How do you carry concealed in t-shirt weather?

[luzyfuerza]

My favorite hot-weather carry option is a snubby (mine is a S&W 442) in a Bianchi leather pocket holster.

I tried a Nemesis pocket holster with the same gun. The Nemesis' sticky exterior kept the holster in my pocket but the gun would fall out of holster AND pocket just about any time that I sat down if I wasn't wearing tight pants. The Nemesis is in the junk pile now.

 

[fantacmet]

Wear and tuck in a thin white tank top to keep the gun off your skin(VERY uncomfortable and bad for the gun unless it's nickel plated or stainless) then wear a large t-shirt over it. Or check out Kramer Handgun leather's Confidant undershirt/holster You can get full length or stomach cutoff points, holster on one side spare mags ont he other, it's supportive, and is made of a comfortable mesh material so you would not notice a difference in temp due to the weather. For all intents and purposes of comfort it's like going shirtless as far as weather goes. Price ain't bad at around 40 bucks. Small to large. Even a fullsize large frame auto or revolver. People have even successfully concealed 6 inch barreled Taurus Ragin Bulls in .454 casull in these things. Anyway those are my recommendations. Aside from that what I usually do is wear an appropriate t-shirt printed or not, tucked in. Holster on hip, gun in holster and wear a thin short sleeved button down shirt, open in the front and loose hanging(not tucked in). Problem is if there is a breeze it tends to open the shirt and show everyone your rosco.

Rev. Michael

 

[CAS700850]

When it gets hot, concealement becomes a subject worthy of thought. NOt only do you have to carefully consider how you conceal, but also you must consider what you conceal. Here in Ohio, summers can get up into the 90's with humidity numbers about the same. That means, you will sweat. And, your carry gun is going to get exposed to that sweat. Rust prevention becomes a concern.

For me, work rules require long pants, even on "casual Fridays." Solution, cargo pants. A pair of better fitting (not baggy skate-board style) with cargo pockets gives me the thigh pocket for my J-frame Smith. Another thought are some of the Columbia brand pants with the extra pockets. NOt really cargo pockets, more of a Docker's style, but with additional pockets. Add a good belt to hold up the weight, and you should be good to go. However, USE A HOLSTER!!!

 

[Sam Adams]

My normal carry piece here in balmy South Texas is my full-sized stell Springfield .45, IWB with a VM2. I will wear it with a suit coat (for going to weekly services) or with an untucked shirt (usually something dark, to minimize shadows, and usually a big flannel shirt, but a big T-shirt if I don't have anything else).

However, when it is impossible to dress like a slob (and a proud slob I am) or it is very uncomfortable putting on a suitcoat, then carrying the .45 is problematic. After a long while, last summer I got a S&W 642 with Crimson Trace sights, which I put into a pocket holster. I'm not as happy with it, from a firepower standpoint, as with my .45, but it is certainly better than sticking my thumb where it doesn't rightly belong in resonse to a threat.

 

[Sistema1927]

taurus,
are we middle aged? guessing from your screen name you'll turn 40 this year. i got ya beat im 41.......the big t shirt thing really works. my wife hates guns and unless she huggs me she can never tell i always carry. sent you an email to go shooting.

I'm thinkin that Taurus 66 might be Model Number instead of birth year.

(And, no, I am not 79 going on 80. A bit older than 41, just not that much!)

On the subject, I find that a Kahr PM9 travels well in a Desantis Nemesis pocket holster no matter what the weather.

 

[Balog]

Ok, maybe I'm out of it but what are "camp" and "bowling" shirts?

 

[enfield]

I carry either a stainless (very important!) small auto in a rear pocket holster or a snubby in a front pocket holster.

 

[TOADMAN]

Pocket carry...Baggy shorts/pants with S&W 642 with LG-205 CT Laser Grips in a #3 Uncle Mikes pocket holster right front pocket...

 

[RioShooter]

Bowling Shirts

Ok, maybe I'm out of it but what are "camp" and "bowling" shirts?

Do a google search for "bowling shirts". You'll be enlightened.

Very high fashion.

 

[carpettbaggerr]

... tight tank top tucked over tuckable holster, loose unbuttoned cotton blouse.

