Concealed Carry: What works for you?

S

Siggy-06

New member
I've been a Concealed Carry Permit holder since I was 21, and have carried many different handguns, big or small, throughout the years. Living in Florida, I've had to dress lightly due to the temperature. Here's some of the set ups that have worked best for me over the years:

S&W M&P40c, Galco Summer Comfort holster, Dickies leather belt. No extra mags. (I used this set up for 3 years before moving on to other options.)

Ruger LCP, Desantis Nemesis pocket holster. No belt needed. 1 extra mag in another pocket. (Deep concealment and quick and light set up. Was an easy go to option to grab when heading out the door.)

Glock 23, Don Hume JIT slide holster, Crossbreed leather belt. No spare magazine. (I ended up trading my M&P40C for the Glock. I like the trigger and profile better. OWB worked best for me.)

Current EDC Rig: Springfield XDS 9, Cook OWB Clip Holster, Wilderness Instructor 5 stitch belt, 1 extra mag in carrier. (I've moved away from the .40s&w and onto 9mm. The belt replaced my old crossbreed leather belt and is super sturdy. Holster is tight to the body but comes on and off quickly but securely.)

Here's some firearms that I carried but eventually changed out due to either size, weight, or difficulty to conceal:

Ruger P95: I could only appendix carry this block on my 32 inch waist 10 years ago. Good gun though.

GP100 4 inch: Good for open carry in the woods only, I can CC it, but it's a heavy beast.

S&W shield: Never got a good holster for it and I tried several. Ended up selling it to a buddy for what I paid.

Due to the FL heat and my overall size(5'11 and a 34 inch waist) I've come to enjoy owb high riding holsters on a solid belt the best.

What are you past experiences and old carry rigs? Where did you start and what has your EDC/CC evolved into?

-Sig
 
Good stiff belt. OWB, 3ish o'clock give or take, anything up to about a Glock 17 sized but prefer Glock 19 sized. HK P2000 specifically.
 
I lived in a Commie state, Maryland, so there wasn't any concealed carry. Moved to Florida and my first carry was a Glock 23 and a 27. Then I switched to a Glock 30. I have carried a multitude of guns. Many I have practiced extensively, and would not carry unless I could hit out to 25 yards. Many, I'm Able to hit out to 50 yards.

I currently the following :

Glock 19 MOS with an RMR in a G Code holster (can shoot out to 50, either hand).
S&W 640 in an Uncle Mike's size 4 in the pocket
Occasionally I add a third: NAA 22 WMR

I have previously carried the following:

Glock 23/27/30 Shielded holster
Ed Brown Special Forces and Kobra Carry in a Shielded Holster
Glock 43 in a pocket holster
Sig P238 in a pocket Talon holster
S&W 442 in a pocket holster
Woods carry:
S&W 586 L-Comp Pancake OWB
S&W Performance Center 629 44 Magnum, Bandolier (open carry)
I would also carry a 454 Casull Super Redhawk and 460 XVR in the same holster.


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Out of the ones I have tried so far the Kahr CM9 is the one that works for me. I carry IWB and the small single stack suits me well.
As for double stack, the Glock 26 was the most comfortable for me.
 
I don't carry outside the home often, only a few days a month (it is nearly impossible to get a CCW permit in MD, though I am in DE and VA often, and soon I'll get a non-resident NH permit so I can carry in PA again, and I'm there quite a bit). I do often carry around the apartment. There are only slight differences in what I have in my holster at home v. when out of state where I can carry. I have been a part-time carrier (outside the home) for some years now, and I've carried at home for 15-17 years now.

I've gone through several options that I don't carry anymore:
-My S&W 65LS has been carried a little in a cheap Uncle Mikes IWB holster early on. I love the gun, it was my 1st .357mag, it is in great condition, and it is out of production so I don't really like carrying it anymore (I'm afraid something may happen to it). I also prefer carrying guns that aren't too expensive ($600 and under) just in case. I do still sometimes load it up for home defense (though I don't carry it at home since I don't have a good holster for it)
-My S&W 1911PD. I love 1911s and it is a Lightweight Commander sized gun. I stopped when I started only carrying guns with no safety and a DA 1st shot. It is also expensive for carry (for me).
-Bersa Thunder. Sold it years ago, too big for a .380.
-Taurus 85CH. I go for larger capacity most of the time now
-S&W 442. Capacity is too low
-Ruger LCP. Capacity and I prefer a larger caliber
-Taurus PT 140 Millennium Pro. It hasn't worked in years. Before that it lost the rear site (since replaced)

