IWB COMFORT??????

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target1911

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I am 6" bout 165lbs with a 30" waist. I have noticed that alot of people carry IWB. I am worried about the comfort in doing so. I will be carrying a Kimber 1911 full size till i get something smaller. I do alot of driving and ride my Harley every chance i get. I am in and out of the truck all day and i would like to keep my CCW on me instead of leaving it in the truck. The same for when i ride...i dont want to ask the BG to hold his thoughts while i dig my cannon outta my saddle bag (at this this time i have no bags on my Bike and dont want one either) thax all for input
 
At first it might feel different if you've never worn one. Once i got use to mine i have no problems. It conceals so much better in the summer compared to OWB. I wear mine constantly at home, in the recliner, driving, whatever. From the time im awake its on me pretty much all day.
 
I think it's really all about the holster AND belt but more the holster. I carry a full sized 1911 in a Milt Sparks VMII and find it extremely comfortable. The fact is when you buy a holster you get what you paid for. Invest in a good holster and belt from a quality and well know holster maker. My recommendations are Sparks and Alessi.

Also, I thought a full sized 1911 was too big but now I really don't mind it. I can shoot my full sized much better than my Commander or Officer.
 
Strangely enough (being a "big boy") I had no trouble adapting to IWB carry. A Glock 19 in a RM holster works "low rider" kydex rig. With an off-the-rack, but good quality, belt. Not designed as a GUN belt, but it seems to get the job done.
 
It's all about the belt.
Click to expand...

Good stiff belt, comfy holster (that's personal preference), and a light, thin gun.

My CZ75 is not comfortable. My steel 1911 in a Milt Parks Summer Special is comfortable, but heavy. It's a drag after a couple hours. My lightweight, alloy framed Colt CCO with thin Alumagrips is very comfy.
 
I guess I'm a "wuss"...For my body, it is extremely uncomfortable & I certainly am not going an extra size on the pant waist....
Carrying a piece, regardless of size, will always have a degree of discomfort: but this wasn't for me...:eek:
 
I carry this Ruger P97 in an inexpensive Maverick nylon holster from Dillon. At my age I need the suspenders to help hold my pants up anyway and they give a bit more support for the gun. Most days other than knowing it's there, I never really notice the gun.

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It's certainly your choice.

Yes, you may have to wear pants with a slightly larger waist. Like 'bakert', I wear a pair of Perry suspenders OVER a cotton t shirt, and UNDER an untucked camp or hawaian shirt. The suspenders help support the weapon and holster so you don't have to cinch your belt up like a corset. Do get a good belt. Mine is a 1 1/2" reinforced belt from 'The Beltman'. And my holster is a Milt Sparks Summer Special 2. With a rig like this I can carry a 5" steel 1911 all day in comfort. And no one can see that you're wearing your grandpa's suspenders either.
As someone else said, "A gun is supposed to be comforting, not comfortable."
 
I can't carry a fullsize gun iwb but now that the weather is too warm for a coat I carry my 9x18 Russian Makarov iwb. I'm average build and wear jeans most of the time, however when I carry iwb I don't wear a belt and I hardly notice the gun at all, whether I'm sitting, walking or driving.

I much prefer to carry my fullsize S&W M&P .40 in kydex belt holster, but when its too hot to wear a coat I usually wear an open button-up shirt and t-shirt so I carry this one instead. In the past I never thought I'd carry this way, but I got used to it quickly. I think the trick is to find the right holster and the right size gun to accommodate your mode of dress, rather than to accommodate the way you dress to what and how you carry, IMO.
 

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You don't like baggy pants..get a pair pf Wrangler 'Trim Fit' jeans.

Amarillo Slim clothing is in FTW.
 
IWB carry all depends on the individual since it's not for everyone. Some can do it, some have tried it and switched back to OWB carry since it is not comfortable enough. There are many, many quality holsters to choose from these days, and I don't believe there is one magic IWB for all. Your size, size/width of firearm, tightness of clothing, belt quality, holster quality is just to name a few variables which can put you in the comfort zone or not. I'm one of the lucky ones and I like IWB carry for certain situations of dress requirements. It is not a problem for me. Here is a picture of my latest IWB purchase and IWB mag carrier. Only speaking for myself, I don't believe a large squared framed pistol or double stack magazine would ride well IWB for me. I only carry Colt 1911 and Browning Hi-Powers for this mode of carry since they are not bulky in nature. But I DO NOT carry the BHP mags IWB, too bulky...... they stay outside.

http://www.holsters.org/

62L.gif
62L IWB & 68L IWB carrier
 
As to pants size, common sense tells you that sticking a gun inside your waistband is going to increase your waist size a few inches. If your waistband is snug already and you stick a gun in it, you are going to be uncomfortable. The thicker the gun, the bigger the difference.
 
