How tight is your pistol belt?

[MrIzhevsk]

Hi all,

I'm fairly new to CCWing my pistol (mid-size steel Jericho) and I'm still in the process of getting it comfortable. One thing I noticed is that if I have my belt at a comfortable tightness, my gun seems to bob a bit, not a lot, but just enough to notice, especially going down stairs. Its probably not loose enough for my gun to become dislodged unless I'm strung up by my feet maybe and shaken. If I tighten it another notch, it cuts out the bobbing, but I can really feel the pressure on my other hip. Its not unbearable, but I feel like its past a comfortable point

Now I know, carrying isn't SUPPOSED to be comfortable, but, I've sorta noticed that a lot of the hold for my holster comes from how tight my belt is rather than the kydex and the leather backing.

So, does my belt really need to be this tight? Or should my holster hold the weapon a bit more tightly. I realize this may be somewhat a personal preference.

 

[millertyme]

Personally, I'd try a different gun. I have a CZ75 and it's just too big and heavy for me to consider it for CCW and I'm a pretty big guy. I have a Kel Tec P11 that I could carry with or without a holster and I forget I have it on sometimes.

 

[CoRoMo]

To the OP...
That has been my experience too. One notch was comfy, but too loose to really support the holster & gun. The next notch over killed me. The holes are only 3/4" apart mind you. I've been working out regularly for over a year now, and I seem to have lost a pound or two, and that tighter notch doesn't kill me anymore.

BTW, I also carry a P11, in a tuckable Texas Heritage holster, BeltMan gun belt. Most of the time, it is unnoticeable.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

Use a leather punch and punch a inbetween notch?

 

[TheWarhammer]

What kind of belt are you wearing? You will be amazed at the difference in comfort between using a belt designed to be a gun belt and just wearing a regular old fashion belt. A gun belt will be much thicker and more ridgid. I use an Uncle Mike's Polyner reinfirced Instructor's Belts (less than $20 on Amazon) and it is very comfortable. Also, this type of belt doesn't rely on holes for adjustment, so you never get that "one hole is too loose but the next one is too tight" problem.

 

[hemiram]

I had a heavy gunbelt I wore and carried a 6" S&W 28, or a 6" VH Dan Wesson Model 15 five days a week for over 3 years, and had zero problems or discomfort. A thick solid belt is a vast improvement over a regular one. I had to wear a regular one for a week or so once when they changed uniform suppliers and the pants all had 1" loops on them. I don't know what they were thinking about when they made them that way. My gun was bouncing all over the place. It wasn't that big of a deal, but I missed my regular belt.

 

[bigfatdave]

I tighten mine to one notch past comfort, and everything settles in comfortably after some moving around.

I carry all day frequently, and have carried on road trips as passenger and driver, a good belt and holster combination plus the right gun make carry pretty comfortable, don't resign yourself to "carrying isn't SUPPOSED to be comfortable", it can be if you're willing to put in the initial work and hardware.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I have to ask what kind of belt you're using. If it is not designed with sufficient stiffness to bear weight, it will flex and bend, allowing the holster/gun to tip or tilt away from your body, forcing you to pull it up tighter. Having said that, I also do find sometimes that a given buckle hole is a little too loose, but the next one in is too tight. When the dress and social situation allows it, I often go to my Wilderness "Instructor" belts; this type of buckle allows infinite adjustability.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

+1 on the belt likely not being a proper gun belt. My gun flopped all over (or had to be tightened to the point of being uncomfortable) until I got a gun belt and realized how inadequate the belt I had been using really was.

 

[jon_in_wv]

Get something like a Galco instructors belt. It is stiff enough to support the weapon and the fit is infinitely adjustable so you don't have to be stuck with one hole being too tight and one too loose. Another factor even more important to me is the holster you use. Use a holster where the belt attachments are fore and aft of the weapon and not on the weapon itself and you will find you weapon is much more stable on you hip and much more forgiving of your belt. I like the Comptac holsters as they are set up that way and they are adjustable so you can adjust the cant and depth of your weapon. Crossbreeds are also highly recommended (I tried the MTAC and I don't like it, not enough retention and a lot more bulk). The best holster I've found is a Peters Custom holster for my M&P 9C. I also glued a thin piece of suede leather on the back of mine. It helps keep it from sliding around and give it a softer feel like a leather holster. I've been through quite a few holsters and I don't use any of them anymore.

