Tried on holsters today. I need a good IWB...

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joey93turbo

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So I went to a local gun shop today and tried on a couple holsters for my P226R, Galco and Uncle Mikes. I printed like crazy with every holster I tried on. I'm 6'1 and 205lbs, I shouldn't have this problem. I hear all the time how people carry their Sig full size pistols without printing. My guess is they have good holsters. I don't carrying on my back/kidney, I prefer on my side/front. Also, I usually wear tshirts.

So I need some suggestions. I've heard really good things about the FIST ultra thin kydex holsters. Are there any downside to these? Which # do you guys recommend?

I want the thinnest, lightest holster possible since I'm pretty active.

Please help! thanks guys.
 
I prefer on my side/front. Also, I usually wear tshirts.
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I am 6' and 175# . IWB with a forward cant, at 4:00 to 4:30 using Galco, Milt Sparks Alessi, High Noon, ...etc No problem with a full size 1911, or BHP.

For ME, the key is a good belt, and finding where the "sweet spot" is on your person. Dress around the gun - this means one sometimes changes dress codes. As Cooper put it Comforting - not comfortable

Other key is how you carry yourself. Mindset is important. So is the way one carries themselves and how other's "Perceive" you to be.

Example: I have been out to eat with our own Preacherman. One would not / nobody suspected he was 1) Padre, 2) CCW.

Heck the darn waitress paid him more attention than me. :p

Granted he is more handsome, better educated than myself , super smart, has an accent that women are attracted to ...still... :D
 
Hey thanks for the reply.

I tried with an IWB everywhere from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock and I didn't like any of them. I think I'm most comfortable carrying somewhere from 9-11 o'clock with an IWB on my left side (cross draw rig since I'm right handed). That's definately where the gun is most concealable on me. What are the downfalls to carrying like this?
 
Trying to conceal under a tshirt can be a problem. A good holster/belt can help with concealment, but light outer fabric still tends to mold itself around a gun especially if there's any dampness. For concealment I wound up changing my dressing habits a bit. In warm weather I now generally wear a loose short sleeved button up shirt untucked over my tucked in tshirt with the weapon and holster sandwiched between. A little warmer true but I've never been made AFAIK.

Nonq
 
Joey - are you sure you were printing, or was that just a cell phone, PDA, etc that everyone carries around these days...? Would people around you see a bulge, or a gun? Point being, most people perceive themselves as printing, when it's usually not nearly as bad as they think. You know it's a gun, therefore you see a gun. Perhaps you should have another person with you to yield a second opinion? Does it actually look like a gun, or just some object?

I have also found wood grips help out, as they don't grip the tee shirt like rubber do. A little starch and an iron can stiffen up the fabric in that area to subdue printing as well. Hey, nobody ever said this was easy!! :banghead:

I second the opinion about how you carry yourself. People don't generally fidgit and act nervous when carrying a cell phone under their tee shirt. Act normally, and generally people haven't a clue.
 
Steve, thanks for the kind words. Now, if that waitress had tried to give either of us a hug, she might have been astonished that two guys could have so many bumps on their bodies... wonder how many guns we were carrying between us? :D

Joey, first rule of CCW is that "concealed" means putting the weapon in such a place that on your body, in those clothes, the weapon is both concealed and comfortable. It's no good saying "I want to carry it at the 2 or 3 o'clock position" if it sticks out like a sore thumb to everyone else. For concealment purposes, you may have to compromise and put it further back at the 4 o'clock position. Alternatively, you may need to change your clothing: wearing a buttoned duster, I reckon I could conceal a .44 Magnum revolver with a 6" barrel at my 2 or 3 o'clock position (although rapid access in case of need might be a tad difficult... :D ).

If you can't get concealment right with the holsters available to you, check out other holsters online. The best for concealment that I've found is the Milt Sparks VersaMax II, of which I now have 3 for different models of guns. YMMV...
 
I own two Milt Sparks VM-II's and have a third on order. Needless to say I like these holsters. They spread the weight out nicely and hold the gun snug against you.

Shameless plug, this one is for sale as I no longer have this gun.
Para6.jpg
 
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Listen to what Ringer said. Order a VM2, today. Don't wait, it'll just prolong your misery. Once you get it, I'll almost guarantee you'll love it and if for some weird reason you don't, you will have no problem selling it for what you paid minus shipping. Trust me--don't do the "box full of holsters" bit that most of us have. While you're at it, buy a good belt from Tony K. and the Sparks boys as well.

