How do you carry a full sized pistol?

[Blarelli]

RIght now I carry a Kahr CW40, and a KT P3AT. I would like to have the option of carrying something bigger, but when I try it is so uncomfortable and prints so badly I just can't pull it off. How do you do it?

 

[Jimmie]

What fullsize? That matters. i.e. a government 1911 is much different from most other "equal" size guns.

 

[Blarelli]

Fullsized as in a cz75, or ruger p95.

 

[Jimmie]

OWB or IWB? Either way, you gotta have a good belt. Rafter S, Milt Sparks, Bianchi, etc, all make good ones. It needs to be fairly inflexible. What's your normal dress, too? Are you used to wearing tailored, tucked-in shirts?

 

[Standing Wolf]

I've found the most comfortable, secure way to carry a full-sized gun is to put it in a full-sized paddle holster, make sure I'm wearing a stout leather belt, and carry openly.

When I feel like carrying concealed, I just toss on a sport coat and let it go at that.

 

[Blarelli]

My normal dress is jeans and a t-shirt. I usually don't even wear a jacket until it gets 40 or below.

 

[thebaldguy]

Shoulder holsters are a good idea. I find them much more comfortable than IWB, and a jacket or shirt will cover it up.

 

[VHinch]

Good belt and a good holster. I carry a full size 1911 all day everyday in a Mitch Rosen ARG and can conceal with just a t shirt.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Good belt and a good holster. I carry a full size 1911 all day everyday in a Mitch Rosen ARG and can conceal with just a t shirt.

I also carry a 1911 either a Commander 4 1/4" size or a Gov 5" barrel almost every day Jeans and a t shirt or a polo shirt
I use http://ubgholsters.com
1911 are thin and easy to conceal Ruger and CZ different story Trade them for a New Dan Wesson bobtail.

 

[Geronimo45]

Shoulder holster. Vertical model.
If you're carrying a full-sized on your belt, get a sturdy belt. Nylon-ish models are about $20-$30. Leather ones can go for $60 or more.

 

[mainmech48]

Jimmie's advice is right: a quality purpose-made gunbelt is key.

Another thing you might want to consider is to adapt the way you dress a bit make concealing a full-sized weapon both more comfortable and discrete.

I regularly carry a Springfield Champion (4" bbl, full sized frame) 1911, a S&W 4586 or an EAA Witness 9x19. All of them in either a Milt Sparks Summer Special or Versa Max 2 IWB rig. I have no trouble concealing them under an untucked polo or tee shirt.

Two very slight changes make this much easier. I buy my shirts 1 size larger and jeans/casual slacks with the waist 1 size larger.

The additional material in the jeans makes room for the IWB holster. It's not enough difference to matter when not carrying; you just take your belt in another notch or two.

The slightly larger shirt pretty much eliminates printing in most situations.

Clint Smith says that a weapon you carry should be "comforting" not "comfortable". I agree. But with a quality belt and holster, plus some minor wardrobe adjustments it's quite possible to have it both ways.

 

[Big Boomer]

It's really easy...

IWB

1911 Full size IWB, Milt Sparks VMII

XD-45 Full size 5", Milt Sparks VMII

I also carry a BUG Ruger SP101 with a 3" bbl in OWB pancake. No problemo.

 

[BikerRN]

My Primary Carry Gun Off Duty is one of the three:

Ruger 3" GP100
S&W 4" 22-4
1911 5"
Glock 19

I also carry reloads and a second or third gun off duty. It is done by using good quality gear, Belt and Holster. When you spend the money for a Holster also buy a Belt too.

The list of makers I use is short, but I know their work.

Matt Del Fatti
Milt Sparks
Greg Kramer
Mitch Rosen

BikerRN

 

[dogngun]

For years, I have used a fanny pack mostly in spring and summer. I know a lot pf people don't like them, but I have found that by using a non-gun type pack, like something with a sporting logo on it, I can escape detection. I have carried 6" .357 magnum revolvers, 5" N-frame S&W's, both .44 mag and .45 ACP, and full size autos, 1911's, BHP's and S&W model 59 9mm's. Even carried a 7 1/2" SAA on occasion. I have about 6 different packs, all from thrift and second hand stores, ranging from campind/hiking logos to Mickey Mouse ( for Mouse guns).
In summer, I usually carry a compact 1911 and 2 extra mags, but I have really carried all of the above ovef several years, all with extra mags, speedloaders, etc. and usually a folding knife of some sort.
FWIW, I have also carried 4" K-frame revolvers and several full size autos in ISP holsters, but I find the pack a better choice for me.
mark

 

[Rexster]

Well, there are T-shirts, and there are T-shirts. Some are designed to fit closely, and some are designed to drape loosely. I don't really care much for most T-shirts for daily wear in a hot climate, finding that the addition of a collar allows for better ventilation. Other than drape, there is the thickness and texture of the fabric, and several companies offer shirts in fabrics which are quite cool, yet not thin. Patagonia, Royal Robbins, Columbia, and North Face come to mind, and offer shirts NOT made in China, for those who pay attention to such things.

Anyone who cannot conceal a Kahr-sized pistol under such shirts is really not trying hard enough, or is not wearing the pistol in a location where the fabric is draped away from the body. As mentioned by others, a sturdy belt is an absolute requirement, so the weapon does not flop outward, against the shirt. Milt Sparks, Kramer, and other custom makers offer really wonderful belt, but Galco can offer instant gratification.

