Always trying for more comfortable concealed carry

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nettlle

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Preble County, OH
With Ohio's laws I didn't start concealed carry until about three years ago. I had always wanted to do concealed carry. And I am not a young pup. Ohio's laws got better. It's a whole new world. The most comfortable holster. The most comfortable gun (for wear, accuracy, and dependability). It's been a fun and expensive journey but I got through it.

When I got up out of bed today mounting my IWB holstered gun was no more effort than putting my billfold in my back pocket. And no less uncomfortable.
 
my most comfortable carry is my LC9 in my pocket. I don’t feel undergun, carry an extra mag for jams. and best of all, It’s easy to grab, and go, for stuff like takeout the trash or getting bacon at the grocery store
 
There are individuals whom are overly nourished other wise known as fat which effects their comfort level of concealed weapons carry. Then there are others whom have various physical ailments that prove to nettlesome in regards to concealed carry. As for myself I suck it up and go in regards to concealed carry. Excuses are like rear-ends everyone has one. In the middle of my seventh decade I belt carry a S&W Shield 9X19mm with the (8) round magazine along with an additional magazine also belt carried. On occasion I also pocket carry a S&W M640-38Spl.
 
That is one handsome looking firearm!

I IWB appendix my Shield Plus in a leather Defender holster from Relentless Tactical. It rides there all day comfortably whether I'm sitting or walking.
 
mounting my IWB holstered gun was no more effort than putting my billfold in my back pocket. And no less uncomfortable.

My billfold is a pain in the ass, and the leg. It starts in my ass and radiates to my leg. It usually starts when I'm driving. Now when it starts I take my wallet out of my back pocket immediately and throw it in the console.
 
With Ohio's laws I didn't start concealed carry until about three years ago. I had always wanted to do concealed carry. And I am not a young pup. Ohio's laws got better. It's a whole new world. The most comfortable holster. The most comfortable gun (for wear, accuracy, and dependability). It's been a fun and expensive journey but I got through it.

When I got up out of bed today mounting my IWB holstered gun was no more effort than putting my billfold in my back pocket. And no less uncomfortable.

I'm already impressed with 2nd statement, then I see this...


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My billfold is a pain in the ass, and the leg. It starts in my ass and radiates to my leg. It usually starts when I'm driving. Now when it starts I take my wallet out of my back pocket immediately and throw it in the console.

I started putting my wallet in the front pocket thirty years ago for the same reason. As a side benefit it's harder for a pick pocket to get it from the from the front pocket.
 
My billfold is a pain in the ass, and the leg. It starts in my ass and radiates to my leg. It usually starts when I'm driving. Now when it starts I take my wallet out of my back pocket immediately and throw it in the console.

I started putting my wallet in the front pocket thirty years ago for the same reason. As a side benefit it's harder for a pick pocket to get it from the from the front pocket.

Me too. Front left pocket gets a billfold and Buck folding knife. Only think I keep in my back pockets are my phone (which I take out and set somewhere when I'm sitting, or in a jacket pocket if I'm wearing a jacket) and a micro stream light that can clip to the very edge of my pocket and not hurt my butt if I'm sitting for a long time.

Edit:. Hard to find a more comfortable full or compact sized EDC over a lightweight 1911. Flat and easy to carry. Also hard to find easier to carry spare mags than 1911 mags.
 
l2_misc_remora_holsters_237670.jpg --------You can easily adjust the 'cant' while wearing -and they remain firm: Remora IWB (some versions have a single belt clip). Various sizes, also OWB. My only IWB holster holds my Walther P99, Sig P225, CZ PCR and both the 3rd. Gen. S&W 908 and 6904 perfectly. No exaggeration. The grips touch my waist with no outwards protrusion.

This totally replaced my -- former -- hard shell Crossbreed, which had allowed the gun's grip to be noticed by a nice Shelby County lady Deputy at Walgreens.:feet: I felt like somebody in a Jeff Foxworthy skit: "You might be a ...".
 
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Pretty much the same setup as the OP. 45 at the bottom is so pleasant to carry that way, I don't feel it. Be glad when I get the slide back and am carrying it again.
Full size, all steel in 38 Super at the top is only noticeable to me when I sit down.
My wallet stays in my back pocket except on really long drives. I can do anything bulky in a front pocket. Too weird.
 
My most-comfortable has always been an IWB holster worn between the belt and pants, known as ITB (inside-the-belt) carry. I find it a good compromise, with my body type, between "true" IWB and OWB carry methods. The belt smoothes over the holster/gun profile,but as long a cover garment as for OWB carry is still required (sometimes even a tad longer, as IWB holsters tend to ride a bit lower than OWB holsters.)

When I resumed carry in 2008, it took only a couple of months before I was also a "pants-on, gun-on" guy, and I have been since.
 
Yeah, a Commander in a Milt Sparks VM-2 was about when I first became truly comfortable with concealed carry.

