Concealed carry on the hip

[bigmike45]

Col. Plink
Here I am carrying my Springfield XD45 under a t-shirt. I had just come in from working on my tractor with it on and another person on another forum swore you could not conceal one of these discretely...especially if you were a large guy like me. I usually dont carry just under a t-shirt, but I wanted to make a point. I usually carry at the 4 o'clock position. Oh I had been to town, to the parts store, grocery store & gas station several times without being made dressed like this and this is a double stack 45acp. It can be done, I do it all the time!!

 

[DasFriek]

I carry a .45acp PT745 daily with a Kholster and i carry at the 10oclock position.
Imo .40's and 9mm make good bug's
I will be getting another Kholster for my full sized 1911,i know many here say they carry them fine.But im not so sure if ill be able to find a comfy spot i like and also feel confident its hidden well enough.

 

[Deanimator]

Something you might look into (as I did) is a tuckable IWB holster. There are several options (Crossbreed Supertuck, Comptac, FIST, etc.) that make a holster like this. A tuckable option allows you the ability to have a concealed gun and still wear a shirt tucked if necessary.

And even some supposedly non-tuckable holsters can be worn with a tucked shirt. I NEVER wear untucked shirts, except for exercise. I have several Don Hume 715M IWBs. I just tuck up to the holster, and fold under and blouse over it. Nobody ever notices, and since Ohio is an open carry state, it wouldn't matter if they did.

That being said, I plan to supplement the 715Ms with tuckable holsters as funds permit. This is a matter of comfort more than anything else.

 

[texas bulldog]

Col. Pink:
i also struggled with where and how to carry when i first started. i first bought an OWB holster and wore it at 4:00, but with my normal attire, it looked like i had a huge lump behind my hip. wanting something more discreet than that, i kept looking...

what worked for me was appendix carry. with the gun in front rather than behind, it is much more concealable on my body. there is no way anyone would notice it on me. appendix carry essentially means carrying at the 1 or 2 o'clock position. i know some folks don't like this position, but i find it to be perfectly safe with a good holster and/or a heavy trigger pull. i actually carry an SP101 in this position with only a clipdraw. this has worked out great for me.

just another method to consider before settling on something.

 

[DJW]

Bulldog;
I do the same thing but with the Bianchi(sp?)#100 IWB. I like the leather backer on this model as it shields me from the piece and keeps my sweat off the SP.
Dave

 

[Sam1911]

I used to carry with a shoulder holster a lot and I never had a problem with it. As long as you trust your weapon not to fire when it ain't supposed to you're fine.

If this were a real problem, I don't think I'd carry IWB, either! Heck, if guns went off (ever) by themselves, I don't think I'd CARRY!

Now, when holstering/unholstering -- that's a different story!

The only bad part is you are constantly sweeping people with a loaded gun and I don't like doing that.

The sweeping other people issue is real, but not for the reason you're stating. The DRAW from a shoulder holster almost universally endangers you and those around you to some degree. While guns secured in holsters DON'T go off, guns with fingers on them, especially while being drawn, especially under stress, sometimes do. Shoot much competition of the stress-simulating kind (IPSC/IDPA/etc.) and you'll see a few AD/NDs as folks draw. (And as I mentioned, every once in a while when they re-holster.) Not often, but it does happen. Fortunately, while the gun's being drawn from a strong side OWB/IWB holster, this mostly endangers the ground and items downrange. A lot of other holster types -- shoulder rigs, SOB, cross-draw, especially -- encourage MUCH more dire results because the muzzle direction is horridly wrong.

A friend of mine is still recovering from an AD/ND incident that happened as he was holstering in an OWB rig, during competition. He is fortunate that he can walk. Actually, he's fortunate that very good medical care was available instantly and he LIVED. But imagine if he'd made the same errors with a shoulder holster?

Sometimes these other carry styles can really be a good thing. But the safety factor is diminished significantly and you need to remain aware of it.

-Sam

 

[texas bulldog]

Bulldog;
I do the same thing but with the Bianchi(sp?)#100 IWB. I like the leather backer on this model as it shields me from the piece and keeps my sweat off the SP.

i'll look into that one. thanks for the tip!

 

[Col. Plink]

Big Mike: Great taste in sidearms, EVEN BETTER TASTE IN T-SHIRTS! HOOK 'EM HORNS!! Goin' all the way again this year, baby!

That said, what's your holster choice. I'm also a big fellow, and probably more 'rotund' so iwb carry might encourage me to drop a few tons. Thanks for the pics; shows a guy of similar size with similar weapon can carry well-concelaed with just a t-shirt. Awesome! Hoping the right holster choice might allow an XD45T or a CZ52.

