concealment for a large man

[S&Wfan]

Hi,

At 5' 9" @ about 262, I'm TWICE the man I was in high school, so I understand your problem.

Belts suck, because you've gotta wear 'em a little high and tight . . . or low and tight a few inches shorter. Either way, the weight of most guns will pull your "high" belt down . . . or your low belt will go lower too.

Best carries for me are:

1. A Kel-Tec P32 in my front pocket. Heck, I don't even need a holster for it and the weight is so neglegible that it won't hasten pulling down my pants. It is a "go anywhere" option, though the little .32 round ain't the most effective. The .380 version that's how come out is also a good choice. You'll probably forget its in your front pocket!

HOWEVER . . .

2. OTW holsters are good options with fairly light autos and revolvers. If you are like most of us, you love loose, un-tucked in shirts. When I carry like this, it is with my aluminum framed, lightweight Kimber Ultra CDP officer's size 1911. It is a joy to "pack."

However, since I've added about 25 pounds in the past few years I've noticed the short .45's barrel allows my belt to almost twist the gun outward. So . . . a full size .45 or Commander-sized lightweight .45 would be my choice today, since the longer barrel locks against the leg better to keep the top of the gun pressed against the body.

I've also gone to a 5 o'clock carry vs. my old 3 o'clock carry. This makes a huge difference in concealment AND comfort for a heavy guy!

IWB?

Actually, I've very seriously considering a fine IWB holster for my Kimber. A well-made, comfortable one should work very, very well. A bad one is pure hell.

Good luck with your choices!

T.

 

[delta_chi_senator]

thanks y'all, lets continue.....

I'm glad so many have the same problem I have: fat. Well, I'm not glad you actually have the problem, just glad I'm not alone! I'm also glad we got started on the discussion of the 32mag.

Concerning being a big guy, and I thank all you fellow big guys for coming out with help, I think I'm going to have to use a combination of the various bits of advice you gave me here for different situations. The thing is, in my line of work I have to wear either a suit or a sports jacket and khakis. Though, I'm such a big guy that when the weather's warm (or very hot here in Texas!), I take the jacket off (lest I have a freakin' heat stroke). For further consideration, big guys dress themselves in 2 different ways. Back me up here, friends.......I was getting fitted to rent a tux for a buddy's wedding last year when the lovely young girl didn't know how to ask me how I wore my pants. I told her "under the fat" and she understood right away. Yes, we fasten our pants either below that big spare tire or above. I can't do above. The pants come out so big that it feels like I'm wearing a dress. I've been told on these posts more than once not to change my wardrobe to fit my weapon. Fastening them up high would give me plenty of room surely to hide something but, dang it, I can't stand the feel. Next, when I'm not at work I like jeans. It depends on the event I'm going to, but I could be in a pressed shirt or a big t-shirt. In the summer, if its casual enough, I like the big, long cargo shorts that go below the knees with the giant pockets. Plenty of room there!! I wish there was a one and only, single way to carry. I don't see that for me. Its going to take a combination. I've carried occasionally recently in some big khakis that flair way out below the waist. This is only recently. It doesn't look any different to all the people that know me because my pockets are so big and full of stuff already anyway (like a calculator and other electronic devices needed to sell real estate). The 50's era 32mag fit well in there and didn't make me look any different.

Now on to the 32mag..... I'm glad we started that, too! There is so much controversy concerning this round. Here's one post on another site that gives us hope of cheaper rounds:

"Anyway, I'd be just as happy with a .32 H&R Magnum on my belt as a .38 Special. I keep the AirLite stoked with six MagSafes. It's on my hip at this very moment. I've also just received a new Georgia Arms catalog and they offer new .32 H&R Magnum, 100gr JHP ammunition for $22.50/100 rds."

I don't know if my pistol is just old or what, but it sounds like a cannon when I fire it. Quite different from others I have owned. Anyway, y'all's thoughts? Thanks.

