Carry position for fat men

Atavar

Atavar

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Bemidji, Mn
I am working on figuring out the best carry position for me as a fat man. I won’t say how fat but my pants waist starts with a 5. Lol
Appendix at 2:00 has the issue of dealing with love handled. The same for IWB at 3:00.
Back carry is just too slow. 9:00 or 10:00 cross draw I just can’t reach.
I am about to get a couple 4x shirts and break out the shoulder rig.
Any advice from other chubby CCW types?
 
I’m 5’10”, 255 pounds. I’m very fond of the Simply Rugged pancake-style holsters worn either OWB strongside at 8 o’clock (as a lefty) or even more commonly: crossdraw at about 2 o’clock. This is much more comfortable when driving or sitting — which is how I spend most of my time working.

I find that my belly fat kinda helps the butt of my gun not print when worn crossdraw. I keep my T shirt tucked in and wear a loose over shirt.

If you’re going to wear strongside, try moving the holster behind your hip instead of right at 3 o’clock. Was a big improvement for me.

But my best advice — and I say this with no judgment — is to lose some of that weight, brother! There’s an irony to the notion of carrying guns for self defense while at the same time letting our health decline from neglect. I’m gonna be going on a squirrel hunt in a few weeks with a friend and even though I got my favorite holster rig all figured out, I am loathing the way my legs are going to feel at the end of the day. :)
 
Yeah, weight loss is kind of a forelorn effort. I lost 20lbs recently and gained inches and jiggle. Of course when you’re as big as I am you can lose 20 lbs pooping. Lol
If you wear at 3:30/4:00 do you cant the butt forward?
 
I do like pancake style holsters but I'm extremely disappointed in my Simply Rugged Sourdough and it's gone to one of the Boxes of Shame. As a prototype for the Michelin Man the pancakes do spread the profile and distribute the weight but still allow access.
 
Atavar said:
Yeah, weight loss is kind of a forelorn effort. I lost 20lbs recently and gained inches and jiggle. Of course when you’re as big as I am you can lose 20 lbs pooping. Lol
If you wear at 3:30/4:00 do you cant the butt forward?
Click to expand...

Yes, these holsters give a slight cant.

Here are some pics wearing my 4 5/8” New Vaquero, and P365XL. The Vaquero is in a Simply Rugged Sourdough Pancake, the Sig is in a Simply Rugged Cuda. Hope this helps.

IMG_2241.jpeg
IMG_2242.jpeg
IMG_2245.jpeg
IMG_2244.jpeg
 
jar said:
I do like pancake style holsters but I'm extremely disappointed in my Simply Rugged Sourdough and it's gone to one of the Boxes of Shame.
Click to expand...
Sorry they didn't work out for you. The only Sourdough I got from Rob that didn't work out for me was for a 5.5" Blackhawk. I've decided that anything bigger than this 4 5/8" Vaquero is simply too big for the design to work comfortably -- at least for me. But I'm able to wear this Vaquero all day comfortably.

I know some folks wear these IWB, and I can't speak to that. I decided long ago that IWB and love handles will simply never get along.
 
Tallinar said:
Sorry they didn't work out for you. The only Sourdough I got from Rob that didn't work out for me was for a 5.5" Blackhawk. I've decided that anything bigger than this 4 5/8" Vaquero is simply too big for the design to work comfortably -- at least for me. But I'm able to wear this Vaquero all day comfortably.

I know some folks wear these IWB, and I can't speak to that. I decided long ago that IWB and love handles will simply never get along.
Click to expand...
I just don't find the Simply Rugged anywhere near as comfortable or functional as my old Roy's Originals and Strongs and Bucheimers.

Roy's Original:

Baker-28.jpg

Strong:

Altamont 28-Strong.jpg

Bucheimer:

Bucheimer-Basketweave-10.jpg

Bucheimer:

Bucheimer-Concealer-10.jpg
 
Atavar said:
I am working on figuring out the best carry position for me as a fat man. I won’t say how fat but my pants waist starts with a 5. Lol
Appendix at 2:00 has the issue of dealing with love handled. The same for IWB at 3:00.
Back carry is just too slow. 9:00 or 10:00 cross draw I just can’t reach.
I am about to get a couple 4x shirts and break out the shoulder rig.
Any advice from other chubby CCW types?
Click to expand...
For me, right at 3 o'clock IWB.

Lately, 2 o'clock, AIWB with a small revolver in a purpose built AIWB holster. It sits in a "valley" to one side of the gut. Perry suspenders help keep the belt riding high enough, and not ride down my pear shaped middle.
 
