Full Sized Concealed Carry

M

Mercenary

New member
I want to hear some thoughts on carrying full sized guns for every day concealed carry. By full sized I mean a minimum barrel length of 4.25". I see a lot of people post about carrying full sized 1911's or even the Beretta 92.

My question is, how do you conceal something that large and does it become uncomfortable to the point where you find yourself leaving it a home or in the car at times rather than carrying it? I've heard the saying that a .22 in your pocket is better than a .45 at the house. How do you comfortably carry a 39oz 1911 for 10 hours?
 
Proper belt; good IWB holster with bodyshield; pants with enough room in the waist; undershirt of some kind; outer shirt. A spare mag or two on opposite side can help balance the weight.

Problem is often less about weight, and more about heat. Southern summers pose challenges for cover garments.
 
I've done it for about 10 years, daily, and no problem. I prefer a good Horsehide IWB Holster because of them being more resistant to perspiration. I wouldn't feel dressed if I didn't have mine on.
 
My carry guns are a full size all steel 1911, . . . an XD 45, . . . and a Bersa Thunder .380. Their % of carry are about 40%, 59%, and 1% respectively.

My best friend ccw's a Beretta 92.

I'm 6'1 & 175, he's 5'7 and about 180.

We both carry strong side, IWB, right handed, . . . and for all tense and purposes, . . . if we are up and out, . . . we are armed. Because I am a pastor also, . . . Sunday morning during SS and worship services are my exceptions.

I have also been very successful as a holster maker, . . . in assisting others who wish to carry something full size. Generally it works when I challenge them to carry around the house for a weekend or something like that.

The answer to "how?" is really simple. A good holster and a great belt. Your leather will make the difference.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
MLeake said:
Proper belt; good IWB holster with bodyshield; pants with enough room in the waist; undershirt of some kind; outer shirt. A spare mag or two on opposite side can help balance the weight.
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MLeake has hit the nail on the head.
 
I only recently started carrying.

I carry a Ruger P95. The only time I do not carry is in my office due to company policy. Unlike the other responders, I don't use a conceal type holster yet. I have a simple belt holster from Tactical Tailor that I wear on my belt. My fashion has changed accordingly, printed tee shirt tucked in with a button down shirt over that worn opened. My state (WA) is an open carry state so if I print or expose the pistol it's not an issue.

I do intend to investigate and invest in both a good belt and conceal holster but until then I make do with what I have.

As far as the weight, I got used to it pretty quickly. Every now and then I have to adjust my package (not THAT one, sheesh guys!) when I sit for more comfort but I got used to that too.
 
I think there are a lot of factors. I can conceal ANYTHING in the winter time.

It's concealing it during summer months that is the real trick... ;)
 
You can do it, I plan on it soon as I get my CCW. 92fs is my fav gun and what I want to CC. It's really not hard to do, just need cargo shorts, and a size up shirt. Along with a belt. I use a Blackhawk CQC for EDC belt. I can not stand those little pea sized guns. I feel like I am going to drop it.


Shipwreck should be along soon to post about his EDC 92fs, I do not see how he can carry that in a hard plastic holster...
 
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I carry an HK45CT as my EDC and have for about 9 months. As other members have said, have a good belt (I use a Wilderness Tactical belt) and a good holster, whether IWB or OWB. I personally prefer OWB holsters so I don't have to replace all of my pants! I use a Raven Concealment Systems Phantom holster which has a good body shield on it to protect from the slide top. I find I can carry it all day with no discomfort.

A lot of full size carry also is getting used to it. At first it will probably be uncomfortable, but with time you should find it easy to carry. As Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch says, "A pistol is there to be comforting, not comfortable". Good luck with your decision.
 
I carry full size sidearms (N Frame S&W 610 and 27 revolvers, Ruger KGP-141s, 1911A1s, and Sig P-226) much of the time, but not exclusively (SP-110 with a 2.25 inch barrel and Kahr-4044). An often forgotten key to comfortable and well-concealed full size carriage is AN EXCELLENT BELT that transfers the load to other areas around my waist. I have used a Kramer 1.5 inch leather belt – with a full Kevlar internal liner/insert – for years; it is superb, because the Kevlar’s strength allows the belt to carry a full sized handgun (and additional rounds) without becoming uncomfortable. It also greatly improves concealment.

Successful concealed carriage of a full size handgun is best treated as a systems engineering problem; all components – the weapon, the holster, the belt, and additional ammunition -- must be assessed, integrated and optimized.
 