If I can hide an S&W N-frame under a Hanes Beefy-T in the Texas heat, IWB with a G. WM. Davis double-thickness belt, as I could when I weighed about 160 pounds at 6' tall, anyone should be able to hide a Kahr. For a while, I was too broke to afford a medium-sized carry gun, and wanted more than my J-frame when I went into town, so I toted my duty M58 duty sixgun. It wore fairly compact grips panels at the time, but an N-frame dwarfs a Kahr, regardless. I did conceal a Kahr K9 for a while, in a Sparks Summer Special, so I know.

 

[loneviking]

Here, try these folks for one of the best ways to carry something large:

http://members.sti.net/thebrsfamily/buildertech/

Also, Uncle Mikes gunrunner pouch is a good bet. It doesn't look like a fanny pack and has a belt loop on the back of it so the pack will stay with you. Stay away from the packs with velcro! Opening them is very noisy and can give you away to a BG.

http://www.uncle-mikes.com/

 

[ojibweindian]

I carry an XD45 Tactical in a OOB holster. A good belt is a must to keep the pistol snuggly close to my side. Coupled with a loose fitting untucked shirt, or sport coat, and the pistol disappears.

 

[Flopsy]

M9 in a Desantis Thumbreak Scabbard.

In my experience a belt designed as a gun belt isn't necessary, and it'll cost you a lot more money. You do need a quality leather belt of adequate substance.

 

[wristtwister]

Just for giggles one day, I armed myself with 3... count'em 3 full sized weapons when my son and his wife were coming over and had on a Ducks Unlimited vest with a short sleeved shirt. I walked around for an hour before I asked, and when I asked them if they thought I was wearing a weapon... neither of them could tell.

I had on a shoulder rig, and a gun on both sides in belt holsters... so you don't have to buy the "concealed carry" sissie pistols to carry all you need. My son works as security manager for a coin laundry company that collects millions, and he was convinced that he could tell whether or not I was armed, which is why I tried the exercise in the first place.

When you buy a holster, get one specifically designed for the pistol you want to carry... and break it in on days when you are around the house and can wear it all day without worrying who sees it. Doing "ordinary chores" with the gun on will flex the holster so you can move without it becoming obvious.

Oh... the guns I had on were a Beretta 92FS, a S&W model 4006, and a Ruger SR-9.

In South Carolina, the law doesn't consider the weapon compromised if the print of the weapon shows on your clothing, but in an hour of normal wear around my house, they couldn't tell I was armed at all. How "concealed" do you have to be?

I'm normally carrying one of the 9mm's or my 4006 and a medium sized pistol as a backup (.380 or 9x18) along with a couple of clips... and no one has ever noticed at all. If you buy "full sized" clothes, and break in your holsters so that the pistols stay close to your body, it will be unusual if anyone can tell when you're armed. Unless your clothes actually pull against the weapon to "print" on the cloth, most people think your print is a cell phone.

WT

 

[Dr_2_B]

I concur with Flopsy. Get a really heavy, good stiff leather belt and you can save $30. On the other hand, a good holster is a must. Invest well in it and it will last you a long time. Get a leather one and you'll take pride in how it ages with you.

 

[Mad Magyar]

How do you do it?

Especially in the hot summer....It's not easy....Clothes, belt, holster & the occasion; all have to be in harmony...IMO, I refuse to look like a slob (over-sized shirts hanging out or a "prissy" fanny-pack) to conceal. On larger calibers, even in the hottest part of the day, I'd rather wear a light cover-garment if need be. BTW, your question is the dilemma we all face in the summer-time.

 

[rantingredneck]

I carry a Ruger P345 in either a Desantis Tuck This IWB or Bianchi Minimalist OWB on a Beltman double horsehide belt. A Ruger P90 is just about as easy to carry this way.

Bottom line, good belt, good holster, dress around the gun.

 

[copper4262]

the hardest part about carrying a gun is just plain getting used to carrying - it takes time - there are a ton of holsters out there for pretty much every need- for me personally i use either IWB or paddle holsters - for IWB i use alot of Don Humes - they are cheap and comfortable(after you get used to carrying a chunk of metal around inside your pants) for my larger handguns i generally use a fobus holster with a paddle - thats due to ease of use and the fact that i can conceal it under a long teeshirt or a light coat- you might have to buy your tees a size larger then normal - i got so used to the fobus holsters that for awhile i carried a full size glock in one - no problems and no-one ever saw that gun(at least not that i know of) i do have some assorted belt holsters with snaps or other retention devices - they are ok but i tend to keep coming back to what works best for me - i would suggest picking a carry method you like best and stick with it - and thats the key - stick with it - it takes alot of time - but after awhile you get used to carrying a gun around all day - it took me awhile but i got used to carrying a full size 1911 - i am currently carrying a HK P2000 and find it the perfect size - and yes i carry it in a fobus most days - the other days - well an open top IWB donhume

 

[mljdeckard]

I carry a 1911 in a Galco Miami Classic, a fanny pack, or IWB depending on what I'm wearing. The fanny pack winds up being the standby, I can throw it on over sweats if I want to.

I have a kydex paddle holster, but I mostly use it at the range. I was practicing drawing from it, and too many times it yanked out of my pants with the gun. Perhaps something I can work around, but I'd rather not have to learn.

 

[Lead_Foot]

I carry a S&W 4006 40 in an Uncle Mikes Kydex Holster on my hip where it belongs, even with my CCW in my pocket

Joe