Belly Band Help

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JLStorm

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I have abut 6 months of jobs coming up where a fitted button down shirt must be tucked in, and my options seem to limited to a belly band, shoulder holster, or ankle carry. I will be carrying a sub compact (HK P2000sk) which is around the same size as a glock sub compact. A shoulder holster seems like a lot of rigging for such a small gun and can be hard to conceal under a shirt, an ankle holster is very comfortable but a bit slow and awkward on the draw and leaves no room for a spare mag, which brings me to a belly band which I have no experience with. I was wondering if the belly band stays in place during all day wear without slipping around much on a male frame and without being extremely uncomfortable after 8 hours? Another main concern of mine is that the belly band fits very tightly over the trigger guard as the weapon has no built in safety. I was looking at the galco belly band specifically, but I am open to suggestions. Please feel free to offer suggestions of other holster types that you feel might work better, but I am not interester in a tuckable IWB for this application so please ommit these from your suggestions.

thanks for any help or comments.
 
The Galco Belly Band is one of the nicer belly band options. Depending on what type of pants you'll have to wear, a subcompact may fit in a rear pocket with "wallet print" pocket holster.

Ankle carry doesn't have to be awkward on the draw, it just needs to be practiced more than other types of draw. Of course, you need to have a reason to drop to one knee without looking conspicuous ("oops, I dropped my keys!"). Look for a used leather knife holster that will fit a spare mag, or just stick it in a pocket.

Keep in mind with a belly band, you'll have to yank your shirt open to get to it quickly, which can be equally awkward.
 
Depending on how big you are, how about pocket carry?

Dress slacks/khakis can be loose with big pockets for carry.

This would be faster than ankle or bellyband.
 
Ankle carry doesn't have to be awkward on the draw, it just needs to be practiced more than other types of draw. Of course, you need to have a reason to drop to one knee without looking conspicuous ("oops, I dropped my keys!"). Look for a used leather knife holster that will fit a spare mag, or just stick it in a pocket.
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+1 for this. If you're going to draw you should be going for cover anyway. The only way to draw from an ankle holster is to kneel (strong knee) and draw from the holster on your weak side ankle. It's funny to see guys dancing on one leg drawing from an ankle holster. Just be sure your pants cuffs are not tight (it was easy in the days of bell bottoms).

Belly bands seem like a good idea but can get very uncomfortable esprcially when it's hot weather.
 
The belly band works like a charm. You can carry a small to medium frame revolver or compact semiautomatic very easily in this manner (Sig 229, Glock 19, CZ75 compact, Officers 1911, etc). I wear it with the trigger guard directly underneath the belt line. It is comfortable and virtually undetectable when wearing tucked-in button-up shirts.
 
I have a Bushwhacker belly band and I can carry anything in it. I weigh 175 lbs. It does get a little uncomfortable after a few hours though. The heavier the weapon, the tighter you have to wear it. When I carry something large in it for a couple of hours it feels real funny when I take it off.
I would vote for ankle holster since it seems like it takes just as much practice to master the belly band. I also have no ankle holsters. Hope this helped.
 
This would be faster than ankle or bellyband.
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It depends on where you put the belly band. I never wear mine high like is often pictured with the gun almost in a shoulder holster position. I find that the band works best in the belt area, partially under the pants. I put my weapon about half under the belt and in the right kidney position. I think most of you call this 3:30 or 4:00. That means it conceals well and is in my "normal spot" to draw the weapon. It isn't real comfortable carried anywhere, by I have less trouble with it here.

Your shirts can be polos or T'shirts or whatever. You can tuck them in if you want. However, they must be thick enough not to print your girdle. White oxfords work so long as your shirt has enough cotton in it. The cheapy poly blends may not. And you cannot wear your pants like you are part of the new Grease cast. No living in the 70s or early 80s with the crotch huggers or wearing modern low cut "look at my underwear" pants because they will ride up and down to much in the back and probably catch below your weapon. Dress like a big boy with semi loose khakis or jeans and you'll be ok. I also found the white belly bands hide better than the black ones.

