How do you hide them?

[williamlayton]

The older I get--thanks to the Lord--The less I care about dress. I stay with clean clothes and good clothes but I do not stay with fasion. I like my clothes loose.
I do have a couple of scabbards and i feel comfortable with them, they are from hosrseshoe, I just use a sweater or jacket to cover.
Most of the time it is a PPK in the front pocket, sometimes the .38 S&W.
I have just stuck the 239 or 220 in the small of my back (when I have a belt on) and wandered about where I want to go.
This year on vacation it was the 220 Mexican stuffed when I walked the dog in the evening.
Shucks, boys, I guess there has been one around so long all I really care about is one being handy. It is not so much about the method, it is about getting used to having one. When you get used to having one on you will pretty much be comfortable with a lot of ways of toting, well except in your undershorts.
Blessings

[Scott T]

A good holster goes a long way toward making it work right.


This is my ivory stocked .44 Special that I carry all the time.

Here it is on the hip.


A light shirt, jacket or vest covers it without any trouble.

[BRL]

I have 2 retail stores that will be opening in a few months, so I will be carrying every day. I used to carry a Para P12-45 once in a while in a IWB. That was a little uncomfortable. So, I just bought a S&W 637 .38 in 2". I am undecided as to the style of carry yet. I will be wearing slacks and a tucked in polo/golf shirt. I am leaning toward a pocket holster or a IWB tuckable holster. Anyone use these methods with a similar gun? My only concern with the pocket holster is that I am a powerlifter and I have rather large thighs and almost all pants fit me tight in the seat/thigh and I am wondering if that might make for a "to tight to draw" situation.

Thanks

[44 Man]

Take it from a 25+ year CCW carrier (and I have tried EVERYTHING), that I now carry IWB exclusively.  You have to dress accordingly to make it work.  All of my pants are one size larger than I would buy if I didn't carry.  Same with belts.  And let me say this about belts.  They do not all work, even the one's listed as a 'gunbelt' from some of the holster manufacturers.  I have found the only belt that really works all the time is the 'agent' from Aker.  This belt has a plastic stiffener inside it and absoulutely will not twist or sag.  That's the whole key to CCW.  We all have a box full of holsters that we 'tried' and didn't find satisfactory for us.  Most of the time is was not really the holster but the belt we put it on.  Shirts also have to be large enough to blouse nicely and not print the gun butt.  Let me mention also that not all guns hide as easily as others.  It's the length and shape of the butt that makes it easy to conceal or not, not barrel length.  Some square butted autos are very hard to conceal easily.  I'm fairly heavy and I have a Colt Defender and that is about as big of a butt (ok, grip) that I can easily conceal.  Now if you want to talk about a round butt chief's special, that's easy with a t-shirt.  All of that to make this point.  If you are going to carry, you have to accomidate that with the way you dress.  You have to dress 'loose'.  If you work out all the time and want to wear shirts and pants that 'flatter' you, forget easily concealing a handgun, unless you want to go to a very small gun such as a Keltec .32 in your pocket.  44 Man

[BRL]

Good point about the larger size pants. I think I am leaning toward IWB. I just think drawing from a pocket would be tougher. Although, I've only tried it with a few pair of my slacks and the .38 just dropped into the front pocket, not using a pocket holster. Also, slacks packets are up/down VS. jeans side to side. Does anyone know of slacks/dress pants that have better (larger opening) pockets for ease of retrieval? Otherwise, I'll go with IWB.

Thanks

[jamaldog87]

i like the small of the back. that how i have all my knifes and my 7 inch air hand gun. i use the hand gun for snakes when i go to clearwater beach.

[Dee]

I carry the same way old Sheriff deputies and old Rangers down here in Texas have carried for years. I stick a 1911 inside my waistband. Front, side, back, depends on what I'm wearing that day. Of course you could buy a $75.00 holster and be more pur-fesh-a-nol. 

[tbull55]

I'm in Florida, so it is HOT all the time.  I carry a Kimber ultra carry in a Milt Sparks Versa MAx II.  I'm not a huge fan of jeans which means I am usually carring in shorts and a t-shirt.  I am certain a full size 1911 style pistol would conceal just as well.  I just have to find the scratch to buy one .  The Versa Max II is worth the money to me, it is IWB and is comfortable even sitting in the car on long trips or just wearing around all day.  When I first started to look for a carry pistol I was trying to find the smallest thing I could.  A local gun shop owner told me I could carry a full size 1911 with no problem.  I really didn't beleive him, then he explained it is just a combonation of the right holster, the right belt, and the right clothes.  I wasn't totally convinced so I went with the Kel-Tec P-11 in a fobus OWB and carried it on my side.  This worked well and after time I wanted to carry something with a little more punch.  I bought a Fobus for my G-23.  This worked ok, not the best but it worked.  Then I started to get an eye for the 1911 style pistols.  I bought the Kimber Ultra Carry in stainless and after a long search I ended up with the VMII.  Now I want the big brother to my ultra carry, the pro carry!!!   I guess it will never end.  The VMII is great!  Sorry for rambling!!

[Dusty Miller]

Hey look, I've seen a lot of guys wearing fanny packs, front and back, and I've seen a lot of guys wearing vests.  At NO TIME did I think their attire "screamed" anything about a gun.   That's about the silliest thing I've ever heard. 

