Most often "caliber war" is more accurately "clothes war"

[aaronu]

I guess I am lucky I wear "loose fit" jeans. Otherwise I could never draw and deploy my revolver with any type of urgency.

 

[Rodfac]

For me...99% of the time, I dress around the gun...and 99% of the time it's jeans and a long T-shirt in summer, and a jacket in winter. Formal...ie a tie with a shirt and coat, it doesn't matter. I carry 1911s, BHP's, and occasionally, a M66 Smith OWB, with all of the preceding wardrobe choices with no problem. Rod

 

[JR24]

For what it's worth, in regards to "dressing nice" I snapped a few quick picks of a typical shirt I might wear tucked (though dark colored solids, and even my favorite light blue and light grey shirts work fine) with my EDC X9 and 18 round mag, making the grip roughly Glock 17 length.

Of course if I was tucking for work I'd wear a black belt and maybe put my cellphone where the clip is, and I'd also use the flush fitting 15 round mag. Also, the PJ Holster I'm using does have the thicker plastic clip, I'd be more likely to use a Vedder with the flat black clip that is much harder to notice against a black belt, or I'd order a jhook holster, depending on how deep I'd need to go. It's hard to tell from the picture but the guns outline is really not there even when doing various stretches, especially with the shorter mag, as I've said I've surprised my wife a few times after church when she was sure I left the gun at home, and she knows what and where I carry, and knows where to look.

Of course I'm not saying anyone can do it, or anyone is doing it wrong, I'm just offering options that others might not know exist or have considered, I know I dismissed tucking a holster for years until I tried.

5'8" 220 lb, if it matters.

 

[CDW4ME]

For what it's worth, in regards to "dressing nice" I snapped a few quick picks of a typical shirt I might wear tucked (though dark colored solids, and even my favorite light blue and light grey shirts work fine) with my EDC X9 and 18 round mag, making the grip roughly Glock 17 length.

Of course if I was tucking for work I'd wear a black belt and maybe put my cellphone where the clip is, and I'd also use the flush fitting 15 round mag. Also, the PJ Holster I'm using does have the thicker plastic clip, I'd be more likely to use a Vedder with the flat black clip that is much harder to notice against a black belt, or I'd order a jhook holster, depending on how deep I'd need to go. It's hard to tell from the picture but the guns outline is really not there even when doing various stretches, especially with the shorter mag, as I've said I've surprised my wife a few times after church when she was sure I left the gun at home, and she knows what and where I carry, and knows where to look.

Of course I'm not saying anyone can do it, or anyone is doing it wrong, I'm just offering options that others might not know exist or have considered, I know I dismissed tucking a holster for years until I tried.

5'8" 220 lb, if it matters.

IMO you have hit on one of the top unsaid hindrances to carrying a "decent" pistol, shirt tucking.
Undoubtedly, some that regulate themself to pocket carry think a untucked shirt looks "sloppy".
They tuck in their shirt when they don't have to; for example, my dad tucks in his shirt everywhere, even just a t-shirt, including just going fishing.

Very likely when someone is defending a pocket whatever they are a shirt tucker; "anticipated threat", "good area", "caliber war" not - "I aint untucking my shirt".


You have given an example of how to have the "dressed nice" (tucked-in) look yet still carry a "decent" pistol.


I loathe having a tucked-in shirt; have not tucked-in my shirt in over three years.
Not for church, bank loan, house closing, nope, nope, nope, my shirt was untucked.
If a tucked-in shirt is required, I probably don't belong. (Full support from wife on this )
6'1 about 205# and happily chronically with a sloven untucked shirt.

 

[jag1954]

Being smallish 5'8'' and 130lbs soaking wet (cancer survivor) all of my clothes tend to be baggy which is fine by me. Normal carry is either my Hellcat AIWB or my 642 OWB. For me it's all about the weight and not the caliber.

 

[JohnKSa]

Most of the people I know who own handguns don't have permits to carry.

Most of the people I know who have permits to carry either don't carry or almost never carry. A lot seem to want to be able to carry but just don't ever do it. And a lot of folks seem want to have a gun in the car with them but don't care to go to the bother of actually carrying the gun on their person.