Atavar said:
...I am about to get a couple 4x shirts and break out the shoulder rig.
Click to expand...
Don't bother. John Bianchi laid out a simple rule in "Blue Steel and Gunleather." If you can't reach under your armpit and touch your deltoid muscle, a shoulder holster won't work for you. A chest holster would work, but those aren't concealment rigs.

I'm in the same postion...with an extra-long torso to boot. What I'd like to see someone make is a strong-side, butt-to-the-rear shoulder holster. Like a belt holster, but on a shoulder harness and with the gun pulled up off the belt line and into a more concealable position.
 
Mike OTDP said:
Don't bother. John Bianchi laid out a simple rule in "Blue Steel and Gunleather." If you can't reach under your armpit and touch your deltoid muscle, a shoulder holster won't work for you. A chest holster would work, but those aren't concealment rigs.

I'm in the same postion...with an extra-long torso to boot. What I'd like to see someone make is a strong-side, butt-to-the-rear shoulder holster. Like a belt holster, but on a shoulder harness and with the gun pulled up off the belt line and into a more concealable position.
Click to expand...
Don’t they call that a belly band? Lol
 
JCooperfan1911 said:
You’re not fat. A lot of women I know go for that kind of body.
Click to expand...
Oh, so I have a womanly physique, huh? Gee, thanks. :D

I may not be fat by some standards, but I am definitely fat by healthy standards. There's nothing healthy about this gut hanging over my belt. :)
 
I wear a 40" belt but need a 42" for a Simply Rugged pancake or any holster that makes the belt wrap around and thru the holster. Add magazines and other things like flashlights ect. it a 44" War belt I need and not a thru the loop pants belt. I am 5'11 " and 220 and have a beer gut , even tho I don't drink much beer and I can feel muscle under the 1"of fat . I am going on 77 . Yes the Simply Rugged Cuda or Sourdough does support the weight very well and after some use molds to your hip shape very comfortably. You can also wear the three loop hole Simply Rugged holsters on his Chesty Puller chest rig harness and it is a great non concealed out door sports combo , as is a Gunfighters Inc. Kenai Chest holster.
Back to us fatties: I have found lately , as I grew fatter , that the old Sparks style Mirage belt slide , as was until recently produced by Galco , really conceals and rides well for me . The holster rides under the belt and against the pants so is actually consider OWB. However it pulls the gun butt into any love handles you may have and if you don't blouse that area of the shirt , or the whole shirt , the gun is well hidden if not longer than a 1911 . I carry my Sig P220 .45acp this way in California and Oregon, legally in both states . I also Tried the Yaqui Slide and it is perhaps more comfortable as the belt goes behind the holster band , but it does not conceal as well as the gun butt is not pulled in to the love handles as much. Either way the draw is excellent for me and my P220 has tall suppressor height sights which don't catch when drawn . The lack of gun coverage is meaningless for me in concealed carry , I am too fat to like IWB for very long = at all really.
 
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For me, at 6'1" and 260lbs, it has to be OWB at around 3:00. Sometimes a pancake but I really like the Desantis mini-scabbard. This is one I drew up to emulate it. The bottom of the mainseam was supposed to be rounded but I forgot to knock that corner off after I cut it out. :thumbdown:

022b.jpg
 
5'9" and around 220 Lbs. guy here - except for a good vertical shoulder holster, I find the most comfortable belt carry position for me to be strong side, just behind the pelvis bone (something like 3:30?) - there you have less body fat and are still able to comfortably draw without delay. Holster is usually IWB, because I carry daily and don't like to change styles unless really necessary.
 
CraigC said:
For me, at 6'1" and 260lbs, it has to be OWB at around 3:00. Sometimes a pancake but I really like the Desantis mini-scabbard. This is one I drew up to emulate it. The bottom of the mainseam was supposed to be rounded but I forgot to knock that corner off after I cut it out. :thumbdown:

022b.jpg
Click to expand...
Minimal leather is Best IMHO.
 
BobWright said:
I've found that pancake type holsters don't work for me ...

Bob Wright
Click to expand...
Another consideration of pancake style holsters is that there will be a lot of "snaking" that a belt needs to travel when being threaded through the pancake loops and may cost you a belt hole on your belt, which could be a consideration for somebody working on their last couple of holes on their belt.
 
I’m on a roll to lose 50 lbs but still have a ways to go. I find OWB just behind the hip the most comfortable other than pocket carry.

If you have any thoughts to really give weight loss a shot, see Drs Baker or Berry videos regarding “carnivore diet” on You Tube. It works amazing.
 
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