Really big guy needs help with carry problem

[bigjim]

I have a shooting problem that I have wanted help with for a long time. I have been too embarrassed to ask until now.

I have gained almost 200 lbs since I got out of the army 15 years ago. I have developed a big set of for lack of a better term “Man Breastsâ€.

Here is my problem. When I shoot for long periods of time the recoil makes me giggle enticingly, but it starts to hurt and rub me kind of raw after a while.
The other problem is I can’t find a good gun belt big enough and can’t reach across those mammalian protuberances to grab my gun in a shoulder holster.

So here is my question does anybody know if somebody makes a combination Man Bra/ shoulder holster? The Holster must be very resistant to sweat and fungus.
Thanks in advance for you help

 

[SquirrelNuts]

Well, if you have a normal belt, you can just use a regular holster. Kydex should resist sweat and fungus.

You can always shoot a .22.

-SquirrelNuts

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Galco used to make an option man-siere for the Miami Classic, but I dont think they have sold one since Chris Farley and died.

Seriously though, dont take this the wrong way, but instead of buying a holster right now, maybe you should consider picking up a copy of Sugar Busters.

 

[Carlos]

That would be a good start. I'm gaining the weight myself, and need to do something soon. . . like first, dust off the bicycle.

BigJim, just get a belt for now. Carry IWB. I'm 240 lbs and use a Doc Martens belt that holds all the gear. I got lucky when I walked into that Doc Martens store on a whim. The belt is perfect for me, at about $25 or so.

 

[jsalcedo]

Being a big person myself 6'5 280
I wear a size 54 jacket and 40 waist pants

I'm lucky my weight is pretty evenly distributed but I was having IWB problem because of the love handles.

The gun was sticking out too far in most of the configurations.

Shoulder holsters were way to obvious

I ended up with a beltster http://www.banderagunleather.prodigybiz.com/TheBeltster.html

They wil custom make it to your size and weapon type.

I've been wearing one everyday for a year and its awesome.

The gun rests above the right or left rear pocket and is easily covered by a bowling or T shirt the comfort and accesability is
unmatched (I've tried about 15 different types)

 

[TarpleyG]

Well, I too am a tad larger than my Corps days. I tip the scales at ~270 on a good day and I am 5'9". I have a 56" chest and 44" waist.

Most quality holster makers will make a belt in any length you want. OWB or IWB will work best IMO.

On the topic of weight loss...a few years ago, before I got comfortably engaged and subsequently married, I was wearing a 48" jacket and 34" pants and weighed 195 lbs. I was in the gym 10-12 hours a week and ate like a horse 7-8 times a day. I did this for a couple of years and prior to that I was at the same size I am right now. I lost almost 100 lbs in a few months before I ever stepped foot in the gym. For some reason I can't get that motivated again. I wish I could because I felt better than ever had but I got burned out.

GT

 

[geegee]

Here's an idea that may help. Check out a Milt Sparks Mirage Holster.

http://www.miltsparks.com/Mirage.htm

I always preferred an IWB carry, but as I got older and...uh, moved away from "athletic cut" suits, this holster really filled the bill. It provides a real secure carry (as close to IWB as you can get), but was more comfortable since it's worn between the belt and pants, but not inside the waist. geegee

 

[bigjim]

Thanks for the unexpectedly useful replys.

 

[Big_R]

I feel your pain man. I'm 6'8" and weigh, well a lot. I was pretty sure MN was going to pass CCW this year, so I used that as motivation to get in shape. I had the same problem with the IWB holsters and I thought I printed too much using something else. So, in hopes if finally getting a CCW, I quit smoking, started working out, and lost a bunch of weight. I can now use the IWB holster without too much discomfort and I'm much healthier. In the meantime, I'd recommend the belster. That just looks cool.

What motivated me was that I believe that CCW isn't just about carring a weapon, it's a lifestyle change. It's about being capable in all situations. That includes running if necessary to avoid a situation. When I started working out, I couldn't make it running 2 minutes at 5 mph. Now I'm up to 1.5 miles three times/week at 7 mph with 2% incline. I'm back to benching well over 200# and I feel and look better.

