Problems Concealing

[gringo pistolero]

I think the keys are a good holster, a good belt, and good clothes. Those can be different for different people, especially the third key, but in general good clothing for concealed carry fits, is opaque, and has a nice drape. Clothes that are too tight or see-through don't conceal well. On the other hand, they can draw the eyes away from where the gun is hiding.

[barstoolguru]

guns to big to wear on the back corner so move the gun to the 2:30-3:00 position

[SewTexas]

I know I'm a girl and I carry IWB (and my husband carries IWB) but I've been on the board long enough to pick up some opinions and tips) so....

barstool in his unusually quick way has a point, try moving it forward, it might help. any bumps or bulges you could always claim as a e-reader, phone or whatever (I carry cross-draw, IWB at 2.30ish)

honestly OWB tends to work best with a vest or jacket and/or loose woven shirts. you could probably carry IWB with the grey shirt you had on.

[koolaid]

Based on your pictures, I would recommend pulling your pants up higher. If your pants are below your actual waist, the butt of the gun is pushed out to the side. If your pants are pulled up to your natural waistline (which isn't as stylish, but your shirt is untucked so nobody is going to notice), the butt of the gun is pulled in towards your torso.

Unless you have really wide shoulders compared to your waist, this is pretty much a necessity.

[1wise1]

Ah, 5'10' 190 is a double X .... if the shirt tucks at the waist (cups above your butt) it is too small and does not fit. Tee shirts are not supposed to fit like a second skin they are to be loose and move against your skin. Sorry.... but I am sure you realize you exceed the NIH standard by about 30 pounds...
Now I"m sounding like your wife and doctor... but you, like me, need to run off a bunch of pounds. Its a bitch!!!!!

J.

[Jim Beaux]

This isnt rocket science. Wear a bigger shirt or get a smaller gun. (I dont think that shirt will cover when you are reaching over your head or squatting.)

[dafobbishon3]

dafobbishon3. You are a new CHL aren't you. From your pictures a normal head in the sand person would just think you had some electronic devise or think nothing.

We all have gone through this problem at sometime during our carry lives. It's impossible to put your gun into your usual clothing. You will learn to dress around the gun. The belt advise is spot on if your daily dress is jeans/dockers look at an instructor type belt my favorite is the Wilderness. Shirts need to be the next size larger they don't have to have room for yourself and four of your closest friends just big enough to conceal your sidearm.

A Tee shirt or polo shirt is my least favorite cover the shirt gets in the way of presentation and the fabrics tend to be "clingy." I prefer woven fabrics with buttons some of the best cover shirts I have are some of the Hawaiian shirts with big print and the Magellan or Colombia shirts sold for fishing/outdoors use. In the cold weather it's easier. A plaid flannel shirt untucked and unbuttoned works wonders to conceal as do camouflage patterns if you are into that.

Well I'm not a new CHL holder just yet! I sent it my documents so I won't be getting my CHL for a while...
I think the pictures don't show it as much as it does in person, but from the rear, it prints pretty good, the butt of the gun that is. But regardless,
I'll try purchasing mroe of those woven button ups. What i like about the woven button ups is that majority of those types are shirts have many different designs which would help in concealing the "printing"

If you're looking for a good gun belt, check out this site; http://www.daltechforce.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. The price was right so I bought one $47 with free shipping. I am very impressed with the thickness (nearly a 1/4" thick) and the stiffness. I has solid construction too. Being female, my hips made it difficult to conceal. I had the same issue with the fabric of my shirt bunching on the butt of the gun. The belt made a big difference in how my EDC conceals. It sits in the proper position and the shirt doesn't bunch as much. I also where a tanktop under everything which also helps. Keep trying different cants you'll find the one that works for you.

I saw these! I think I might buy one if I'm unsuccessful in finding one in Academy or Gander Mtn.
The Dual Layer Bullbelt for $50 shipped, I think that's a hell of a deal considering that TheBeltman has the same type of belt for $100. And Daltech also has their lifetime warranty as well. I think that's a great buy. But their sizing is a lot more different than others. It says that you add 4 sizes up to your pants size... I have so many different size jeans that i fit that ranges from a 32-36.
Did you actually go by their size instructions?
I kinda want to aim for a 38 size belt, just because I go to the gym so often so my weight tends to fluctuate.

Ah, 5'10' 190 is a double X .... if the shirt tucks at the waist (cups above your butt) it is too small and does not fit. Tee shirts are not supposed to fit like a second skin they are to be loose and move against your skin. Sorry.... but I am sure you realize you exceed the NIH standard by about 30 pounds...
Now I"m sounding like your wife and doctor... but you, like me, need to run off a bunch of pounds. Its a bitch!!!!!

J.

haha, i know, i'm like 30 lbs over my BMI, but a lot of that isn't fat though, i weight lift a lot. i'm at the gym 5-6 times a week at minimum. in doing so, i raise my metabolism higher so i eat every 3 hours.

I definitely do have wide/broad shoulders.

