concealed carry is a pain!

M

mega twin

New member
Although I've had a chl for years,I really haven't carried that much on my person. Most of the time just in a vehicle.
Lately I've started to carry some, and it is being a pain to find a carry that feels natural, and stays concealed,altho it may be my carry choice. I have a 5 inch 1911,and a mini firestorm that are two of my favorites. My other handguns are large revolvers that are too heavy for extended carry.
I have a shoulder holster,an owb don hume jit,and an iwb holsters and other than the shoulder holster,the placement on the other two holsters present a problem either in comfort or concealability.The shoulder holster is the most comfortable, but with the weather warming, is not going to be practible for too much longer.
I am 5'9" and weigh 175 lbs.Any sugestions?
 
Do you have a good belt? You'd be suprized how much of a difference a good belt will make. It might take a while but you'll just have to experiment with different holsters and positions. I know I've got plenty of holsters sitting in ta box that for some reason just didn't work for me. Carrying is a very personal thing...you just gotta find out what works for you.
 
I've carried concealed for 26 years, yes , it's a pain in the ass. I've gone through dozens of holsters and weapon types.

Find a weapon you can live with daily. switch every now and then with method of carry, IWB, pouch, pants pocket (snubbies).

It's the downside of being prepared:(
 
+1 for a good belt making all the difference.

I didn't know what I was missing until I bought one from The Beltman. Also got a Crossbreed belt recently. Good stuff on both accounts, though the Beltman double horsehide is hard to beat for sheer stiffness.
 
I tend to agree: concealed carry can be a pain.

Hi, mega twin!

You're right---concealed carry is definitely a pain. It helps if you think of it as a necessary evil, some thing you have to do, or else..!

I'm a bit smaller than you, but when I started carrying years ago it was an S&W 4506 with one extra mag. Heavy! (For me, at least.)

Now it's a G23 as my primary and an LCP as backup. (Some times I get lazy and just cary the LCP---I don't personally recommend that, though. Could get me killed some day.)

Maybe you need a new piece...a baby Glock, maybe?
 
Get a small 9mm like a Kahr PM9, P11, LCP (380) or PF9. Even a light revolver like the LCR or j-frame helps a lot when trying to carry around a gun.
 
The holster is critical, too. I have an IWB holster that allows me to carry a 5.5 in. N-Frame comfortably.

Regards,

Walt
 
The Right Holster

Indeed CC is more effort than most realize. To follow all the laws governing its possession is quite consuming. After much trial & tribulation I went with CrossBreed Holsters Super-Tuck IWB. A custom-formed holster that looks somewhat odd, but feels & functions perfectly. Granted I am large in size (6' & 325lbs - mostly muscle hehe) the holster was formed to a Beretta PX4 Storm & is great. For those in the market of the right holster check them out. I beleive they are at www.crossbreedholsters.com. It took just over 2 weeks during their non-busy period but it was worth the wait.
 
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I'm 5/9, 150, I can get away with carrying a fairly large and heavy pistol all day in a non custom IWB with little to no problems. the secret? A good belt. It's been said a thousand times but it never hurts to say again.
 
I've been carrying here in Ohio for nearly 5 years...good belt and good holster make all the difference in the world. I carry IWB for more "casual" times and with a shoulder rig otherwise (I spend a lot of time in suits/sport coats). Takes time...but it's worth the effort to be prepared
 
I must have gotten lucky on my holster as mine was perfect from day one. I'm 5'8", 195 lbs and can carry my 5" 1911 IWB all day long in nothing but a baggy t-shirt and still stay comfortable while keeping it concealed. I've got a Brommeland gunleather Max-Con V holster with a 1.5" belt from The Belt Man. Comfort really comes down to the holster and the belt; if you dont have the right combination it can be uncomfortable.
 
I'm 6' and built so that my shirts hang loosely around my waist when they're untucked--good for concealment. I wear a heavy belt and buy good holsters--also good for concealment.

Even with all that I can't manage carrying a full-sized gun concealed. Have realistic expectations.

I carry a Walther PPK or a Kahr CW9 depending on the mode of dress/mode of carry. Both of them conceal well and don't beat me up. I've heard the saw that concealed guns are supposed to be comforting, not necessarily comfortable, but I choose to be comforted AND comfortable and have not found it difficult to fulfil that goal as long as I don't get unrealistic about what I try to carry concealed.
 
Guys you think you have problems, try being a woman. our clothes are supposed to hug curves and shoulder holsters have problems you guys don't have.

Usually I compensate with either a .25 barretta that is small enough to fit in a jacket pocket, or I wear a slightly baggy jacket that covers the hip and as long as I don't button it up, hides the shape of the gun on my hip.

Last year in New hope Pennsylvania, artsy left wing town it was a summer day and some aging hippy lady said "oh take off your jacket dear, you're making me feel hot." all I could thinik was "if I take the jacket off you'll feel much worse."
 
Well, I can't speak for anyone but me. But I can do that pretty well. :)

I started five years ago with my brand new CHL permit and a G-23, which I found too fat to conceal with a variety of holsters. I next went through a variety of j-frames, which carried well but shot (for me) poorly. When I bought a Kahr PM9 and a DeSantis Nemesis, I was in Nirvana for about three years.

However, I am one of those "never satisfied" types, so I tried a P-11, a P3AT (two actually) and a P32, all of which went away rather quickly (read my other posts for details).

I also toyed with Scandium S&Ws in 44Spl and 45acp. Light, not terribly difficult to carry but fairly unpleasant to shoot, and not conducive to regular practice.

So, back to the PM9, and all is well...mostly.

Remember that "never satisfied" thing? During the last three winters (when a cover garment is part of the natural wardrobe) I've been experimenting with carrying something larger. Kahr P45, Kimber 3" alloy 1911, and more recently, 4" S&W .357s in K and L frames. And this winter, an N-frame in .45 Colt.

Now that Spring has sprung I am trying not to revert to the PM9. If I can carry a 45, even a small one, I will. So far it's working out well. One day I plan on carrying an N-frame or a 5" 1911 every day--in the mean time, I'm working in that direction, and am fairly satisfied with the progress so far.

For the record, I'm on the far side of 50 years old, on the skinny side of 150 lbs, and on the wrong side of several major surgeries in the last couple years, one of them being spinal fusion. That makes the weight of a carry pistol very noticeable, and not entirely pleasant. However, as someone once said, a carry pistol is meant to be comforting, not comfortable.

As recently as last summer, I was convinced that the PM9 was the largest thing I would ever carry for 9 months of the year. That is no longer the case.

So, to make a long story a bit longer :) stick with it. You can progress in any direction you choose. Some go smaller and smaller, lighter and lighter. While a small, light pistol is a pleasure to carry (I now own an LCP by the way, but do not carry it) I trust the the viability of a larger cartridge, to say nothing of my ability to shoot a full size 1911 or N-frame far better...now I just have to continue to work to carry it comfortably.

And has been stated several times already, a good belt and a good holster are at least 50% of that battle.
 
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