CCW for *ahem* fat guys: which holster/position?

[1KPerDay]

I'm... um.... drought and famine resistant. Any portly gentlemen here have success with belt carry? My love handles get in the way of everything I've tried and it isn't particularly comfortable. Pocket carry seems like the way to go for me. Any advice from fellow 'big, strong, rib-eatin' fellers'?

I got my permit the other day and am considering my limited options. Skinny guys have all the luck.

 

[illEagle]

A lot of folks don't like the idea of an un-holstered gun in your pants but I carry either a Kel-Tec P3AT or a Khar p9 IWB with a Clip-Draw clip on each every day-all day. The P3AT disappears and the grip of the P9 tucks in nicely under the love handles...

6-3 295.

 

[Albatross]

The best thing you could do to protect your life is loose the weight and carry IWB, but outside of that advice all my fat buddies love their shoulder holsters.

Or more often they carry a small gun in their front pants pocket.

 

[cmidkiff]

Pocket carry is the most comfortable, for sure. If you are real big, a snub revolver generally fits pretty well.

I tend to like OWB pancake holsters pretty well, they tend to be quite comfortable to me... ymmv.

I dislike shoulder holsters, quite uncomfortable. I've tried smartcarry as well, it worked, but I never felt very secure, always very conscious of placement, careful when sitting, etc

A fanny pack works well with casual dress, and most people won't look twice at a big guy sporting a fanny pack... probably figure it's full of emergency snacks

 

[RustyShackelford]

LOL!

Funny stuff!

I too am what Southwest airlines calls a COS(customer of size). Depending on your CC needs/weapons, I would suggest a well made shoulder rig like the highly rated Galco Miami Classic 2 or the Aker model(if you want right handed, lefties are harder to get, why Aker does this, who the $%^& knows, ). Pocket rigs may be good if you can carry a small j-frame/pocket size pistol.

A MOB, middle of the back rig could work too, if you wear a large vest/jacket/shirt over it.

If you are really big you may want to carry 2 weapons. A small weapon on your belt and a larger firearm in a shoulder rig. Many big city police detectives would carry weapons this way.

 

[1KPerDay]

The best thing you could do to protect your life is loose the weight

I'm working on it... I'm even on 2 diets. One just didn't give me enough food.

I'm not one of those guys who you look at and say 'dayum'... I'm 6'3" and about 280 (the holidays were not kind to me). My cholesterol is good, my blood pressure is good, and I walk a lot. Just have trouble dropping the pounds once I've worked so hard to accumulate them. What can I say, I'm a good cook and I enjoy food.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[retgarr]

I used to be in a position close to yours. I found a lower riding IWB at about the 4 o'clock worked best.
I lost the weight, and am now in shape. I can now caryy my CZ75 anywhere on my waist with a tshirt. Loosing weight, best concealment method I've tried.

 

[Thernlund]

I'm in ok shape and I still find carrying anything at all on my belt line uncomfortable, even a belt! Problem is, I have all this stuff I use all the time.

Another thread mentioned this...

http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=4&idproduct=31

I think I'm gonna get one.

-T.

 

[Fat Boy]

As my user name implies, I am one of the "portly" gentlemen you so graciously described above- I don't have a ccw license, but have thought to do so, and in thinking things through I have had the same questions...I believe a pocket carry might be best...

 

[Sistema1927]

Before I lost 100+ pounds I would pocket carry.

I still pocket carry. The main reason being that I don't need to worry about a cover garment, and my Kahr PM9 rides undetected in any choice of pants/slacks/shorts that I desire.

 

[pbearperry]

If I get any fatter,I think I will carry my S&W scandium under my left droopy breast.

 

[Nikdfish]

I'm well padded but have no problem with a P95 in a Crossbreed Supertuck at 3:00 - 3:30 ...


Nick

 

[Mike OTDP]

I've got the same problem. Shoulder holsters don't work that well for large folks. What would work is a custom shoulder rig that puts the gun on the strong side, muzzle down.

 

[KyJim]

I've got a lot of extra pounds. As retgarr mentioned, the 4 o'clock IWB with a low riding holster works well -- like the Sparks Summer Special II.

 

[Grizfire]

I'm 6'2" 230 with some nice love handles, but no butt. I find that my gun fits under the love handles with a IWB, milt sparks VM2. This actually helps with concealment, as the gun just fills the void.

 

[mkonops]

I would recommend something small at 3:00 - 3:30, anywhere else is either too uncomfortable or won't allow you to sit easily. I have trouble carrying anything large, but I find the Kahr K9 has the best combination of size and heft for me to carry and enjoy shooting. If I don't have the Kahr on board I carry a Seecamp in a Nemisis front pocket holster. Overall I have found these to be the best options. I have tried to carry a 1911, USP, 226, 229, and even an XD Subcompact, all of which just don't work too well with men of our stature. Best of luck to you.

 

[Mad Magyar]

This reminds me of an article some months ago by big Mike "Duke" Venturino who wrote a parody about himself and the hardships of CC for the big guys...He couldn't use cross-draw (arm couldn't reach across his girth), shoulder rig (too far a reach), b.o.b.(no way!), ankle (couldn't reach), etc.. IIRC, he only felt comfortable/adequate with strong side OWB holster....
I believe the pocket carry was too tight for him to retrieve the pistol....

 

[f4t9r]

The best thing you could do to protect your life is loose the weight

Thanks for letting us fat guys in on that little secret. We had no idea !!!!
As for carry, pocket or at about 4:00 with a good sturdy belt works well for me. Need to remember to get talls in shirt sizes to cover the waist and the plumbers crack.

 

[Car Knocker]

1KPerDay, I aspire one day to match your svelt figure! In the meantime, I carry a 3" Kimber .45ACP in a Milt Sparks VM-2 at 3:00 or, more usually, I pocket-carry the Kimber in a custom leather pocket holster.

 

[Harvster]

I think you should try to gain 100-150 pounds. You'd soon find you have all sorts of places to tuck a gun into. I prefer pocket carry.

 

[Rich K]

Here is another vote for the 4 o'clock position with an IWB, in my case a Kimber 45 in a SUmmer Special. A t-shirt or polo shirt hides it just fine.

 

[DC300a]

I feel your pain 1KPerDay. I generally carry around the 5:00 to 5:30 position. Sitting can be uncomfortable at times but you get used to it.

 

[foghornl]

Hmmmmm

You COULD hire one of those "Safari Gun Bearers" to travel everywhere with you....


sorry...I'm just sort of in a Mr. Wise N. Heimer mode right now

I HAD to loose some weight for medical reasons, so IWB works OK for me now, but not when I had more ahhhhhhhh "Physical Presence"

 

[usp9]

I carry OWB at 4:00. It's comfortable standing, driving and sitting and easy to conceal. The Galco Concealable and Mitch Rosen Premier are excellent holsters for this method. I can't stand IWB... uncomfortable and I can't bring myself to buy pants bigger than they have to be. I also pocket carry a tiny pistol when not carrying OWB. At 5'10", 200 lbs, I guess I qualify as "portly". My Indian name would be Never Miss a Meal.

 

[BryanP]

As a fellow Man of Substance , I'll chime in and say that the clothing we are forced to wear has an advantage in pocket size. I find a J-frame (S&W 638 in my case) in a Desantis Nemesis holster fits my front pocket quite nicely. I may try a Ruger LCP when they become more commonly available and get through any first-year-gun teething issues.

If you're built anything like me and you have a nice solid belt (or suspenders) to keep your pants up you could probably get away with something as large and heavy as an SP101.