Is concealing ever supposed to be comfortable...?

[canav844]

G17, DeSantis Intruder (similar style to supertuck, far less cost) ($50), 5.11 1.75in polymer reinforced Operator Belt (Same basic style as wilderness belt) ($40); CCs plenty comfortable, I also pocket a G27 quite comfortably; I most often OC the G17 in a Safariland, as it's accomodating to the TLR-1 staying on the gun. I'm a little over 6ft and 260. A great holster is mediocre with a bad belt, and bad holster with a good belt is useless; once you get a good belt and a good holster it's quite easy. I also have all my pants sized to include the width of the gun(as that drastically helps keep excess tension off of the gut), and try to buy long cut or one size large on the shirts when it's an option (to help keep it covered if I'm not standing straight up with arms at my side). If you're tearing belt loops on your pants, then your belt isn't stiff enough to support the weight you carry.

I like carrying the G17 with one spare mag and the G27 as a backup, this means I've got 18+17+10 rounds on hand most of the time, but more importantly I can have gun or magazine failure and be good to go, as well as I can have my hand on the gun in the pocket without raising alarm or drawing attention, if things start to turn south before I have an exit option, but am not yet needing to draw. 2 guns+spare mag(s)+non-mounted white light+ wallet +keys +cellphone +pocket folder knife (+multitool) can add a fair amount of weight, but cargo pants or carpenter jeans, and a good belt keep everything very comfortable, and very well concealed for me, to where people who know I'm carrying can't find where I'm carrying from observation alone.

On days that I'm worried about concealment (i.e. getting made will be guarantee or high probability of social conflict at inopportune times), I'll cut that down to just the G27 IWB or pocket and it'll just about disappear in feel as well as sight as I'm really setup and comfortable carrying more; so if you can't make it work with the relatively low expense in holsters and belts, then you may want to be putting a lighter gun on the strong carry platform, at the larger expense of another firearm, but the trade off being that you'll be carrying it when you need it.

 

[Scutter01]

The single biggest thing that helped me carry comfortably (IWB) that I haven't seen mentioned here is to buy bigger pants. If you're trying to wedge an inch-thick pistol in your waistband without also wearing inch-bigger pants, then it's going to be like wearing pants that are one size too small. Buy bigger pants. It helps a LOT.

 

[bobzilla]

The single biggest thing that helped me carry comfortably (IWB) that I haven't seen mentioned here is to buy bigger pants. If you're trying to wedge an inch-thick pistol in your waistband without also wearing inch-bigger pants, then it's going to be like wearing pants that are one size too small. Buy bigger pants. It helps a LOT.

tHIS. Or do like I am and lose weight so your pants fit larger.

 

[youngda9]

Get a decent leather rig and it'll conform to your body and you'll forget it's there most of the time. It comes with time also, newbs are naturally constantly noticing it

 

[darkkevin]

i carry my 3" 1911 everywhere in a leather OWB holster and an untucked shirt, never been called out by anyone yet. i'm sure it prints sometimes but i figure those that don't know its a gun printing won't notice, those that do know are probably gun people anyway and don't care. in other circumstances where i HAVE to conceal better or my attire requires it, I just drop my kahr cm9 in a cheap IWB holster. and i've said it before, i'll say it again............BUY A GOOD GUN BELT. huge improvement in comfort!!

 

[hacksawfg]

6 ft. 270 lbs (OK, 5'10"). Only OC'ed my P226, tried tucking it inside the belt but even with loose shirts it profiles (please note, not to carry, just to see how bad it profiles with different shirts). I'm either going to lose 50 lbs so I can keep my pants, or eat nothing but bacon for the next year, stick my gun in a ziploc bag and hide it between layers of flab.

 

[possum_128]

Myself I find that any iwb carry is uncomfortable with any gun. For me, I find that a good leather belt and a good leather owb holster works well for me. I carry a Glock 30 80% of the time and don't even know it's there. I carry my gun at all times when not at work and dress around my gun. I have been carrying for 39 years and this works well for me. I really don't see why people have trouble with carry. A good belt and holster goes a long way in comfort.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

Buy bigger pants. It helps a LOT.

This ^.

