I regularly CCW a nickel-plated S&W 442 Airweight Centennial with Barami Hip-
Grips and a Tyler T-grip adapter. Naturally, with the nickel finish perspiration has no effect on the gun, but I usually wear a "wife-beater" T-shirt under the gun to keep most of the sweat off, and also to keep some of the edges and corners on the cylinder from irritating me. I've tried wearing the gun against bare skin, and the T-shirt underneath makes a very noticeable difference for me.
I go with the Hip-Gripped J-frame whenever I want the absolute minimum "signature" in a CCW gun - with Hip-Grips, the gun rides at a much more canted angle than most IWB holsters on the market, so much so that the serial # on the bottom of the grip-frame points nearly straight up at the ceiling. Since the grip points straight up along your side, instead of backwards, it doesn't "print" or bulge at all. isp2605's picture shows this perfectly. I personally prefer the off-white color for the Hip-Grips, as I feel it is less noticeable against my skin/undershirt than black grips, in case my shirt happens to ride up. It's still a good idea to follow the usual CCW suggestions like "Don't reach up with your gun-side hand" and "Kneel instead of bending at the waist."
The downside to the extreme cant angle is that you have to kind of squeeze your fingers in between the grip and your body when drawing, and sort of "pluck" the gun out of your waistband; this draw is noticeably slower than from any good, open-top belt holster. I've also got a BlackHawk CQC Leather Speed Classic holster made for J-frames, and it draws WAY faster. Of course, with nothing covering the trigger-guard, you've got to be CAREFUL when you insert the gun in your waistband.
I've only had the gun fall out of my pants once(at home) - because I didn't cinch my belt tight enough. With sufficient tension from your belt/waistband, the gun rides in perfect security and comfort, and does not shift or wander. We normally recommend a wide 1-1/2"+ belt to carry heavier handguns for 8-hour days, but a thin belt <1-1/4" will allow the belt to fit in-between the grip-hook and the rear edge of the cylinder, for even more security.
Another feature that I really like about Hip-Grips is that the "grip-hook" on the right-hand grip panel seems to act almost like a palm-swell for a right-handed shooter; it gives more surface area to contact your palm and distributes recoil more effectively, IMO.
With a Hip-Gripped gun, you don't have to mess with a holster when entering/leaving a "No Guns" building/area - just take the gun out and lock it in your car going in, and put it back in your waistband once you leave. It's a VERY low-profile, VERY flexible and PRETTY comfortable way to carry a gun with a REASONABLE degree of security and draw-speed. As you can probably tell, I think very highly of Hip-Grips on a J-frame.
Don't ever do that. Just leave them the color they came from the factory. Which fortunately, an off white is available now.