[LEO]

My wife says I was born after my time, but one good thing about this digital this that and the other age we are living in is no one thinks twice about a small pouch on someones belt.  Yours may have a PDA or Ipod or whatever, mine has a Glock 27.  I wear it on my strong side, the same place a belt holster would be.  Now once it cools off, and a light jacket or sweat shirt is needed, I will switch to a Glock 22 in a pancake type belt holster. I have tried pocket carry but the Glock is just a little to blocky for that to work well and be comfortable, when I do use the pocket carry it is in a thigh pocket, on cargo pants.  If I am wearing something that the pouch would not be appropriate with, I carry the 27 in an ankle holster.  Yes I know they are slow but a slow gun beats no gun.  Now if I am not around town, I just carry the 22 in the belt holster and don't worry about it because where I live open carry is legal so long as it is not in a place that will cause public alarm.  Plus where I live people just don't get to alarmed about guns anywhere, that is why we don't have a lot of random violent crime, it is a short carreer track.  But in some of the larger cities in the area it is a different story and one needs to be very careful, one to avoid trouble and two not to present a negative image to the general public about people who carry concealed.

[rockbilly]

I think where you live has a big impact on your method of carry.  You just don't see fanny packs in West Texas to any extent.  The one person I know who wears on says it is a dead give away in this area.  Of course when he visits the big city it's a different story.

I have carryed for years, mostly in my right front pocket.  But I wear jeans daily, so it is not a problem.  If I must wear a suit, then I usually go to a middle of the back carry.  During the winter time I often carry in my jacket pocket, but you really have to pay attention when doing this.  Don't take your jacket off and leave it on a coat rack.

Bottom line, it is not really that important how you carry, just that you do carry. 

[Arc Angel]

My choice is a pair of Blade-Tech Kydex holsters fitted with Tek-Lok quick release clasps.  I wear one, or the other, IWB on either my right or left side.  (I'm ambidexterous.)  It's been my experience that most people don't expect a weapon to be carried on the left-hand side.  The real trick is hiding the BUG!  In the winter an outside coat pocket is the best choice; it's harder in warm weather, though.  I usually go with a front pocket; but, sometimes, I'll use an IWB crossdraw at 2 or 10 o'clock under an unbloused shirt.   

 

[countryroads]

In the summer it is difficult, if not impossible, to totally conceal a pistol.  I have resorted to wearing really gaudy 'aloha' shirts that are a little bit too big.  If the pattern on the shirt is gaudy enough, people will be so busy looking at the shirt that they may not see the bulge.  I was in a store buying tractor parts, and had to lean over the counter to look at their PC monitor, and the bulge was so prominent that a salesman said "Mike, are you packing, or is your colostomy bag full?"

[44 Man]

That's another comment I have.  You have to learn NOT to bend over.  If you need to pick something up from the floor, you keep your upper body upright, and bend at the knees to reach it.  Middle of the back holsters are especially bad if you lean forward or bend over you will print/expose them easily.  I still like my Kel-tec UCH strongside.  I can also protect the gun with my elbow if needed.  If you are a hugger, or run into one.  Be sure to keep your gun side arm low and the other high.  The other person will do the opposite and not feel your gun during the hug.  I got caught once when a lady standing at my off side, reached around behind me and gave me a hug when I did not expect it.  She had her hand full on my gun when she did so.  Luckily this was a long time friend and she was not surprised that I carry.  That was a learning experience.  I now am careful to stand on the other side if such a situation is possible.  Equipment, dress, awareness, with awareness being the most important.  44 Man

[BRL]

44 Man, you've been a wealth of information to me through this thread. Thanks to you and everyone else who has chimed in with an idea or two.

[Bill in IL]

I just purchased a Falco horizontal shoulder holster. It has a double magazine pouch on the offside. So far I am very happy with the qualityof leather and workmanship for the price paid. Has anyone else tried the Falco? I would like to hear your thoughts.

[deserthunter]

Over the last half dozen years I bought just about every kind of concealed type holster available, mostly just to try them out.  Horiz., Vert. Shoulder, inside the pants, above the belt, foreward cant, rearward, belly band, Kydex, leather, canvas, etc. etc....  For some reason I simply can't get comfortable with any of them....  I'm big, 6'3" and 300#'s nearly 60 years old now...  When I look at myself in the mirror "I" can print the weapon....  My latest is a sub-compact SD in 40 S&W.  Has anyone got any ideas....... and I know where you can get a lot of good once used holsters should you need one....

[Bill in IL]

deserthunter,
You can always "recycle" those unwanted holsters in the classifieds or on ebay. It has worked for me and you end up with a few bucks that you then can make more purchases with.

[44 Man]

Deserthunter, I think most of us have had that same problem.  I have to say one more time that most of us don't realize how important the belt is until we stumble across a combination that really works.  One more pitch for the 'agent' belt from Aker.  This belt has a plastic stiffener and will not sag or twist.  I found that most of the holsters work well when on a proper belt.  Just because it say's it's a 'gunbelt' or it's made by a holster manufacturer, or it's really heavy leather does not automatically mean it will work for us 'larger' people.  We need real support!  Try it and I'm sure you will find a lot of those 'failed' holsters may work for you.  44 Man