Another 9MM carry thread, but...

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TarDevil

TarDevil

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... this one is more about "how" to carry than "what" to carry. This has probably been addressed, but humor me.

I've always loved .40 plus calibers, but age is taking a toll on me. I've never been recoil sensitive but my shooting hand has carpal tunnel and arthritis and I need to power down a bit. I'm a firm believer in accuracy over caliber (still gonna miss my .45, though :mad:) and I wanna practice as much as time and funds allow. So the 9mm wins by default, but not any of the 15 - 17 oz micros 'cause that just puts me back in high recoil territory. I want 20 oz or more of gun filling my hand, so my choices are gonna be something like the SR9c, XDM3.8 or Glock G19 (leaning towards the SR9c).

My real problem is... I am unnaturally hot-natured and I'm worried about concealment wearing light clothes.

Any suggestions to the best way to carry these compact size guns and still stay comfortable?
 
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It's not difficult. Just wear a suitably baggy shirt. Then any normal inside the pants holster will work.
 
1. buy pants one size larger.
2. buy a quality gun belt. www.beltman.net makes excellent stuff.
3. you'll have to try some different holsters until you find one that works for the gun and your body type.
4. learn which shirts you have conceal well. it's not just the cut of the shirt, it's also the material, and the colors / patterns. dark colors and patterns seem to really break up the line of a gun and make what would look like printing into what looks like a natural fold of the material from hanging there.

i personally use a beltman belt, and i find that the galco summer comfort line of holsters conceals a pistol very well on me. they have just the right amount of forward cant and pull the pistol tight to my body. the beltman belt is so thick and stuff that it makes the weight of the gun disappear.
 
I really like my crossbreed supertuck. If you get the combat cut there will be less leather to bother you. My supertuck tends to disappear in any clothing. Be it a t-shirt or suit. If you want something that is less bulky though, a lot of the high noon designs could work.


If you feel like helping a young man become a little more cultured, you could send one of those unused .45's my way =D
I kid, I kid.
 
You might want to look for a single stack too. I find that it's not so much the size of the slide as it is the size of the grip for concealment.
 
+1 for the crossbreed super tuck. At 3 o'clock I can keep my SR9c concealed by just wearing a moderately loose t-shirt. I seem to have bigger problems with my extra mag printing than the Ruger.
 
Carter said:
If you feel like helping a young man become a little more cultured, you could send one of those unused .45's my way =D
I kid, I kid.
Click to expand...

:) No big collection here... just one or two at a time, so one must fund the next! BTW... I haven't carried anything previously... just kept a gun or two around for home defense. Change in life (read... divorce) has me in temporary quarters where CCW makes me feel quite a bit more secure.

gearhead said:
You might want to look for a single stack too. I find that it's not so much the size of the slide as it is the size of the grip for concealment.
Click to expand...

I'm still open to recommendations. I just can't go too small or light, but would love to go slim.
 
1. Get a plastic gun. They do not rust, saving you a great deal of worry being pressed up against your person all day. Nothing has a better, more rust resistant finish than a Glock.

2. Get a plastic holster. They do not bleed dye onto your clothing or your skin, and don't dry out and crack and stretch and all of the other problems associated with leather. Blade tech makes great stuff. My G17 IWB is 4 years old and has been used A LOT in that time, it still looks brand new. It is also comfortable enough to wear while on a hike, or taking a nap.

3. Wear your gun IWB. It's more concealable in more situations. Just use a good belt (one of the 1.75" nylon "rigger" style belts would be best, displaces weight better) and wear pants 1 size too big.

4. Because you are IWB, skip the tiny guns. Stubby slide and barrel will dig into your hip. Glock 19 or 17 size will work the best, the longer barrel will also aid the holster in pulling the butt of the gun into your side, so it prints less.
 
Excuse my ignorance... what is a crossbreed supertuck? I was leaning toward IWB.

Edited to add: Ok, Googled it. Looks good!
 
Always good to see another Tardevil!

You'll love the crossbreed super-tuck. It pays for itself with comfort. It looks big and bulky, but it really is extremely comfortable to carry with. I can stick a glock 17,19 or 26 in mine and carry it very comfortably. I have a drawer ful of other IWB holsters that go unused.

I bought a similar holster from a member here who makes them because at the time I purchased mine, crossbreed's estimated lead time was 4+ months.
 
