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I have a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber that I will be carrying. I am not a very big guy at 5'6"and 165 pounds. It is a little big to carry but it is my preference for shooting. I have a holster to carry in the small of my back but everywhere I seem to have my gun it is obvious through my shirt which defeats the "concealed" part unless I am wearing a jacket we live on the coast in south texas, not much need for a jacket. I cant spend much money at all on a new holster or anything and buying a new gun is out of the question. Does anyone have any suggestions what I can do?

hbkkicker wrote:I have a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber that I will be carrying. I am not a very big guy at 5'6"and 165 pounds. It is a little big to carry but it is my preference for shooting. I have a holster to carry in the small of my back but everywhere I seem to have my gun it is obvious through my shirt which defeats the "concealed" part unless I am wearing a jacket we live on the coast in south texas, not much need for a jacket. I cant spend much money at all on a new holster or anything and buying a new gun is out of the question. Does anyone have any suggestions what I can do?

Carry IWB on your hip, but you're either going to have to wear loose shirts or a vest, sadly.

Yeah, carry it on your hip, under an untucked, oversized shirt, and don't worry about printing.

Holster prices are relative, but there are some relative "bargains" out there. I bought a Desantis Speed Scabbard for my H&K USP Compact in .40, and it works great. It actually conceals about as well as either of my IWB holsters which fit the same gun, holding the gun nice and close to my side, and for the most part, it is actually more comfortable since it is worn OWB.


Now, it isn't as rugged as my Galco holsters, for instance, but at $65.00, it is also anywhere from $20-$35 less, and they have pretty good stock on hand.

I am a lot bigger than you (5'10 and big fat lbs.), but even so, concealing a full sized pistol is not that hard.

I guess I am going to have to change how I dress in order to carry. I usually am one of those guys that wears tighter fitting t-shirts. I will have to look around and see what I can find. What about shoulder holsters and a small jacket? Would that be more comfortable?

I use a crossbreed IWB and love the hell out of it, and have no problem even when wearing a tucked in polo. You might also consider one of those vests that has built-in holsters as well. I like the looks but they're a bit pricey for my taste, and summertime would rule them out. All depends on taste.

Look at Don Hume's J.I.T. and/or First Agent Holsters. The price is right and they work for both my 1911's, My Hi-Power and my XD's.

Good Luck.

The secret to carrying a gun is to dress around the gun. If you aren't willing to change the way you dress then you need to change the gun and way you carry it.

Buy a couple of shirts one size larger than what you normaly wear and try them with your current rig. I am not a fan of small of back holsters they are uncomfortable when you sit or drive and there's the chance of a back injury if you fall. The suggestion of a Don Hume JIT or First Agent is a good idea they cost about $25 and are very well made holsters I own several of them my self.

Oh, the sacrifices we make to carry.