CCW in Florida, for the BIG man...

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I can pocket carry an SP101 and I'm shorter and lighter than you. 6'2" and 215. But I don't pocket carry an SP101 in the summer because of the weight. An airweight snubby is great for the summer and in the winter I can carry just about anything I want.

All that said, I think one of the 2-inch barrel SP101's would make a great snubby all year round for a tall guy. It will fit nicely in a back pocket.
 
I carry a 4" N frame and am very curious what trousers Clint Smith wears! Also, if he has the pocket lining replaced with thin leather.

But for the OP, revolvers are somewhat easy to customize to various sized hands. Switching grips makes a big difference in how they feel to you. I am not a Ruger fan but the S&W J and K frames can be fitted with a nearly endless variety of grips.
 
I am 6'1" 260lbs (I'm shrinking!)
Of course the options of specific firearm and carry methodology is almost infinite. Very personal.

Please allow a few thoughts.

Why carry if you cannot draw it and fire it. I see people carry their weapon in manners that take them " a few seconds" to get the dad gum thing out. Self defeating IMHO.

Don't get caught up in the caliber "bigger is better" wars. A concealed carry weapon must be concealed and as reasonably comfortable as possible. It must be SECURE when carrying.
Carry the weapon you train with....and your good/best with. Reliability is paramount when choosing your carry weapon.If that is a .45 or a .32 is not the issue. What can you draw and fire accurately takes precedence.

I do not believe all concealed carry wardrobes must consist of Don Ho shirts.
Further I don't believe we must dress like homeless people in order to cover.

With that said..............
Many of the "pocket 9's" my finger is too big to reliably get into the trigger. Just an observation.

In a suit I carry a SW Bodyguard .380 and a spare magazine in the suit coat pockets. Uncle Mikes Pocket Holster. Often I carry a SW .38 snubby same manner.

In blue jeans/casual I carry inside the waistband and a CZ82 or P64.

In shorts usually is the S&W .380 Bodyguard in my pocket. Sometimes a KelTec .32 that I trust and has proven itself.

In the winter I carry one of my Glocks/Stoegers usually in a coat pocket.

Pick your poison and practice. Snap caps and the mirror are helpful. Then the range and live ammo. Screw all that quick draw business. Practice drawing, pointing and firing safely. Finger off the trigger etc.

Good luck man.
 
StrawHat wrote,
I carry a 4" N frame and am very curious what trousers Clint Smith wears! Also, if he has the pocket lining replaced with thin leather.
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I read the article in the print edition of the American Hangunner. I was pretty stunned to read it myself. In the picture in the magazine, it looks like he is wearing a pair of those "tactical" type pants. He uses a pocket holster for the pistol. I'm really amazed he is able to get the N-Frame in his front pocket.

In another article, he says he carries an 8-shot S&W 327 in an ankle holster as a backup.

Aside from my amazement that Clint Smith carries these pistols in such a manner, what truly amazes me is that anybody makes holsters for such applications. I mean, what's the market for a pocket holster for an N-Frame or an ankle holster for an 8-shot N-Frame, I don't care if it has a scandium frame and a titanium cylinder.

I guess my initial point was, with commitment, you can carry just about anything you really wanted. If you are a very large man like the OP, you can do that much easier than a smaller man or most women. A 6' 5", 300lb. guy probably doesn't own a pair of pants in which you couldn't get a 4" N-Frame in the pocket.
 
Your size isn't what counts as much as your comfort level and manner of carry. ALSO, living in FL and top that off with human sweat I would definitely go polymer. The LCR 357 was the first thing I thought of for you and see others have also suggested it. I owned one for a while and it's 17oz makes it very comfortable. The bore:grip ratio is excellent and it is afforable and comfortable. You can pocket carry, ankle carry, IWB carry or holster carry and forget it's there. I traded mine in because I couldn't get used to it's ugly factor (so I went with a 640 - but I live in the high desert and humidity is not an issue). The only down side is the three-finger grip but I bet there are after market solutions for that too! You could go for a 642, they have quite a following but even though I am a fairly good shot I couldn't hit a barn door from the inside of a barn with that thing. To me, anything heavier or larger than my 640 is just too heavy/bulky and the only good handgun is the one on you when you need it.
 
Gear makes the difference. This is my CZ SP-01 Phantom, not a "petite" pistol.

CZbook4.jpg

Throw in a shorter CZ75 16 round mag for a touch more concealability, put it into a High Noon Down Under holster, (with nice high sweat shield), and a High Noon Rock Steady gunbelt, and we get this,

DownUndertwomonthslater.jpg

This wasn't worn at a dance recital in Duluth; this rig was tested under a t-shirt in Arizona summer weather, and it came out first class. The poly frame of the gun helps, and the high sweat shield does wonders - thick enough to qualify for medieval armor! The sidearm is wicked accurate and reliable, and topped off is 17 rounds in CCW mode, or with standard mag, 19 rounds on tap. It weighs less than it looks, and rides very comfortably in the High Noon setup. I am NOT a big man, 5'11" 220lbs, but this rig works well for me under the untucked t-shirt. Ugly plain old shirt used to show lines, but any patterned baggy shirt will help conceal even better. Hawaiian shirts come to mind...

