Largest pistol you feel comfortable carrying in a "No show" state

Full size 1911. What else is there?

I carry a full-size M1911 (currently an early Kimber Classic) in a tuckable IWB of my own design. Arkansas does not have open carry.

Oddly enough I don't carry my 1911. It is more of a safe queen and has only had 57 rounds through it.

My WP99 and RP94 are the largest weapons I consistently carry. The P94 is a little bigger than the P99 because the controls stick out more and has CT grips. I'll probably tote around the XD when I get it back but won't go larger than that.

Jaxondog said:

Full size 1911. What else is there?

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mhmmm.

With a good solid belt, be it leather or something like a wilderness survival instructor belt, and a holster, like a Milt Sparks Versamax II, or a Raven Cocealment systems Phantom holster, you can carry almost anything. I have concealed carried Inside the Waistband a Beretta 92fs with a good 1.5" double thick leather belt and a VMII. Currently I carry a Glock 19 (not that much smaller) on a 1.75" 5.11 Tactical Instructor's belt IWB in a Raven Concealment Systems Phantom holster with no problems. The weapon is totoally secured, comfortable, and totally concealed with no printing. I am only 5"7 and come in on the scale at an athletic build of 170lbs. Another thing that helps is using a good deal of forward cant, 15-20 degrees. This places the grip of the pistol more over-top the barrel and reduces the overal "foot print". If you can find the right combination of Belt, Holster, and carry position, you can carry just about any pistol, no matter how big.

I carried a full-sized 1911 for years, but downsized to a 4" CCO type to reduce the weight on my belt.

year round, regardless of heavy clothes or shorts and a tank top, I carry either my Ruger 345 full-size .45, or a 4" full length bbl lug .357, IWB at 11:00. If my untucked shirt doesn't cover it, I wear a light utility-fishing type vest...

Officers sized 1911. I shoot the 1911 platform better than any other handgun I've ever tried, and carry a commander. I'd probably go with an EMP (even though its not a true officers 1911), because I really like the 9mm.

With the right belt, holster, and clothing selection you can conceal anything.

For true throw it on and don't have to even think about it, and belt carry, my P64 is the easiest. But with a little effort and selection, I can conceal my FNP of i want.

smalls said:

Officers sized 1911. I shoot the 1911 platform better than any other handgun I've ever tried, and carry a commander. I'd probably go with an EMP (even though its not a true officers 1911), because I really like the 9mm.

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EMP is everything a "true" officers 1911 wishes it was. 9mm is the right cartridge for an aluminum officers frame, and the little changes made to the emp make it the most reliable officers frame 1911 out there.

To anyone who disagrees - have you fired one?

Colt Walker Dragoon....without buttstock just kidding


My 24/7 carry is a kel-tec 380., I can carry a 1911 but it is not easy to conceal on my 5'8 225 frame in the summer heat.

EMP is everything a "true" officers 1911 wishes it was. 9mm is the right cartridge for an aluminum officers frame, and the little changes made to the emp make it the most reliable officers frame 1911 out there.

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I don't disagree at all. Just stating that I said officers 1911, but that the EMP was not a "true" officers size.

I carry a 329PD .44 mag on occasion.
I HAVE carried short barreled shotguns and rifles under jackets. It's no big deal, as they are not required to be concealed. Texas is a open carry state for long guns.

Fs 1911 all day everyday

I live in Oregon and while you can open carry a lot of places, it is prohibited in some cities. Portland (my home), Salem, Tigard, Oregon City, and a few others have a 'no open carry' but CHL is still allowed. I regularly carry my CZ75B, or my Glock 17 in the winter, although in the summer I stuck with the Sig SP2022. It's never been a problem, but anything larger than that I'd be worried.

I'm not a huge guy, so concealing a full size 1911 doesn't work. I generally stick to small frame revolvers or a compact/subcompact semi auto. I can usually do a double stack, but there are always exceptions and YMMV.

full size cz75, glock, or 1911 here

I just don't see how skinny guys like me are able to carry large automatics at the waist without it sticking out like a sore thumb.

I'm about 6'4" and 195 lbs (and almost none of it muscle ). A lean guy in other words.

My M&P .45 compact is I think about the largest frame I can conceal inside the waist band and not print really bad.

I mean, I've tried my Glock21 and in the mirror it can't be seen so long as I'm standing straight with my arms to the side, but as soon as I twist, bend, whatever, it suddenly looks like I have a length of 2x4 under my shirt. Even the M&P will show a little bit through the shirt if I'm not careful.

I just don't see how skinny guys like me are able to carry large automatics at the waist without it sticking out like a sore thumb.

I'm about 6'4" and 195 lbs (and almost none of it muscle ). A lean guy in other words.

My M&P .45 compact is I think about the largest frame I can conceal inside the waist band and not print really bad.

I mean, I've tried my Glock21 and in the mirror it can't be seen so long as I'm standing straight with my arms to the side, but as soon as I twist, bend, whatever, it suddenly looks like I have a length of 2x4 under my shirt. Even the M&P will show a little bit through the shirt if I'm not careful.

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I guess I'm a bit more "sturdy" (at 5'11" and 195lbs), but I can get both my full size guns of choice around no problem. I just wear a simple slim Blackhawk IWB holster between 4 and 5 o'clock and it's never been a problem unless I'm at the grocery store (all the squatting and bending down to get things on low shelves can be problematic). I generally wear larger shirts, and all summer would wear a button up shirt to add to the space I had, and to break up any printing that might occur.

I'm not surprised you can't sneak your 21 around, especially if it's not the slim frame model, I love the Glock 21 but it's a brick of a gun... not really small enough for anything but open carry. Now you could try to do it with a Glock 30 but then you run into another problem (namely the fact that you're doing anything with a Glock 30..).

Belt and holster are a big factor. I have found that the crossbreed supertuck hides a larger gun better than a cheapo hides a smaller.

GCBurner said:

My Taurus PT-99 is slightly larger than my 1911A1, but it was my first concealed defense pistol after I got my CCW, and it carries fine in a good inside-the-waistband holster, with a sturdy leather belt. I've since downsized a bit to a Glock 26 for IWB carry, as it's shorter and lighter, though with five fewer rounds of magazine capacity from the Taurus.

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When I was young and had no cash, my PT-99 was my only pistol. I carried it usually in an SOB holster with a long jacket or a denim button down shirt open and untucked. Would have been hard in a warm climate.

Nowadays I usually opt for my LCP in a front pocket or a CM9 in a smartcarry when discretion is required.

While mine was still a no-show sate, the largest gun I carried while wearing shorts, t-shirt, and flip-flops, was a Ruger P90. In those days I was 6'1” and 165lbs., and I carried IWB at about-ish 5:30 to 6:00.

When the weather actually lets you wear a jacket in Houston I've carried my 7 1/2" Redhawk in an old Bucheimer shoulder rig. It conceals very nicely.

Under Texas law, I never worry about printing. Most folks assume it a cell phone or other device. It's not even a big deal if the wind should happen to move your cover garmet and expose your weapon. Thank God, Texas law is not as strict as other states when it applies to keeping your weapon concealed.

Sometime, I'll tell the story of when I carried an M4 carbine into my bank.

Honestly, the general public won't recognize a printing gun. Often, when I've surrendered my man-card and am forced to go shopping with the wife, I'll play a little game in which I try to look for CCWs. I've never yet seen one that I can be sure (100%) is a gun.