CC for a fat guy?

[Clint KY]

I am overweight and find no holsters that suit my problem.  I will occasionally drop a small .380 in my front pocket and that works out well but prefer to carry my stainless 5 shot Rossi revolver.  I can not wear a IOP as there is precious little room between me and my belt so have been looking for a middle of the back holster without any luck.  Can someone suggest a Middle of the Back holster for my carry gun.  It is a S&W J frame size and I would prefer something that holds the gun level and pointing to the left or left and slightly down.

[Mike in Virginia]

An IWB holster works great regardless of your pants size.  Just put it between the pants and the belt.  That way your pants don't need to have any extra room to accept the holster and gun.  The only adjustment to make is to back of a notch or two in your belt. 
I carry mine that way, even though I'm not overweight.  It really works.  Secure and easy to access. 

[cwlongshot]

Check out THUNDERWEAR!!!  Its amazing for consealment and comfort there is even extra room for valueables or extra cash.

I use a small size for my 638. Even my wife loves it!!

CW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO1aBv4MnGU

The kid isn't much of a cinimatographer...lots of dead time looking at his kitchen stove.  But you get to see how well it conseals. Its amazingly comfortable.

[fatercat]

buy bigger cloths

[mcwoodduck]

An IWB holster works great regardless of your pants size.  Just put it between the pants and the belt.  That way your pants don't need to have any extra room to accept the holster and gun.  The only adjustment to make is to back of a notch or two in your belt. 

Being a little over weight and wearing my jeans under my gut rather then around my Belly button, I understand your problems.
the solution may be to go bigger and look like tweedle Dee.  Large pants with a pair of braces allowing some room in your waist band where any IWB holster can fit and a simple cover garment.
The other option is the simple cover garment.
For years I carried a small revolver or automatic in the pocket of my jacket while on walks in the semi wilds of southern CA with Hyw patrol and local police waving at me the whole time.
 

[Gun Runner]

I also have a case of Dunlop (belly hangs over belt  ) I use a galco belt slide hoster between the belt and pants for carrying a CZ75. I carry it behind my right hip, and with a jacket or long shirt nobody notices it.

Gun Runner

[Graybeard]

Buy a vest appropriate for the weather and wear it. Put the snubby in the pocket on your strong side.

[marine]

Have you considered a shoulder holster? 

[Clint KY]

Have you considered a shoulder holster?

Yah - I have.  I still would like to find something that does not require me to wear an "over garment".  I also am looking at vests though to someone who knows, a vest is a sign of a concealed weapon.  For the time being I can carry my "big" carry gun in some pants and I revert to the 380 in those situations where the revolver shows a bit too much.  Thanks for all the suggestions. I am still looking into the Thunderware line.  It is a bit expensive to try and find out I don't like it, but I may just do that.

[cwlongshot]

I only just got mine, but I gotta tell you, like most guys I have a file cabinet drawer full of holsters... I wish I had found this one sooner...

I'm wearing it almost daily, actually its in the wash now. But it is by far the most comfortable method combined with the most consealable I have ever seen or used.

Now i will admit it is NOT as accessable, you ain't gonna out draw ANYTHING wearing it. BUT its defensive, if your doing what you should, your either out of the area BEFORE anything bad happens, or in the thick of it.

It's 50$, THE BEST 50$ I HAVE EVER SPENT! I'm ordering a second in med size.

CW

[Mikey]

CW:  it just doesn't seem right to me to stuff your undies fulla hardware and not be able to get to it.  If it isn't 'readily accessable' what dang good is it. Dintya ever wonder how strange you might look grabbin' for the 'jewels' when you might need 'something else' and, of course, if someone were to see you trying to 'extract' something from yer undies they might do one of 3 things - run the other way, fall down laughing, or just shootya.  jmtcw.
There used to be these 'belly bands' you could wear that could house a snubby under your dress shirt and with a button or two undone beneath your tie, you would have both access and concealability, although not very rapid access. 
Clint - I would listen to guys like Greybeard.  I wanted to respond earlier that guys like Greybeard and Bigeasy knew what they were talking about, and I really wanted to ask you if a inside the belt holster in the middle of your back was really all that rapidly accesable for you, but I really didn't want to insult you.
Fatercat has a very good idea.....
One of my buddies is pretty big - about 6'3" and almost 300 lbs and he wears coveralls most often (he's a farmer) and had a pocket sewn in behind his front pockets and that's where he carries his pistol - it's well concealed but rapidly accessable. HTH.

[cwlongshot]

Mikey,

Your right we are all built a bit different, I don't think I'm that large, buti do admit most people call me a big guy.  I'm 6' tall and weigh 240# with a 36" waist. I don't have a large belly hanging over my pants. I like to carry my 23 in a MIC holster with jeans. But in dress clothing things are much looser and carrying in the thunder wear is like having nothing at all.

The way I wear mine it's hanging over my .... But the grip is above yet under the waistline so as not to be between my belt and body. In dress clothing I can easily slide a hand and part of my arm in my waist/belt. All that's needed to access the firearm is a partial hand, grasp the grip and remove. It can be discretely accomplished. Like everyone who carries a firearm for the first time its not something your accustomed to and you should practice. In that reguard, this is no different.

