TexasCHLforum.com

Im thinking of getting my first handgun as im waiting on my CHL. I have never owned one, i have plenty of rifles but not handguns. How practical would it be for me to gut the 5" rather than a subcompact or something like that.

Im a pretty big guy ( chunky ), i was thinking of a holster in the small of my back.

Think this would work? i need an opinion here.

Well I feel like my opinion is very small as my plastic is not here so I have yet to speak from experience, but my take from what I have read and heard from all around is that you can conceal just about anything, but comfort is key. My father has had his license for almost 8 years now. He is 6'1" about 230 or 240 and he could conceal just about anything IWB. He carries a Ruger LCP everyday because nothing else was comfortable to him. Futhermore, my personal opinion is having a 5" barrel is in the area of diminishing returns when it comes to concealed carry. Sure, it is a tack driver at longer distances but at defensive ranges that is extra barrel you have to carry around. I think a compact model would be fine for the range as well as daily carry. My 2 cents. My friend and neighbor loves his XD40 Compact 4" in general, but he is a big guy in the mid section and doesn't want to carry it because of its bulk. Then again, the right holster can be the solution to all your problems. Since its a subjective question though, be prepared for a good variety of answers. Good luck!

A 5" XD is a large gun but I've carried one in the past. It's not the barrel length, it's the grip size that makes a pistol harder to conceal and the XD grip isn't too large at all. But, I doubt you gain any advantage over a 4" gun in the concealed carry role.
Are you committed to buying an XD? An M&P or a Glock are other options if a high capacity lightweight gun are what you're after.
If high capacity is not required and you're going for max concealability, get a 4" 1911 in 45 acp.

sivart-dod wrote:Im thinking of getting my first handgun as im waiting on my CHL. I have never owned one, i have plenty of rifles but not handguns. How practical would it be for me to gut the 5" rather than a subcompact or something like that.

Im a pretty big guy ( chunky ), i was thinking of a holster in the small of my back.

Think this would work? i need an opinion here.

Okay I just can't resist. Is the above a typo or a subconscious jab at yourself?

And always remember carrying is not meant to be comfortable but comforting. So find what works for you. The best way is to find someone that has a gun and rig similar to what you think you want and give it a try. Saves a lot of money if you can try it out before buying.

I am not a fan of SOB carry for a number of reasons. One, I find that it pulls more on my pants. Secondly, if you were to fall and land on the weapon, you could sustain a serious spinal injury. Thirdly, I don't find it very comfortable, but you may like it just fine. As was previously said, everyone is different and you have to find what works for you. For me, I prefer IWB, and I'm a big guy too. The IWB completely disappears for my XD Sub-Compact. I don't think i could as effectively hide a service size XD due to the grip, but I've never really tried. Also, I've seen lots of holsters for the XD 3" and 4" weapons but I think your selection of concealed carry holsters will be greatly diminished for the 5" model so keep that in mind as well. Good luck!

I am rather... "prosperous" would be a good word... around the middle, and I've carried a 4" pistol IWB without any problems at all.

The Annoyed Man wrote:I am rather... "prosperous" would be a good word... around the middle, and I've carried a 4" pistol IWB without any problems at all.

What do they also say?....."I'm not fat, just big boned!"...

I have tried to carry the following in a C-Tac and Don Hume IWB:

Ordered by Stopping Power Preference

• H&K 45 (45 ACP)
  H&K P2000 (40 S&W)
  Springfield XD40 SC (40 S&W)
  H&K P30 (9mm)

Ordered by Size Lg-> Sm

• H&K 45 (45 ACP)
  H&K P2000 (40 S&W)
  H&K P30 (9mm)
  Springfield XD40 SC (40 S&W)

Ordered by Comfort:

• H&K P2000 (40 S&W) [smooth sided grips]
  Springfield XD40 SC (40 S&W) [small but thick]
  H&K P30 (9mm) [small but grips are scratchy]
  H&K 45 (45 ACP) [large size is not so much the issue but the grips will take your skin off]

HK 45 / P2000 (P30 same size)/ XD40 SC

I have an xd9 service and xd compact and I got a CTAC holster. The holster will hold either weapon. My husband can wear both of them and I cannot tell he has them on with this holster. I think if you stuck a 5" in this holster there would be no problem concealing it.

I cannot hide the service very well or the extended mag on the subcompact, not comfortable but I am short and not a lot of room to work with.

Thank you for all your responses, i didn't expect that many.