While its true a handgun is supposed to be "comforting" instead of "comfortable" there is no reason it can't be both.

 

[millertyme]

That's another thing I've been thinking about getting but keep putting off - a decent gun belt. the belt I have now is stretched a bit and has narrowed considerably in the 9 or 10 years I've worn it and I can't properly attach a OWB holster to it without having to run my belt around the outside of the holster. I was thinking about getting a Crossbreed or Galco belt at the beginning of the year.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

If your carry rig is truly uncomfortable, you will find yourself constantly stretching and adjusting it to relieve the pressure, which is a dead giveaway (probably not to the untrained eye, but why take the chance) that you're carrying.

 

[Archie]

Gunbelts and ...

I'm at the point where I'm - uh - 'prosperous'. When I was younger (meaning slimmer) I could crank down the belt and keep the gun and holster where it was supposed to be. Lately, if I pull the belt too tight, it's uncomfortable. And that's the problem, 'tight enough' is too tight, because we are attempting to do two somewhat mutually exclusive things.

I wear a serious double layer gunbelt as a regular trouser belt.

From a posting on this or another forum, I discovered - suspenders!

Check out Perry Suspenders on the net. The come with a bottom side of the belt slide on hook rather than a clip on or button on fastener. Easy on, easy off and no coming loose when not desired.

If you don't want to wear suspenders - fine. Deal with it your own way. I can vouch for this set up working.

 

[Old Guy]

I have used Wilderness Instructor belts for ever, the last 7? years, the Frequent flier model 1.5" Glock 19, Glock cut down holster.

I do not know I have it on! I am not a slim Jim kind of Guy, but not massively overweight, 207 lbs, 5'9" at 75 YOA, not so bad, came out of the Brit Royal Signals in 1956 at 210.

Steel is heavier than Polymer don't you know.

 

[Old Guy]

I'm at the point where I'm - uh - 'prosperous'. When I was younger (meaning slimmer) I could crank down the belt and keep the gun and holster where it was supposed to be. Lately, if I pull the belt too tight, it's uncomfortable. And that's the problem, 'tight enough' is too tight, because we are attempting to do two somewhat mutually exclusive things.

I wear a serious double layer gunbelt as a regular trouser belt.

From a posting on this or another forum, I discovered - suspenders!

Check out Perry Suspenders on the net. The come with a bottom side of the belt slide on hook rather than a clip on or button on fastener. Easy on, easy off and no coming loose when not desired.

If you don't want to wear suspenders - fine. Deal with it your own way. I can vouch for this set up working.

Use Perry suspenders when working G lic; Security for my Son (Very part time) but no worries with all the stuff on the belt, easy on, and off. Pants stay in same place.

 

[DasFriek]

Ive always seemed to wear tight jeans and still do at age 40.....There i said it...39
So snugging up my belt is hardly noticeable to me and i too wear a good thick Amish made belt.
It seems to really only be an issue when i carry IWB, And if i don't tighten it good the gun isn't pulled in tight enough close to my body so it will stick out more.

This past summer i was at the local DNR gun range and the RO and i were talking about ccw guns and i mentioned my 1911 i was wearing, I asked him if he wanted to see it since he had no clue i was even packing. The guy was amazed as i pulled up my t-shirt to reveal a full sized 1911.

I wouldn't say i wear my belt and pants overly tight, But its enough that it take a minute or two when i get dressed to adjust to it.

I really prefer OWB carry in the cooler days when i can wear a lite jacket and a pancake holster.

 

[Dulvarian]

Solid looking gun belts are the easiest tell I have ever seen for someone in average to athletic shape that they are carrying. Especially if I recognize it as one that I was looking at purchasing for the same reason. And yes, I can normally spot the gun bulge, and yes, some people get all defensive when they notice that I notice, while the more confident just smile and nod and go on about their business. If you know what you are looking for, you can see it. If you don't, you will never know that you missed it.

Just an observation, based on my ... uh, observations. I check everyone out. I occasionally surprised at some of the things I have seen.

 

[TheProf]

Here's my solution to the gun belt issue...

1. I wear my shirts untucked (Cuban style shirts..)

2. I then use an "inside duty belt" used my many police officers. Basically, it a stiff nylon belt that uses a velcro system. You can adjust it to a perfect fit for your body. The belt looks odd since it does not have buckle per se. But if you wear your shirt over it..no one is the wiser. My G27 disappears in the 2:00 position using a Galco leather IWB holster.

