concealed carry in the summer

try a belly band, thats what i use, just a suggestion

It's been mentioned several times, but I'll throw in another vote for pocket carry. With pleated or cargo trousers, the gun is invisible, BUT if a situation starts to look suspicious, you can simply slip your hand into your pocket and inconspicuously grip the gun.
To anyone else, you simply have a hand in your pocket, but there is no faster draw than one where you are already holding the gun. To do so with just about any other carry method requires exposing (clearing) the gun, which could be considered "brandishing".

shep854 said:

To anyone else, you simply have a hand in your pocket, but there is no faster draw than one where you are already holding the gun. To do so with just about any other carry method requires exposing (clearing) the gun, which could be considered "brandishing".

Click to expand...

I agree about the draw, but if the situation is truly as suspicious as you fear it might be, don't think that the bad apples you have chanced to bump into won't suspect that a hand in the pocket means you are armed. That may not be a bad thing, however, if they aren't really wanting a fight.

BluEyes, if the situation is that bad, I will be beating feet. The "hand-in-pocket" thing is so I can get the gun in action ASAP if necessary.

Research the Crossbreed holster, very comfortable with shorts and a t-shirt in the 5 o'clock position. Check it out on Youtube.

I am a big man, 350#. 2X retired LEO(Mil/State) worked UC in both areas. I seldom used a holster, relying on a tight belt and rubber grips/rubber bands around the grip. I am 64 and carried a gun since I was 17 and have never been confronted about being armed, despite having at least 2 in 3 continents! My favorive is a 1911A1/G21 w/ Para Warthog BUG or S&W642/M36 3" BUG. Most of you will be well served with the civilian C CW holster options, just be sure to wear the extra clothing to cover up.

I carry a full size 1911 in shorts and a t-shirt in full on south texas heat.


My advice is just to deal with it. Get a good holster, a good belt, and you'll be alright

Kydex is the way to go. Wash it in the sink once a month and let it air dry. Mine is the "IWB Ultimate Concealment Holster" by Blade-tech. Very comfortable. Makes it much easier to conceal my Glock 30.

Tip: Choose shirts that are thin, but not so soft that they are limp. Limp material will cling around the weapon and make it stand out. Especially in humid weather. No knit polo shirts or stretchy material. Even the over-size ones tend to drape around the weapon and outline it. Go with woven cotton blends that have body... like the kind of material you find in nice bed sheets. No stretch or cling. They just hang straight down.

I used to use a fanny pack, but as I am an oversized kinda guy (but shrinking!) I have a hard time finding one that fits well.

With a good holster, you can conceal darn near anything - I carried a Glock 21 in shorts and a t-shirt for a long time, using an IWB from Sidearmor (are they still around?).

However, I missed the extra carrying capacity of the fanny pack, as I like to have items available - flashlight, wallet, keys, knife, sunglasses, phone....so I went to the 5.11 vest. As mentioned earlier, though, it's a heavy vest...so recently....I went to this:

https://www.foxoutdoor.com/ItemDetails.aspx?cid=1&ccid=5&cscid=23


The tactical man-purse. Mine is a Fox Advanced Tactical Hipster - $30 at a variety of websites. Has shoulder strap and belt loop, generous pistol pocket (with "universal holster" that covers the trigger guard included) which is quick to access and can easily accomodate my S&W 5906 (though I prefer the weight of my 6906), easy to remove for prohibited areas, and plenty of room for all of my crap. I love this bag.

And, in the meantime, there's still an S&W Bodyguard .380 in my front pocket .

Update - my tactical hipster also carries my new M&P 9 quite well, with no more noticeable weight than the 6906

For temporary use in hot weather you can carry a pistol concealed right out in the open without alarming the sheep if you know how. I keep a revolver in the car all the time but if I have to work at night I put it in a paper sack to walk to and from my car. If a belligerent stranger were to approach I can have it pointed at him without anyone knowing that I am armed. If he attacks and I have to fire, I can shoot right through the bag as it will disintegrate. I have practiced this technique at the range a number of times and drawing from your left hand is hand is much faster than drawing from any concealed holster. The only drawback is that it ties up one of your hands and you need the other to handle your keys.

I used this technique for years when I worked in a bar. I could not wear a holster working security because I could not risk having my pistol snatched while scuffling with drunks but I had to have it close by. Part of my job was to guard the place after closing while the bar tenders counted the day’s cash and then I would escort the manager out to his car with the days cash as we left. (bars and restaurants are prime targets for armed robbery right after closing because thieves know that there is a lot of cash there and just a few employees) When I came to work I would walk right in the front door with the paper sack in my hand and stash the pistol behind the bar where I could get to it fast. The customers never noticed and I did not have to worry with a holster.

In summer with light clothes, it is hard not to print at all when you bend over, etc. Is it in your law you can't print? Or show?

Here we can open carry. Printing isn't an issue. I carry a G29 or G27, both in a Milt Sparks VMII holster, and I can reasonably conceal them with an Underarmor polo shirt and can conceal them well with an untucked unbuttoned Tommy Bahama Hawaiian shirt. If the wind blows and it shows or if I bend or move such that it prints, I don't care. I don't worry about it. Also, it's amazing how many people don't notice it when the wind does blow... And most of the ones that do notice it don't pay it much mind. Still, I make a good effort to hide it, I don't want to advertise, but I'm not to concerned about it showing if it does. In some places though, this is a no-no.

For those places, you may have to get something thinner, like a small Kahr, and carry it deep so only the grip sticks out. That or pocket carry. The belly bands look like they could work, provided the band doesn't curl. You can also get ingenious and design your own belly band and make it. They are easy to make, and you can make a better one than the ones they sell. If you can't print at all, and you want to carry IWB, most likely you are going to have to give up that M&P. The stainless Kahrs would be my choice most likely, stuffed in a Milt Sparks holster. Oh yeah, while I'm mentioning holsters, get a good one made by a good maker, not some mass produced junk. You'll be glad you did and you will save money over the long haul. Also get a good gun belt. It doesn't matter how thin the pistol is and how nice the holster is, if you have a cheap dept. store belt, it won't work as well. A good heavy thick gun belt holds it close to your body without it folding. Makes a world of difference.

As far as rust, well, you either need to get something that doesn't rust or something that you can carry and not worry too much about. I thought the M&P's were stainless? In that case, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I carry Glocks and they aren't stainless, but tennifer treated and coated, and I don't have any problems. They will show wear from going in and out of the holster, and they will get bumped on things like door frames and such over time. Just keep it clean and that is about the best you can do. Your carry piece is a tool, not a showpiece.