DownUndertwomonthslater.jpg

CZ SP-01 Phantom, (poly frame), 9mm with 16 round CZ 75 magazine, in a High Noon Down Under IWb holster and High Noon Rock Steady gun belt. Carried under a t-shirt in AZ monsoon summer heat for over two months now. No dye bleed whatsoever, no sweat bleed through to metal parts, (sweat shield is thick enough to qualify as medieval armor!), and the belt keeps everything right where it needs to be.
 
ForumSurfer said:
Always good to see another Tardevil!

You'll love the crossbreed super-tuck. It pays for itself with comfort. It looks big and bulky, but it really is extremely comfortable to carry with. I can stick a glock 17,19 or 26 in mine and carry it very comfortably. I have a drawer ful of other IWB holsters that go unused.

I bought a similar holster from a member here who makes them because at the time I purchased mine, crossbreed's estimated lead time was 4+ months.
Click to expand...
See, I couldn't disagree with you more. I found the crossbreed to be a pain to put on, to make me sweaty, and to be less comfortable than a standard IWB holsters. I know some people love them, so they're worth checking out for anybody, but I wouldn't sell them as the gospel...
 
Get a Crossbreed Supertuck. Best IWB holster ever. I can move mine from 4oclock to 530-600 easy. Great for when you go from mostly sitting (3-4) to mostly standing/walking (4-6). It's easiest to slide around on leather belts. Scuba webbed Ares belts rule but are a bit grippy. Get a leather hole punch from Harbor Freight so you can fine tune the belt just right. Leather with Kydex inserted is great for EDC.

I use Nike Dry fit type shirts. Tons of different brands and types, but they are the pricey soft mostly polyester shirts. Not much if any cotton or wool. Those are the only shirts that are nice and cool on a hot day when you wear black, which is an easy color to conceal under.


My biggest problem is I like silky, dry, mostly polyester, boxers as well to stay cool. And those are kinda slick. My pants fall down and need pulled up too often. And I have some of the best stiff belts. Thick leather from a gun show, Galco, and my favorite Ares Tac Instructors belt.

That Highnoon holster posted above would print a ton on my body style. It's too fat. If they moved those clips out so the holster was longer but thinner that would help them a ton.
 
Another vote for Crossbreed supertuck deluxe or clone but make sure you get the horsehide version. I sweat a lot and I'm VERY warm blooded and find them very comfortable here in New Mexico (even carrying a large pistol).
 
I most often wear an IWB holster between my belt and pants, covered by a long shirt untucked. That way I just wear the same size pants and have less rubbing against my side. I like high ride clip on holsters like the FIST ultra thin kydex for quick trips to the store, or pancake holsters for more comfortable all day carry.
 
I have never had a problem concealing an OWB holster and gun, a good leather holster and belt will hold it tight to the body. I have never had a quality leather holster "bleed" on my clothes either and leather is quieter than plastic. I would also note my Null holster for my HK has been used for over 25 years now and shows no sign of stretching, cracking, or drying out.

I carry a HK P7M8 or a Glock 19 fairly often...they both conceal easily.
 
Really, Zero? Interesting. Doesn't show at all on me, but I have that "Body By Budweiser" look going...I don't even drink Budweiser...
Click to expand...

I lost weight and I have zero's problem. Matter of fact, my gym clothes need replacing because they increase my chances of accidental indecent exposure. Those love handles were handy for cushioning with IWB holsters and keeping my pants up. I find I have to tighten my belts up tighter than before and some of my other IWB holsters are now far less comfortable. Some of my OWB holsters no longer seem to keep it tight against my body, so I think my body was previously tight against my holster instead of the holster being tight against my body. Body type is everything with a holster.
 
Mongo4567:
I most often wear an IWB holster between my belt and pants, covered by a long shirt untucked. That way I just wear the same size pants and have less rubbing against my side.
Click to expand...

This is me, too. Don't have to change pants sizes, and the belt across the holster/gun combo also "smoothes out" the overall profile some over that of an OWB rig. But, like the OWB rig, it does require a longer cover garment.
 
I do not like IWB. Does not work for me.

But what I am wanting to comment on is two things:

Dark clothing does conceal better. I have a dark grey t-shirt that is just baggy enough to cover the gun and that along hides my OWB slide holster and the gun. It must be just the right shade, because none of my others do this.

You mentioned weight, 9mm and the want for a single stack ... The first thing that came to mind was the steel series of guns that Kahr makes.
 
Nushif said:
You mentioned weight, 9mm and the want for a single stack ... The first thing that came to mind was the steel series of guns that Kahr makes.
Click to expand...

Guess I should've mentioned price, too. K series Kahrs are pricey compared to my other choices. Gonna need to stay in the $450 range.
 
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