IMG_2545.jpg

IMG_2543.jpg

That's my setup, and though it may not work for you, I felt you might like the opportunity to look. :)
 
In the summer when I'm wearing shorts and t-shirts, I've found nothing easier to conceat than my little Taurus 85UL (I'm sure a j-frame would be just as good). That being said, if I ever buy another little revolver, it will definately have a shrouded hammer.
 
dude at 6'5" and 300lbs you can conceal any damn gun you want, just need a quality holster and belt. a g17 on you is probably still smaller in comparison than a g26 on an average woman. lol.

i think you'll find with your big paws that compact guns are awful to shoot.
 
allaroundhunter said:
You could look into the Smith and Wesson M&P series. They have full-size and compact models available, and each come with 3 interchangeable back straps (small, medium, and large). Calibers are: 9mm, .357 Sig, .40 S&W, .45 ACP

As for holsters, Milt Sparks makes great ones. For a little cheaper, Crossbreed Supertuck, Comptac Minotaur (All IWB)
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My DH's M&P can be made to suit nearly any size hand. Its been shot by our then 15yo daughter and I with the small backstraps on and by 6'4" friends with huge hands with the large backstraps on.

DH wishes he'd chosen the compact though when he's trying to conceal in hot weather.
 
I live south Florida. I've tried a dozen types of holsters. Smart Carry or Crossbreed holsters keep my weapon clean and dry. I carry either a medium-sized semi-auto or a small frame revolver depending on my attire.

I suggest renting different models on an indoor range to find the gun that fits you. Then, one or both of these two suppliers on the links below will help you conceal it.

http://www.smartcarry.com/
http://www.crossbreedholsters.com/
 
at 6'3 and 230 i can easily carry my springer 1911 in a comp tac minotaur holster. Its comfortable and the gun is narrow so its not that bad. I would suggest this holster because you can just switch out the kydex if you decide to carry another gun. As far as carry guns go, its hard to beat a glock or a springfield. I just started carrying the glock 29 and it fits me and the holster very well. Try the glock 30 in .45 or the 29 in 10mm. The new xd m guns handle very well also.
 
I carry my S&W M&P 40 at all times

I am 6'8 370 lbs. I carry my m&p40 compact at all times. When your as big as me the gun will fit in your pocket or I have no problem with it staying in my waistband (no holster). Mine has a thumb safety and I do not carry hot so unless I rack one into the chamber I dont have to worry about AD. I can slide it into my pocket, pants or shorts, and you can't tell its even there.

I also love the fact that I can buy an extended grip and full mag for it which I have to make it "Full capacity" and an aftermarket 9mm barrel drops in to make it 9mm for cheaper shooting. I love the m&p......but thats just me
 
I'm sure you know this already, but the keys to a successful conceal carry weapon involve the right choice of belt, holster and shirt, more than the weapon. The warm Florida climate would push me towards a stainless model to cut down on rust/corrosion, and I'd probably steer away from IWB holsters. For the money, the Ruger SR9C is a great choice, but I'd also look at the full size Kahr's as well. since your a larger man. Personally, in my 30 years I've carried everything from a Beretta .22 to a N frame .44 mag and everything in between, but the easiest one to conceal for me is my 5 inch 1911! Good luck.

LD
 
I'm not really a big guy, but I think the fundamentals stay the same regardless of size. IWB is going to balance concealability, comfort, and ease of access in a primarily shorts and t-shirt environment the best in my opinion. Personally if I'm wearing anything but gym shorts I have a G23 in a Comptac Mtac tuckable hybrid holster, and gym shorts gets the Keltec PF-9 in a cheapo little clip IWB holster similar to an uncle mikes I got off Amazon, as long as I tighten the drawstring nice and tight and don't do any cartwheels (not that I could ever do a cartwheel) retention is fine. Pocket carry is possible, but the "pocket" nines and j-frames need a really deep pocket to work with and think back to the last time you were trying to dig your car keys out of your pocket to get out of the rain? Now think about Can you draw quickly out of a pocket under stress? For a full size caliber, I would recommend the XDm 3.8 40, or G23 in a good IWB holster, don't go get the nylon stuff from uncle mikes or whatever cheap stuff they have at the gun shop. Galco kingtuk, crossbreed supertuck, or the aforementioned comptac are all "hybrid" holsters, basically a kydex mold for strapless retention and a leather backing for comfort. Or go all leather if you're into that kinda stuff ;) A brand new PF-9 can be had for $250, the XDm's are around 600 or so, a used gen3 G23 can be found for around $300. The PF-9 or the pricy PM-9 by Kahr are excellent options if all you want is one gun that you can carry year round, 8 rds of 9mm is nothing to be scoffed at, but personally, I like options when I carry, variety is the spice of life.
 
