Carry Options for "unusual" sized people

[Bowlcut]

Ok Ill admit it, Im freakishly large. Overweight and 6'5" tall. So carrying has come to be an issue. Any other overweight people around here have creative ways of ccw? My main problem is when Im at work in the office chairs are tight so hip carry is probaly not going to work. Also I do alot of driving and nothing on my hip has ever survived long getitng in and out of the car. Cell phones with belt clips hate me, my pager so far hasnt bit the dust tho.

So far it looks like its either not going to be carrying in the summers(no jacket), or get a pocket pistol. Going to pick up a keltec p32 for me and one for dad here soon tho. Has any of us large guys have come up with anything interesting in methods of carrying?

Or maybe I should go back to the beans and rice diet and hit the gym.....being fat sucks let me tell you.

[P95Carry]

Just a thought ... and not cos I'm big ... just 6'.00'' and 215 .... but I notice a lot of the real big guys I see tend to wear pretty large and loose jeans .. just the sorta cover methinks that might serve an ankle rig and snubby for instance.

Otherwise ..... maybe a large fanny pack??

[VaughnT]

First, there is nothing "unusual" about you! Let's be very clear that you shouldn't be uncomfortable with yourself because of your size. In fact, the majority of America is over weight so you are the usual one.

Being in the same boat, I get the same pangs you do. Shoulder holsters are alright if your attire allows. Ankle rigs are wonderful but high boots can make them difficult to access. Belly bands or those undershirts by Kramer do wonders. Of course, if you don't mind a smaller gun, the pocket holster is great. A .22 in hand beats a .45 at the house.

If you want to lose weight, you can. I dropped 150 in just over a year, but it was some serious work and I wasn't the nicest person to be around. www.bodyforlife.com

The Way of the Warrior is the Way of Life. Dedication to training with a gun or weight rack requires mental fortitude and perseverence.

[Blackhawk]

I've seen some belly bands with the holster cant adjustable so you could have convenient access from the front that a skinny guy couldn't get away with. A loose shirt should work over it, and your gun would be as protected as your gut. Good luck!

[WonderNine]

Sounds like you're a front pocket carry person. I know I am. I'm about 5' 11 and 1/2" and 225lbs. I'm about 15lbs. overweight. I just don't like CCW that isn't front pocket when I'm at work or places like that because it's too easy for your shirt to ride up and when your shirts shrink it's a real drag :p And sitting on a gun all day is NOT comfortable.

[Shooter973]

As a different kind of carry you might want to try, an off body carry that I've used in the past when it was just to inconveniant to carry other wise and that is a Holster that looks like a Planer! I've use one for about 4 yrs. and nobody looks at them twice. Works great. You can leave it out in the open at your desk or on the dash of your car, even at a table in a restaurant, and nobody notices! I carry a full size Ruger P90 and a spare mag in mine. Just don't walk off and leave it behind! I found mine in the Shotgun News in an ad for Franks Center. Pretty in expensive to. :D

[N8R]

I being of a large type (fat) find that I have been able to pocket carry 2 !/2 mod. 66, 2 3/4 ruger speed six, detonics .45, and easily 2 in. colts, s&w's, and now a kel-tec P-11. Try a Desantis Nemisis for the P-11 and the Uncle Mikes for the snubbies. When I belt carry I wear a vest. There are some nice looking ones and the pockets are handy for Cells and pager plus reloads.
Rich

[IRONFIST]

I am probably fatter than all of you guys(6'-2" and over 500 lbs.) and I know what you mean about carry options. Thankfully, I dont ride a desk but I am in car sometimes and I am in and out of a forkilift a hundred times a day for my day gig. At night I am a Bouncer. I go for a Nelson Leather shoulder holster and also carry strongside with my pistol slipped between my belt and the waist band of my jeans. The barrel of my autopistol slips down into my change pocket and helps keep it from flopping around. Goofy, but it works. Also gotta give a vote to a day planner. I can carry a full-sized gun and a spare mag in there and no one knows it. BTW, my daily carry piece is a custom stainless P14-45. "limited", its a huge gun but I hide it well.

Michael in Sandy, OR

[Onslaught]

This is only going to be just enough info to be annoying, so I apologize in advance.

My wife's cousin is a VERY large man, honestly the largest person I've ever personally met. He's 6'6", over 400#, and he carries a Glock 23 every single day in a plain ole IWB with an untucked shirt. He says he tried everything, including bellybands, (which don't seem to work on "big bellies" because they roll) and nothing worked until he found a custom holster maker that took nearly 12 weeks to deliver the holster, but it's the most comfortable thing ever... The holster maker even asked for body measurements to make the holster as "fitted" as possible.
He couldn't even remember who the guy was, so I have no idea (see, just enough to be annoying).

But it is POSSIBLE for a REALLY big guy to carry, even IWB.