It's somewhat inappropriate to post pics of this thunder wear that's why I offered the video. It shows pretty well what I am speaking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgOnJ48hW0g&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Back to my MIC holster, here is some pics of me in a Tshirt and jeans wearing it with the 23.




This MIC holster would NOT be a good choice for a guy with a large belly. I'm showing it just to better explain my post comments.

I did not know squat about the thunder wear even one month ago! I am really taken aback just how much I like them!

CW

EDIT: In surfing UTube I ran across this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3kCLf3dKjg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[bubbinator]

Clint-I feel your pain. A was a Military/State LEO for 42 yrs, after the military 300#+. I worked alcohol/ drug enforcement in UC capacities many times and never went unarmed ever, on or off duty. I carried M92 9mm Beretta, Glock 17/21/22s, 1911s(3&5"), Browning HPs,Sig P220 45 and S&W M36 2"&3"at will during my 21.5 State career.  Glocks conceal well with a bicycle inner tube cut to fit the grip($3.00 @ Wal-Mart does 10 guns-we used them!)Grip makers make the same thing, just more fancy for $9> each! (Not for 1911 guns!-it depresses the grip safety. Pachmyer makes excellent rubber grips for all 1911s/BHPs. Hogue also is great on rubber grips for the P220/P2269mm.  I use a stiff belt-Wilderness Instructor- snugged tight and free carry the rubber-gripped guns inside the belt covered by a loose fitting tee shirt(4X for me.) Did the same in the military, carried a 1911 and a S&W M36 in Thailand while working off base with Thai Cops had to get real cute there-Thai hookers were always hugging on us. The 1911 was under my pants belt buckle covered by a pistol belt(GI w/club/flashlight/handcuff holders). The .38 was leg pocket/Bianci shoulderholster until I got the 1911. Bought the 38 on the local market from Thai Cop source-ammo was $2. a round for 38/357JHP! I bought some Lee loaders/bullet pullers/primers/and a manual for them and we used the H110 powder from 30 Carbine ammo to load them thousands of rounds of 38/357 they would spend a months pay to buy. As I first posted-email me and maybe I can share a tip with you.

[Gus McCrae]

I'm a big fella.  I carry a 5 shot .357 Mag snub in my front pocket in a Desantis Nemisis or a Government Model 1911 IWB.  As soon as I get a holster, I'll carry a .45 Colt Mountain Gun for fun.  I wear Perry Suspenders all of the time (even when I can't carry) and that helps with the weight and lack of hip and butt.   

You need clothes and a belt that fits, or you need to lose weight, it's that simple. 

[JeffG]

Some suggestions: don't skimp on barrel length. Glocks, for instance tend to be handle heavy. No shorter than a model 23. The longer barrel keeps the gun indexed better. Appendix carry keeps the gun pointed at your junk, but can be comfortable. The challenge is to find some  means to prevent loss. Strong side and middle of the back can present comfort and concealability issues, you have to experiment.  Do they still make horizontal carry called the SOB? Small of back?

[Gus McCrae]

Nothing wrong with a shorter barrel.  Practice makes up the difference.  I shoot a 2 inch barreled gun pretty well.  That being said, if you carry Inside the Waist Band (IWB) in a good holster, barrel length doesn't hurt concealability until maybe 6 inches.  Longer barrels are easier to put on target, but do actually weigh more..... which may be an issue.   

One thing to think about when talking SOB carry.  Some have concerns about landing on your back (in a fight) and hurting your spine on the gun.  Some holster makers won't make SOB holster for that reason.  Just some food for thought. 

[JeffG]

When I mentioned indexing short barrels, I was referring to belt wear. The longer barrel aids in keeping the gun put, either by trouser friction, or the holster throat. Good point about the SOB being on the spine.

[popplecop]

Also on the large size, but gradually loosing weight.  For summer carry, if I carry it's a Ruger LCP.  Fits in the pocket great and easy to get to.  Depending on weather I also have several vests that make it easy to carry.  Otherwise I carry a 1911 with a 4" barrel in 45 acp.  I always have a 1911 of some sort in my in my truck

[Sourdough]

My son is a body builder, I'm an old fat man.  We both wear the Tee shirts with the built in holster pockets.  We both wear shoulder holsters.  We both have leather vest with hidden pockets for guns.  I wear a leather motorcycle jacket with hidden pockets for guns.  We carry 1911s, Ruger 357 revolvers, I carry a P-85 9mm, Sky carries a Tauris Mallinium 9mm.  We both sometimes carry H&R Top Breaks in .38 S&W in our hip pockets, when we are wearing shorts and a light tee shirt or no shirt.  The options are limitless.

The wife carries using a purse, shoulder holster, middle of the back holster, or if it's hot and she does not want to wear a blazer, she has been known to slip a small revolver under her, let's just say it's well hidden and easy to get to.

[Clint KY]

After looking at and checking lots of holsters I ended up with a Fobus Paddle holster. It is comfortable and because of the rubber pad on the inside of the paddle it does not move at all.  I am losing some weight and will probably pick up one of their ankle holsters for my 380 BUG. Great product at a very reasonable price.

[casca1]

hey,
I am 5' 10" and 300lbs   do like me put it in a donut bag  nobody will think twice
casca

[glockman55]

I carry my sig. compact .45 out side my pants , any shirt will cover it.. works for me.. maybe try a shoulder rig..