Help a skinny guy out

W

Wrothgar

Moderator
I got my CHL a couple of weeks ago and I've been carrying a XD 40SC. As someone new to the CHL world, I didn't do much research (my mistake), and I hate carrying it. I'm carrying in a Crossbreed Supertuck IWB. I keep it around the 5 oclock position. If I carry it on my side it really prints bad. As it stands right now around 5 oclock, I can barely lean over without my shirt getting caught on the grip and if I've been sitting down I have to pull my shirt down every time I stand up. It is completely unnatural and I am constantly having to do these things to stay concealed, and I know that eventually I'll slip up and forget about it. I'm 6', 175 pounds (and getting slimmer, finally - getting rid of that post marriage belly), runner's/cyclist's build, and I need something slimmer to carry. My buddy has a PPS in a supertuck that I tried on a bit and loved it, but the PPS is a bit out of my budget; any suggestions? I don't mind the 40S&W at all, I loved shooting this gun, but darnet if it isn't too fat. Its fine when I wear a coat, but that doesn't happen much here in central Texas. I don't wear baggy clothes, but I don't wear super tight clothes either (normal dresser, I suppose?) I always wear a short or long sleeved button up collared shirt, usually slim fit, untucked; anything else hangs on me like a canvas tent. Pants tend to be some kind of canvas/khaki pant (think carharts). I work in an office and sit down most of the day, and that doesn't help the XD's case either. I'd like something in a minimum of .380, but would prefer something a bit bigger perhaps? I like the Makarov round, but I'm having difficulty finding guns that would be easy to carry that don't need work done on them. Yes, there are actual Makarov's, but I've never seen one in a store, CZ82s are too bulky, and the p64/p83 seem to come with some problems. I've been looking at the Sig P238, but they're kinda pricey. I found a shop that will give me 250 for my XD, but I could prolly get $300 for it. Anyway, any other ideas? Should I try switching to OWB and just keeping the XD? I wouldn't mind going shoulder harness, but then it seems like it would be more difficult to get to underneath a shirt in an emergency unless I went Hulk Hogan and ripped it off.
 
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If I were you I wouldn't sell my XDSC for $250-$300 to them. Seems a little low to me. Keep it, buy something else that is more concealable and gain some weight so you can use your XDSC!:D
 
Yeah, I'm actually trying to loose more weight; I've got a bit of spare tire I used to not have. Lets just say its cheaper to buy a new CHL piece than an entire new wardrobe :-).

Again, I like shooting the gun, I just hate carrying it.

FWIW, I wouldn't mind carrying a snub nose .38, along the lines of a 442 or lcr; those are skinnier than an XD, correct?
 
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If sticking to autos, you might consider a Kahr. My dad has a 9mm Kahr K9 (all steel) and loves it. There are polymer variants as well, as well as chamberings in .40 S&W and .45 ACP (I think). They are very slim and have very nice, slick DAO triggers. I shoot Kahrs better than any other smaller auto.

I am 6'7" and 210 lbs, and I carry a 5" M1911A1 IWB from time to time at 3:30 with NO issues. Like the Kahr, single stack 1911s are very slim, and hence very easy for me to conceal.

Just some suggestion for you to ponder, neither may be right for you.

Also, consider what you are wearing. A clingy, solid color polo shirt in a lighter color is going to print like crazy, but a baggier print shirt in a less clingy material will high a freakin' N-Frame S&W .44 Magnum.
 
I'm sure folks will line up to disagree.... but FWIW, a .22 mag is about as effective as a .38 special in my experience and saves a lot on bulk. There is a pretty wide variety of handguns to choose from in this cartridge. I say this mainly because there is quite a bit more size difference between .22 WMR guns and .38s than .40 caliber guns and .38s. If comfort is the main thing.

If you want to stick with larger projectiles, get a shoulder rig and loose overshirt.
 
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Wrothgar,
Part of the new CHL experience is learning to adjust your dressing habits to properly conceal the firearm. For me, that meant learning to wear sweaters or vests (NOT tight fitting) as much as possible in mild or cool weather. For warmer weather, I wear loose fitting knit shirts not tucked in. I don't really like to wear shirts untucked but in hot Houston summer weather, it is the most suitable alternative for me.
 
I'm 6'-4'' and weigh 189lb. and carry in a Kramer Gunshirt. You can go to their website and see what they look like. Right now I'm carrying a Cat-9 (very small and slim) but am replacing it with an XD9SC. Besides the Cat, I've carried a .357 snubby, a Glock 19, and even a 1911 in the gunshirt. (The 1911 was a little big, but it worked). The only problems I've encountered with gunshirt carry are: it takes a second or two longer to draw, especially if your shirt is tucked in and buttoned up. You'd have to rip the front of your shirt open, but in an SD situation, who cares? I wear tee shirts (not tucked in) year round and can draw in seconds. The other problem is that the shirt, even though it's nylon mesh, can get a little warm in the summer. I go to cargo pocket carry then. Last time I checked a Kramer gunshirt sells for $55. Don't get rid of your XD.
 
.22 WMR ~ .38 spl ???

Maybe if the .22 Mag was shot from a rifle...


oilfieldguy
I'm sure folks will line up to disagree.... but FWIW, a .22 mag is about as effective as a .38 special in my experience and saves a lot on bulk. There is a pretty wide variety of handguns to choose from in this cartridge. I say this mainly because there is quite a bit more size difference between .22 WMR guns and .38s than .40 caliber guns and .38s. If comfort is the main thing.
Click to expand...
 
