TexasCHLforum.com

So I have been practicing carrying around the house, waiting for my plastic to arrive. I plan to carry my Sig P229 in a Comp-Tac MTAC IWB holster. Maybe I am wearing tshirts too small , but I always feel that the grip is protruding and printing on my shirt when I wear at 3 o'clock. I tried 4 o'clock, but it is a bit harder to draw from that position and sitting isn't very comfortable for me. Should I just start wearing larger shirts?

Here is a animation of how I carry. This is a Beretta 92FS in a MTAC at about 15 degree cant. See my Sig for my MTAC review for more info.

Put your holstered gun on your hip and sit in a hard chair. Then, push the gun and holster around to the rear until the butt of the gun just barely touches the seatback. You should be able to sit, drive and go about your daily business comfortable and well concealed.

Wearing a gun directly on the hip, the 3 o/c position, is not good geometry. Think of looking down on a person from overhead. The butt of the gun is pointing straight back while the body is curving towards the spine. Moving the gun "around the corner" positions it so that the butt of the gun lays up over the kidneys and parallels the curve of the body.

thanks for the responses.

wildscar, I think I need to adjust the angle to more of what I'm seeing in your photos and try that out.

nemesis, I'll try your method for a couple days too. It's just that when I lean back in my seat I don't really care for the uneven pressure on my back, since over time I feel that it could exacerbate my lower back problems. Do you have this issue?

nemesis wrote:Wearing a gun directly on the hip, the 3 o/c position, is not good geometry. Think of looking down on a person from overhead. The butt of the gun is pointing straight back while the body is curving towards the spine. Moving the gun "around the corner" positions it so that the butt of the gun lays up over the kidneys and parallels the curve of the body.

This is where I carry as well.

My Beretta M9 carry setup:


M9 on my person:

Duke,
I carry IWB at about the 4:30 poisition. I use a Desantis Tuckable holster. I drive a Mustang so getting a good position in the car was a necessity for me. I barely notice it is there except when I first sit down and the gun bumps the seat belt latch. Once buckled up - No Problem.

As to the other part of yor question, When I started carrying, I switched up one size in my shirts to XL. It covers well when I leave the shirt untucked, and allows me to blouse the shirt when I tuck it in. Oh Yeah, I also had to move up to a 36 pant size to compensate for the gun.

I carry IWB at 2:30. I carry a 1911 officers and with my build it is virtually undetectable. I also have a 1911 Commander, but I have difficulty concealing it because at 2:30 the butt presses my shirt out. If it were my regular carry I would need to find another position to carry it.

And by all means, wear, test, change and try all you need to around your house while you wait. I will help you get comfortable with it and you won't be so self-conscious when you actually go out in the world. You need to always be self-aware when you are out, but not to the point that it worries you all the time that you may get made. I've worn IWB and all kinds of belly bands in different positions over the years to get to what I know is comfortable for me in the situation. One note, though, when you go out to eat avoid being seated at tables, if you can. I've always found it more comfortable and secure to be in a booth when available.

I wear a Comp-Tac C-TAC with a Browning Hi Power stuck in it. Contrary to above, I find the 3 o'clock position to be most concealeable, easiest to draw from, and least likely to "clunk" against chairs and such. I find the gun butt presents more of a printing problem when I wear the holster behind the hip, at 4 o'clock or more, especially when I bend or twist. When it is along side at 3 o'clock, the butt is more or less concealed by the plane of my back.

I also find dark shirts to be best for minimizing any printing. In the cooler times I wear a lightweight leather vest, but now that it is getting warmer, I wear one T-shirt tucked in, and another darker one over it that hangs loose. (T-shirts work for me because I don't generally have to be dressed up -- if I do, the C-TAC/Hi Power work fine under a tucked in polo shirt/collared shirt.)

dukesean wrote:nemesis, I'll try your method for a couple days too. It's just that when I lean back in my seat I don't really care for the uneven pressure on my back, since over time I feel that it could exacerbate my lower back problems. Do you have this issue?

I had spinal surgery and reconstruction 25 years ago, so I"m familiar with back problems. However, the gun is not between you and the seat and there should be no pressure whatsoever.