Full size concealed carry

[Robert]

I carried a 1911 in a UBG IWB holster everyday for nearly three years with only minor discomfort. Damn hammer spur...

 

[orionengnr]

If a Commander sized 1911 counts as "full-sized"...
Alessi Watch Six or CrossBreed SuperTuck IWB.

 

[easyg]

I can understand why one might prefer a larger handgun (larger grip, longer sight radius, etc...), but carrying a full sized service pistol is really just no fun at all.
They're big and bulky and heavy, and not something I would want to lug around all day long ever again (BTDT).
Luckily, there is something in between....

Why not a mid-size or compact handgun?

 

[smalls]

Easyg, it's all really in the rig. With a proper set up, and when you find your "sweet spot" carrying a full sized gun isn't that bad. I carry a steel framed commander 1911, and I find it a breeze to carry.

 

[Black Knight]

I have carried a 4" Colt Python or S&W 686 in the same Bianchi Shadow holster or a 5" Colt Gov't Model Series 70 MK IV in a Bianchi Shadow holster under a 5.11 tactical vest. They look similar to a safari vest and are very comfortable. Of course mid-sized guns work just as well with the vest.

 

[FoMoGo]

I carry a Delta Elite in an Adams Holsters Texas rig.
http://adamsholsters.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=61
This one to be precise.

With a Combat Master.

Just the delta and Holster.

I upgraded to one of the Adams kydex insert double layer leather belts, and with that holster and belt... I carry all day and honestly dont notice it is there.


Jim

 

[wildehond]

It is not alway the most comfortable, but not really an issue with a good holster. I attach an image showing a full size can easily be carried concealed.

I am using a Comp-Tac MTAC holster with a Comp-Tac single mag carrier.

 

[MCgunner]

Easyg, it's all really in the rig. With a proper set up, and when you find your "sweet spot" carrying a full sized gun isn't that bad.

I'll agree to disagree.

Easyg, I've posted my peace on this earlier. BTDT with many rigs and belts.

wildehond, judging by your dress, you work in the air conditioning all day. I can't wear that much clothing in south Texas working outside in the heat as I do.

 

[wildehond]

I'll agree to disagree.

Easyg, I've posted my peace on this earlier. BTDT with many rigs and belts.

wildehond, judging by your dress, you work in the air conditioning all day. I can't wear that much clothing in south Texas working outside in the heat as I do.

MCgunner all I wanted to show with the photos are that is easy to conceal a full size handgun with normal shirt or a plain T-Shirt with good holters. I put the T-Shirt over my shirt because I did not feel like taking off the shirt but it still showed that the T-shirt hid the gun well. I like the MTAC especially for its sweat guard. I know this because I have always carried Full size handguns concealed. And in summer I obviously do not wear two shirts. In South Africa we have always had to carry concealed. I started carrying concealed with CZ75-PreB model. Then later A full size Colt 1911 series 70 and currently I carry a Glock 22. South Africa is also not known as cold place.

But everyone must decide for himself. You decide what work for you. I have a friend that swears by his G19 and the other that will carry nothing else but a G30. It works for them. I prefer a full size handgun, but that is my choice. It might not work for you.

 

[MCgunner]

Well, I carry IWB a bit more comfortably if I have an undershirt between gun and my skin, but that's impossible here in summer and most of what passes for winter. Climate, dress code, region all make a difference as to how easy one can carry IWB IMHO.

Here's what I did to my Sparks "summer special", only shot I have of it, this with my P90. Note I glued leather to the back of it. This protects me from that blasted sewn ridge that covers the spring that holds the holster open when the gun is drawn. It also protects me from the gun's decocker and hardware which is quite irritating. But, I still get blisters from the leather, especially the bottom of the holster where it rubs. THAT seems only can be helped by something to go between it and my skin like a long tail T shirt. If I lived in Minnesota or something, that might be a cure. Otherwise, all day, every day, not possible. Same with many other rigs I own with BIG guns. If the gun is light enough (P90 is 33 ounces), it's easier. Same holster, the P95 I had (28 ounces) was a bit easier. But, even my Kel Tec P11 and Rosen Workman were too much for me for all day wear. So, I bought a cheap Blackhawk number 4 pocket holster and stick the Kel Tec in it. Problem solved.

 

[Billy Shears]

Well, I carry IWB a bit more comfortably if I have an undershirt between gun and my skin, but that's impossible here in summer and most of what passes for winter. Climate, dress code, region all make a difference as to how easy one can carry IWB IMHO.

Impossible? Really? Come on now, that's just a bit of an exaggeration, surely. It gets unbearably hot here as well -- yesterday reached 100 degrees, and today it's supposed to reach 104, with humidity over 90% -- but I still don't find it hard to wear a light "wife beater" type t-shirt underneath my outer t-shirt or polo shirt in the summer.