 

[jlh26oo]

OT

No holster advice, but just have to let the guy know who would weigh 280 pounds at ZERO percent body fat- YOU'D BETTER START ENTERING BODYBUILDING and POWERLIFTING COMPETITIONS!!! You would CLEAN UP.

 

[crazyhorse]

The SmartCarry looks promising, but, how is it in 102 degrees? I suffer from "Done-Lap", and need a comfortable all day-every day holster.

 

[Autolycus]

Have you tried a shoulder holster?

 

[PennsyPlinker]

No holster advice, but just have to let the guy know who would weigh 280 pounds at ZERO percent body fat- YOU'D BETTER START ENTERING BODYBUILDING and POWERLIFTING COMPETITIONS!!! You would CLEAN UP.

That would be me. You know, the guy who took those measurements was a nationally rated body builder for years. He kept telling me over and over, "you don't know how lucky you are to have a frame like you do". I don't take any credit for it, but I am too old and feeble now to do powerlifting - although I do throw a lot of firewood around.

 

[johnster999]

I have a gut. i wear bib denim overalls as casual wear. These are common attire in my rural area.

I wear my G30 in a Smartcarry at about 1:30 "o'clock". Allows for total concealment and fast draw. I can easily conceal most any size handgun this way, including a fullsize 1911 or G22.

I don't recommend it for carrying with most pants. Especially if you have a gut and are low waisted. Draw speed is far too slow and cumbersome. For pants carry I resort to a thoroughly tested and rebarreled PM-9 in a simple pocket holster. Draw is pretty fast and you can grip the gun without revealing it if you feel the need.

999

 

[carpettbaggerr]

The .32 Magnum is fine for a defensive round. However, it was developed in 1984. You do not have a 50's era .32 Magnum.

The H&R Magnum operates at significantly higher pressures than the .32 S&W. If you shoot the magnums in a 50's era pistol, it may hold up. You can read about Clark's experiments firing very heavy .357 magnums through 1950 vintage Police Positives.

Or, you may rapidly beat your .32 to death. If it doesn't blow up in your hand.....

 

[delta_chi_senator]

oh, yes I do

Yes I do have a 50's era 32mag. I bought it from a store called the Shootist in Tyler, TX. It is an NEF. That is to say, it is a New England Firearms pistol. There is plenty of info on the net if you do a search as I understand now. The motorcycle cops of Chicago carried it as a rule from what I understand in the 1930's. I will upload photos. Engraved on the barrell it says Model R73, 32 H&R mag, Made in USA. On the frame it says N.E.F. Co., INC. Gardner, MA. I don't see how you can question this. I did research on this pistol AFTER my purchase. I just liked it so much, I bought first. Plus, the price was right! Let me see if I can upload some photos........

 

[JBP]

According to the Blue Book of Gun Values the R73 was introduced in 1988. I have the 2 1/2" and 4" models.

 

[Mortech]

Well Delta I'd like to welcome you to the 'Fred G Sanford' body profile club of THR . Me I'm 5'8" 270 and I carry a M&P40 in a Bladetech IWB kydex holster year round . Since it looks like a revolver in your pocket is going to work for you , how about moving up to something in 38 SPec ? ANy of the S&W or Tauri snubbies will doe and now theres ammo specially made to get teh best preformance of of snubbies that out shine the 32H&R Mag preformance . Me when I have to grab and go I just drop my Taurus 85CH in my pocket and I'm set .

 

[1911 guy]

Reading this thread with interest.

Some of you may recall the thread I started about my Dad getting his CCW. Well, he's a bit...portly. So I'm making note of the suggestions to pass on to him. He's got bad knees and anything over a brisk walk makes him ache for a week. Little exercise makes for a large man. Little some can do about it, though. What does the Good Book say, judge not, lest ye be judged (or made fat yourself).

 

[tegemu]

I too am horizontally challenged. I carry 1911's all the time either in a Gary Brommeland www.brommelandgunleather.com , Max Con V. When it's hot I wear a tee shirt and an open button up shirt as a cover. I also Very often pocket carry a 3" Kimber Ultra Carry II, 1911 in a Sam Andrews www.andrewsleather.com pocket holster. Pocket carry is easier for heavy folks than slim Jims because there is lots of slack around the pockets.