Too bad Texas is no longer an open-carry state or I'd go with a fancy two-gun rig with lots of cartridge loops and a buckskin jacket with cowboy fringe and an oilskin hat with a rattlesnake band and bull hyde boots with silver spurs...oh, sorry, got a little carried away...

 

[glassman]

I went to the jewelry store today to buy my wife an anniversary present (our 28th). The neighborhood is in decline but I like the owner and he's always treated me well. When I went in, he had a 1911 on his hip. We started talking about how bad things have become in that neighborhood and he suggested I should think about carrying 'something' when I come in. I had my CZ compact in a Don Hume holster at 4 o'clock under a polo shirt that he apparently didn't notice. Point is, a pistol, even with a double stack mag, isn't hard to conceal.

 

[CPshooter]

It's all about having a nice IWB holster and stiff double-thick leather gun belt. IMHO this is the only way to go about carrying a double-stack handgun, regardless of caliber. Here's a crappy pic of my P2000sk and TT Gunleather IWB holster:

 

[jad0110]

I have tons of holsters I basically wasted money trying to save some immediate cash on ... If you can, try to learn from everyone else's mistakes and just put the money into a proven setup the first time.

A very good point. I'm one of those that just sunk more money into quality gear with good success. I have 4 guns that I CCW regularly, and only two holsters that don't get used much anymore. One is a clip-on IWB holster for my 642, which I don't use anymore since I no longer carry it IWB. And the other is an Uncle Mike's pocket holster for the 642 that I replaced with a Robert Mika because the Uncle Mike's is pretty close to worn out.

I'm currently working on my carry choices and it's hard! I am using an LCP and have found that every way of carry has problems.

Trouble concealing an LCP? Really? Lets see...

Pocket Carry - You can see the guns outline and draw is somewhat slow.

Are you using a pocket holster? I ask because I pocket carry a bulkier S&W 642 using a Robert Mika pocket holster and it just looks like a large wallet. Drawing can be slow, but again using a pocket holster helps as it keeps the gun in more-or-less the same position all the time. OTH, if you've got your hand in your pocket on the grip of the gun, it can be the speediest draw of all.

IWB- Is fast but can be a pain to keep concealed. OWB - Same problem as IWB but worse.

I've been known to IWB carry a S&W Model 14 ... see picture below, with no problems other than the fact that the barrel is touch long for sitting comfortably. So if I can conceal that big gun, you shouldn't have any trouble concealing an itty bitty LCP. To conceal my big guns, I just wear a fairly long shirt untucked that isn't too clingy. How do you normally dress and what kind of gear are you using?

Ankle Carry - Slow draw.

Shoulder Carry - Isn't practical for how I dress.

I agree; I don't do ankle or shoulder carry, so I can't help you there.

BTW, I am 6'7" and about 210 lbs. Supposedly, being at least fairly slender makes CCW easier, generally speaking.


S&W Model 14-4, 38 Special, carried IWB in a FIST #20 on rare occasions

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I think most everyone who routinely carries concealed agrees you need to tailor your wardrobe accordingly.

I think also that most people who routinely carry concealed would agree that an Inside-the-Waistband (IWB) holster is most practical. I've carried for many years, and finally designed my own IWB -- you can see pictures and find instructions for making it here:
http://www.paul.desertskyone.com/vern/iwb_instructions.htm

To make a true tuckable version, the straps would be longer and attached to the bottom of the holster. They would come up, then go down between pants and belt, and finally come up over the belt and snap to themselves. But for deep concealment, I modified an elastic "belly band" to take this holster.

The proper draw when wearing under a light cover garment (T-shirt, shirt, sweater, etc.) is the Hackathorn Rip. The right hand (assuming you're right-handed) goes dow, with the middle finger seeking the back (trailing edge) of the holster, while the left hand comes across and rips the cover garment as high as possible. The right hand, now properly oriented to the holster and gun, comes up, makes the draw and presentation. The movement of the right hand is more or less circular.

If you routinely wear a sport jacket or suit, you swing the jacket aside with the right hand as you go for the gun. It helps to have something with weight in the jacket pocket -- some people sew a bit of lead into the hem -- for better control.

In general, an IWB allows you to carry a larger gun -- the critical dimension is width, not length, because only the butt of the gun is exposed. And with a good belt you can comfortably carry a full-size gun -- like an M1911.

Alternatively, a pocket holster is very good. But pocket carry is pretty much limited to small, light guns. And you have to dedicate the pocket to the gun -- you don't want to go sorting through car keys, spare change, pocket knife, etc., when going for your gun.