Shirt-tucking IWB holsters... do they work?

First and foremost: What gun?

If you mean a full-sized service handgun, then unless the stars align, basically, IMHO, no... they don't work with a tucked-in shirt.

Watch this video (kid demonstrated hidden guns):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwAI8HWh9io

There might be people that swear they can and- like the video above- from a specific angle it looks like they get away with it, but in reality no one is walking around with 30 lbs of steel in their pants unnoticed. If you're just posing, you too can make it look "good"... but walking around, sitting down, doing your day-to-day, a full-size is going to get noticed.

Take a look at Milt Sparks' VersaMax II for tuckable IWB excellence.

I don't recall right offhand what make/model he has, but Rockstar.esq uses a tuckable holster and he flat out loves the thing. I don't use one personally, but his works like a champ from what I have seen. Drop him a PM for the info, I guess....

I carry a J-frame at times and a PT111/PT145 in a High Noon Split Decision.
well made, comfortable, reasonably priced.
http://www.highnoonholsters.com/Product_Line/Split_Decision/split_decision.html
Hope this helps

I occasionally (can't at work) carry a 1911 in a tuckable... works pretty well (it would work better with a better holster; I currently only have a cheap nylon single-clip model). I know for a fact that a few fellow CCWers have not noticed it before.

I'm about 5'11", 130lbs. I don't have any pictures now, but I'll see if I can get some later.

Shooter

To use the VMII as a tuckable you need the kydex clips to go with it. With those it basically is the same type setup as the other two you mentioned. I have several VMII's and love them. I have a set of kydex clips to make them tuckable but have never tried that setup so I can't really say how well it works. Sparks is good stuff though.

wileyj said:

I carry a J-frame at times and a PT111/PT145 in a High Noon Split Decision.
well made, comfortable, reasonably priced.
http://www.highnoonholsters.com/Prod..._decision.html
Hope this helps
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Click to expand...

I use the same holster with my Walther P99C. I don't normally wear my shirt tucked in, but have had to on occasion and haven't had a problem.

As far as size goes I'm 6'3" and about 205 and pretty slim and it doesn't print or require me to overly blouse my shirt.

I'm about 5'8"/180. When the Mrs and I go out, I usually carry a 4" Taurus 24/7 in a Cochise Defender from K and D Holsters. I usually try to get away with going un-tucked, but sometimes she gets tired of the sloppy look. The first time I wore the holster with my shirt tucked in, she didn't even notice I was armed. After that, though, she learned to look for the exposed clips. Anybody that can see those, and knows what they are, will know that you're armed, no matter what holster you choose. It's doubtful, though, that they'll be able to see you print, unless you do a lot of really vigorous moving and stretching. Some holstermakers are offering concealed clip versions of their holsters. Something to think about.

I have a High Noon Split Decsion for my Glock and it works as advertized but I personally am not comfortable with how visable the clip is for it,or even worse the dual clips on the CTAC.Most people would never notice or care but it's enough to bother me.I usually wear them with with a shirt and tie so anyone that might even think gun would think LE - I've got that from 2 gun shops - but it's a personal choice and I might try the V clip CTAC to see how that works for me.

I've got a Milt Sparks VersaMax II, but I never could warm up to using it as a tuckable. It takes quite a while to get everything clipped and tucked and bloused and layered just right. The clips hold the tucked in shirt way too tightly, IMO. On my first practice draw I ripped my shirt. And viewing myself in the mirror, it seemed to really bulge out. So, I tossed the clips out, and it makes an exquisitely comfortable IWB holster. If I need to have my shirt tucked in, I just drop the Kel-Tec P32 in a front pocket.

I've had a lot of success concealing a 4" 1911, a CZ P-01, and an MK9 all tucked in a C-TAC with the V-clips. As long as I blouse my shirt over the gun, it works well (I should add that I wear a t-shirt under with a button shirt of some kind over the gun. I've never been able to conceal a gun under just a t-shirt.)

I have a Galco for my FN forty-nine, actually made for a large frame Glock. The "tuck" works very well and when I position it at SOB the shirt blousing is totally unnoticeable, even by the little old hens at Walmart

The VMII comes standard with the regular belt loops. The clips are an extra that you would purchase and add on yourself. So yes, if you order it with the clips you will still have a darn good IWB holster even if you don't like the tuckable option.

I ordered one with clips, and like I said have never used them.

I ordered mine a few years ago, and it came with tuckable clips and snap loops. I believe that Milt Sparks now only ships it with the snap loops, and you'll need to order the clips extra. Their reasoning is that most people weren't using the tuckable feature.

http://www.miltsparks.com/

I've got a FIST tuckable and find that tucking the shirt in so it looks natural is a real hassle. I now use IWB's and a pocket holster.

I have 3 Milt Sparks VM-II's, and have used them with the clips.

They do work. They work better with other-than white shirts, better with single-stack pistols, and better with mid-size to small-framed pistols.

However, I use mine with my S&W Sigma, S&W 1006/1086, and Govt. 1911's.

No, you can't get a perfect look with a button-down Oxford shirt, but you can certainly conceal full-sized pistols with a tucked in t-shirt.

Sam

Shoot...Hey I understand your frustration. It sounds like an easy fix to a problem that many have with tuckables. Personally Ive tried to rectify most of the problems Ive seen with SOME of the tuckables Ive owned/seen/played with.

The main problem with the arm on which the snap loops would reside, is they have to be very very strong....steel between leather pcs etc. And its just not an easy holster to make.

Ive got a DC Tuckable thats almost what you are describing...but has spring clips instead. This was a prototype and was tested by a Swat Officer/Undercover officer in the field and tucks in as flat as he has ever seen.



He hated tuckables and spring clips and he actually kept this one for "further testing...cough!" So I guess it works as designed.

Shoot well and good luck on your quest. God bless

There are a number of tuckable holsters available in the marketplace today. Some conceal better than others with respect to their attachment mechanism(s). The folks at CompTac have a variety of viable choices with the clips they offer. We use most of them on our holsters. Our Dakota Defender (IWB) holster is a very popular choice by our customers. Some of the clips on the Galco models offer a good deal of concealment as well.

Even if they don't ...

Some of the discussions on the topic got me to thinking that my next holster will be a tuckable, for no other reason than I don't have one yet ... will probably be this one as it's the thinnest I've found so far:

http://www.bearclawholsters.com/holsters/covertassignment.aspx

I've grown accustomed to wearing either a suit jacket or a dress shirt that is made to be NOT tucked in, but maybe having this will open up new options for me ... and if not the holster is a thin IWB that will work just fine either way.

Here's one that's adjustable and can go over or under the belt. Sorry, NO snaps. http://www.crossbreedholsters.com/beltslide.html

Hey PCRCCW, that holster looks familiar . The belt clips seem to work as well either over or under the belt. Passed the holster on to another plain clothes det with a totally different body type than I have (he's 6'3" and around 155 lbs). I'll let you know what he says.