Awwww come on guys....do you really carry those big ol guns?

[stevie_d_64]

#3 leave it alone...

A good one that I agree with, but sometimes its hard to avoid...

[Venus Pax]

Here's my pics. I'm still playing with what works and what doesn't; I'm learning new stuff all the time, and much of it is here.

[9mmGuy]

I cant see a thing....

[HighVelocity]

gregthehand wrote
Get a GOOD IWB holster. Galco is not considered good!

I strongly disagree with the above statement. I have a horsehide Galco Royal Gaurd IWB (2 actually) and it's every bit as good as a Milt Sparks SS in real world use. It's comfortable, draw is smooth and concealment is exceptional.
A side by side comparo of a royal gaurd and an ss reveals very little difference other than some small details. I have both and have worn out several of both so I feel I am quite educated on both.

Now back to the topic at hand, concealing a large pistol.

[MrDrummy]

I've carried IWB for the entire time that I've had the plastic, and have never had a hard time concealed. I do carry an officer-sized 1911, so it's a little bit easier to hide.

I've always noticed that dark, patterned shirts (plaid, hawaiian:ack:) hide very well, even if you're printing a little bit. I can wear a medium button up shirt if it's a darker color/print, and get away with about anything. Even carried the Sig 229, and had no problems. Your eye just is not drawn to a slight bulge on the darker colored shirts.

Lighter colored shirts, especially solid-colored ones, work a lot better when they're baggy, in my experience.

I'll get some pics of some of my favorite stuff in a bit.

[fm2]

Been reading thru some of the posts.
How do you guys do it?
I just can't carry those huge guns like an M1911 or full size Glock.
How do you hide it with normal hot weather clothing?
I'm usually wearing a pair of shorts and a Columbia fishing shirt.
Anything bigger that a cell phone prints bigger than Dallas!
How do you do it?

You just have to decide and commit.

[Moonpie]

I really appreciate you folks taking the time to post up the pictures of yourselves in carry mode. It gives us all some great ideas.

[Mithras61]

I have a Springfield Armory 1911A1 GI model with a 5" barrel, and it hides quite well inside my waistband. I wear it inside everything from shorts to blue jeans with either an undershirt inside & a t-shirt over it, or just a t-shirt without the undershirt on warmer days. I will sometimes throw something on over the top of the t-shirt (like a hawai'ian shirt or a light jacket) if the t-shirt is very thin or the day is extra cool.

I have a 1.5" double-thick horsehide belt from The Beltman at http://www.thebeltman.net/ and a Tucker "The Answer" IWB holster from http://www.tuckergunleather.com/. The belt is stiff enough that you'd think it would be uncomfortable, but it is actually pleasant to wear. My "The Answer" is half leather & half kydex, and has retension adjustment screws that let me set retension so that the pistol neither flops nor sticks in the holster.

I wear the pistol on my right side at max cant for the holster (it's adjustable) so that the hammer of the pistol is just behind the centerline of my body. The only "comfort" issue I have is that the hammer digs into my ribs a bit when I sit down for long periods. I can usually shift myself around a bit & get the "dig" out without handling the pistol, but sometimes I have to discretely shove it forward a bit (my padded chair or van seat is good for this - I simply turn to the right a bit & the butt pushes against the seat back & the pistol moves forward a bit for me - it looks like I'm fidgeting).

As to concealment, I have a friend that knows I carry "sometimes." The other day I was at his house and he was asking me about my pistol (he's an old Army armorer & likes 1911s) and he asked if he could see it sometime. I said sure & slipped it out of the holster & his eyes got big as saucers. He had no idea I was carrying when he asked!


Oh, and I'm 6' tall & weigh about 300# (yeah, I'm another one of those "small" fellas ).

[jimlongley]

I tend to be somewhat like LT, OWB with a long shirt or vest covering.

At 6'2" and 250# I already look bulky, and buying bigger pants for IWB just doesn't make me happy.

I do IWB my .32NAA at times.

[RPBrown]

I tend to be somewhat like LT, OWB with a long shirt or vest covering.

At 6'2" and 250# I already look bulky, and buying bigger pants for IWB just doesn't make me happy.

I do IWB my .32NAA at times.

My thoughts exactly. OWB with 1911 full or commander, or G21 all with long shirt

[Big Calhoun]

I've been able to get away with a Beretta 96 in a shoulder holster. Just a t-shirt and button-up cover shirt, only partially buttoned. My CHL instructor also had a Beretta 96 concealed somewhere on him along with 3 other firearms during our class. So it can be done.

Personally, I chose my carry firearms for their size and compactness. Belt holsters seem to be working best for me. But with a little forethought and some creative dressing techniques, you can probably conceal just about anything.

[Ranger+P+]

As far as concealment goes, I have been using Woolrich Elite Concealed Carry SS Shirts for a while. I did a post on them in Holsters & Acc..

When it comes to holsters, I find what works and stick with that. I am not big on dropping hundreds of dollars on leather holsters--I save my big money for guns. I have been using 2 basic holsters for 8 years:

1. Blade-Tech UCH IWB Carbon Fiber
2. Wilderness Zip Slide

Like I said different strokes for different folks, you find what works for you.

[casselthief]

ZOMG, I took all I could took till I could took no more!

I used to think, man, you gotta put that thing in your billfold for it to be concealed!!! I bought that stupid S&W Sigma with that in mind.
I bought my little 2" .357 for a similar reason, but I wanted sumpin' smaller for those special occasions.
when I wear scrubs, the shirt doesn't come past my waist much, so it's S&W, or 2" .357. otherwise, I really like to carry my Beretta 92, and I have a 20rd mag in it!!!
I'll post a pic when I get home and/or remember to do so, but, point being, that in my 90% attire, jeans and a t-shirt, you can't tell.
anybody sees a bulge, it's my PDA, phone, pager, whateva. no one is looking at my waist, except, well, that tastey little number I call Sweety
point is, unless you flash it, no one will be wiser.
sure, some "trained professional" might be able to discern that a bulge in the back of your shirt, or whatever, "could" be something, but no one really knows.

[G.C.Montgomery]

Been reading thru some of the posts.
How do you guys do it?
I just can't carry those huge guns like an M1911 or full size Glock.
How do you hide it with normal hot weather clothing?
I'm usually wearing a pair of shorts and a Columbia fishing shirt.
Anything bigger that a cell phone prints bigger than Dallas!
How do you do it?

I'll have to talk the wife into taking pictures but I tend to dress around my choices of carry. With a 1911 in a C-TAC, I tend to wear an untucked shirt. OWB carry means a jacket or overshirt. When I'm not working in an office setting, I almost always wear a 1911.

I will admit to switching to a Glock 19 or Glock 26 when the situation dictates greater concealment than is possible with a 1911. With smaller guns, I can dress in office attire and carry convertly. That's pretty much impossible with a 1911 when wearing a typical golf shirt and trousers.

[Skipper5]

Carrying my Sig 229 with wood Hogues....akin to 1911 std size I believe...OWB...Galco Fletch very comfortable...5'11 1/2" 192....I always wear a t-shirt...have vests like LTs' + 5-11 vest and Coronado leather...using a 1 3/4 Galco belt, at 1530-1600, w/ either single 13rd or twin 13mg carrier and my S&W 24-7 knife off ft. (near cellphone) left or sometimes at 2000h.

Have a Tucker Answer for the 229 and 239 on order...can't wait. In summer, I may wear a dress shirt and light coat or windbreaker "my office is really cold" w/out tie over kakhi slacks. In summer, everyone knows that my office is the coldest of all!!...Lol...they even ask if maintenance been out to fix!

Just remember LT's # 3..!