Greg
 
I just have to subscribe to this thread for ideas. I'm looking for a nice IWB for a P229 that's coming in next week.
 
Case in point

Preacherman and I that evening -

Neither one of us were wearing cover garments, no overshirts, no jackets. I was wearing Jeans, tennis shoes, a long sleeved oxford shirt, tucked in . WE never discussed what or how many guns we had on person. To this day we have never asked. WE still don't know. :p

I'm still trying to figure out the cutie that stopped at our table looked at Preacherman " I know you from somewhere". I guess I was either that "low profile" or "chopped liver".

VSII is good choice, get a GOOD belt.

Again I will recommend if can - ask permission to try the guns and holsters of others.

Then again even if one subscribes to "try before you buy"...buy some stuff from the used holster bin...you are supposed to have a drawer full of holsters like everyone else. Even holsters for guns you don' t have...

Great excuse to buy a gun tho..." I gots this holster, but no gun to fit it". :D
 
I am 6'1" and weigh about 230. I carry a Ruger P90 in a DA3 from Ted Blocker Leather. http://www.tedblocker.com/DA3.html

When I was looking for iwb holsters, I didn't know if I would be able to do it, I got a nylon holster from Uncle Mikes. This was comfy and did a pretty good job except the holster didn't always stay on the belt when I drew. But at least it showed me I could carry IWB.

The DA3 comes with 2 sets of clips, one tuckable and the other not, the not tuckable holds the gun a little higher. Even though I don't tuck often, I use the tuckable clips, they hold the gun nice and tight and it doesn't abuse my ribs. The holster distributes the weight of the gun over a wide enough area to make it more comrfortable.

The real trick is a good belt. Without a good double strength belt the gun will flop around and not feel secure. I got a belt from Ted Blocker, when I saw the great job they did on the holster, I had too, and this is a very secure combo and so comfy I can't think of the last time I have fealt the need to "pet the piece".

You asked about the pro's and con's of cross draw.

The pro is that it is easier to reach when you are driving or sitting.

The con is that the draw is a little slower and more obvious. It is also harder to conceal that far forward.

I hope this helps,

DM
 
you are supposed to have a drawer full of holsters like everyone else. Even holsters for guns you don' t have...
Click to expand...

OH, THANK YOU. I'm going to print this out in 36 point and give it to FirstInLine. I've been telling her and telling her, but she just hasn't believed me. :D

Pops
 
The VM-II is a great choice, as would be the Summer Special, Wild Bill's NSA, or any number of other quality products.

As has been said, a good purpose-made belt is the key to comfortable and discrete CCW. Don't skimp on it; it's the foundation of any good rig.

The biggest compromise is changing your mode of dress to accomodate concealment needs. Simply buying trousers and shirts one size larger helps a great deal. Going from tee to polo or golf-type shirts when possible eliminates a lot of 'printing' issues too.
 
Lots of good belts out there - any of the major holster manufacturers will also make a belt. The only "name-brand" belt I have is an Alessi, which has served me well.

A really, really good "economy" alternative is to buy a work belt from Wal-Mart. These belts are about 1¾" wide, and are made of thick, strong leather. I've used them for years, and they're strong enough to make good gunbelts. Try one and see for yourself. Best of all, they cost about $10 instead of the $40 or so you'll spend at a quality leather shop.
 
The folks at Rafter S make a nice belt. Some people love their holsters some dont but everyone seems to agree on the belts. Also they are cheaper than say MS or Alessi and they offer a wide range of materials.
RafterSleather.com

Since I've started carry if its going to be legal I try not to leave the house unarmed. I employ a couple methods. If I'm going out for a while I'll dress around the gun with polos or Oxfords and carry a fullsize. If I'm just running through the McD drive through I put on a PM9 in some form. A pocket or clip on holster that disappears under anything.
 
http://www.haugenhandgunleather.com makes the BEST LEATHER out there today. Just one man's opinion, but a buyer of holsters for 35 plus years. You deserve it to yourself to check this product out. Nope, I do not have a financial interest, or even know this artist, other than talking with him on the phone while ordering. Think about it, the guy actually TALKS and wants to know what you are looking for, and how he can fill that need. Great leather, look, stitching, and VERY durable.
 
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