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I normally don't wear business suits, so I don't worry about best ways to carry while wearing a suit. I donned one of my old suits for an employment interview. I r wasn't sure how I would carry my gun during the interview. Fortunately the suit pants were a little big because I've lost weight since purchasing the suit some years ago. My Milt Sparks Versa Max II holster fit inside the pants with comfort. If not for losing a little weight, I would not have been able to carry during the interview, because I don't have a shoulder holster.

Entering the office building where the interview was scheduled, I made eye contact with a security guard, nodded and smiled. There were no 30.06 signs around, so I was okay. I met my interviewer and we talked. During the interview, I forgot about my firearm because I am accustomed to IWB carry. At one point I started to cross my legs and then reversed my action. I wasn't sure if crossing my legs might open my jacket too much. That was the only uncertain moment I had. After the interview was over, I went downstairs, passed the security guard again - no nod this time.

I've never before thought about getting a should holster because I've never liked the idea of being trussed up, even in cool leather gear. Now I see that when one has to wear a business suit, a shoulder holster might be a good thing. I know that a horizontal type holster isn't good for me because I'm a skinny guy. A horizontally hanging gun will make my jacket poke out. If I get a shoulder holster, it has to be the vertical style. I invite holster suggestions from shooters who wear them. Which do you like and why?

Kangaroo pouch.

Linen cloth that you wrap around your chest and fix with velcro straps. Has a little pouch for a compact handgun. You move it around until it is where you want it (usually under my left armpit). Has a strap that goes over the shoulder on the pouch side.

At first glance it looks flimsy. However I have washed and worn it many times and expect it to have a respectable lifespan with no failures to date.

I'm a lawyer so I'm in a suit several days each month. (But only when going to court or when a client comes in. ) I have worn shoulder holsters (Galco Jackass & Miami Classic), but they don't conceal nearly as well as a belt or paddle holster on the strong side. I like the Comp-Tac Minotour Gladiator that snaps onto the belt. I have two large "dead holster drawers" full of Sparks and many other holsters, collecting them in my search for the perfect holster. As much as I like leather, there is nothing like Comp-Tac holsters for speed!

Chas.

My total experience with wearing suits since I've been carrying has been two weddings, one nephew and one grand-daughter.

The CZ75D in a Comp-Tac CTAC at 4:00 worked just fine on both occasions, even including playing "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" on the acoustic guitar for grand-daughter's wedding.

I use a Comp-Tac Infidel and carry it while wearing a wide variety of clothing from jeans and T-Shirt to a suit when I go to church.

Ditto on Comp-Tac stuff. I carry a Hi Power in a C-TAC with all my clothing, including suits. Works just fine, and you can wear the CTAC as a regular IWB or as a tuckable, if you want to conceal it even more than with the suit coat (such as if you think you might need to remove the suit coat at some point).

elb

ELB wrote:Ditto on Comp-Tac stuff. I carry a Hi Power in a C-TAC with all my clothing, including suits. Works just fine, and you can wear the CTAC as a regular IWB or as a tuckable, if you want to conceal it even more than with the suit coat (such as if you think you might need to remove the suit coat at some point).

elb

+1 on the Comp-Tac. I got my C-Tac last week, while it is not quite as comfortable as my Don Hume PCCH, it does allow me to tuck in my shirt which was the reasoning behind me purchasing it. The suitcoat adds extra concealment for any printing that may occur.

They have these undershirts with built in pockets that can hold your gun. I'm not sure of the brand name. Some one on the boards posted pics of these a while ago

I wear my g27 tucked in a desantis iwb holster with my jacket buttoned for now until I spring for a tuckable holster.

When I used to wear a suit for work I also went with a Comp-Tac MTAC IWB for my Sig P229, and had my shirt tucked in. No one ever noticed, and I could take off my jacket without worrying about anything.

I like my MTAC Minotaur with the dress shirt tucked in-works well. My favorite though is simply a 642 dropped in a Mika or Nemesis pocket holster.

Suggestions, guys, on what kind of attacnment points for IWB and/or tuckable holsters work best...metal clips, j-hooks, or leather (or Kydex) loops.

To me it LOOKS like the j-hooks are most discreet, and the belt clip easiest to put on/take off the holster (esp. if you know you're going to a properly posted location, i.e. hospital, and need to remove your weapon) and the loops the most security but also most obvious.

Any comments for these for business wear?

Q

The last suit I bought was for non business use, I have long since given up on ever having to wear a suit to work again, but I had the suit cut for carry anyway.

I had a job interview a while back, since getting the suit, and carried my gun, which I normally do. When I got to the interview everything started off well in the first interviewer's office, but then we moved to a conference room where several people were to ask me questions in a panel like interview, while I also got up and demonstrated my training skills from time to time.

Not that getting up and sitting back down was going to be a problem, but the conference room had these nicely padded wooden chairs with arms that wrapped around, and there wasn't enough clearance for me to get in and out of the chair without the gun bumping the arm unless I did some kind of maneuver that looked like I was, well, whatever.

The conference room was on the sunny side of the building and it was quite warm, and I desperately wanted to take off my jacket, which the president of the company suggested that I do, and which I politely refused but I always wanted to know if anyone noticed the thumps and clunks when I moved around in the chair.

I was hired, and one of my co workers was a SASS shooter and we developed a rapport. He was there during the interview, but told me he didn't notice anything. Unfortunately I injured myself on the job and was let go as a result (I know, that's not legal, but try proving it) so now I work in jeans at Home Depot.

I had a suit occasion about a week ago, and thought I'd share.

I had a wedding to go to, so I thought I'd make wearing a suit an exercise in concealment. I carried 3 guns that day - a Hi-Power in its normal OWB holster, a PA-63 in a 5.11 holster shirt, and a Ruger LCP in a pocket holster. Ah yes, and extra mags for all the guns - two for the PA-63. I decided not to wear the normal 2-mag belt carrier and instead pocket-carried (on my weak side) the mags for the BHP/LCP. PA-63 mags were in the strong-side pocket on the holster shirt. No one noticed. Next time I want to do 4.

For your case, obviously an OWB holster is not feasible for office carry. The 5.11 holster shirt is quite suited to the task, though. The gun is carried vertically, so that fits your need there. Since it would be worn underneath your shirt, there's no cover garment to worry about, and taking off your jacket would be a non-issue. It has worked well for me on many occasions. While I generally opt not to carry my Hi-Power and go with something else when a belt holster is not an option, I have carried the Hi-Power in the holster shirt and it did work.

You never stated what kind of gun you have, so if you clarify there you might get some more specific suggestions.

I had a second suit experience. I attended a career fair in downtown Houston. My suit had no room for an IWB holster, so I wore the holster on the outside. It fit snugly and it worked very well. I had extra mags in my pockets. As I was walking around the convention area, talking to employers, I had no concerns of printing until I stopped at law enforcement desks. I stopped to chat with a police officer who was representing the Sheriff's Department. The Department was looking for administrative employees. I also chatted with a lady CIA agent who was recruiting. She told me that the agency doesn't have enough young black women and are recruiting heavily for them. I was wondering if the policeman and the CIA agent could tell that I was carrying. I tried to see if the CIA agent was carrying, but could not tell. Eventually the walking around caused my body temperature to rise, but I wasn't about to remove my jacket.