It works way better than the other options IMO. I've never like ankle carry much but occasionally do it. I also tried one of those "tuck in the shirt" IWB holsters (from Galco, I think) and the shirt just didn't stay.

A belly band is a useful addition to any CCW toolchest, even though it has its limits.
 
An ankle holster is an option, but I have yet to find one for the p2000sk. I like galco's ankle glove especially due to the boot extender, but galco doesnt make the ankle glove for this model, anyone know a company that does? Otherwise I will have to rule out the ankle holster.
 
Smartcarry

I use the Smartcarry holster most days. Stays comfortable even with heavier guns because your hips bear the weight. It took a while for me to find a comfortable way to wear it. Once I figured it out nothing else has been as comfortable. I wear mine with the barrel pointing down my left leg and the grips pointing over to my zipper. It also allows for an extra mag to the left of the gun.

Truth be told, I picked up a Kel-Tec .380 and just wear it inside the waistband of my pants at 3 O'clock with the attached pocket clip if my pants are a little too tight (a recent development I'm ashamed to admit). It conceals just fine. Most days though I carry my Taurus 24/7 in the smartcarry.

I have a bellyband also but I have not figured out a comfortable way to wear it yet.

Just try out some of the suggestions in this thread and you will find something excellent for your body style and preferences.
 
I tried the smart carry once when I used to carry a G30, and as you said it really takes a while to get a good position, but in the end I just couldnt deal with having the barrel of a gun point near my crotch or a najor artery, so the smart cary just isnt an optin for me.
 
http://www.centralpolice.com/kangaroo.htm

I use a kangaroo holster which is similar to a belly band but much more comfortable in hot weather. It has a shoulder strap and it's made of cotton. Almost no elastic to give you corset rash.
You'll probably need to do a little stitching or safety pins on the gun pouch to prevent the gun from falling out when you bend over to pick something up. I've always been a belly band CCW and these are the most comfy.
 
I wear daily with a belly band (shirts have to be tucked in for work). I carry j frame revolvers, commander and compact 1911's and a g32. I wear it from around 9am to 4-5pm daily without any discomfort.

It doesn't move around and I forget its there 90% of the time..:)
 
Check kramerleather.com for some options including an undershirt with a gun pocket sewn in. It works for a lightweight handgun but can be warm indoors. In my experience a bellyband works if you don't have much belly. They aren't very comfortable for me. The Thunderwear type works for a compact gun if you wear them enough to get comfortable. I usually just carry a Kel-Tec in a pocket holster.
 
I've used the belly band, smart carry, ankle holsters, and shoulder holsters when belt holsters won't work. After using them all quite a bit, I no longer use belly band and almost never use a shoulder holster.

For tucked in dress code, my best option is ankle carry (95% of the time now). If my pants are pleated and loose, I also occasionally use smart carry. Smart carry is also really good if you are wearing walking shorts. You can carry an extra mag in your front pants pocket with either of these methods.

The need for a fast draw is a valid point, but there aren't any good deep concealment methods that will allow a draw that a belt holster provides. My suggestion is to get comfortable with that fact, practice drawing from the carry method you choose (practice it on the range with live rounds after you've done it dry at the house.) Fast is not as important as smooth and being able to do it while crouched behind cover in various body positions.
 
Keep in mind with a belly band, you'll have to yank your shirt open to get to it quickly, which can be equally awkward.
Click to expand...
Or under a necktie, you could hide having one button undone for a faster draw.

Besides the kneeling or the one-legged draw for an ankle holster, the ankle rig may work better for a seated draw than do other other carry methods.
 
I have a DeSantis belly-band and have worn it up to 10 hours. Wearing it this long requires me to wear a tee shirt underneath it or it starts to chafe. It's definitely not a quick-draw rig, but it works better than anything sometimes. Personally I wear mine cross-draw, practically under the left armpit. Works equally well with H&K USPC, G26, or Kimber UCDP.
 
I use the Galco Underwraps daily. It works well at waist level with my Kimber 3" 1911 at 4 o'clock or my S&W 642 at 1:30.

Bill
 
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