3. Btw, when I wear this in the 4:00 position, there is an obvious bulge. And for me...it tends to "flop" at that position. But in the 2:00 position, the gun is invisible. So yeah...trying a different position on your belt is worth looking into.

 

[22-rimfire]

I have a couple Rafter S leather belts that are very good. I have no complaints and they are stiff enough for supporting a holster. http://www.raftersgunleather.com/Belts.htm

I was shopping one day at Bass Pro and the guy behind the gun counter immediately identified the belt as one designed to support a holster. He liked the belt very much (police officer working for extra money). I googled Rafter S and I see some negative comments. I had a very good experience with them. Maybe they are overloaded with work? Thanks for reminding me, I think I may order another belt. I would call before you order and chat with them on what their turnaround time is now on the belt(s) you're interested in.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Solid looking gun belts are the easiest tell I have ever seen for someone in average to athletic shape that they are carrying.

Moreso than the guys wearing wal-mart belts with holes that have become 1" long because they have to be cranked down hard to support the weapon?
Like was said on some other forum, you could walk around with your gun duct taped to your forehead and most (non-gun) people wouldn't even notice. Just don't want the OP to be dissuaded from buying a good gun belt

 

[bratch]

Like a couple of others have already said the Instructor belts are wonderful, they are infinitely adjustable for their size range. I use Wilderness for mine.

I wear mine tight at the end of a long day I usually have the label from the waist of my boxers and all of the folds of my clothing imprinted on my skin.

 

[Dulvarian]

+1 on the stretched out holes. Those are harder to spot for me. Easier to spot the 'sagging belt' to one side.

Buy a belt that is comfortable with your carry, and really, only cops or other conscientious carriers will notice. And I wouldn't be to certain about cops.

That being said, most of the advice I got for carrying concealed came from one of my neighbors who was a cop. He is one of the few cops that I have really gotten along with, and we traded all kinds of favors. I gave him some old RAM sticks to upgrade his computer and his wife gave me ten free Papa John's pizza coupons. And we had a tacit agreement on watching out for the other's family when we were working nights. We even worked out lines of fire and where all the beds were.

Good concealed carry is supposed to be concealed. There are things that can make it obvious. These are good topics to discuss. Another friend of mine and I used to always try to identify where the other was carrying. And oddly, the only time he couldn't pin me down was when I was carrying 'mexican style'. I have an odd variation when I don't feel like carrying a holster where I slide my belt buckle to one side and hold it just with the belt. For the record, it is not a very solid hold, but it is very hard to see.

Find the right gear and go with it. I wasn't trying to dissuade anyone from buying the right gear. I was merely pointing out that it is one of the tells. If you are carrying for long periods, the proper weight distribution becomes important, and you won't get that without the right gear. To again agree with DoubleTapDrew, don't skimp on your gear. I'm assuming you didn't skimp on the gun. The right holster and belt will go a long way to making carry more comfortable. You know you are dedicated when you custom tailor suits for an IWB holster...

And I am personally leaning to finding a good shoulder rig for my Glock with a few mag holders on the other side to balance the weight out.

 

[FatPants]

This is why I prefer a Wilderness Instructor belt over a leather belt. I can adjust the belt much more than I can a leather belt. I would maybe suggest a Wilderness CSM, and give that a try.

 

[lions]

One thing I noticed is that if I have my belt at a comfortable tightness, my gun seems to bob a bit, not a lot, but just enough to notice, especially going down stairs.

Where does your belt sit on your waist? It seems to be more popular now for pants to sit lower on the waist. If you tighten your belt lower on your hips then when you stride purposefully or go down stairs your belt may have a tendency to bounce or ride up and seem looser as your waist narrows. Just another possibility to consider, good luck.

 

[1911 guy]

I've worn the Wilderness Instructor Belt for years now and swear by it. It's made very well and costs half of what the Galco belt does. After all, Galco just copied the original design.

Anyway, the two issues are: Wear an actual gunbelt, not an off-the-rack department store belt and don't wear your pants around your hips. Most pants are cut to wear around the hips anymore, shop around and find pants that actually fit your waist, just above your hips. After the first week or so of feeling a little odd, it's much more comfortable to tote a handgun that way.