 

[Scottmkiv]

I think pocket carry is the best way to go.

 

[ZeSpectre]

I posted back in early December, been carrying a while since then so now I actually have some practical input to give

Now my situation is a touch unusual so my tips may not work for everyone. I tore my abdominal muscles about three years back and had emergency surgery to put me back together. As a result my abdominal muscles sag out some and I have a big vertical pucker/scar from below the breastbone down to the naval. So add the weight I gained during recovery (all on the belly dammnit) to the mix and you have a guy who doesn't look especially overweight in general but does pretty much look pregnant. Extreme pot-belly in other words.

So far my favorite discreet carry choice really is a smartcarry holster. Once I learned how to wear it I found I could carry fairly large guns all day with no trouble or discomfort. I quickly discovered that I have to wear it MUCH lower than I though I was supposed to. When worn too high the back of the gun and the bottom of the handle dig into my lower abdomin while sitting but after some trial and error I've found pretty much the exact location for comfort without creating a huge "bulge" that looks like you're too happy about something

The "infinite" adjustability of velcro is a godsend in this matter.

The downside is that it is a DEEP concealment holster. I can dress in business attire and go unnoticed with a Taurus Millennium Pro or a 4" XD-40 in the pouch (plus an extra mag) but it is SLOW to retrieve the gun from the holster and impossible for me while sitting seatbelted in a car (because of the potbelly). Thinner guys wouldn't have this problem I'm sure. I can retrieve from a seated position but not while locked in with a seatbelt.

Reholstering is a challenge for me as well so if you choose this method I recommend you slip the gun into a pocket and head for the men's room to re-holster discreetly.

My second favorite holster so far is a Galco "JAK" slide along with a nice sturdy belt I picked up at a gunshow. Worn at about 8 o'clock (I'm a lefty) it pulls my pistols in nice and tight and a decent number of my shirts (left untucked) will conceal without printing much or at all. This is a BIG issue for me because my belly juts so much it pulls all of my shirts pretty tight and if I buy a shirt large enough so that it isn't snug the sleeves and such are HUGE .

So far I really don't care for IWB type holsters so the JAK is a good compromise.

Other vital tips I've picked up along the way.

Shirts:
1) If you are going to go around untucked, buy shirts with a square tail in the back. They look much neater untucked.
2) Lighter colors tend to print more than darker colors.
3) Patterns, especially light/dark checkered style, print less.
4) Thicker materials, especially those with a woven pattern, tend to print a lot less.

Pants
1) "Two will do". If you are going IWB, two inches larger on the waist.
2) Slightly loose Bluejeans will hide almost anything
3) Dress pants with pleated fronts are MUCH more forgiving and will hide more.
4) Again, darker (greens, greys, blues, blacks) print much less visibly.
5) Long contrasting horizontal stripes on pants make printing MORE obvious.

Okay, that's all I've got.

 

[rt_dreamer]

It's all about support

Ok, here's my $0.02.

I'm a big guy (5'11", 330lbs, 56L Jacket, 50 waist). I carry a 1911 Officer's size strong side, IWB Tuckable everyday for 10-12 hours. I've carried a Commander size 1911 all day as well in the same rig.

I've tried shoulder holsters (Galco Miami Classic), Kangaroo (modified belly band) and OWB. OWB is not a problem, but being from warmer climates, simply isn't possible all the time. The Kangaroo simply doesn't work for big guys. The band rolls up into a small knot of cloth that gets VERY uncomfortable after about 2 hours. The shoulder holster works ok, but for wide shoulder guys tends to ride up on the neck and is hard to draw.

My daily carry is in a Crossbreed Tuckable. The two points of anchorage on the belt distribute the weight MUCH better than a single point. The holster also has a sweat guard which keeps the pointy parts of the pistol from stabbing into my love handles. With this holster, the pistol simply stays put. I'm sure a comp-tac CTAC or maybe a TuckerLeather (or any other similar style) would work just as well. The point is to have a holster with a full-size sweat sheild and a two point attachment system to distribute the load.

