Can’t find a comfortable carry solution for OWB carry.

RGRacing said:
This has been a great read - I too have had all those issues and still do unless I strap on the Suspenders - And then hope I don't have to drop trow for the rest of the day.



I have a Bladetech Ultimate Carry Belt - Very Stiff and easily adjusts to before dinner and after.



My main carry is a Heavy 1911 ultra carry - in a Leather Pancake holster at the 3 o'clock -



Pants are usually 5.11 Strykers - Almost like the most comfortable pants to wear. But you do look like a Rambo in them -
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I dunno, I may just have to invest in a set of suspenders depending on how this new belt works out.

But I see that bladetech belt of yours is almost identical as my new belt that’s waiting for me at home.

How do you like yours? I’m really looking forward to the extremely easy adjustment, which is what I think my main problem is, is not being able to loosen my current belt when I’m driving.

But one things for certain tho, this must be a very popular carry belt style because your belt is like the third or fourth totally different manufacturer that makes a belt like this with that click strap on it.


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youtube has a few videos of bigger guys trying our different holsters and you can see what works for them and why...
 
I have the same issue with the belt having to be very tight when I carry IWB.

Have you considered a shoulder holster? Not my favorite way of carrying and not sure if your location allows it, but I used a shoulder holster for quite a few years when I had to and while it had certain drawbacks it was at least comfortable.
 
Frequent Flier Wilderness belt, 1.5", used it for years, still looks like new. Kydex holster.
Sometimes use suspenders, that hook on to the belt. Tee shirt undershirt, with a sweater when it's cold. Guyabara Florida shirt, when it's warm. About 3-30 position.
Played with the 43X ten shot magazine Glock for a while, but went back to my Glock19.
Nice comfort zone 16 rounds. Spare G17 mag on the offside.
511s love all those pockets. Worn them for 40 years. At one time those pants cried Cop, which I am not. Or a Firearms Instructor, which I am. Now they are worn in some form all over the world. In Europe they just say, Yank. Which I now am.
 
2damnold4this said:
My 342 weighs 12 oz loaded with aftermarket grips. An LC9s weighs about 20oz loaded.
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I carried a Ruger LC9S for the better part of three years and even though it’s only 17 ounces completely empty, I think mine was pushing closer to 23-24 ounces because I carried it with the 9-round extended magazine and a Crimson Trace trigger guard laser. But, I never carried it outside the waistband. It got carried inside the waistband in either an Alien Gear cloak tuck holster or a crossbreed super tuck horse hide holster which both weren’t the most comfortable because I had to cinch the belt down almost as tight to hold everything up. But, that was also done with junky gun belts that were about as stiff as a regular leather dress belt. I never tried that configuration with a much stiffer belt.

I’m just wondering how these guys with similar builds as me are able to carry full-size 1911’s ad such in much more comfort as I’m experiencing. Maybe they’re not sitting all day like I am....


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Well, today’s the first day officially going back to OWB carry with my new belt. It’s still too early to tell since the day’s far from over but, this belt seems to be a little more forgiving than the Volund belt. It’s still pretty stiff, a lot more than the Alien Gear leather belt and the Crossbreed Executive leather belt I was using a long time ago, but it’s not as stiff as the Volund.

I hope this one works out since it’s a lot easier to loosen than the one I was using before. I’m also wearing my holster a little further back, too. Before, I was wearing it centered over the 3 o’clock belt loop, now the front belt loop of the holster is just behind the same belt loop on my pants.


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If I am going to sit for a bit while driving, I will loosen the belt a notch if needed then tighten it up when I get out of the truck. I have also been thinking about getting some sort of holster to mount in the truck while driving. Getting to my pistol while sitting with a seat belt on would definitely be an issue if it was needed in a hurry.
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Good advice from AFK.

I make my own holsters according to use, and have intended to make up an SUV/Jeep/Pickup Truck holster that accomplishes the above goal. Years ago, like over 40 years to be exact, one of my uncles had a holster strapped to his car & truck's steering column...that's back when cars had a steering column. It worked for him, but both he and the column are long gone now.

Considering the problem, I've toyed with a design that would rivet or velcro to the underside of the dash...but as of now, at least in my Ranger pickup, I wedge my open top holster down between the halves of the bench type seat. Works well and avoids all that monkey motion trying to make a draw from my usual 4 o'clock carry position. The down side is, I have to wrestle with re-attaching it to my belt before leaving the truck....I've had some odd looks from folks who caught a peek at my contortions in our Wally World parking lot.

A dedicated, semi-permanent holster might work on our Grand Cherokee and my Wrangler if attached (velcro maybe) between the bucket seat and the center tunnel, just forward of the seat belt attach point. In use, I'd leave it there, and wear my usual OWB on my belt.

The downside, of course, for a commercial maker would be applicability across the many makes and models of cars & trucks.