Bought with carry (partially) in mind but never carried: (some had some carry at home only)
-2" Rossi 461. Had issues early on and I don't really shoot it much or trust it as a result.
-3" Rossi 461. Due to the issues with the 2" it will need far more testing before I trust it.
-Ruger KP345. It wasn't reliable and I sold it once I got it working
-CZ 40B. Great gun, shouldn't have sold it, never had a carry permit while I owned it.
-Taurus 605. Great gun, but I never had a permit while I had it.
-CZ P01. This is my newest gun and needs another range trip or two before I carry it (1st carry will probably be later this spring or summer at the latest).


Carry guns:
-SIG P290RS. I now like larger guns with higher capacity, but I love this gun and can't bring myself to retire it.
-SIG P250 Compact (.45ACP): Love it, great size. I often carry it at home and when visiting a state where I can carry.
-S&W 625MG (.45LC): I rarely carry it out of the house (too big and heavy) but I do carry it sometimes (in an OWB holster and sometimes in a Galco Summer Comfort IWB). I often carry it at home or have it loaded for home defense in a quick access safe. Outside the home it gets the most use when camping in the woods.

Likely to buy for carry
-A midsized (compact) .40. Likely a CZ P07 or a Glock 23. Capacity, enough weight to absorb recoil, yet small enough to carry.
-A subcompact 9mm or .40 to have a size between my P290 and P250/P01. Likely a S&W M&P 40c (have you seen the prices lately), a 9mm CZ RAMI BD, or a Glock 26 (maybe, but less likely, a G27)
-3" S&W 686 Plus. Love revolvers, a medium frame 3" revolver is terrific for carry, I love the 7 round capacity (I prefer higher capacity these days, and that is nearly as good as it gets for a carryable revolver).

Modes of carry/carry thoughts:

I never really warmed to pocket carry. I will occasionally drop a snub, my LCP or P290 in a pocket when I'm not carrying at home and someone knocks on the door when I'm not expecting anyone. I just carry too much in my pockets.

I prefer strong side IWB. 90% of the time I use a tuckable holster, though I don't always tuck the shirt into the holster (sometimes I have the holster over the tucked shirt and I wear a covering garment, sometimes I wear an untucked polo).

I do prefer a larger more capable gun. A midsized gun is still concealable, and it holds more rounds, has weight to absorb recoil, is more comfortable to shoot so I will likely practice more with it, and with the longer sight radius it is usually easier to be accurate with the larger gun. I've found with my size and carry methods, a P250 Compact or P01 sized gun conceals almost as well as a P290 sized gun (and just as well for all practical purposes).
 
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Good belt, quality holster, well fitting over garments to conceal. A pistol or revolver that is reliable, accurate, and that I can shoot well under stress.
 
Im a big guy so I've always gravitated towards OWB carry.

It started with a thick leather dickies and a fobus for Taurus 92.
This setup worked ok, I also had a fobus double mag pouch that I wore for aprox 2mins before declaring it junk.. their holsters are okay though.

I currently use a leather single mag pouch horz.
Take a lot of belt space but it's comfortable.

Eventually I moved to a real gun belt the uncle mikes reinforced instructor which I've been absolutely thrilled with.

The Taurus 92 morphed into a 99 (pretty much same gun)
the holster changed to a Itac with blackhawk style retention.
This setup has worked fairly well.. Im always open to change however, it's always a W.I.P.

I've had a few holsters in between that aren't worth mentioning, Or I'll carry a different gun for special occasion but generally I try not to mix it up to much on my carry setup.

My setup has been OWB which is not the best option for concealment but it is comfortable and probably the easiest/fastest to draw from.

I finally bought my first pocket gun recently a Taurus 709. which honestly is a lot bigger then I expected.
Have not had a chance to seriously carry it yet.
I know it will not completely subplant my larger 92 but I was hoping to get something small enough I can throw in the pocket for quick trips out.

Might have to look into getting a .380 after all.
 