I also use a 1.5" wide GUN BELT versus a belt from a men's store. The thicker leather simply holds the weight better. I can't emphasis this enough as dress belts simply don't have the stamina to handle the load (and brother do we carry a load)

If I'm going to be walking alot, I'll also put on suspenders, usually over the tee-shirt and under the "cover" shirt simply leaving it untucked (which thankfully is all the rage, even for old fat guys like me). For us larger guys, gravity is NOT our friend with regard to keeping our pants pulled up, so the suspenders really do help. For our friend with the bellybutton to chin scar, suspenders may be your answer as well. Get a good pair of leather ones from some of the places that do cowboy shooting and they won't stretch as much as the all elastic ones. Dickies also makes a good pair.

I got the tuckable as it allows me to carry without a coat and only a cover shirt if needed. I carry 90% of the time this way and in over a year have never had anybody even notice the clips on the belt. Of course, I'm prepared to tell them it's the clips for my colosotomy bag if they ask...

Get darker colors or shirts with patterns on them and should you print a little, it won't show. Also, if you're going to carry IWB (and heavy guys and gals can with the right setup), you'll have to put vanity aside and get a pair of pants that's a size larger than what you wear now. I know I HATED it when I had to buy size 50 pants (and I'm now working on getting the weight off), but it allowed me to carry when otherwise I'd only have my wits to defend me). One other note on pants, for some reason, it's all the rage now for larger men's pants to have "comfort waistbands". These have some sort of elastic in them to make them stretchy. These are useless for CCW as they added weight makes them simply stretch out of wack. Wear jeans or dress pants with a solid piece waistband and you've have much better success.

Lastly, try any holster combination for at LEAST a week before you toss it in. If you are new to carrying a pistol, it will feel like you have a ton of stell hanging on your belt and for IWB, it will feel like you've jammed a walkie-talking into your belt. After about a week, you'll grow used to the feeling and can then judge how comfortable the combination is.

You can carry anything most anywhere you like, but remember, when things get bad, they get bad in a hurry. Strong side at the waist is going to be your fastest location to get a "grip" on things. OWB is fastest followed by IWB followed by IWB-Tucked. I can draw from complete tucked to first shot in under 2 seconds. Everywhere else takes added time.

(BTW, for me, Small of Back carry is never going to happen. I simply don't have the range of motion to get to it there).

Hope this helps.


Rick

 

[ScottsGT]

rt dreamer,
How does your IWB rig work while sitting down, like driving a car? I too sometimes carry a Colt Officers ACP using a Milt Sparks Summer Special II, and I have had the muzzle start to irritate me after an hour of setting in the car since my "wide load below the belt" kind of flattens out while setting down on it. If I slide the holster around to say the 4 o'clock position, then I have trouble fitting in my narrow car with the console. Car is a '95 Mustang GT convertible, and that console is big!

 

[ZeSpectre]

ScottsGT,
Amazing what one has to consider when CCW isn't it

I can see it now, there one goes to their next new car purchase... Hrmmm, headroom good, lots of cupholders, legroom okay, drives nice, oh damn won't fit my CCW <sigh> okay let's look at something else

 

[ScottsGT]

ScottsGT,
Amazing what one has to consider when CCW isn't it

I can see it now, there one goes to their next new car purchase... Hrmmm, headroom good, lots of cupholders, legroom okay, drives nice, oh damn won't fit my CCW <sigh> okay let's look at something else
__________________

You got the point! I really have no business in that car with my back surgery and current problems. It's really hard to get in and out of. But I have noticed less back problems since I have been driving it. I think I'm keeping a better range of movement and using different muscles getting in and out of it than I would driving a mini van or a truck. For a large guy, I sure am attracted to small cars. The Mustang and my hunting, shooting/ farm truck is a Suzuki Samurai hard top. You should see a 325lb. man climb in and out of that thing! I've got a co-worker that is at least 400lbs, and I've been trying to get him to climb in the passenger seat for a photo with me