I didn't mean to sound preachy, just relaying my story.

Ryan

 

[gun-fucious]

what about one of those Leather jackets with the built in gun pocket?
http://www.coronadoleather.com/

 

[AJ Dual]

The diets

Being in WI, I have no practical outside CCW experience to offer you, but those reccomend ing low-carb diets, Sugarbusters, Atkins, the Zone etc. are on the money, those are the ones that actually work. Even losing a few inches can open up carry options you wouldn't have considered before. From my own experiments in my own home after losing even just an inch or two, but sticking with your "big pants" can make carry very easy.

It's not all meat, fat & Cheese like knee-jerk dieticians who are now being proved wrong for the past 30 years will scream.

Insulin from carbs and sugar has a great deal to do with heart disease, and your Trigliceride levels, which is a much more important indicator than cholesterol, BTW. Also, "Bad" foods like beef etc. for cholesterol often actually have near equal ammounts of the "good" and "bad" cholesterol and it cancels out.

Reducing carbs also reduces insulin which is what makes you hungry. Low carb diets also eventually allow you the benifit of calorie restriction because you'll naturally eat less without forcing yourself too.

With a good low carb diet, it's even possible to lose a long way even without an added exercise program, allowing you to wait until you're lighter and exercise is easier.

Good luck.

 

[H Romberg]

Darn right. I was 325#/6' about 5 months ago. I started doing the Atkins thing, and I've dropped 50 pounds of my post-army balooning so far. That's without PT. It helps with the jiggling issues. I can even run again. If you can handle the carnivorous lifestyle, and you can live without the beer and fries (my nemeses), not eating carbs works wonders. Lots of folks quit it due to cravings, so keeping a good supply of emergency fake carb stuff is a good idea if you try it.

I wish I'd known about this 20 years ago. I'd probably be a different person now. Screw (and I'd use stronger language if it weren't inappropriate) Congress and the grain lobby for submarining the truth on this one.

 

[wun_8_seven]

i'm 6'5" and i 've lost 30lbs in 2 months on atkins diet. (was 250). now i can carry comfortably iwb. belly band and smart carry. before on the belt was the only way i could carry. 187

 

[Nestor]

Atkins also

6'5 started mid jan at around 250 now upper 190's it does work but you have to want it to. took 1 week off for a-kon in dallas but no ill effects.

 

[jaylsb]

Amen on the Atkins. I've lost 45 pounds, inside of 4 months!! Do yourself a favor, and get one of the books, as they explain the rhyme and reason for what your doing and it makes alot more sense. Also, just get out and walk a little while on the diet and it increases the fat loss almost tenfold. It truly is amazing and I feel much better now that I'm lighter. (still another 20 or so pounds to go to hit my goal though)

Listen to us, we've turned this into a lowcarb forum!!!

I like those Coronado jackets!! did not know of them before, might have to get one whether or not I carry I'd wear that all the time!!

jay

 

[davidtdm]

Big Jim,

Although I don't have the same size as all that have posted. My proportions do not lend well to carrying in a traditional way.

A few years ago at a gun show a vendor was selling a "bellyband" type holster. This was IMHO better than the actual belly band product as it was more of an ACE bandage material that breathed much better. It was also wider and stronger. I wear a medium wich fits a waist size of 44". When fully streched it is additional 14 inches longer just due to the elasticity.

The way that is intended to be worn is like that of a shoulder holster. You strap it on and it rides just under the breast. The guy who did a demo when I bought it was wearing a tank top "T-shirt" and a Hawiian style shirt with maybe 3 to 4 buttons buttoned from the bottom. He was carring a Desert Eagle on one side and a full size 1911 on the other. I had no clue. Even when he whipped them out I was still in disbelif.

Each side holds a firearm and a spare mag. You can wear it like mentioned above. Or slide it down around the wais like a "normal" holster. Even yet turn it til one pocket is around your back and it becomes an IWB.

I can't rember the name right now but I'll try to find a site and put a link if you want. Cslinger has named it the Gunzeir. It works.

...Dave

 

[arinvolvo]

Jeez, what about us guys that are so skinny a NAA mini revolver on our hip looks like a Vaquero?

