Conceal gun? Im torn!

[AnthonyTX]

I have an XDM9 4.5" barrel and I feel like that would be somewhat difficult to conceal.

My goal for my conceal weapon is that it does not cause me to have to alter my wardrobe. I typically wear rather slim fitting polos and tshirts. Is it even possible? I dont really want a pocket gun.

Since this is my first concealment weapon I really dont know what to expect so assistance is appreciated!

I was looking at the following:

STI Ranger? - I've heard that 1911 with their narrow grips make it easier to conceal?
XD9sc - stick to what I know and shoot? Somewhat thicker grip?
SA EMP9 - 1911 rebuilt for 9mm? I like this one although pricey. Does anyone have one in Austin :)

What do you guys think?

Thanks all!

Anthony

[LongHairedRedneck]

1911's definately have a advantage on the thickness dimension. Maybe try a small frame revolver? Or a PM series Kahr?


Best advice is go to a gun show or large dealer and compare them side by side, what works/feels good for some doesn't for others.

[Teamless]

My brother-in-law has the XDm9.
I have the XD9sc, which is lucky as the XDm9 4.5 fits in my crossbreed holster and I have tried it around the house.

I have the same issue with you, on the XDm9 4.5, to carry it, would mean to dramatically alter my attire from what I am comfortable in, due to the grip and the magazine is too long for my taste and pushes out my shirt, for me, to a not-so-comfortable (mentally) position

I carry, as I said above, the XD9sc, and really do not alter my attire any
I carry at 3:30 or so
I carry in shorts or jeans or dockers, with T-shirt only as cover, to a tucked in golf shirt to a dress shirt tucked in.

The only change to my attire that I felt necessary, was to get a good gun belt (Crossbreed as well) with Velcro backing and I use the V-clips with my holster, so the metal clips do not show over my belt.

So my suggestion is to, as you say, stick to what you know. The XD9sc is a great weapon. I carry with the shorter 13rd magazine, and keep my 16 round magazine ready as a back up.
(the 16 rd mag is too long for my taste as well, when concealing at 3:30, but it is still shorter than the XDm9 magazine)

[texasjeep44]

Put me in the catagory of swapping between carry guns that have similar platforms. All but my revolver have a single action trigger with a downward sweeping safety.

If your used to carrying the XDM and like the way they operate, why not downsize to the XD9sc.

How do you carry? OWB IWB? With the way you describe you dress, if you go with a IWB like a Supertuck or MTAC it should be easy to keep it close to you and conceal fairly easy.

One thing to consider is that the polymer and steel guns are easier to maintain IMO than all blued 1911's ect. Less time taking them down and making sure rust isn't building under grips on slide releases/safeties ect. This is especially true if you carrying against the skin.

I rarely carry a 1911 because I don't want to have to clean the gun every night after it gets oil/sweat ect on it from being against my skin.

Good luck.

[karl]

Depending on what you already have in your wardrobe you might not have to change anything. Unload your pistol and tuck it in your waistband in different locations. It will not give you an accurate appearance on what wearing a holster will be like, but may be a guide to see if concealing it will be feasible.

My 1911 isn't bad, it does need care when bending down so I don't have to buy extra long shirt tails. My dad's G26 is eaaaaasy to hide in comparison. Both of these are IWB at 4 o'clock. As far as gun belts go, I've found that with larger frame pistols (being a skinny guy) the gun belt doesn't allow the pistol to hug my hip like it does when I wear a standard leather belt. Give them a try but by no means are they required.

[gwashorn]

Eventually you will come to the wisdom listed here many times before. I had to. Dress to carry.

Gary

[shootthesheet]

Eventually you will come to the wisdom listed here many times before. I had to. Dress to carry.

Gary

If you have a lot of money you can find a way to make it work. I have tried everything I can think of to include getting different guns and holsters.

Form fitting cloths and CHL are not really compatible. Most of the people I know carry in the back pocket because they wear tight fitting cloths and have no choice. That is the "cowboys". The business casual guys use the crotch holster or front pocket because the pants are not as tight as jeans. I know a few of the business guys that carry full size 1911s and some compact Glocks with spare mags. I carry Tuckable IWB @ 3 o'clock and hide it okay. It isn't as neat looking but I don't care. I have an available gun that holds 11 rounds for the weight of a empty 1911. If the look of your waist and pockets and "crotch" area are important and you don't like pocket carry you might try a small gun on your ankle. Not as accessible but at least you will have a gun if you have the time to get to it.

[AnthonyTX]

If your used to carrying the XDM and like the way they operate, why not downsize to the XD9sc.