 

[Calliope]

Sorry to hijack your thread, but golly I love big men! lol

Calli

 

[rt_dreamer]

Center Consoles

ScottsGT said

rt dreamer,
How does your IWB rig work while sitting down, like driving a car? I too sometimes carry a Colt Officers ACP using a Milt Sparks Summer Special II, and I have had the muzzle start to irritate me after an hour of setting in the car since my "wide load below the belt" kind of flattens out while setting down on it. If I slide the holster around to say the 4 o'clock position, then I have trouble fitting in my narrow car with the console. Car is a '95 Mustang GT convertible, and that console is big!
​

Well, since down here in Texas we drive big trucks, I don't really have that problem. I drive a 2500 crew cab, so there's plenty of room for me and my pistol. I will say that when I drive my wife's car, the console occasionally gets me in the ribs. WIth my pistol sitting at 3:00 - 3:30, I rarely notice the console although at times, it's a pain putting the seat belt on.

I rarely have the muzzle bother me as the Crossbreed holster goes deep enough to keep the short officer's size pistol from sticking out. You might try a different holster that holds the pistol higher on the belt. I've also carried the Officer 1911 in a Galco USA, but the single attach point makes the dang thing wobble around on my waist.

I've carried the commander in the Crossbreed as well and notice it banging on the arms of skinny chairs, but when you've got gun, spare mag, cell phone (ala the "BAT BELT") thing going, it's a challenge to sit dang near anywhere.

For those that carry a small pistol like the P3AT (I love mine as a BUG), you can still carry it IWB on the strong side. I carry my P3AT as a BUG in a pocket holster, but would hate to have to try to get something out of my pocket when I'm running for cover or squatting down behind the counter after the BG has started doing his thing. As such, my primary is IWB strong side.

Be Safe

Rick

 

[carpettbaggerr]

Senator:

Glad to see I was wrong, and you do have a .32 Magnum.

Looks like a nice little gun, I'll have to shop around for one.

 

[doc2rn]

Kel tec p32 on a lanyard around neck or 642 in a pocket holster

 

[delta_chi_senator]

thank you, carpettbaggerr. I knew I had done plenty of research and the pistol was very old. It is so much fun to shoot that 32 mag---it is loud as hell!! Perhaps the way its built, I don't know. My friend was in Nevada on the edge of a town a few years ago when he was approached by SEVERAL unseemly charachters while he was having trouble in his Bronco off the main highway. All he had in his pocket was a 25cal derringer. It was the middle of the night without street lights or anything. He pulled it out and fired a round over their heads and they disbursed quickly. This little gun had such a sound.....they ran off in time for him to get back to his truck. I don't know if its the design or size or what, but it was so loud that they ran off--momentarily. He had a loaded shotgun in its case in the back (as well as a couple of other firearms) but chose to crank up the engine and get the hell outta there. They were catching up to him ON FOOT before the engine decided it had a bit more life in it and kicked into gear and took off. If I was him, I would have jumped in the back, dropped the back window, and started blowing away these turds. At any rate, he got up the road to safety. I sometimes wonder what happened to this group of criminals. What crimes have they committed since then? I have shot that 25 myself, and it has one hell of a BANG. Don't know why. Anyone else know why its so loud? It scared them off shortly, plus, he didn't have to worry about any law suits or other legal trouble since he got out of there without actually shooting somebody. What an incredible risk he took; yet, he came out ok. Cool, huh? Hey....what in the hell makes some pistols so loud and some so quiet, even though they vary so greatly in size and caliber?

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I'm not sure how my comments will be received ...

... since I'm 5-9 and 150 lbs. But front pants pocket carry was the first thing that came to my mind. You can easily put a subcompact autoloader (up to about the size of a mini-Glock) in a pocket holster into one of these pockets, as pants already made for big guys should have large pockets.