... tight tank top under loose cotton blouse, buttoned halfway.

You wouldn't have any pictures of that, would you Pax? For, you know, demonstration purposes?

 

[carebear]

carpettbaggerr,

I agree, knowledge IS power. (I'm sure there's a benefit "for the children" in there as well)

I also wear what I call "club" shirts (camp, bowling, guayabera) or untucked polos, untucked button-downs, and unbuttoned dress shirts over tees (like Pax but not so picture worthy )

Even just a loose tee untucked over my Cmdr occasionally. For all those concerned about "printing", I've been doing this for over a decade now and, trust me, almost no one notices, at least not so you'd know.

90% of the people who even see that corner of the grip don't know what it is and 90% of those that do, don't care. Cell phones, pagers, knives, Walkmans/iPods.... people carry all sorts of crud on their belts, the odds of the one bad guy who matters noticing that print at the wrong time (and not picking up on the gun under multiple layers at other times) are infinitesmal.

 

[WvaBill]

The only difference for me in the Summer is that I use an A shirt and short sleeved cover as opposed to the Winter T shirt with a sweater or sweatshirt cover.

 

[Ares45]

I haven't seen anybody mention a smartcarry or similar. smartcarry

I still prefer my S&W 340 in a pocket holster but it doesn't always work with coat&tie +summer weight dress pants. The smartcarry takes some getting used to but it works when nothing else will. Besides the ladies really like it...

 

[pittspilot]

Camp shirts, with T-Shirt underneath. XD9 Subcompact in a Predator Holster

Works great.

 

[Nickotym]

Tshirt weather doesn't have to mean no carry or carry of a smaller weapon. I usually carry with either an undershirt or wifebeater shirt with a t-shirt or polo style shirt over top of that. I usually tuck in the shirt and blouse it out a little. Most people just don't go around staring at other people's waists. To my knowledge I have never been made except once when I bent over to tie a shoe while someone who I thought was looking away looked up to see a bulge in my waistband. I explained it was one of my tools and there was never another word said.

 

[scbair]

Most often (shirt tucked in): pocket carry a S&W 642 in a pocket holster, two speed strips in hip pocket.

Second option, for untucked t-shirt: IWB, appendix position; Kimber Ultra CDP.

 

[USMCRotrHed]

No one says anything to me

I carry an AR-15 w/ 30 rd magazine on a tac sling, a 1911 on the belt and 3 grenades on my body armor. No one ever says a word to me



Seriously: 642 IWB, Hawaiian shirt or baggy T-shirt
tuckable IWB if need be

 

[Srigs]

Pocket carry works very good with shorts with my P32 or P11. Second would be IWB tuckable or non-tuckable for the same two guns.

 

[The Drew]

i carry a full sized colt with a pancake holster made by Galco. i wear and extra large t-shirt that is long enough to go below my jean pockets. you could never tell that i was carrying.

+1

I usually wear a tank underneath that it tucked into my pants for extra comfort where my gun would rub my skin.

 

[fantacmet]

Here is another thought for everyone concerned about printing a little. When I had to take me CHL class prior to obtaining or applying for my CHL the officer teaching the class advised not to worry about printing unless it's an obious print. Think how many people carry cellphones on their hips, pagers, knife sheath's, etc. To most people if you print a little they aren't going to pay no mind. People carrying other items on their belt don't concern themselves with printing so something being there isn't really going to be out of the ordinary. Officers may notice the difference that the average citizen won't, but in my experience(again only my experience) the officers pretty much assume if you are taking the time to put your gun in a proper holster on your hip properly most likely you have a license to carry. Reason being that most who are going to carry illegally don't bother with holsters or any such things. They just stuff it and go. They generally can barely operate a firearm let alone properly aim one(consider how rarely the intended target is hit and how often innocents are hit in a driveby for instance), hence the reasoning. I've been called on my wearing a gun a few times. All but one was an officer. I was never even asked if I had a license to carry. Just that looks like a gun not a cellphone, would I be correct? I answer yes. they say cool thought so. This doesn't happen while just standing around but when I bend down to pick something up from a lower bin or something in a conveinience store.