I currently do not carry, I have not purchased a holster. I've taken the course but havent submitted papers. Waiting till past my bday before I submit them.

Whatever the next HG will be my concealment weapon

Also great question above. I would like to start with IWB concealment.

[A-R]

Try a Walther PPS ... a number of SA XD owners who've tried mine comment on how it looks and feels very much like a slimmed down XD. Mine conceals easily in a Crossbreed Supertuck under a T-shirt or Polo type shirt, tucked or untucked. Also shoots like a dream - easily as accurate as any of my Glocks.

[AnthonyTX]

Try a Walther PPS ... a number of SA XD owners who've tried mine comment on how it looks and feels very much like a slimmed down XD. Mine conceals easily in a Crossbreed Supertuck under a T-shirt or Polo type shirt, tucked or untucked. Also shoots like a dream - easily as accurate as any of my Glocks.

When you going to eagles again? ;)

[The Annoyed Man]

My goal for my conceal weapon is that it does not cause me to have to alter my wardrobe. I typically wear rather slim fitting polos and tshirts. Is it even possible? I dont really want a pocket gun.

You have conflicting desires. You want to carry a concealed gun, but you don't want to alter your fashion choices to accomodate concealed carry, and you don't want to carry a "pocket" gun.

Reality dictates one of three possible choices:

1. Change your clothing choices and carry your XDM9.
2. Carry a pocket pistol.
3. Don't carry a gun.

All are valid choices, but your response to each will dictate your personal level of maturity. Each of those possible choices deserves an answer, and here are my answers to them:

1. This is the alternative that gwashorn alluded to; listen to the wisdom of those who go before you, put aside your vanity, and dress to carry your XDM9. You would be surprised at how easy it is to conceal a full-sized pistol with only moderate wardrobe changes. Just yesterday, I went to the monthly luncheon for my local Chamber of Commerce. Several hundred people were there. I wore boots, jeans, and an untucked nice collared shirt. Under the shirt was a full-sized M&P 45 in an OWB holster. Nobody noticed my gun, and I looked casual, but sharp.
2. I often carry a pocket pistol when I wear shorts or dressier pants. That pistol is a scandium framed .357 magnum snubnose. Per the technician I spoke to at Hornady 2 days ago, out of a 2" snubnose revolver, their Critical Defense 125 grain .357 load delivers 1200 fps and 550 fl-lbs at the muzzle. It's a cannon. It may have only 5 rounds, but those rounds deliver more thump than any of the .45 ACP loads in my other carry guns. Pocket guns are a viable alternative, and they disappear into your pocket and conceal very well.
3. Deciding not to carry a gun is a legitimate choice. Not everybody who has a CHL chooses to carry with any regularity. However, and with all due respect, if you choose to not carry based on a refusal to either A) make sartorial adjustments; or B) buy a pocket pistol, then also cowboy up and and admit that your commitment to personal protection or to the exercise of your RKBA is not as high on your list of priorities as are your fashion choices. This should cause you to question your priorities, since you are choosing to forego the exercise of an ancient and important right so that you can have something passing and ephemeral, like being able to wear a tight-fitting shirt.

You have a choice to make.

[A-R]

Try a Walther PPS ... a number of SA XD owners who've tried mine comment on how it looks and feels very much like a slimmed down XD. Mine conceals easily in a Crossbreed Supertuck under a T-shirt or Polo type shirt, tucked or untucked. Also shoots like a dream - easily as accurate as any of my Glocks.

When you going to eagles again? ;)

Not sure. Might be at Liberty Hill range for LaRue Tactical Day tomorrow (didn't think I'd be able to go, then schedules changed yadda yadda yadda and now I think I might be able to go).

[texasjeep44]

Annoyed,

If Hornady calculated 550 ft lbs of energy out of 1200 fps muzzle velocity they need to check their formula.

550*450400, /125, sqrt would be 1407 fps out of any gun.

mass times velocity squared divided by 450400 equals energy

1200x1200, x125, /450400 equals about 400 ft lbs of energy.

That is a bit less than what my 9mm with Speer GDHP 124+p puts out. They chrono at 1210 fps.

Not nit picking, but Hornady should know better than to inflate the energy number if they gave you the velocity of the rounds they checked.

[The Annoyed Man]

Point taken. Even so, 400 ft-lbs is nothing to sneeze at. I was very careful to double check and ask twice - the reason being that their published figures on their website are 1500 fps/624 ft-lbs from an 8" barrel (which is correct, BTW), and I wanted to know specifically if they had stats for that round fired from a 2" snubbie. I even repeated the numbers back to him. But you're right. I just checked The Energy Calculator, and it gives the same figure. But the round still compares very favorably to the .45s I usually carry.