I buy pants , shorts and shirts a size bigger than needed . My G30 hides pretty easily that way .

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Crossbreed minituck for a 3.5" doublestack .45, so it's not exactly tiny. With my build it disappears, and if I didn't know it was there, I wouldn't know it was there, even driving. It's that comfortable. I guess it's easier for some than others, but it's definitely not impossible.

 

[.45 Dave]

Crossbreed supertuck FTW.

I'm also 6ft about 230lbs

Ditto. Supertuck is about the most comfortable I've found.

 

[NapalmFTW]

The single biggest thing that helped me carry comfortably (IWB) that I haven't seen mentioned here is to buy bigger pants. If you're trying to wedge an inch-thick pistol in your waistband without also wearing inch-bigger pants, then it's going to be like wearing pants that are one size too small. Buy bigger pants. It helps a LOT.

Someone did mention it but its worth repeating. I must admit I agree (and did agree in my reply).

My comfy jeans (which are ripped and covered in engine oil etc) are about a size or two too big, so its easy to IWB a gun.

Personally my choice would be to OC or lazy CC all the time but recent circumstances have forced me to think about CCing occasionally, and doing it 'right'.

I'll persevere with my Galco tuck holster with an undershirt - something I wear 99% of the time anyway and especially since I started carrying. It does stop the gun pressing into my fat.

 

[lovemachine]

Buying a better holster will help a lot too.

I CC using the Comp-TAC MTAC. It works GREAT, especially on those hot sweaty days.

 

[melensdad]

I carry an all steel 1911 in a CrossBreed SuperTuck all day and forget that it is even on my hip.

Use a good heavy gun belt, get pants that fit with a gun inside the waistband, get a holster that works. The belt will spread the weight of the gun around your waist, the properly sized pants won't bind, the holster will carry a large/heavy gun securely without shifting.

 

[NapalmFTW]

I was pretty comfortable today at the lounge, Bob, I must admit. I think an undershirt would've helped.

I do think I need bigger pants in general LOL.

 

[geronimojoe85]

That sticky, tight, off balance feeling..

That's what freedom feels like, son.


Enjoy it.

 

[cbseniour]

I've carried a 1911 Colt Defender for the last 2 years and it was only occasionally comfortable. I just bought a ruger LCR .357. This afternoon I put it in the hip pocket of my jeans and went out to run some errands and forgot it was there.

There is a case to be made for the snub nosed revolver.

 

[evsnova74]

I'm 5'10" 140lbs, CC a g23 with a MTAC, it's way more comfortable than my DeSantis leather thumb break and BlackHawk CQC non serpa OWB holsters...

 

[mrortega]

I'm not talking about the little pocket guns here. I'm talking the medium to full size pistols (or revolvers).

I had a S&W 659 for a short time but she was too big and fat to conceal comfortably. I now have a S&W 457 which is smaller and is easier. But it still sucks to conceal.

It's uncomfortable and with the weather getting warmer, sweaty

This is why I usually OC 99% of the time. When I have to CC I just untuck my outer shirt or throw a jacket on.

Yesterday I bought a Galco tuckable holster for my 457. It's not AS uncomfortable as a small IWB holster but I still end up with an imprint of the holster in my skin and the gun is covered in perspiration.

Does it get easier if you're a skinny bugger? I'm around 250lbs or so and 6ft something and I know I need to lose weight. Or is it easier if you're a fat sum-beach?

Any thoughts? Is it the wrong combination of gun and holster? Can CC ever be comfortable (without using a stupidly small gun)?

David.

To be blunt, yeah it should always be comfortable. I've ankle carried and forgot I had the pistol on and actually walked into a school one time. I freaked out when I finally realized I had it on.

 

[Liberty Sanders]

Maybe it's just because I've been doing it for so long, but I carry two "N" frame S&W wheelguns and I'm never uncomfortable.

 

[dom1104]

I am never uncomfortable.

I carry a comfortable gun tho.

No pokey edges, no hard kydex holster, just nice soft suede AIWB w/ a clip.

All day comfort, totally concealable, very fast draw, 45 ACP moonclip goodness. Works great on skunks, rabbits, chickens, and pigs. Other than that, I have zero experiance.