Pro and Cons of Workplace CCW rigs

[30 cal slob]

ok, i'm sure this topic has been beaten to death ... so sorry here I go.

i legally carry a glock 26 (9mm) concealed at work and carry condition 3 (no round in the chamber but loaded mag).

it's not the perfect CCW but i shoot this compact gun well and i train with it regularly.

a 9mm para is the smallest caliber i will CCW.

we are not only business casual, but have a casual attire policy (it's not unusual for traders to come in in shorts and sandals even in the cold weather months).

i've tried several concealment approaches including:

1) iwb holster.
+ get good concealment and access
- usually have to wear a shirt untucked. doable but i look unprofessional.
- no retention ... could fall out.

2) ankle holster with velcro straps.
+ well, if you don't look you won't notice the bulge on my ankle
- thing keeps slipping down - socks.
- access is not going to be easy.

3) belly band with spare mag pouch (all held in by velcro strip)
+ can get halfway decent concealment
+ spare mag pouch is nice
- not perfect concealment
- not ideal for people with, ahem, large girths (i'm trying to lose weight).
- i guess this is secondary but you're gonn have to rip yer shirt off to get it.

So, I'm not 100% happy with any of these options ... I did notice the Kramer Gunleather ads in several NRA monthlies that advertise a specialty concealment shirt ... but then, you would probably need to order several shirts.

have i looked at all my options? it sure is starting to get expensive trying to figure out a way to CCW at the office.

 

[Onmilo]

Try this.
Muzzle up shoulder holster, double magazine pouch on off side to stabilize the gun and larger cut shirts with false buttons and Velcro securing tabs for quick access.

 

[CypherNinja]

Muzzle up? Don't you mean down? Or am I missing something?

 

[Outlaw Man]

I had the same problem as you - same dress requirements. I went with a smaller (than I had) 9mm and a pocket holster. It would print sometimes, so I put a small roll of electrical tape (believe it or not) underneath the portion of the holster that didn't hold the gun. Now it just looks like a big wallet if anyone sees it. The tape doesn't interfere with drawing. It's very comfortable and secure.

I don't know if the G26 will work in a pocket holster. Worth a look, though.

 

[bogie]

Do you have to keep it completely concealed (i.e., you'll get fired), or is the environment a bit more progressive?

Do you have to move around a lot, or are you chained to a desk? If you're at a desk, just keep it in a briefcase.

 

[Geronimo45]

"Muzzle up? Don't you mean down? Or am I missing something?"
There's muzzle-up shoulder holsters, too.
http://www.klnullholsters.com/NewHolsters/smz.htm
That's one of 'em.
Three kinds of shoulder holsters that come to mind - traditional vertical (muzzle down) holsters a la Sean Connery's 007, the horizontal holster (Bruce Willis in Die Hard) and the muzzle up vertical holster (Timothy Dalton's 007 in License to Kill, I believe).
Traditional vertical models are similar to an ultra high-ride belt holster. You can carry a very long gun with one - .500 S&W wheelgun, if you want (I imagine). If you keep a buttoned suit coat on a lot, it's got a pretty quick draw for that sort of situation.
Horizontals are good if you're wearing an unbuttoned jacket or shirt over it. Faster than vertical, but weapon length might be an issue - causing you to print whilst carrying.
Muzzle-up vertical holsters - they probably lend themselves more to deep concealment than the other two. You could wear it under a tucked oxford shirt. A draw could be done by lifting up your shirt with one hand and pulling the gun out with the other.

 

[Zundfolge]

Looks like out of the three options, IWB still works the best for you.

There are plenty of good "tuckable" IWB rigs, maybe you should look into one of them.

Fist makes an extremely concealable tuckable system that doesn't leave you with the tell tale clips or loops on your belt.

http://www.fist-inc.com/holsters/holster/22.htm


HBE Leatherworks also makes a few real nice tuckable rigs.

As for "no retention" with an IWB, a good molded leather or kydex holster will hold the gun in place very well (unless you're going to be hanging by your ankles a lot or something). Also, the tightness of your pants helps retain a bit too. You referred to yourself as someone "...with, ahem, large girth..." so I doubt there will be much running, upside down hanging, jumping jacks, etc done while you're packing.



As for belly bands ... a belly band was my first concealment holster and frankly, wearing it all day tightly pressing around my midsection had a very unpleasant side effect; IBS

 

[30 cal slob]

IBS?!!!

thanks for the input folks, i didn't realize there was so much out there.

 

[Bobo]

Since you can dress casually this suggestion may also work well for you.

A SmartCarry holster with gun and spare mag(s).
Over that, pants with a slightly larger waist than necessary.
Pants held up with suspenders. No belt so the waist stays loose.
Over that an untucked T-shirt, sweatshirt, or casual style buttoned shirt.

This is very comfortable for me, the gun is extremely well concealed, and gun access is better than you might think.