Usually a Ruger LCR .357 pocket carry or, if I'm wearing a jacket, a Walther PPK/S in a Galco shoulder holster.
Also, I rotate a Bulgarian Makarov, Polish P64, (shoulder holster) or a S&W Model 36 (pocket carry).
If nothing else "fits", I pocket my NAA .22LR mini.
 
Mostly my LCR .357 OWB at 3 o'clock, but sometimes a Shield 9 or Keltec P32 the same way. All in Michael Kole holsters and belt. I wear t-shirts or polos untucked, all the above conceal easily and are small and light enough that I barely notice them.
 
Monday through Friday, I carry an NAA mini in .22 Mag. Goes in my front pocket, and is out of the way during work (I have a very physical/active job and anything bigger just won't work).

Weekends, if I'm out of the house after work, or days off, I carry an SP101 in .327 Federal, IWB at about 5 o'clock.

Occasionally during the winter months I'll carry my GP100 or Kimber 1911, at about 4 o'clock.But, at 5'8" and 135 lbs, it takes some pretty bulky clothing to keep those two concealed.

Occasionally I will grab my wife's Airweight (complete with pink grips) if I want something with a bit more oomph than the NAA, but smaller than the SP101 (hiking with the family, or when clothing is at a minimum)
 
ccw

It takes some getting used to before becoming comfortable with a particular gun.

I began with a Walther PK380 then switched to an AMT Backup 380.

Easy to conceal but not something I would use at any distance beyond 10-15 yds.

I now carry a Hi-Power in an Alien IWB holster and have great confidence in both the gun and the holster.

I find the HP extremely accurate at 25yds and conceals well.
 
I carried a fullsize Colt 1991 in a Milt Sparks Summer Special 2 IWB and a El Paso Saddleryy Crosshair OWB for a while, also my Makarov in a Tucker & Byrd OWB.

Now days I carry the Makarov. It is alittle easier to carry and I can draw it much faster. I can draw it and fire in one second easily.

My belt is also Tucker & Byrd.

 
I have carried for the past 45 years and it has always been my 6 inch 357 magnum. I have carried it in a high riding pancake holster that I made because every place I looked said you couldn't use a pancake holster for a 6" revolver and I switch to a shoulder rig after going through a training class where I learned to practice in all kinds of positions. The pancake was inaccessible while sitting, especially in the car with lap belt on. I can get to the gun in the shoulder holster in any position.
 
Kel-Tec P3AT 380 in pocket holster.
Taurus 85ul s8 dpcll in pocket holster
Ruger LCR 38 spcl in pocket holster
CA Bulldog 44 spcl in pocket holster
Glock 43 9mm owb leather holster

All or almost all of the holsters are DeSantis
 
I'm pretty much just starting out, as I just received my CHP.

I carry a S&W Shield 9mm in an IWB CYA holster (got it from Amazon, and it's a surprisingly excellent holster) at about the 5 o'clock position. It works, but I'm going to be looking at a few other options such as IWB at about 2 o'clock.

I have carried my Taurus PT11, G2 the same way, and I find it just a little too large to be comfortable IWB.

Exco
 
I prefer to carry a 2 1/2" round butt K frame, either OWB or inverted shoulder holster. As we are getting into our hot weather season, I'll be switching to my model 640 using IWB carry.
 
Right at the start of 2017 I picked up a CA "Classic" 3" bulldog .44spl. I've been carrying it daily in a Simply Rugged OWB pancake holster. Works really well for me in the shorts and T-shirt I wear most of the year and I don't expect to change this set-up anytime soon. I even carried it on a solo overnight camping trip a few weeks ago.

Normally for hiking/ camping I open carry either a Security-six or Blackhawk in .357 using a Simply Rugged pancake for the Security-six and a cattleman for the Blackhawk. Again, these work well for me and I don't foresee changing.

My choice of gun and method of carry has changed too many times since the eighties to list here. I can say that when I lived up north my primary carry gun was a S&W 4006 .40 for close to a decade.
 
Packin since 1972. Last few years I have settled on my 4 shot 357 COP Derringer in a OTB holster and a good belt. T-shirts cover it just fine as the COP is compact and only hangs 1" under the belt. My second to carry is an old Cir 1960's bobbed Colt light weight Cobra.
 
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