[RPB]

Just glanced at your photos
You have several options

FYI
my height 6'0"
weight 188
age ... must be middle aged because that's where the weight went ,,, to the middle

Personally, I'd move that gun to more of a 3:00 position, I tried that comfortable spot like you are doing when I first started carrying, but it didn't conceal as well as 3:00 and it clunked on chairs when I say. it helped a lot to switch to close to 3:00

Options:

1) Get a smaller gun
When I first carried, I got smaller/shorter/thinner grips on guns and bought a bunch of 6/7/8 shot 9mms, later I switched to shorter barrels and grips can be a foot long (I generally carry a 18 or 20 round [Glock 19 or 17+3round extension] magazine in my Glock 26 now) and I could conceal using two shirts, the Tee and a lightweight Guayabera ... you'll adjust and learn with experience carrying more

2) Go looser=Longer T shirt ... especially looser
I wear a Tee Shirt too .., but I wear a little looser one in Extra Tall (Longtail Tee, a size or two larger than I normally would)

IF you feel like your gun is printing too much when you move/stretch, this photo says you need just 1 size larger shirt unless you wear a cover shirt, though it isn't bad now, I always think ahead ... Thanksgiving dinner is coming in a few weeks ,,, I'm buying bigger shirts myself now (I quit smoking last Thanksgiving, and I'll be celebrating with extra Pie this year...I only ate 3 Pumpkin Pies last year... I love that stuff high in Vitamin A and .... but back on topic ...)
http://i46.tinypic.com/2hz4zec.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

3) Layering
when you cover that Tee shirt you have on with a second lightweight shirt of any kind, it will work great
(I particularly love Guayabera shirts as they have upper and lower pockets, filling lower pockets with say tissues creates a bulge, I have so many bulges in pockets and around my waste, as distractions, but who stares at a wad of possibly used nose-napkins in a pocket? So everyone quickly looks away from all bulges on me)
Yes, layering may be a bit hotter, get a real light weight top shirt, I leave Guayabera shirts unbuttoned in front, for the layered look and access to my gun if needed, but the top shirt covers my sides where my gun is... but it's Fall now, even in Summer the top shirt covers the sweat stains in your Tee Shirt, so ...
ok, maybe that's not your "style" but any layering, second lightweight shirt in Summer/Winter conceals the bulge in the Tee, and it's in style so ...

You don't have to look gangster-ish, just look stylin ... however you like

[RPB]

Layered look fashion:
My Niece and I made a game of "counting layers of shirts" on BIG BANG THEORY shows

[The Annoyed Man]

I'm going to "echo for effect" some things that have been stated here:

1. Buy a gunbelt. Most n00b's, myself included back when I was a n00b, do not understand how critically important a simple thing like a good gunbelt can be. And you don't have to spend that much money on one either, but don't just buy a heavy belt....buy one that is sold as a belt for carrying a gun.

2. You don't have to wear t-shirts only to keep cool in Texas. Try an untucked slightly loose fitting shirt with tails, particularly one with a printed pattern on it. It is a standing joke in the CHL community that anybody wearing a hawaiian shirt is probably packin' heat. Take a look at the concealed carry shirts on sites like 511.com. I own several. They are cool in the heat, like one of those "fishing shirts," AND they are designed specifically for gaining access to your gun if you need it. And, nobody knows what kind of shirts they are unless they own one themselves.

3. Put it on, cover it up, forget about it. The vast majority of the people out there are dead from the neck up when it comes to their powers of observation, and their ability to process what's right in front of their eyes. Unless your shirt is so tight that they can read the Glock rollmark on the gun's slide, not only will they not see it, they won't even begin to try and guess what it is. How do you think people end up stepping in dog poo? They're just not paying attention, plain and simple, and that's how they go through their entire days, from when they get up in the morning, to when they go to bed at night. Remember that slightly more than half of these people pay so little attention to the world they live in that they voted for Obama. 'Nuff said.

[RPB]

BTW,
The open front guayabera over a Tee-shirt look works for females too
http://blogs.courant.com/helen_ubinas/meandguaya.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

from
The guayabera fairy came to visit!
http://blogs.courant.com/helen_ubinas/2 ... to-vi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ask a female...
You can never have too many pockets, purses or shoes.

Us guys who refuse to carry a "man purse" just can always use more pockets.

[SewTexas]

speaking as a lady, I love a guy in a blazer. if you want to carry OWB, or the larger gun, the blazer is a nice looking option.

[urnoodle]

I saw these! I think I might buy one if I'm unsuccessful in finding one in Academy or Gander Mtn.
The Dual Layer Bullbelt for $50 shipped, I think that's a heck of a deal considering that TheBeltman has the same type of belt for $100. And Daltech also has their lifetime warranty as well. I think that's a great buy. But their sizing is a lot more different than others. It says that you add 4 sizes up to your pants size... I have so many different size jeans that i fit that ranges from a 32-36.
Did you actually go by their size instructions?
I kinda want to aim for a 38 size belt, just because I go to the gym so often so my weight tends to fluctuate.

I measured mine a little different. Most women's pants don't have waist sizes. So I took the belt I was wearing, measured from the fold at the buckle to the hole I wore it then I added the 4". I think the next time I order one I'll only add 2". I'm using the last hole in the belt. So if I lose any weight, I'd have to add holes to it.

[Chris]

This is great. A bunch of guys trying to coordinate a wardrobe for another guy. I never thought I'd see the day.

[RPB]

This is great. A bunch of guys trying to coordinate a wardrobe for another guy. I never thought I'd see the day.

Does this Desert Eagle .50 make me look fat? Or should I wear the Kahr PM9?
Caution ... think before answering a lady





Women get to... why not us guys?