean the one you think is good down at Wally World.
I mean a belt that was designed to carry a firearm.
It will make a world of difference.

[mr surveyor]

if you're set on a snub, here's a holster that carries high and tight, and disappears under a loose t-shirt.




This is my daily "field gun" during snake season.

There are lots of high ride holsters for about anything you need. Personally, I normally carry IWB when I'm not pouring with sweat in the great outdoors.

[klinejg]

My "easy carry" is a Sig P232. I normally have it in a pocket holster (right -- strong side). Since mine is a DA/SA, it has a rather large hammer on it that has caused me some grief. On not one -- but two -- occaisions, the hammer has come to full cock due to catching on the pocket material while sitting/standing (levis only -- dress type side pockets are okay) when wearing the High Noon pocket rig. Minor heart attack when removing the piece (remember the proper handling techniques). Some fixes to this situation (yeah, yeah, buy another gun) are to get the DAK version, get the hammer bobbed (soon) and design a new holster that guards the hammer. The hammer WILL get bobbed and being the inveterate tinkerer I am, I came up with (IMHO) a much better design for the holster. I made a kydex pocket holster with an extended front portion that covers the hammer. It works extremely well and is actually more efficient than the original one.

BTW, the reason for getting into the holster making hobby was to create one for my Colt Double Eagle (Charles covets it).

jgk

[NcongruNt]

You mentioned wearing OWB, but didn't say what you were planning to use as a cover garment. I will agree with others that a 1911 will be one of the best choices for OWB. They nice and thin, which is key. If you're going to go this route, I'd suggest a high-ride canted OWB holster. I currently carry a Hi-Power OWB like this every day. Galco makes some good holsters in this style. Here are some links:

The Combat Master - this is what I use, in black.
http://www.usgalco.com/HolsterPG3.asp?P ... &GunID=157

The Concealable Belt Holster
http://www.usgalco.com/HolsterPG3.asp?P ... &GunID=157

Remember that a proper gun belt is essential. It will make ALL the difference in how well and comfortably your gun carries. I got one from The Belt Man.
http://www.thebeltman.net

Good luck!

[DoubleActionCHL]

I'm 6.0 tall and 230lbs and usually wear jeans, colored T-shirt and an untucked button-up shirt with a Blade-Tech or Comtac Kydex paddle holster sporting a Glock 23. I also typically wear two spare mags. Unless I'm at a client, the shirt is usually open. No problems so far.

[dfws4]

Thanks again for all your replies - great info and help so far.

To answer a previous question, if I carry OWB, I'll probably just have an untucked polo shirt or untucked button down shirt as my "cover garment". If I go this route with my 5" 1911 .45 Springer, I'm guessing I should get a high-ride holster that really brings the weapon in tight to my body? Will a polo shirt provide decent cover with OWB - I surely don't want to print all day long.

[mr surveyor]

a high ride/close fitting holster will be unnoticed under a somewhat loose fitting cover shirt, especially if you develop a habit of wearing a dark colored t-shirt/under shirt. For everyday "casual dress" (I dress pretty casual in the field as a land surveyor) I normally dress in the same type clothing as I was wearing in the pic with the high ride pancake holster - camo T shirt (or black), with a loose fitting Magellan or Columbia button shirt. Button as needed. Casual "dress up", or "Sunday-go-to-Meeting" dress requires quite a bit more ingenuity though.

[NcongruNt]

Thanks again for all your replies - great info and help so far.

To answer a previous question, if I carry OWB, I'll probably just have an untucked polo shirt or untucked button down shirt as my "cover garment". If I go this route with my 5" 1911 .45 Springer, I'm guessing I should get a high-ride holster that really brings the weapon in tight to my body? Will a polo shirt provide decent cover with OWB - I surely don't want to print all day long.

I wear untucked work shirts as cover most of the time. I've not gone the polo shirt route, so I can't say how well they work. I prefer the work shirt because it still gives me one-handed access to my weapon from a variety of positions and angles. Here are a couple of pictures to illustrate this:





You can clearly see how the gun rides high and the grip nuzzles right up to my side. A 1911 does this even better than my Hi-Power, as it has a thinner grip. Once the cover garment is over it, it's invisible but very accessible. I've been carrying this way for almost a year now. No one has ever noticed. The few friends I have taken shooting are genuinely shocked that they never noticed I was carrying every time they saw me for months - especially a full-sized pistol like the Hi-Power.