 

[bigjim]

I too have been doing atkins. I am 5'8" tall and i weighed over 375 lbs. I am down to 319. So I did exaggerate a bit about the
sweat and fungus and the man bra. Dispite the humor over wieght carry is a problem.

Thanks for the advice and good luck to all you shooting atkins/low carb folks!

jim

 

[Shake]

Hey fellow Atkins dieters/shooters. . .

This may not be the place for it, but I'd like to hear some ideas on meals and snacks. I get hungry once in a while and don't know what to eat. PM me if you'd rather not post it.

Also, is there a recommended amount of carbs/day during the diet?

I'm planning on losing enough to comfortably carry IWB without buying a new wardrobe. . .

I'm 6'4" and I was 222 lbs. til I started on the Atkins (I've lost about 9 lbs. in a week and a half. . .could that be right?). I know, not terribly overweight, but overweight nonetheless.

Shake

 

[bigjim]

Being fat does makes it hard to carry IWB. Its hard to get a good firing grip on the gun when your love handles get in the way of your presentation.

It can be done. I went to Frontsite a few years ago and took the four day handgun course. I shot the end of course skills test with a perfect score. So it can be done.

This is not the best place to chat about the ends and outs of the Atkins diet. however.....

Nine pounds in the first couple weeks is about normal. But its mostly water weight You can not loose nine lbs in two weeks.

Its all part of the chemical change that takes place in your body as you change from burning carbs to burning fat.

I have been doing this for months and have lost 1-2 lbs a week like clock work.

Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions in this thread. I started it as one of those humor posts with more than a grain of truth behind it. I guess this forum is about guns not blubber.

My next topic: FAT The POOR mans Body armor.

 

[Bowlcut]

I feel your pain jim.... Im usualy considered the largest person my friends have ever known. 6'4" and very much over weight. carrying at 4 oclock isnt very viable as it gets caught in anything i set in as i rub the arms of almost any chair. 2 oclock is under a roll. shoulder isnt very viable in this weather around here. Ive kinda thought going the p-32/p-3at route as it will be the easiest to carry daily.

guess we all need to slim down....even tho ive been like this all my life...

 

[VaughnT]

Like Tarpley, I got burned out on the weightloss/exercise kick. I went from 450 to 290 to 321 (as of this morning) in just about two years. My job sees me walking a lot and lifting moderately heavy loads, but nothing beats sustained cardio for burning fat. Weightlifting is great for transforming your morphology, but it's the fast walking/running that takes the blubber off.

Ryan's dead on that a big part of CCW is the fitness level of the carrier. You might be able to shoot the eye off a fly at 100yd, but you are far more likely to encounter a situation where H2H or beating feet is all that is called for. Most SWAT/HRT folks will tell you that being physically strong, in muscle and wind, is critical to dealing with hostile situations. That should be a motivating factor for getting into shape....if your truly serious about being able to defend yourself. Otherwise, that gun is just a sop to the ego.

Of course, I say all that sitting here with a belly full of BiLo rotisserie chicken and sipping sweet tea like only a southerner can make. Hypocrisy is a wonderful thing.

Of all the holsters that I have seen, only the belly band seems to work with the physical characteristics of the fat man. I have several belt holsters that simply rub uncomfortably on the love-handle (haven't lost a rider yet) or print due to blubber pushing the grip out.

Keep the faith, BigJim. You can lose the weight if you want to and you'll have nothing but support from folks here.

 

[Soap]

Although I don't have much to say on the overweight issue, but Ryan's comment is right on:

What motivated me was that I believe that CCW isn't just about carring a weapon, it's a lifestyle change. It's about being capable in all situations. That includes running if necessary to avoid a situation.

 

[northernedge]

Im not a large guy and it still gets annoying packing IWB all day on my hip or side. So if I know Im going to be packing all day I go with a IWB in the small of the back. Keep in mind if your gonna pack in the small of the back you need a leftie holster to access w/ the right hand. Sort of a reverse cross-draw. My .02c.

 

[northernedge]

Oh and another idea is a bug gun in a pocket holster, maybe? Safe packing.