Question: Why IWB?

[jhb]

I used to carry owb....but switched years ago to iwb. I find it easier and more comfortable.

It depends on your gear, your body shape and your clothing choices. There is no universal works for everyone setup.

I can tuck a shirt like a tshirt or polo and hide an iwb full size like a 5906, 1911 govt, cz75,etc without using a cover garment. No one can see it. I could do that with an owb with my shirt untucked....but I like the weitght of the gun being inside my belt. Owb changes the way the weight pulls and I don't care for that. I wouldn't go back to owb even if they passed open carry in my state. I just find iwb better for me.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I also find IWB more comfortable and it provides a better degree of concealment. The bulk of the gun and almost all of the holster is hidden inside your pants; the cover garment doesn't need to be as long. As others have mentioned IWB generally rides tighter, too- your belt and pants work together to pull the entire holster in tight to the body. I've not found any OWB that rides as close & tight as a good IWB. IWB snags on/bangs into stuff much less than OWB since the gun and holster is being covered by my jeans. Lastly, I also find it's at least as stable as OWB for all the same reasons.

Another thing I like about IWB is that (at least with my Garretts) I don't have to contend with the belt loops. Virtually every OWB rig I've ever used has an issue with the loop landing dead smack on top of a belt loop. So I always have to move it 1/2" forward of backward of the ideal spot. True, that's not a long ways but it's enough to hurt concealability and throw off the muscle memory of the draw. Realistically I should probably have a tailor move the belt loops on a couple pairs of my favorite pants but it's not an issue much with IWB.

Over the years it's gotten to where I have 10 IWB holsters vs just 2 OWB. I virtually never carry OWB anymore.

 

[JTQ]

short barrel wrote,
Okay, I don't think I was taken seriously. It won't cost you a nickel to try this. Take you IWB holster and your gun, and place the rig BETWEEN YOUR BELT AND YOUR PANTS. Just try it. You don't even have to go outside with it. Just try it and look at it the mirror, put your t-shirt over it, judge for yourself if it works for you.

We understood you the first time. You can buy dedicated versions of the, outside the pants, under the belt holsters if that's your thing.

Mitch Rosen http://www.mitchrosen.com/products/holsters/between-waistband-belt-holsters/

I do not see how an IWB rig conceals better when tucked into the pants, except to cover gun length.

I'm pretty sure to "cover the gun length" is the main reason folks use IWB. Since your screen name is short barrel, maybe that is your reference point, and use short barreled guns, but if you prefer to carry a larger gun, IWB will allow you to more easily conceal a gun with a longer barrel.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I don't wish, under any circumstances, to inadvertently expose the bottom of the holster, or, in the case of partial-coverage "belt slide" holsters, the slide and muzzle of the gun ( I dislike that type of holster for that very reason). There is nothing more to it than that.

 

[Spats McGee]

In addition to the reasons mentioned (lower half of gun already covered, don't need as long of a cover garment, etc.), I've found that carrying certain pistols OWB @ 3:30 leaves the holster covering part of my back pocket. This probably isn't a problem if you're carrying something small, like an LCP. Even with a G19, though, carrying OWB means that I have trouble getting my wallet out of my pocket. Naturally, how much trouble I have depends on the holster. I have a Galco OWB leather that causes me very little trouble, but I have a Safariland kydex that makes it just about impossible to get my wallet out.

 

[short barrel]

That ain't exactly what I was talking about. I meant a regular IWB holster with a clip, not a slot for the belt. But thanks anyway.

 

[JTQ]

That ain't exactly what I was talking about. I meant a regular IWB holster with a clip, not a slot for the belt. But thanks anyway.

I knew you were talking about an IWB holster. I was just letting you know there are purpose built holsters for your application.

Generally speaking, nylon is not a good choice for holster material.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

The only advantage I can think of is that it hides the outline of the front half on the gun, and you can get away with a shorter cover garment.

That's it right there. If I'm going to conceal a gun, I want the entire thing concealed and not have the muzzle hanging below my cover garment.

 

[RussellC]

I guess it depends on particular shape and build. I can conceal with minimal printing with a large gun, Glock 17 using a Galco Concealable OWB, a Glock 30S with Remora IWB, or S&W Shield with Foxx IWB, with only a Tee Shirt. The Galco rides high enough the barrel end doesn't show, but I have to position it just forward of Side position, but not appendix, barrel still to rear because of cant, or I would need an over garment to fully hide the back of the slide from printing. This works even with fairly tapered T-shirts like Nike Dry Fits as well.

Russellc

 

[breakingcontact]

Personal preference. I usually go OWB.

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

Just wanted to add that IWB or OWB, what kind of holster, what kind of clothes, and primarily the build and function of the person concealing the gun all interplay to create a style of carry.

The type of gun and even the size (within limits) are less important than the build of the one carrying and what he is wearing. I *must* wear business casual and I *must* be completely and utterly deep concealed due to my job....I can't print or even risk the possibility of exposing my gun. A cover garment is not allowed unless I'm wearing a coat and that's not appropriate unless I'm moving between a car and a location. I'm deliberately thin and lost 30 lbs of belly to pull it off and it works great. I carry Appendix and use tuckable holsters and a button down short or Polo and Dockers. There is no printing even with a double stack pistol. If I gain 10 pounds I'll have to change my whole selection of holsters and clothes.

That's not gonna happen - If I gain 10 pounds or more I'll be unable to carry most of the time unless I go to pocket carry exclusively or go to an ankle holster. I give up a lot of food opportunities and work out to keep my belly flat and my weight down. My carry style is also a life style choice. If I had a different job and could dress differently or had options in gun exposure/printing it might be different. There is no one size fits all for CC.

VooDoo

 

[Carl696]

I always liked the elk hide IWB holster. I carried a Colt Combat Commander(45) off duty for years. Now 30 years later I carry a Glock 30s in an OWB holster. I still wear a size 38 waist pants, but for some reason there doesn't seem to be enough room for the pistol and holster!

 

[TarDevil]

IWB allows more flexibility in what I wear, so it's what I do 75% of the time. But OWB puts less stress on my back. If I could I'd go OWB all the time. And like Voo Doo I have to remain completely concealed while in my offices (thank you, Texas! ) so tucked IWB are all I take to that place.

 

[Rule3]

What? No Man Bags?

Living in Florida and wearing shorts and t shirt or Polo type shirt I refuse to dress around a gun. They go in my front pocket, either a small 9mm or a snubby. If I am out gunned so be it. If i absolutely have to go to the wrong side of town I carry a HK USP compact 40 outside the waistband with a long tailed shirt
IWB holster just annoy me to much.

 

[JohnKSa]

I can conceal with minimal printing with a large gun, Glock 17...

Yup. I've done it--did it this past weekend. BUT, I was only going out for a very simple outing. There's no way I could conceal that rig all day throughout the normal range of activities (bending/sitting/reaching/etc.) unless I were wearing a cover garment that reached halfway to my knees.

 

[HRnightmare]

This is NOT to pursuade people not to IWB. I just want to know if there is any specific reason that I have not throught of or some problems I have not ran into.

It is like 55 today in the area of FL I live, I have worn anything otehr than my polo shirt 4-5 times this winter. It will get "down into the 30's and 40's" overnight Friday and Saturday but yesterday it was 84. OWB is pretty much out the window unless I changed my outfit to thuggish shirts 4x too big.