HighVelocity wrote:A 5" XD is a large gun but I've carried one in the past. It's not the barrel length, it's the grip size that makes a pistol harder to conceal and the XD grip isn't too large at all. But, I doubt you gain any advantage over a 4" gun in the concealed carry role.
Are you committed to buying an XD? An M&P or a Glock are other options if a high capacity lightweight gun are what you're after.
If high capacity is not required and you're going for max concealability, get a 4" 1911 in 45 acp.

The main reason I like the XD is because I have shot several before and loved them, they fit my hand perfect. I shot the subcompact but didn't care for it as much, ill probably just go with the 4". The main reason im going with a 9mm is because of the ammo prices, i'd much rather have a 45acp but I just cant afford to shoot it haha.

CodeJockey wrote:I am not a fan of SOB carry for a number of reasons. One, I find that it pulls more on my pants. Secondly, if you were to fall and land on the weapon, you could sustain a serious spinal injury. Thirdly, I don't find it very comfortable, but you may like it just fine. As was previously said, everyone is different and you have to find what works for you. For me, I prefer IWB, and I'm a big guy too. The IWB completely disappears for my XD Sub-Compact. I don't think i could as effectively hide a service size XD due to the grip, but I've never really tried. Also, I've seen lots of holsters for the XD 3" and 4" weapons but I think your selection of concealed carry holsters will be greatly diminished for the 5" model so keep that in mind as well. Good luck!

I have heard that before about hurting yourself if you land on it. there is one holster I was looking at but I cant seem to find it anymore. It sits at about 5 o'clock on your hip and is tilted at an angle toward you. I just want to keep it away from my sides.

longhorn_92 wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:I am rather... "prosperous" would be a good word... around the middle, and I've carried a 4" pistol IWB without any problems at all.

What do they also say?....."I'm not fat, just big boned!"...

all and all im probably just going with the 4 inch barrel, but that tactical just looks sooooo nice

crochetetc wrote:I have an xd9 service and xd compact and I got a CTAC holster. The holster will hold either weapon. My husband can wear both of them and I cannot tell he has them on with this holster. I think if you stuck a 5" in this holster there would be no problem concealing it.

I cannot hide the service very well or the extended mag on the subcompact, not comfortable but I am short and not a lot of room to work with.

hmmm ill have to look into that holster more, thanks for the tip.

I conceal carry my HK USP 9 with a Bianchi Model 6 size 14 IWB holster, in small of back, for me its comfortable and have no problems unless you sit against something hard, I'm also a lefty. The holster I have also fits my FNP40 and my little bro's G20.

I carry a Kahr PM9 IWB in the summer. After trying IWB with a Glock 26, XD9 SC and a Bersa 380 the little Kahr is perfect for shorts and t shirts. When the weather cools off the Glock or XD OWB under a jacket or in a belly band is the way i go.

My least favorite position for primary carry is SOB. And it has nothing to do with comfort, concealment, or falling on your back: it has to do with biomechanics.

The odds are high that if you ever need your gun in a defensive emergency, you're going be making that decision when your assailant is less than 9 feet from you, and you're gonna need to move fast.

An SOB draw requires that you put your shoulder in an abducted and attenuated position. Essentially, you're putting yourself in a rear arm-lock. If a bad guy can simply step forward and put his hand on your elbow, he can effectively prevent you from bringing your gun into play (try it with a friend; it takes only a few pounds of constant pressure to keep your arm pinned behind you) and, moreover, you now have one hand tied behind your back, as it were.

Your trigger finger is indexed along the side of the gun when you obtain your master grip before the gun leaves the holster. Pretend you have a red light on the tip of your trigger finger, and watch the distance and arcs that red light has to travel to position the gun barrel on a target right in front of you; position it safely, that is: you certainly don't want to be pointing the muzzle at your kidney and pelvis as you pull the gun around. And if you angle your torso to your strong-side to try to keep the bad guy from getting to your gun hand, your carry piece may be only 110 degrees from the bad guy on the opposite side, while you then have to pull the muzzle around 250 degrees to bring it on target. The math ain't good.

In my opinion--and it's simply my opinion--SOB is the most vulnerable and weakest primary carry position one can choose.

After all that, I never answered the original question, did I?

An XD9 Tactical (I have two of 'em) is no longer, overall, than a full-sized 1911. So it certainly can be carried effectively. As others have noted, it's more about the grip length and girth than barrel length when it comes to concealment.