I am a small guy. I carry 5" 1911s concealed without an issue. It isn't comfortable, but obviously it isn't meant to be about comfort.

However, I tend to remove the ambi safety off if it is a 1911. But it all comes down to what you wear and what you do.
 
The biggest thing, for me, besides a good belt and holster is being mentally willing to carry a full size gun. To me this means being willing to dress to the gun and being aware of your state laws.

I live in a state where open carry is legal and the printing or accidental flashing of a holstered weapon is not a crime. Knowing my states laws makes full size carry even easier, because that bulge on my hip is not a concern to me. Before I knew about these laws, I constantly worried about printing and someone calling the cops to report a man with a gun.

Once I realized it wasn't a big deal, I slowly changed the way I carry. I went from sub compact pistols to full size or close to it pistols. I began carrying spare mags and working on my other skills, like my draw and controlled pair times, better grip and recoil control etc... It was like a light went off in my head that I had been doing it wrong and it was time to really step up my training and mindset.
 
I think the biggest issue on a full size pistol is the grip. if not positioned properly, it tends to stick out like a sore thumb. This is mostly because of the length of the grip.

Important to remember is that the pistol is rigid, and thus will not conform to the contours of a person's body. For this reason holster selection is paramount. you will need to find a holster that is constructed in such a way that it pulls the grip into the body more, so that the pistol lies flatter against the body.

I'm looking at a comp-tac infidel with the solid strut for this very reason. Another thing I'm being pedantic about is not having any mounting hardware on the body of the holster itself. this adds to the width of the pistol/holster combination. to have the mount on the body of the holster creates a larger bulge on your waist band than a holster without would. It puts the proportions of your hips off a bit. However, any holster would do this to some extent. I'm just looking for a holster that is as thin as possible, with mounts that will pull the big butt of my HK45 into my body more. Beyond that, I can't really do much to conceal the weapon under the shirts that I wear. However with the perfect holster it would pretty much disappear.
 
For dealing with the weight, a good belt and holster will help a lot. Other than that, it sometimes takes some doing to condition your body to it.

I don't usually conceal a full sized gun. Normally, I'll just open carry if a full size is my choice for the day. That said, I can cover an otherwise OC'd handgun pretty easily with a cover garment. A leather western type vest fits in well in SE Arizona. Enough folks wear them that they don't raise suspicion where a loose flannel shirt would seem odd because of the heat. In cooler areas, a flannel shirt, or untucked, loose fitting t-shirt might fill your need. You'll have to experiment with your style of dress to find what works for you.

I often carry a Glock 23, which isn't full sized, but isn't exactly small, either. I'm 5'7", and weigh 140, so I'm not a large fella. By wearing a forward canted holster on my strong side, just behind my hip, the web-area of the grip tucks nicely into my side, and the rear of the slide and end of the grip fit into my body close enough for easy concealment with a cover garment of some sort.

Daryl
 
Carry both a full size 1911 and a S&W 1076 in 10mm in Milt Sparks Versa Max II, Beltman belt, loose fitting pants and shirt definitely help. tight clothes and cc are difficult and not desirable IMO.

As mentioned without a good belt deigned to carry a gun, the best holster available won't work.
 
Hey Mercenary
I carry a 1911 Springfield a1 all the time,and you get so used to it you dont even know it's there.I would recommend a wide 1.5" belt-thick and an good solid holster.Try running with a water cantine on your hip when it's not tight,and you will know how it feels.Keep it tight,and you will be fine.
Thank you,
Henry
 
I've recently changed my carry habit do to my job. On days I work I carry my PF-9, on my off days I carry a Glock 21. Both go IWB and as far as I know I've never been made.
 
Mercenary

My question is, how do you conceal something that large and does it become uncomfortable to the point where you find yourself leaving it a home or in the car at times rather than carrying it? How do you comfortably carry a 39oz 1911 for 10 hours?
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I have carried a full sized 1911 for about 30 years in a inside the waistband holster. I am 5'10" and about 185 pounds. A good quality gun belt and a good holster are the key to comfort.

Get a quality gun belt to stabilize and spread the load. The belt should be a couple of inches larger than a regular belt to allow for the space needed for the IWB holster. Make an investment in a quality gun belt. I have had the same belt for over 30 years. On a yearly basis that's about one dollar per year.

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This is me carrying my 1911 and a spare mag and flashlight. That's how I conceal my handgun.

I usually have my 1911 on me whenever I have my pants on. I have often carried my 1911 for more than 16 hours and can not feel it any more than I feel my clothes.
 
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