YMMv Rod
 
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rodfac said:
Good advice from AFK.



I make my own holsters according to use, and have intended to make up an SUV/Jeep/Pickup Truck holster that accomplishes the above goal. Years ago, like over 40 years to be exact, one of my uncles had a holster strapped to his steering column...that's back when cars had a steering column.



Considering the problem, I'm toying with a design that would rivet to the underside of the dash...just some idle thoughts here...as of now, at least in my Ranger pickup, I wedge my open top holster down between the halves of the bench type seat. Works well and avoids all that monkey motion trying to make a draw from my usual 4 o'clock carry position.



Something similar might work on our Grand Cherokee and my Wrangler if attached (velcro maybe) between the bucket seat and the center tunnel, forward of the seat belt attach point. The downside for a commercial maker would be applicability across the many makes and models of cars & trucks.



YMMv Rod
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In my pickup, I’ve got a special holster I got from Gum Creek that is specifically made for a center console. When I go on long trips, the gun that I keep in my safe goes in that holster.

During the midst of all this searching for a comfortable carry solution on my person for when I’m at work, I did put a little bit of thought to that at first about just going that route initially, instead of trying to find a comfortable carry solution that worked for both while in and out of the truck.

I may just continue carrying my Springfield the way that I have, since this new belt seems to help with its much easier adjustability, and focus on looking at ideas for mounting a holster in this semi for one of my other PX4’s that stays in my backpack- err, man purse that carries my Garmin, charge cords, Bluetooth headsets, and my other gear I use on the truck.




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1MoreFord said:
OP, if you feel belt stiffness is part of your problem let me suggest BigFoot Gunbelts 14oz steel lined belt. https://gunbelts.com/
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I’m not really sure stiffness is my problem, though. I mean well, the floppyness of my other two belts was enough proof that they were no where near stiff enough but, in my quest to find the perfect belt, I have been told that stiffer, isn’t always the answer. I think my two new belts are plenty stiff enough but, I still consider it strange that I still have to cinch them up fairly tight just to hold my pants up. But, I’ve about come to the conclusion that unless I can lose a lot of this spare tire of mine, that no belt is going to be comfortable when you have to sit down for long periods of time. I will admit that at the beginning of the day when my belly isn’t sore that the tightness I need when standing, is actually pretty comfortable, it’s just that after more than a few hours of sitting without loosening the belt, is when fatigue starts to set in.


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1goodshot said:
I have a body like Hank Hill, gut and no ass. My pants tend to fall down so ill probably have to get suspenders
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You speak as though it were a bad thing. I can attest that it is not. You'll never have to continually hitch up your pants again, you'll not have to cinch your belt so tight it hurts your kidneys and lower back and suspenders really help support the weight of the gun. As mentioned before, I wear them over a wife-beater type undershirt and an untucked t-shirt or button up shirt over that.

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Skippy said:
You speak as though it were a bad thing. I can attest that it is not. You'll never have to continually hitch up your pants again, you'll not have to cinch your belt so tight it hurts your kidneys and lower back and suspenders really help support the weight of the gun. As mentioned before, I wear them over a wife-beater type undershirt and an untucked t-shirt or button up shirt over that.

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My new Kore belt works out much better than the old Volund belt and I think it’s primarily because of what I was originally thinking which, is because of the ability to easily losers it while driving. I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that no matter what belt I use, it’s gonna have to get cinched down to hold everything up. I mean, I just feel there’s really no other option I guess, instead of doing what you do which I guess I didn’t fully pick up on about putting a tshirt on over your spenders.


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Or, an Andrews Leather "Carjacker". Its like a small of the back holster that is worn in front, specifically for driving. I have one I use snow machining. It fits inside my front pocket inside my atkuq, Eskimo parka. Very handy, a very nice holster, well made and comfortable holster. I can wear it under a hoodie and it just looks like I have something in the front pocket. Its for my Glock 36.
 
moose fat said:
Or, an Andrews Leather "Carjacker". Its like a small of the back holster that is worn in front, specifically for driving. I have one I use snow machining. It fits inside my front pocket inside my atkuq, Eskimo parka. Very handy, a very nice holster, well made and comfortable holster. I can wear it under a hoodie and it just looks like I have something in the front pocket. Its for my Glock 36.
Click to expand...



I like that. I also like how easy it comes on and off the belt, two. Only bad thing is, I would have problems concealing that unless it was a cold day, and it could be kept covered with a hoodie jacket or something like you do but on a hot day, or even a not so cold winter day, I wonder if my extra long tailed t-shirts would cover that.... I guess it would depend on how much it prints, a little printing is fine as long as it’s covered.

I wonder if that holster can be made custom fit for a picatinny rail laser....


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Big belly, no butt. I've about given in to wearing suspenders. Plain old elastic suspenders work fine with IWB carry with a 642, No belt. Otherwise I pocket carry.
 
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