Not to hijack the thread, but $250 or even $300 is highway robbery for a well-cared-for XD40SC. They're going for over $500 NIB in my area.

The XD40SC is a hell of a gun. Keep it and learn to dress around it, as others have suggested.
 
Skinny guy here...

I had problems with my USP compact much like you described. Started carrying an HK P7 IWB and havn't looked back since ;)
Grade-C P7s go for about $5-550 right now

The XD will work once you figure it out. It might print every once in a while, but you'd be surprised how ignorant people will be of it...
 
Wrothgar,

As others suggested, you may want to give it a little longer before dropping the dough on another platform. But then again, you are asking a bunch of gun nuts about buying another gun, so most of us are gonna say "yeah, why not?" :p

I'd say that carrying it at 5:00 is part of the problem. Some do it, but most carry between 2:30 and 4:00 IWB. 3:15-3:30 works about perfect for me, as the gun rides in the small of my hip. Basically, I position the gun so that the forward edge of the gun and holster just butts up against my hip bone (pelvis? I dunno), where it would be uncomfortable if I pushed it any further forward. This technique also means that the gun is in basically the exact same spot everytime, which really helps out with consistent draw practice.

With this technique, I can very comfortably carry the aforementioned all steel 5" 1911, a 2" and a 4" S&W Model 15 and even a 6" S&W Model 14 (well, sitting down starts to get uncomfortable with a 6" barrel).

If you don't already have a good, stiff gun belt, you might want to pick one up. A good gun belt works hand-in-hand with the holster to improve comfort and concealment.
 
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Yo, Wrothgar. I'm a tall, slender guy, too, and have difficulty with a gun on my hip.

Have a look at some of the paddle-style holsters. They tend to ride the gun higher and at a more extreme cant than the belt loop or IWB jobs. I use an older Helwig paddle rig with a 1911, and the holster lifts the gun up into my waist, something the heavier guys can't take advantage of. In fact, having the pistol up INTO the waist actually helps a great deal with printing and all of the problems incurred while seated .-. especially snagging the seats in the car. Plus the things are darn convenient.

So check out a high-riding paddle rig, and take advantage of your weight.
 
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I'm 6' and 140 lbs and find the Walther PPS very easy to conceal during the summer months. In the winter I carry a full size P99.


ETA: I use a Crossbreed SuperTuck IWB hoslter with a 1.75" belt.
 
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Tall medium built Central Texan. I carry a full sized M&P 45 IWB. Only time I have any issues is when driving. I am a lefty and the space between my body and the door of my Nissan truck is a bit too narrow. I just lift the gun up and turn it around and then pull my shirt back around it for cross draw. I am 6'2'' and 180 and I can pull it off. I also carry a P-64 in my front pocket in an Uncle Mike's #2 pocket holster. For the P64 it cost me $200 and came with 400 rounds of Wolf ammo. I did score some Hornady hollow points for it.
I wear a plain tee shirt with a denim long sleeve untucked. I can button it up half way and not much printing at all.
 
I bought my XD for 450, NIB, so 300 wouldn't be so bad.

Those gunshirts were sounding good until you mentioned it getting "a little warm"; we had 50 days of 100 plus temps this past summer, so that may be out of the question.

I don't know about carrying it at the front; again, I sit at a desk almost all day and I think having it in the front would cause it to dig in to my stomach/leg. Maybe I'll give it a go tomorrow and see how it goes. One of the main problems is that the XD is so thick that its making my pants not fit anymore; that wasn't a problem with my buddy's PPS, and I'm not able to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. The thing has taken up two whole notches on my belt!

Maybe I should go to shoulder rig and go to a thrift shop and buy some old shirts and practice ripping a shirt open.
 
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I would recomend going to Walmart and checking out some button up denim shirts for the cool weather. Also some of the short sleeved ones. A pack of under shirts can go a long way too. A slightly more snug fittting under shirt will help to mask some of the printing and keep the bottom of the grip from hanging on the outer shirt. I have done this for the past 12 years in Central Texas. Now that it is cooler the only change for me is to put on a jacket. I move the P-64 from the pants pocket to the hacket pocket.
BTW a change in weather for today will see me going to the range today. Last week I froze my tail off testing loads. Only in CenTex can one shoot one week and it is 35 wet, and a windchill of Dang it is cold, with a sustained north wind of 20mph. To 65 and wow what a nice day to go to the range.:D
 
I also forgot you said you have a CrossBreed holster. Have you tried to experiment with the depth, and cant(angle) of the holster. I carried a full sized 1911 in one and did a lot of driving without a lot of discomfort. At that time I was 165 pounds. A good belt with that holster make a ton of differance. Make sure it is wide it will keep it from digging into you when you sinch it down. I wear mine at 9 oclockish. with just enough grip exposed to get drawing grip on. with a slight tilt forward. It keeps the gun near my body and it lays on the slope of my pelvis. I can sit all day with one on.
If it is that bad for you get a KelTec P11 they are 9mm single stack 10+1 and very slim. Price is under 300. I have a coworker that bought one, and in 1000 rounds it has not had a single problem with ball ammo, or hollow points. It seems to like Golden Sabers best.
 
I had the same problem, being 6'3 190 lbs, i found i wasnt carrying very often because i could always profile it in my slimmer fitting clothes. I bought a cheap uncle mikes IWB left hand holster, keep it in the small of my back for right hand, with a .38 sp snubnose, and have a simpler time hiding it. Button up shirts that are still slim fitting still have a longer tail usually so they dont come up as far. have not tried an ankle holster yet though.. Of course once the cold weather rolls around wearing a jacket i'm able to conceal any of my pistols.
 
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