concealment shirts

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SkinnyGrey

SkinnyGrey

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i was wondering what the best shirts for concealment are. i usually wear my holster on the outside. should i buy i size bigger?

also, maybe i should keep the shirt unbuttoned.

thanks!
 
If you don't have to tuck it in, the square-hemmed, loose-fitting shirts often called camp shirts are what I use. The guayabera shirt should also conceal handguns well, but would look out of place outside of southern Florida. :D As with the rest of your carry system, don't go cheap. Choose a heavier material so it drapes more naturally over the gun butt without snagging or hanging up on it.
 
I carry on the outside also, and wear mostly untucked shirts to conceal. Most are flannel, T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Hoodies, Florida Tourist, etc... not really all that hard. I just wear a quality wife beater underneath.
 
should i buy i size bigger?
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Not necessarily. These shirts are loose fitting already.

also, maybe i should keep the shirt unbuttoned.
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Perhaps the bottom or bottom two buttons. Completely unbuttoned may allow the shirt to open and expose the gun. You will have to devise a method of pulling the shirt tail up for the draw. If you have both hands free, you can use your support hand to reach across and pull it up; simultaneously leaning slightly away from the gun side is helpful. Or, as your gun hand goes down, extend your thumb, hook it under the shirt tail, pull it up over the gun butt, then quickly acquire your grip before it falls back down. This will slow your lightning fast draw a little bit, but no concealment method is perfect.
 
"Best" depends on several things. How you're built, what you carry, etc...

Like the above post, I wear untucked shirts over wifebeaters. No real science to it.

One thing Ive noticed is some brands (namely Wrangler) tend to shrink a size when you wash them the first time, other brands (Dickies, Faded glory), dont. They way I'm built doesn't help much, I only weigh 150 lbs or so, but dont have much of a neck. My XL Wrangler shirts are almost too small, and my XL Dickeis and Faded Glory shirts are a little too big. I guess I need to start lifting weights so the rest of my upper body can catch up to my traps...
 
Patterns help conceal best followed by dark colors. For button downs, look for a square cut and not shirttails...otherwise looks a bit too sloppy unless you are just hanging out.
 
511 makes good concealment shirts, but they are pricey, purpose made for concealed carry. No I don't use them, too pricey, I use fishing shirts unbuttoned (unless its windy), or other woven button up shirts.
 
I carry using a Blackhawk Serpa holster using the paddle accessory provided.

I either cover it with a long casual jacket or if the weather is good, I will wear a longer T short outside my jeans and let the shirt fall loose over the iron.

Just look casual.

Snowy
 
I carry OWB and this is what I do. I found one shirt my size that was made to fit loose when worn untucked. I can carry an EMP easily concealed with it. Then I laid it down on a flat surface and then measured how wide it was from side to side at the level of the third button from the bottom. I now take one of those tape measures sewers use and measure any interesting shirts at the store before I buy them. As long as the shirts are close to the width of the first one they work fine.
 
Eddie Bauer makes some really nice polos and the tall sizes are good because they hang straight and low enough to conceal. Usually you can catch them on clearance for around $15.
 
I use shirts made by "AE Outfitters" that I think are about perfect. They're patterned and have snaps instead of buttons, so I can keep it buttoned but still yank it open in a hurry. I don't remember where I bought them; possibly Eddie Bauer. Edit: I do shoulder carry, not belt. Don't know if that matters.
 
Under Armor polos work well as they are long cut and very generous. They have a slick material that slides up very easy. They work great with shorts too. I have a couple of the 5.11 shirts and hate them! Besides being very pricey, they are thick and dont loosen up very much. They feel like you have the collars buttoned up and are very stiff! I dont like them! The Columbia fishing shirts work well. In the winter time I wear a carharrt sweatshirt. That works very well!
 
In TX it's so hot I wear only a shirt. A vest or jacket is way out of line for about 10 months a year. So I wear either slightly over sized Tshirts from Dickies. Which is what I have printed up as my work uniforms. Tucked in their my uniforms, untucked their ideal for my IWB. Sometimes I do a bowling shirt.
 
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