These days I work as a detective, and have to wear undershirt, shirt, tie, and suit coat, all in high summer. When I was in uniform, I had to wear a ballistic vest under a hot, dark, polyester uniform shirt. An extra layer of the thinnest cotton material under a t-shirt is something I can honestly say I don't even notice, and more than I notice the weight of a full-size gun when its carried in a proper holster and belt.

 

[MCgunner]

Impossible? Really? Come on now, that's just a bit of an exaggeration, surely. It gets unbearably hot here as well -- yesterday reached 100 degrees, and today it's supposed to reach 104, with humidity over 90% -- but I still don't find it hard to wear a light "wife beater" type t-shirt underneath my outer t-shirt or polo shirt in the summer.

More power to you. I got home on the bike, 90 mile ride, 180 round trip twice a week, last Tuesday it was over a hundred and high humidity. I had my mesh jacket on to keep the sun off me, actually helps, light T shirt under that. It was miserable. It would have been worse without the mesh jacket. Lift the face shield on the helmet and it's like you're sitting in front of a blast furnace. If I stayed in the AC all day, maybe, but older I get, more I hate the heat. WHY would I wanna risk heat stroke over the carry gun? I have only been attacked once in my 60 years on this planet, a guy with a knife, I had an illegally carried .25ACP and last i saw of him was the bottoms of his feet. I don't need no stinkin' paperweight to win a gunfight. I'm quite good with my 9mm, thank you very much. I don't think my .45 is going to be a more effective gun iin a gun fight, just don't. I'm slightly faster with it, sure, but I just don't see the difference being worth being miserable all day long. If my number's up because I was 5/100ths second slower on the draw, so be it. I've lived a good long life, anyway. I work the probabilities. It's like the lotto, I'll never win it. Now, I could just go unarmed, but that .25 sure came in handy the one time I needed it.

I find that I can wear an extra cover garment up to about 85 degrees MAX. Beyond that, I don't want more than a T shirt except that I want my mesh riding jacket on the bike. It keeps the sun off and in a spill, it's armored with soft armor and kevlar.

I did carry my .357 yesterday....bulldog fanny pack. That's actually better if I'm in the car as it accesses easier than IWB and I don't have to have it bothering me with those bucket type seats in the car. I don't carry with the fanny pack around town too much. I'm quite happy with pocket carry.

Whatever you do, however you carry, PRACTICE. I think some of you guys read too many self defense/gun magazines. If you think you'll not survive without your desert eagle or Mossberg persuader in an IWB, go for it. THAT is YOUR decision. If the world were that damned dangerous, I'd just shoot myself and be done with it. Of course I'm NOT an LEO. If I were plain closed LEO, I'd have no problems here carrying OWB with the badge next to it like all the cops I've seen around do. I'd have no need to IWB. If I "flash" in Texas, well, bad things can happen to an armed civilian for flashing. I avoid trouble. I don't go looking for it. If I were a paid LEO, I'd HAVE to go looking for it. That's a different situation. Besides, a Kel Tec 9mm worked for George Zimmerman, did it not? He WAS carrying IWB, I believe, but it was the same gun I carry. One shot, one kill, seems to have worked.

BTW, thank GOD, it's barely 90 today and rain is coming off the gulf. That high pressure is bothering somebody else. Won't stay this way, of course, have the whole month of August to suffer and into September.

Of course, maybe I'm hot blooded. My wife covers up at night with a cover. I lay in front of the fan with no cover and sweat. We keep the AC at 79 to save money. She's perfectly comfy, I sweat all day.

 

[Billy Shears]

Of course, maybe I'm hot blooded. My wife covers up at night with a cover. I lay in front of the fan with no cover and sweat. We keep the AC at 79 to save money. She's perfectly comfy, I sweat all day.

So do I. They actually call me the Snow Miser in my office, because I've got a fan blowing on me at my desk, when all the females (women always seem to be colder than men), are wearing jackets, and I'm always blasting the AC at maximum in the unmarked cars. When I tell them I keep my house at 65 degrees they look at me like I'm crazy. I loathe hot weather. I don't know how people lived around here before air conditioning.

 

[1894]

I used to carry an HK USP (.40) Fullsize wearing cargo khakis & untucked tee shirt or polo in FL summers in one of these behind my right hip:

http://www.andrewsleather.com/macdaniel2.htm

Only complaint was comfort while driving. The thing was a brick. No. Wait. A cinderblock.

When talking to new shooters about concealment, I would don that, put an SP101(2¼) in a cross draw version of the holster above, and put my lcp in my right front pocket. After about ½ an hour talking to them, I'd ask, "Do you think I have a gun on me right now?" None ever thought I did. I'm 6' / 175lbs.

Oh yeah. Get a new belt.

 

[MCgunner]

I loathe hot weather. I don't know how people lived around here before air conditioning.

I grew up with no AC, but I sure ain't givin' it up, now!

I remember the wet sheets from the attic fan drawing humid air over them all night, like waking up in a swimming pool. I remember riding my bicycle down the road just to get some air. Remember sitting on the front screened porch at my grandpa's, house I grew up in, grandma and adults fanning themselves with news papers shelling peas or shucking corn or whatever grandpa brought in. As a kid, I had a few swimming holes around, too. Good memories save for the heat. Folks survived, but it wasn't quite as nice without AC. I remember an old joke, something about the devil telling the Lord to take back all these Texans, they're air conditioning the place.