Don't mean to do such a long post or anything, but figured it all might give some food for thought ya know?

Rev. Michael

 

[jojosdad]

I'll second the Camp/Hawaian shirt over a tee concept. That's what I use here in Chico, where it gets Texas hot from May through October some years. I carry a Kimber compact CDP in either a Galco Miami Special if I'm working or an HBE COM3 that I bought here (thanks Eric). I also carry a Taurus 605 in an Uncle Mike's pocket holster tucked into the top of my cowboy boot.
I did a search on the Kramer Confidant and found that the 3/4 length is being discontinued and is on sale at the website for $33.00. There's also a full length XXXL on ebay at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Kramer-The-Conf...ryZ73975QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[BruceB]

So, whenever I picture myself wearing a concealed weapon, I invariably picture a handgun in a holster on the small of my back..."

-Small-of-the-back is a dreadfully inconvenient location, sometimes hard to get at, and very uncomfortable in vehicles or furniture. Examples of spinal injuries caused by falling on the gun also exist. Detective novels and thrillers seem to love the SOB position. In the real world, forget it.


" I think a gun on my hip would tend to be noticed, as that's where I also keep my pocket knife in it's belt pouch, not to mention that it might get exposed while I reach into my hip pocket for my keys."


-For heaven's sake, if you intend to change your lifestyle to the extent of carrying a hidden weapon, you should be prepared to MODIFY the way you carry the less-important impedimenta we all tote around. MOVE the knife! Carry the keys SOMEWHERE ELSE! For fifty years, I carried my wallet on my left hip, because I'm left-handed. When I moved to a place where I could get a carry permit, I made the conscious decision to MOVE the wallet to my right hip, for exactly the reason you mentioned....not wanting to expose the gun on my left side when reaching for the wallet. My knife also got shifted from left-side to right-side.

Concealed carry means making adjustments, in how we act, how we dress, and how we think. The gun and its secrecy, concealment, comfort and availability MUST become THE priority, and all else is secondary.

Here in semi-rural Nevada, the unbuttoned shirt over a T-shirt is almost a uniform for much of the male populace in hot weather. We also have a lot of "breezes" (meaning real WIND), so keeping the shirt-tails down is sometimes a problem. Mostly I just press my arm against my side to hold the shirt until out of the wind, but I know some folks who had their wimminfolks sew a short length of light chain into the hemlines of their "carry shirts" to weight them down. As many others have mentioned, that loose outer shirt can conceal a BIG gun. Mind you, I've also carried an N-frame S&W .44 Magnum under just an un-tucked T-shirt on a few occasions, and no one noticed.

You're getting good advice from the folks here. Best of good fortune to you, and stay safe.

 

[jojosdad]

I carried my wallet on my left hip, because I'm left-handed. When I moved to a place where I could get a carry permit, I made the conscious decision to MOVE the wallet to my right hip, for exactly the reason you mentioned....not wanting to expose the gun on my left side when reaching for the wallet.

I moved my wallet to my left front pocket so that it would be as far as possible from my gun in the event I ever had to present my CCW permit to LEOs.

 

[IndianaDean]

The Kramer is still way too pricey for me. Especially when it's hot, I change undershirts every time I change. I can't afford to buy 8 or 9 Confidant shirts to have clean ones on standby.

I think the gun would sag too. I just don't see that the Confidant would be that great.

Oh, I had a Smartcarry. The single most uncomfortable holster I've ever tried. I tried doctoring mine a little to get it to work, then threw it in the trash.

I bought a Comp-tac slide which is tuckable, and will hold all 3 sizes of my 1911s. I also have an oil-skin carry vest from these guys:
http://www.concealedcarryoutfitters.com/

Go to the site and look at the holster vest. I get very hot in the summer and sweat a lot, so I'm unsure if the holster vest will be too hot for me or not.

 

[Shotgun12]

Just curious if any guys out there, have had any experience with the elastic, "belly-band" type rig. If so, what do you think of 'em .... worth looking into? This would be for a smaller sized auto, or .38. I've been wearing IWB, in various positions .... so far, can't find a place that hasn't been "very" uncomfortable.