I'm only 6'3" and 235#, but growing a "daddy shelf" quite quickly. :) I carry IWB with loose pants and an untucked shirt, and I also REALLY like ankle carry. Pocket carry is OK, but I have a hard time remembering to put my keys in the OTHER pocket.

IWB - Kahr K40 in FIST Kydex #1 Universal - BEST IWB I've ever used! Super thin kydex (half the thickness of the "other brand" I used to use), and positively retaining leather straps instead of plastic clips that can pop off, and are very thick and uncomfortable when seated. It would be very difficult to "destroy" a kydex holster.

Ankle - S&W 642 in a Renegade "Cozy Partner" model 500 - also the BEST rig of it's type... only other I used was a DeSantis Apache, but this one is wonderful. I completely forget it's there.

Pocket - Also S&W 642, in DeSantis Nemesis - So far, I've not used anything that I'd call "BEST" except maybe for the RJ Hedley Back Pocket rig for a Kel Tec P32. The only drawback to that rig was the caliber, which had nothing to do with RJ's great design.

I personally suggest something bigger than the P32 as primary carry, and believe me, there aren't too many folks that can't carry a J frame or Kahr PM9 type semi-auto if they really gave it a shot.

[Handy]

How about carrying it in your lunchbox?:D





(I know, that was crummy. But I'm short and thin and also can't conceal much easily.


It's the bitterness talking.)

[themic]

yeah.. opposite problem. 5'9" and 135lbs. anything extra on me stands out like a tumor... and the weight of it makes me walk with a list

hadn't really occurred to me that it might be even harder to be rather large than rather small, but yeh, i can see that.

who IS the right size, really?

[tbeb]

I am 6-2, 270. A snubnose revolver in pocket holster in front pants pocket works for me.

[Bowlcut]

Well I think Ill likely go pick me up something along the size of the p11 for off body carry as my sw99 is a tad too big. I already carry what most call my "man purse". I almost always carry my camera bag with me now everywhere I go. It carries my digi cam, cell phones, and check book. So why not throw a pistol in there. Go pick one up thats a tad bigger that will give the pistol a seperate pocket.

Cant really carry IWB or on the hip with shirt untucked as work requires "buiseness causual". Im already pushing it with always wearing jeans. I may have to get a different cut jean and go to an ankle holster. But getting down there when you are "fat" isnt easy all the time. So I am really looking at the Hadley pocket for the p32 and keep a larger calaber as backup off body somewhere.

I used to not be so self concsience about my size but its getting to the point where I am. Was talking to the USP coworker today and he kinda laughed when I mentioned hard to carry. I just had to illistrate sitting in my office chair....sides rub on the arms. So all you wirely little guys that a gun looks out of place on ya....atleast you dont have to tuck it somewhere. Guess Ill just have to keep a mousegun on me...

[JasonPT145]

Ever heard of the pager-pal? It is a IWB that sits at around 1 o'clock. You can put a cell phone or pager onto it, and it looks normal. They come with a real-looking fake pager, and can be concealed without a shirt on. It is leather, and your gun sits low enough to move with you instead of into you when you sit. To draw, simply pull un slightly on the pager/cell phone, reach behind it, and voila gun in hand. They go for about $65

[Bowlcut]

Just did a google on that....all i can say is wow. I like that. Id like to try one on but dang that looks great. And if I can mod it to fit my work issued pager that would be perfect. Pager is about all I have on me on my belt. Id have to find a smaller gun but I think something like what dad carries (bersa .380) would be perfect. thank you that looks like it could really fit the bill

[Admiral Thrawn]

I'm only 5'7 and weigh 154lbs, so I've got the opposite kind of problem. :(

[JasonPT145]

You can use it with any pager, and they sell a cell phone attachment for it seperately. I have seen them a lot at gun shows in the Hampton Roads area. They seem to be very popular for all sizes. I was thinking of getting one just because of the fact the you can go shirtless in the summer, and the gun is still completely concealed.

[Kahr carrier]

I like Pocket Carry for any size person ,especially in the warmer months coming ,try a pocket pistol and a pocket rig.:)

[JasonPT145]

Yeah, but with the pager-pal you can carry something a little bigger than a .380 :)

[braindead0]

I guess I'm lucky, 6'2" 250#... and I have no problem with carrying a 4" GP100 OWB strongside in a Fist pancake holster, vest covers it.. Now, if my dunlap disease gets much worse that may no longer be an option.

This is interesting though, and what works for you depends totally on how you are carrying your weight ;-).

[md2lgyk]

I always enjoy threads with this topic since it's germane to me. I'm 6'6" tall but only weigh 165 on a good day. IWB of anything has never worked - something's always hitting a bone somewhere unless I stand straight up. Even my P32 carried front pocked prints a bit.

[Hemicuda]

Me: 6'-2.5", and darned close to 325 pounds...