 

[Billy Shears]

I remember an old joke, something about the devil telling the Lord to take back all these Texans, they're air conditioning the place.

The joke I remember about the heat is: a man saw a coyote chasing a rabbit on the hottest day of the year, with both of them walking. That's what it's felt like around here the past two days.

 

[mljdeckard]

I can't agree with the word 'impossible' when many of us obviously do it every day, including 100+ degree summers. "I don't want to" does not equal "It can't be done".

 

[VAPOPO]

Another Police Officer here. I am a big guy at 6'6" and around 300lbs and could probably conceal a 8" m29 Smith & Wesson or a desert eagle if I got creative with my clothing. Currently off duty depending on the circumstances and dress I either carry a Springfield Loaded Stainless 1911 in .45 or a Ruger SR9c usually IWB.

I only carry OWB if I'm wearing a good cover garment like a sports coat. Holster and belt choice is the deciding factor and when carrying the 1911. I always wear at least a 1 1/2" double thickness belt. A IWB holster that has the belt loops or clips as far away from each other as possible also helps spread the weight out. I also always carry at least one extra magazine for whichever gun I'm carrying and usually 2. Old habbits die hard.

Carry what you are comfortable with and shoot well, a .38, .380 or 9mm sub compact in the pocket trumps a .45 on the bed stand every time. Be safe folks.

PS. Those of you that wear 511 tac vests as a cover garment are advertising to every cop and thug within eye shot that you are carrying and make yourself into a target. Get creative with your cover garments and dress down to avoid drawing attention to the fact that you are armed.

 

[mljdeckard]

Some of us live and carry in places where we don't particularly care if people know we carry.

 

[smalls]

VAPOPO, why should I care if an officer knows I'm armed? Why should he care that I am armed (assuming I'm a law abiding person, and not doing anything suspicious)?

Makes me a target of what exactly?

And my guess is that the gangstas and thugs know about as much about 5.11 as you know about Gibraud.

 

[armoredman]

Smalls, refer to the Minnesota case recently where a law abiding CCW permit holder was beaten and arrested for carrying his firearm legally. Some places, like Canton Ohio, it's a bad idea to advertise. And I'll admit, I don't know anything about Gibraud - what is that?
Here in AZ we can carry any way we want to, and we can carry any legal firearm we want to. I prefer to carry concealed, but have carried openly before.

 

[mljdeckard]

Anything CAN happen. Just because it did happen once doesn't mean much. I think that open carrying is at least as likely to make a bad guy avoid you as it is to attract aggression.

 

[smalls]

How often does that really happen?

I'd gladly take a beating for the money he's going to win in that lawsuit.

Gibraud is just a young, urban clothing company. Just a random example.

 

[mljdeckard]

A couple of years ago, Utah clarified the law to definitively state that merely possessing a gun is not brandishing a gun. Meaning, if you are in a confrontation, and you have a gun on your belt, the other person can't say you were threatening them with it just because it was showing. However, the police still sometimes harass people for non-criminal possession of a gun, playing the 'disturbing the peace' card. In this last legislative session, there was a bill to state that the lawful carrying of a gun shall not be called disorderly conduct. It stalled over the wording, we are looking to get it passed next year. (Hopefully with constitutional carry.)

 

[Viper225]

I live in Missouri and carry almost daily. I mostly carry revolvers as a personal choice. I do carry my 5" Colt 1911 some also with no problem at all.

I am retired, and my wardrobe of shirts has a combination of Hawaiian, Quick Dry Fishing Shirts, and some real Concealed Carry Shirts, and a few others. I make it a point to buy all my shirts to be worn with the shirt tail out, and loose enough not to print. I also make sure they are long enough to conceal everything I carry.
I wear a 1.5" heavy leather belt every day.
In the 90 - 100 degree heat this time of year I wear a White Tee Shirt tucked in with a Nylon Fishing shirt untucked. I carry all my revolvers at 4 O'Clock to 4:30 in a Lobo Pancake holster. I have both an Askens Avenger and an IWB for my 1911.

I carry my 442 Pro Moonclip quite a bit. I also carry a 2.5" and a 3" Model 66, a Model 310 Night Guard which is a 2.5" Airweight N Frame 10mm, a 3" 625, and a 4" 610. I can normally carry a 3" and still access my bill fold in my right rear pocket, Barely. If I wear the 4" 610 or 4" 686 the billfold moves to a front pocket.
So far I have not worn suspenders, but I might give them a try one of these days. I do notice my pants ride down some with a big gun unless my belt is pretty tight.

My best advice is to start looking at Nylon Fishing Shirts. Columbia has some nice ones that are plenty good looking. They conceal well, and are cool. If you can wear your shirt tail out, this is a very good option.

Bob