Posted on 08/28/2011 6:15:47 PM PDT by West Texas Chuck
I have always used a belly bag for concealed carry, but I am thinking about leather holsters now. Input sought.
I concur on the belt issue. If you’re carrying IWB, a proper belt is a must have. (Dang thing was expensive as the holster, but worth every penny.)
BFL
Love those gun threads!
In a .38 Special, Cor Bon 110 Grain JHP +P
I live in the desert, at 115 anything in the waist area is soaked with sweat in 15 minutes.
Dittos on the Crossbreed Supertuck. I have two -one for my Beretta 92FS and one for my XDM .45.
I always carry both pistols racked with one in the chamber. The CB covers the trigger very safely with the molded plastic around it.
Great thread!
It keeps my Ruger nice and snug against my side, does not travel nor tilt out and the FBI cant makes for easy draw.
Im wearing a custom Brommeland gunleather on waistband holster, but you can get a nice factory bianchi leather holster that will work just as well.
Right now, Im wearing a Smith model 642 airweight 38 snubby in a pocket holster made by MN Burl.
Belly bags scream “I’m carrying!!” to me. I carry an. H&K .45 and use a BladeTech holster. I think they are the best made.
I carry a snubby in a Don Hume at 4:00 (right kidney) and like the leather, belt-clip design.
BE VERY CAREFUL OF FOBUS! I bought one for a Sig P-226 and it wouldn’t draw. I don’t mean dragged or was hard to draw — I mean rip off the belt before it would let go of the pistol. By the time I discovered it was garbage, I’d lost the reciept so save your reciept and get a money-back garantee. Your milage may vary, some people love that things but I won’t even *look* at Fobus products after that fiasco.
I really like the belly bag (OK, laugh if you guys want, but it works and is comfortable).
I use one myself sometimes — problem is that if you see a man over 50 with a fanny-pack, he’s probably carrying. :-)
Where do you wear it? I have tried a couple IWB and find it comfortable until I try to sit down. I am consisering trying the one you showed.
The holster is over the kidney. The front clip lines up with the outer leg seam of my pants, so you get an idea of scale. I’ve only sat in a couple of chairs where it was uncomfortable, but those chairs sucked to begin with.
I’ll try one, seems to be a hit with quite a few folks.
Thanks
>>XD-40 most of the time, Smith M19 sometimes
Those are pretty big to carry comfortably in an IWB all the time. You have to take a lot of things into account like climate, style of dress, size of gun, size of your gut, what kind of activity you will be doing, pain tolerance. I own plenty of holsters for my carry guns from a tiny Beretta Tomcat to an LCP to my favorite, a J-frame Airweight Bodyguard, to my Beretta PX4 Storm Compact (everything larger than the Storm is off my concealed carry list).
I’m not a big fan of belly bags, but you can’t beat them for comfort even if they do scream “gun”. Hey, its still concealed and no one can say anything if it is concealed. I even have a Bible case with a big red cross on the cover and a foam insert inside that lets me carry a thinline HCS Bible and a full size Glock with two mags!
Paddles are comfortable, but hard to conceal in the summer. IWBs are easier to conceal but get uncomfortable. Thunderwear is OK, but can rub your wrong. Pancakes are comfortable and conceal better than paddles, but they are a hard to get hooked up on the belt and situated perfectly.
Everything has a plus and minus. Go with what is most comfortable for you because that will allow you to carry more with less impact on your life. Sometimes you have to carry less gun to be able to carry any gun.
Another option is a sporty style holster similar to fanny pack:
http://pistolwear.com/holsters.htm
but much tighter against body and concealable. PT-ONE model is recommended, the bigger size distributes the weight on your pelvic area, will fit a Glock 20, full size 1911, etc.
I wrap it tight below belly button and go jogging, running, sprinting and a Sig Sauer P228 isn’t moving, an all steel gun with 16 rds. Material wicks sweat away. It’s quite comfortable. Also has a pouch for an extra mag or folder.
The negatives are the tighter you have it, you have to bend your body, dig your hand inside and whip it out, so not the quickest draw; however it’s faster than unzipping and reaching in a fanny pack. Also I wouldn’t want a Glock, XD, M&P, etc being trigger safety only with a loaded chamber for this arrangement. Either empty chamber or a gun with safety or double action, DA/SA.
Occasionally I’ll throw a piece in small of back if I’m walking around a lot, can’t do it seated in car though. Otherwise I’ll carry 2 guns 11 o clock and 1 o clock AIWB usually. All cheap Blackhawk nylon holsters and a wide tactical belt.
I hear ya, that is why I wear the external pack.
Lots of good info in this thread, I thank you all for your input. But I don’t think I can carry IWB, it appears I’ll be sticking with what I know. No prob, been doing if for years. I like my choice in carry weaponry, might get something smaller one of these days and rethink all my history of carrying. Or not ;)
Hey Chuck, Sticky Holsters makes a really comfortable, really affordable IWB concealed carry holster. http://stickyholsters.com/
How about conceal/carry holster belts? Any recommendations on those?
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