I carry in a Galco Jak-Slide belt holster, @ the 4:00 position, between the belt and the pants, with an untucked polo style shirt or "long" sized t-shirt, with no problem... and when that doesn't work, I use the fanny pack method...

either works well for a big guy!

[SoDFW Jason]

I have a Pager Pal id anyone wants to try one. $20

E-mail or PM me.

[Jedi_7.62]

WOW!!!!!

I'm 5"6" and 150 lbs. For years I've been somewhat enviouse of the big guys. I always thought it was easy for you to carry.

I feel your pain I have a hard time carrying anything more than a mouse gun. even those stick out on me.

Good Luck, from the other end of the spectrum.

[Covey Rise]

6'4" 275 lbs, I have gained about 30 pounds since my football days in college. The extra weight really helps conceal a gun. I have used lots of holsters and they all work for me. The key is to buy pants too big, if your waist size is 38 like me then buy a 40 or 42 have the waist taken in and your good for just about any gun setup.

[gumshoe4]

Greetings to all. I'm just under 6-0 and weigh about 250.

I've tried IWB carry in various forms many times, but generally don't do real well with it, because my "handles" push the gun butt out at the side and the gun prints. There are only two guns which work for me IWB. The first is a J-frame S&W with a Clipgrip clipped over my belt and under a loose shirt. The second was (no longer own it and now cannot buy a P-11 in California!) a Kel-Tec P-11 with a belt clip under a loose shirt. The Kel-Tec almost disappeared and rode very comfortably. The J-frame rides a little high and requires periodic adjusting, but works well in the summer.

Fanny packs work well for me, but I don't like how obvious they look, so I generally don't carry fanny pack style unless I'm carrying a full-size gun for some reason or in the summer. I have several fanny packs which do not look like gun bags.

In the winter and long-pants season, I generally carry a J-frame or a Ruger SP101 in an ankle holster. It is absolutely true that this is NOT the best way to carry a gun, because a gun carried in this way will never be as accessible as a gun carried at or about the waistband, but let's face it-life is full of compromises and this is one of mine. For me, the first rule of a gunfight is to have a gun. Such carry requires a little tactical planning in advance, because a draw from an ankle holster will never beat a draw from the waistband. HOWEVER, no draw, regardless of the location, will ever beat an opponent holding a gun on you-ergo the 6 P theory-Proper Planning Prevents ****-Poor Performance. If the opponent has the drop on you, it's a rare gunfighter who can draw and respond fast enough to end the threat in that set of circumstances.

Anyway, just some ruminations for y'all.

Bob

[Mastrogiacomo]

I can sympathize about losing weight. I'm 5'2" and about 116 or 118 pounds. Which I can't tell, or for that matter if it's "muscle" or fat. I know I don't look like the other women martial artists in the magazines -- and with a navel ring, it's important to keep in shape. Frustrating though...I was just surfing the net for Chocolate Cheesecake recipes after walking the treadmill for an hour! Believe me, I know it's hard to lose but it's important for the health so don't give up.

I'd go with chest holsters if you wear a suit to work. You might want to also consider a fanny pack or if you're out about town, get a small revolver or pistol and keep it in your pants. Count your blessings -- the only way I can carry is visable and unloaded. Why bother huh?:banghead:

[JOE MACK]

Check the sites for concealed carrier clothing. They have vests to 5X. I believe Coronado Leather has jackets for colder weather. RKBA!

[bubbygator]

I can't believe somebody hasn't mentioned the SmartCarry (http://www.smartcarry.com/).

I'm 5-11, 275, 52-50 inch waist (depending on whether I'm dieting). I can carry (& sit with) my Glock-26 easily, & I even could carry my son-in-law's full size Tokarev and my Browning HP without printing - even though both guns are too long for the medium-size SmartCarry which I have. Medium is for Glock-19/26 outline - put a little padding in the bottom for the shorter barrel.

They're less than $50, & it's definitely a solution for me... they certainly deserve at least a look. Most of us have an over-hang that is made for hiding that SmartCarry holster.

Not that it's applicable for us, but Charlie, the (slim) owner, carrys a 1911 all day, every day & he flips that big pistol out like magic. Now you don't see it, then you do!

[Iggy]

Carried a 1911 in a Allesi WSDT then and now..

Of course being in Wyoming, a leather vest is uniform of the day.. so it is no problem here..

Polo shirt with elastic band and it's gone.

T-shirt under a loose fitting untucked shirt works well.

Tucked in regular shirt.. pull shirt tails out a bit and blouse it over the grips of the gun on one side and mag carrier on the other.

It looks like your shirt is too big and the tail is working it's way out..



You'd be suprised how well it works..

[Jason Demond]

I am 5'11" and weigh in at about 320-330 or something like that. I carry a Taurus PT111 in a IWB Blade-Tech holster everyday, with no problem. I can carry in just about every position except Cross draw.