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What makes a gun belt different than a regular belt? I haven't started carrying yet and was looking to purchase a crossbreed IWB holster... But now I'm wondering do I need new belts as well?

Thanks!

Reenforced to support the weight of the weapon.

A must have IMO.

For a Crossbreed, you *may* be ok with a regular belt, but pretty much any holster can benefit from a good gun belt. The biggest difference is in the construction. A typical dress or casual belt is going to be made out of a single piece of leather of varying quality. Some are designed to be more stiff, some more lax and flexible. The problem with this type of belt when wearing a holster is that it does not give enough support to a heavy firearm+holster, and the user will experience sag and poor concealment as the holster sags down and away from the body creating more printing.

A good gun belt is usually made from two layers of top quality cow, horse, or bull leather, arranged so that the "grain" of the leather in each piece goes in a different direction. The two pieces are bonded and stitched together to create one belt that is often times near 1/4" thick. These belts are typically from 1.25"-2" wide, and they are quite stiff. Some belts even have thin plastic stiffiners added between the layers of the belt to further increase stiffness where the gun is typically worn. When you belt on a holster with a true gun belt, it does what it's suppose to do and firmly supports and snugs the holster down. This leads to a tighter hold against the body without sagging.

Anyway, like I said, with the Crossbreed, you can probably get by with a regular belt as part of the load is carried by the friction against your body as well as your waist band. However, if you start getting sagging, or the holster isn't staying where you originally put it, a good gun belt is the ticket to fix it.

BTW, some good places to pick up a gun belt include http://www.thebeltman.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, http://www.agcustomgunleather.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, and from Crossbreed themselves.

--NEB

BTW, this picture helps put things in perspective. This was posted on another belt thread here a while back, and sometimes a picture speaks 1000 words:



--NEB

When carrying my 1911 I do not use a gun belt. I'm skinny and the gun belt does not allow the gun to fit to my waist, it sits straight up and down and prints like mad. With a regular belt my CompTac molds to my hip and the pistol is able to sit at an angle towards my body. The majority of people here will recommend one but keep in mind you don't absolutely need one if it doesn't suit your carry style.

I use a Wilderness Instructors belt and it is awesome. A good belt really comes into play when packin a heavier gun.

Just bought the beltman.net 1.5" bullhide and it is night and day compared to my dress belts...

I carry kahr p380 IWB Cross Breed with 1.5" beltman belt and it is a dream!

Get one, you will notice the difference.

Do you guys think the internal stiffening inserts for Beltman belts are are good way to go? I have similar concerns as karl, especially since I carry a light weight gun (LCR).


Agcustomleather apparently it having a bit of trouble with their website.

So my question to you guys... can I get by without the gun belt and get it later? I'm assuming yes. The gun I want is only 26 oz so hopefully not too heavy for my regular belts

AnthonyTX wrote:So my question to you guys... can I get by without the gun belt and get it later? I'm assuming yes. The gun I want is only 26 oz so hopefully not too heavy for my regular belts

My EDC weighs 23 oz empty and a gunbelt made all the difference in the world. That 23 oz becomes 32 oz when it's loaded with 7+1 rounds of 230 gr .45 ACP.

Can I wear it with a regular belt? Yes. Is it comfortable to wear it all day with a regular belt? No.

bnc wrote:Do you guys think the internal stiffening inserts for Beltman belts are are good way to go? I have similar concerns as karl, especially since I carry a light weight gun (LCR).


Agcustomleather apparently it having a bit of trouble with their website.

I have a 1 1/2" horsehide Beltman belt. It does not need additional stiffeners. A bullhide belt might, but I doubt it. Especially not with an LCR.

karl is using a CompTac. He should experiment with cant. I'll bet canting forward will conceal his 1911 quite well.

baldeagle wrote: karl is using a CompTac. He should experiment with cant. I'll bet canting forward will conceal his 1911 quite well.

As far forward as it can go. With a regular belt it does conceal quite well.

Wear what works for you.

I've been carrying for 4 years with a regular belt. Didn't really think it was necessary since I carry IWB most of the time. I've started carrying while I hunt now and IWB is not comfortable for long hikes. So I got an OWB holster for hunting. Found out why everyone recommends gun belts. Anyway, picked one up today for $35 and it is a HUGE difference. Like the picture above, it holds the holster and gun perfectly and no sagging outwards.

jeeperbryan wrote:I've been carrying for 4 years with a regular belt. Didn't really think it was necessary since I carry IWB most of the time. I've started carrying while I hunt now and IWB is not comfortable for long hikes. So I got an OWB holster for hunting. Found out why everyone recommends gun belts. Anyway, picked one up today for $35 and it is a HUGE difference. Like the picture above, it holds the holster and gun perfectly and no sagging outwards.

What brand and belt did you go with for $35? Just curious, in the market myself...
Jim