What about the folks who do carry? Some of those conceal--some don't. Obviously if you don't conceal, carrying doesn't affect your clothes.

So now we're down to the folks who do carry concealed. Some of those are careful about concealment, some don't really care if the gun prints or if a cover garment sometimes gives a peek because it's not long enough. Those who are "sloppy" about concealment have a lot more leeway.

Which brings us to the people who own a handgun, actually carry it concealed and are careful to keep it concealed.

I think that's a pretty small percentage of handgun owners. My "Fermi Calculation" type estimate suggests that it might be around 5% or so.

So, no, I don't think that concealment concerns play a major part in caliber war arguments. Even if they are brought up as a consideration, I think it's more often about someone trying to justify the position they've taken than it is about personally experienced issues with concealment.

 

[scaatylobo]

Of the pistols I own, my #1 choice for SD would be Glock 20SF (10mm)
I can easily conceal a Glock 20SF AIWB wearing a hoodie/sweatshirt.
I can carry 20SF under a loose shirt with careful selection, some of my favorites wouldn't work.

2nd place to my Glock 20SF is Glock 23/32 and that is easily concealed under whatever shirt.
Glock 23/32 is not my "best" option but it is pretty good.

Using myself as an example, clothes are a factor in what handgun gets carried.
My point is that often "caliber war" is not about caliber, its really about clothes.
(I dislike the beaten cliche term "caliber war", try explaining it to someone not on a gun forum)

Often when people defend caliber or gun carried, they don't prefer the gun, they prefer the clothes.
But rarely to people just say, I'm not willing to (or can't) dress for whatever (bigger/better).
Cant and unwilling are not the same, I did use myself as an example of unwilling with the 20SF

A forum of mostly men use the disliked term "caliber war" because "clothes war" sounds...
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I "agreed" because I see that it is true for many who CCW.

I would also add that of those it is true for,MOST do not daily CCW !.

I CCW 24/7 and as such what I wear has VERY little to do with what I carry.

99% of the year I CCW what I see as my best choice for daily possibilitys [ right now its a Sig P365 with spare magazines. ]

That is for when I am no more than 5 miles from home.

But never was I about to trade "fashion" or weather related clothing for my conceived safety [ in other words,my view of my safety,not others ]

 

[FFGColorado]

I "agreed" because I see that it is true for many who CCW.

I would also add that of those it is true for,MOST do not daily CCW !.

I CCW 24/7 and as such what I wear has VERY little to do with what I carry.

But never was I about to trade "fashion" or weather related clothing for my conceived safety [ in other words,my view of my safety,not others ]

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Mostly in winter I wear tucked in shirts. I even tuck in my sweatshirts. Comfortable that way for me. I carry OWB the vast majority of times + right rear pocket for BUG.

 

[Blue Jays]

Another factor is body flexibility as we all age.
Where we can put our firearms impacts which gun...and caliber.

For example, shoulder holsters are difficult now.
That reminds me...I should go take some yoga classes!

 

[Rexster]

Another factor is body flexibility as we all age.
Where we can put our firearms impacts which gun...and caliber.

For example, shoulder holsters are difficult now.
That reminds me...I should go take some yoga classes!

So true. Not just where we can put/carry the weapons, but, from where we can quickly draw/present the weapon. An aging or gimpy shoulder and/or wrist can affect the range of motion that one needs to draw a longer weapon from IWB, or other higher-riding rig. Behind-the-hip can become less friendly to the aging body. OWB, with a lower-cut front of the holster, becomes the better rig for something like a 5” 1911, at least in my case.

Carrying lower, and at 0200 to 0300, rather than 0330 to 0430, means that longer, and more-full-cut cover garment becomes necessary, to truly cover.conceal the weapon, especially the larger weapons that are friendlier to aging hands,

And, yes, the shoulder rig becomes increasingly problematic, to access.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Interesting point in the opening post.
What caliber to carry for self defense is often determined by what size gun can be successfully concealed under your everyday wear.

Sometimes people have different size guns for deferent seasons.

 

[mljdeckard]

I have a double-stack .45 1911 and a double stack 9mm 1911. They are the same size and weight. I carry the 9mm.