Concealmeant V. Accessibility In Winter

M

Moonglum

New member
My question is how do you balance concealment with accessibility in the winter.

This morning I had my gun under a shirt under a coat and all I could think of was how many layers of clothing I was going to have to dig through if I had to get to that gun. I tried tucking the shirt behind the gun and wearing the coat over but I might has well stuffed a pillow under my jacket.

I could wear less under the coat but then when I get where I'm going and I'm inside the heated building I'm going to stand out like a sore thumb.

I'm thinking of just wearing some poly-pros and silks under my outer layer but then I stand out like a sore thumb walking around outside with temperatures in the teens and no coat plus the poly-pros actually work and any thing warm enough to keep me outside is going to make me sweat like a pig inside.

I will not carry a gun in my coat pocket unless I'm going to be out in it for a while and not taking the coat off.

Some of the time I can wear medium long johns under a flannel shirt and just wear a fleece vest maybe I can just make that my winter uniform.

How do you guys dress for the cold and still keep your handgun accessible?
 
How do you guys dress for the cold and still keep your handgun accessible?
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If I need to wear a long coat, I keep a J-frame in my coat pocket. If I need to take the coat off, I go to the restroom and transfer it to my pants pocket since I don't trust off-body carry for a few reasons.

Normally, I carry appendix and a jacket that I can pull up to access the weapon. Or sometimes I wear a parka, but open in the front.

This is one of the many reasons I gave up conventional IWB.
 
I make it a habit to wear a vest of some kind pretty much any time of the year. Being a senior citizen who has different eyeglasses prescriptions for near, mid-range (computer work) and distance vision, and being in a job that means I always want to have a couple of pens and other stuff handy, my answer if anyone asks is that I need the pockets. In summer it might be a denim vest, a biker vest, or a "fishing" vest worn over a tee shirt. In winter I change up to a down or polyfiber quilted vest. So I'm covered for inside the building.

Unless/until it gets really cold outside, I usually wear one of several M65 field jackets, with liner. The nice thing about the M65 is that it has a zipper but, for most times, it also has snaps, and I can skip the zipper and just use the snaps. That allows fairly quick access.

When it's too cold for the M65, I have a mil-surp field jacket from some Eastern bloc country or other that's heavier and warmer than the M65. It has a zipper (backwards from American usage, which is a nuisance), and instead of snaps it has a Velcro strip. So, like with the snaps, if I skip the zipper and just use the Velcro, if I need access to my carry gun quickly, I just grab the storm flap with my left hand and pull it open.

If you can't get away with wearing a vest indoors, you might look into tuckable IWB holsters.
 
Look for a winter jacket that has a 2 way zipper. Getting out to fill the truck with gas at some seedy gas station, just unzip the bottom portion of your jacket, allowing you easier access to your hip carried pistol.

I looked a year ago and couldn't find much. Googling "men's winter jacket with two way zipper" now I see a couple good looking options.

Example:
https://dungarees.com/carhartt-104460-yukon-extremes-insulated-coat?&cs=BLK&size=MEDREG&cid=35


I'm enjoying early retirement...
I wear a Shirt Jacket over a T-Shirt or polo under my winter jackets. If the jacket is too tight to get to my hip holster, I'll add my Ruger LCP 380 to the jacket pocket in addition to whatever is already on my hip.

If I know I'll be taking off the jacket, my 380 will go into my pants pocket.
 
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And if the service station is really "seedy" than move on to another one or just unzip your coat for access if needed.
 
RETG said:
y0fB1wl.gif


And if the service station is really "seedy" than move on to another one or just unzip your coat for access if needed.
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I never visit a location with my sidearm that I wouldn't be comfortable going to without it.

A guy who goes around packing a holster full of courage is asking for trouble...and one day he will find it.
 
I never visit a location with my sidearm that I wouldn't be comfortable going to without it.
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Sadly, life has never been that simple for me. Good reason I earned the nickname leadmagnet I guess.
 
It's actually simpler for me in the winter.

In warm weather I carry in a belt holster,,,
Usually under a Hawaiian shirt.

In cold weather I carry in my jacket pocket,,,
My hand is almost always touching my pistol.

Aarond

.
 
ChasHam said:
I never visit a location with my sidearm that I wouldn't be comfortable going to without it.
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I'm a firm believer in risk avoidance. I get gas at half a tank so I can choose where I'm going to get gas. I normally stop at a gas station on my way home from work during morning rush hour
 
I take my waistband gun or my off hand pocket gun and move it to my jacket pocket. Once the jacket comes off I just put the gun back. It’s easier with the pocket gun to be discreet.
 
i usually carry appendix in a kydex holster untucked shirt. but like you its difficult to draw when you have multiple heavy layers on.
So, I took my smartcarry holster and added a shoulder strap to it so I can wear it on my upper chest just below the nipple line. the shoulder strap is easily made with a length of nylon strap material and two suspender clips. this keeps the smartcarry from falling down to my waist. With this setup I can wear my button flannel shirts and just leave a button open (nobody has ever noticed) for quick access. If your in a comfortable environment just button the button. If I'm coming out of a store etc. I'll just unbutton the button and leave my jacket slightly unzipped for easy access if needed. I've been using this for many winters now, works great for me.
v-fib :cool:
 
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