Although it works for many of my friends, IWB does not work very well for me. Even with larger pants, I find it to be just plain uncomfortable. When I can't carry OWB, I either slip something in my pocket or carry some kind of bag.
 
I wear a pair of suspenders over a under-shirt, and under an untucked T-shirt. The suspenders help support the weapon and holster so you don't have to cinch your belt up tight. My holster is a Milt Sparks IWB. I carry a Ruger P97 all day, and most of the time, I not aware of it being on. If you aren't aware of it being on, its easy to carry it somewhere you're not supposed to.
 
I've only ever carried IWB so I can't really compare it to OWB. The 1911 is actually probably the most comfortable service sized gun to carry IWB providing you have a good belt and holster due to its thinness. As long as you have enough support for the weight, it adds very little in the way of thickness under your pants. Check around as there are some very thin holsters available. I've heard good things about the Nossar for example. Obviously people will have differing opinions on what is comfortable. You might try picking up a $10 Uncle Mike's nylon IWB and try that for a bit to see if IWB is for you or not. Probably a reasonable investment before spending the bucks for a custom holster. Just don't forget the belt. I use the Wilderness Frequent Flyer which has been fine for some fairly heavy handguns yet isn't as obtrusive as the Instructor version. What I like about these is that you can cinch them up the exact length you need which is not always possible with a traditional buckle style belt. There are a bunch of great leather belts out there as well.

Edit: The Uncle Mike's idea was just to see if the thickness of IWB carry is okay. The support and retention obviously don't compare to a VMII or the like but the support shouldn't be a whole lot different from any other IWB with one form of attachment that is located where the gun is. As with anything, a good gun belt is required. The idea is more to see if you like having a full size gun stuck down your pants.
 
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I don't know about you scrawny folk, but those of us that have a few extra inches of "Belly muscle" can wear regular size pants. The extra soft tissue kinda molds itself around the gun.:D
 
Wags hit the nail on the head. There are so many variables involved that are specific to each person. For instance: what kind of car do you drive? How supportive/tight are the seats? Do you drive for a long period of time each day?

Sports cars with large, tight bolsters can be murder while IWB'ing.

Personally, IWB works for me but ONLY with a really good holster do I "feel it disappear." A cheapo Uncle Mike's would turn me off to IWB forever, so I don't really recommend buying just to try. I'd try to find a used holster, or just take the leap and call it a learning experience.

It takes at least 2 weeks, in my experience, for a holster to break in and mold to your body. So give it a chance.

For me, a Milt Sparks Versa Max 2, a SIG P239, and a good belt is as close as I've come to IWB heaven. I love carrying that rig. It disappears under anything I'm likely to wear, and is fantastically comfortable to me. It's a little irritating in my tight bucket seats, but adding an inch+ of steel on my hip will do that. A belt-clipped cellphone is equally irritating to me when driving my car, so there's a frame of reference for ya. The SIG's barrel is just short enough not to bother me when I sit (I carry a 5" 1911 in a high-riding holster to alleviate that issue), and the VM 2 is so stable I know the pistol will stay put whatever I do.

Is it as comfortable as pocket carrying my Scandium J-frame snubby? Nope. But I don't mind, I have actually come to like IWB, and my pistols that I carry that way.
 
I'm 6ft, 155lbs, with a 29" waist. It kinda worked out, since 29x32 jeans are nearly impossible to find, all of mine were already 1" to big in the waist when I started carrying.

I carry a 5" Kimber in a Milt Sparts Summer Special II at around four o'clock. My gunbelt isnt really a gunbelt, I got it at a crafts fair between ten and fifteen yeas ago. Its quite possibly the best $10 belt I've ever seen...

The weight of the pistol did bother me at first, but I got used to it.
 
Depends on the gun, person, holster, pants, weather, alignment of the stars....

I've found that belt thickness counts a lot for OWB but is insignificant for IWB. In fact, good, thick belts make IWB carry uncomfortable for me, but such belts are essential in OWB comfort.

I'm 5'11", 155 lbs and much prefer IWB with the right holster; OWB sags away from my body and that magnifies the gun's weight.

You have to try IWB, and you'll probably have to spend a fortune on holsters that don't work. Skip the nylon types - they're usually uncomfortable and their metal clips don't secure them well.

The Sparks Summer Special and VM-2 are beautifully crafted and adequately comfortable rigs, but I've found the thin, light Tucker Heritage IWBs to be the easiest riders of all. They don't have the snazzy appearance of the Sparks holsters and they don't have reinforced collars for quick re-holstering, but their skinny leather reduces bulk. Reinforcement strips to hold them open are available, but that would likely diminish their comfort.

Good luck.
 
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