hifirock57 said:
I'm not really a big guy, but I think the fundamentals stay the same regardless of size. IWB is going to balance concealability, comfort, and ease of access in a primarily shorts and t-shirt environment the best in my opinion. Personally if I'm wearing anything but gym shorts I have a G23 in a Comptac Mtac tuckable hybrid holster, and gym shorts gets the Keltec PF-9 in a cheapo little clip IWB holster similar to an uncle mikes I got off Amazon, as long as I tighten the drawstring nice and tight and don't do any cartwheels (not that I could ever do a cartwheel) retention is fine. Pocket carry is possible, but the "pocket" nines and j-frames need a really deep pocket to work with and think back to the last time you were trying to dig your car keys out of your pocket to get out of the rain? Now think about Can you draw quickly out of a pocket under stress? For a full size caliber, I would recommend the XDm 3.8 40, or G23 in a good IWB holster, don't go get the nylon stuff from uncle mikes or whatever cheap stuff they have at the gun shop. Galco kingtuk, crossbreed supertuck, or the aforementioned comptac are all "hybrid" holsters, basically a kydex mold for strapless retention and a leather backing for comfort. Or go all leather if you're into that kinda stuff ;) A brand new PF-9 can be had for $250, the XDm's are around 600 or so, a used gen3 G23 can be found for around $300. The PF-9 or the pricy PM-9 by Kahr are excellent options if all you want is one gun that you can carry year round, 8 rds of 9mm is nothing to be scoffed at, but personally, I like options when I carry, variety is the spice of life.
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While the fundamentals are the same regardless of size, there is still a difference in scale. At this dude's size, I seriously see no reason why he has to bother with compacts if he's going to carry IWB. He can carry a full size as easily as a 5'10" guy (i.e. me) can carry a compact.

Heck, at his size, he can pocket carry stuff that I couldn't dream of. With cargo pants, I can carry a G26 at my size. He could probably pocket carry a G19 in equivalent pants if he felt like it.

Just saying. He's got more options than most of us, and if he invests in a quality holster and belt, he can carry anything easily.
 
harmon rabb said:
While the fundamentals are the same regardless of size, there is still a difference in scale. At this dude's size, I seriously see no reason why he has to bother with compacts if he's going to carry IWB. He can carry a full size as easily as a 5'10" guy (i.e. me) can carry a compact.

Heck, at his size, he can pocket carry stuff that I couldn't dream of. With cargo pants, I can carry a G26 at my size. He could probably pocket carry a G19 in equivalent pants if he felt like it.

Just saying. He's got more options than most of us, and if he invests in a quality holster and belt, he can carry anything easily.
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Something easy-to-use, hard to see and difficult to face.....I would pick Glock 29SF if I was him. Lets face it he needs to defend himself against subjects larger then himself.
 
My middle kid is 6'6" a 2nd Lt. in the Army and lives in Florida and he routinely (and comfortably) carries a full-sized Ruger SR9 (holds 17 rounds of 9mm) in an inside waistband holster. He only weighs about 215, though.

When he pocket carries only, he carries a Bursa Thunder (.380) and it easily disappears in his front pants pocket.
 
I am similar in size and also live in Florida, so I understand your problem. I carry a glock 30 (45 acp) year round in a super tuck holster made out of horsehide without a issue. Another one to consider is the Bersa thunder in 9mm or .380. Good luck.
 
I'm a pretty laid back, law-abiding guy. I don't go looking for trouble. I stay away from notorious places. I own a few firearms not primarily to protect myself, but because I have a beautiful wife and three precious children I have a God-given responsibility to secure. Size and strength are great for sport, but the real world demands something more... just in case. ;-)
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Welcome to THR. Based on this statement I think you are in the right place.

To address your questions, I carry a Kahr PM9 95% IWB and 5% pocket. I am 6'2", 250 lbs. Keep in mind that as a big guy you can conceal a big, heavy gun, but you don't have to. Consider your tolerance for weight or the potential discomfort of a wide(r) gun. If you can borrow models you are considering, or ones with similar physical characteristics, put them in your waistband (unloaded!) and carry them around the house for a few hours. Understanding that a good belt and holster will be more comfortable, this will at least give you an idea what to expect. Also, with regard to very short barreled .357s, search this forum and elsewhere, and look at ballisticsbytheinch.com. I love my 6" GP100, but I don't see the advantage in a <3" .357. YMMV. Good luck.
 
Go find a gun or gun/grip combo that fits your hand and then find one that fits your wifes hand. after that everything (almost) above. You and your wife have different size hands so one gun maynot work.
 
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