And gotta love a Dan Wesson 1911.

I started putting my wallet in the front pocket thirty years ago for the same reason.
Same here. I can't even consider putting a wallet in a back pocket these days.
 
My preferred carry is a IWB 1911A. Some times my clothing does not allow me carry concealed with it. Then I have to pocket carry my backup 380. It took a while to get use to the 45 but the comfort comes from time wearing it.
 
My billfold is a pain in the ass, and the leg. It starts in my ass and radiates to my leg. It usually starts when I'm driving. Now when it starts I take my wallet out of my back pocket immediately and throw it in the console.
Get a front pocket wallet, it’ll change your life.
 
@reloaded_in_pa brings up an excellent point...you gotta wear it to get comfortable with it.

There are a great many factors which go into comfortably carrying a handgun, and they aren't all the same for everybody. Body geometry, size/weight of the handgun, holster, belt, clothes you choose to wear, the weather, where and how you carry the firearm, type of handgun, activities you are involved in, type of vehicle you drive, and even simply personal preferences.

That's a lot to deal with.

But the best starting point is a solid foundation to be found in a good holster and good belt, specifically designed to properly support your handgun.

Then...you gotta carry it. Especially people new to carrying. You gotta carry it to get used to it and you gotta carry it to figure out if you need to change some aspect of how you carry for comfort and security of the weapon.


With respect to wallets, which was brought up, over the decades I've discovered some secrets to this as well.

Probably one of the biggest for wallet comfort is to keep your wallet trimmed down. I don't know about the rest of you, but over the course of a very few short months my wallet can accumulate a lot of junk in it. Scraps of paper I've scribbled notes on, business cards I've picked up, credit/bank cards, pictures, various ID cards, store cards, restaurant cards, and more. It's simply amazing how much junk you can pack into a wallet and it really affects its bulk.

"Gee, Chief, how many ID cards to you have?"

A great question...driver's license, concealed carry permit, and my retired military ID.

Toss in two credit cards, an ATM card, government travel credit card, firestone card, my insurance card, and a couple more credit card sized cards for a couple places and the cards start getting thick. Hunting/fishing licenses for two states, etc, and it adds up.

I periodically thin my wallet out. Many things, like my store cards (Best Buy, Firestone, grocery store, and various restaurant "buy 10 meals, get one free" punch cards) I simply pull out and keep in my car somewhere convenient. Scrap old notes and whatnot. I don't carry pictures in my wallet any more, either. It is AMAZING how much that thins your wallet down.

My wallet is a Buxton double ID passport wallet (28826), which has a small removable folding "passport wallet". I keep my drivers license/retired ID in it and whatever credit card I feel is important. When I really need to slim down, I pull this out, put the rest of my wallet away, and simply carry that. There are several wallets out there which are excellent options for minimizing your wallet footprint.

Another thing: Not all pant pockets are the same. And you don't always have to carry your wallet in the back pocket.
 
My wallet is more trouble than my pistol. Like others, I've accumulated receipts, notes, business cards, etc., and have to clean it out every so often. Even doing that, I have a badge, credit cards, DL, CHCL, insurance cards, .....

My EDC has been a Shield (and now Shield Plus) in an OWB leather pancake for several years, with spare mags on my weak side. It's certainly not the deepest concealment I could do, but it's what works best for me.
 
@reloaded_in_pa brings up an excellent point...you gotta wear it to get comfortable with it.

There are a great many factors which go into comfortably carrying a handgun, and they aren't all the same for everybody. Body geometry, size/weight of the handgun, holster, belt, clothes you choose to wear, the weather, where and how you carry the firearm, type of handgun, activities you are involved in, type of vehicle you drive, and even simply personal preferences.

That's a lot to deal with.

But the best starting point is a solid foundation to be found in a good holster and good belt, specifically designed to properly support your handgun.

Then...you gotta carry it. Especially people new to carrying. You gotta carry it to get used to it and you gotta carry it to figure out if you need to change some aspect of how you carry for comfort and security of the weapon.

The inescapable part of everyday concealed carry. You don't know if it's going to work for you until you've tried it yourself for a while.

I've carried for years now. In that time as I grew older, changed occupations, changed modes of transportation, etc I've had to adapt my carry style. Several times. Like many others I've developed a collection of holsters and various means of carry. Some worked well, some were a bust from the word 'go', and some I use for specific circumstances. Holsters don't necessarily have to be expensive to be good. I have some Fleabay specials made in Turkey, Ukraine and other such places that were quite reasonable in price and work well for my circumstances. Never have liked nylon or Kydex, but they work for some.

The one thing I wish I had done many years earlier was to buy a good quality gun belt. These are typically two layers of heavy leather sewn together, but there are other styles. They make a difference in comfort of carry and sometimes in how well the holster stays up against my body. Put up with lesser belts for years before I finally tried one. Now I have three and may pick up another.

You just have to do it. It will work itself out.
 
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