Skinny/Thin Guy CCW advice sought

[Jason]

I am 5'8" and have ranged from a VERY skinny 135lbs in college to 184 and muscular. What works for me has been:

IWB mostly. 4:00 to 5:00 always, and with a single mag pouch. I can get away with a Large size tshirt (since they are built large around the waist area already for bigger waisted guys). For OWB you will need to take more effort to dress around the gun.

Gun: Glock 26 for carry may be ideal for you, glock 19 for classes. Buy all holsters for Glock 19 and use them for both.

Kramer IWB #3 with their horsehide belt or a Wilderness nylon belt (nylon is not as stiff but the infinite adjustability is key when you have less squishy bits to be compacted. Especially when you are out eating or sitting for a while and then moving). Kramer also makes wicked good OWB holsters but they are a little more high visibility than say the Raven for this job.

Mitch Rosen has design principles DOWN. Not as gee wiz fast for classes, long wait, but outstanding and the cant is always set perfectly for how the holster is to be worn. Little tricks like having belt loops offset from the holster are oustanding for those who are thinner.

CCC makes a great IWB Kydex and can fit to your specs. Great prices too. Highly recommended

If you have to do OWB and kydex, go with Raven Concealment Phantom. They are bent just enough to fit around your waist properly.

[JeffJ]

I'm 5'10 - 165-170 - 33" waist

So I consider myself average to thin. I'm carrying appendix - 4:00 to 5:00 IWB is horribly uncomfortable for me, part of that is that I have little to no ass and so there isn't anything to keep my pants up even with a good belt I have to cinch myself in to the point that boa constrictor looks comfortable. Printing is always an issue, especially for those of us who need to dress in a certain way (business casual for me). I need to wear my shirts tucked in at work, this simply isn't an option. There seems to be a chorus of voices on the internet that will tell you that have to dress around the gun at any cost, and that if you can't do that then you should quit your job, or turn in your mancard or that you're a sheep or some such crap (not on this forum, but I'm sure most of you have run into this nonsense) For me, I can carry a larger gun appendix, and then tuck in my shirt around the holster and it actually helps with printing. I can just blouse my shirt a little and the grip disapears, there is a bulge at my waist line, after all there is a glock stuck in there - it takes up space. It's not noticiable especially with a little more blousing of the shirt, the loop from the holster shows but I wear a 5 stich belt everyday and just cover it up with end of the belt as it comes back throuh. I've considered getting a leather belt made and having the beltmaker provide me with some strips of leather dyed to match so I can make my own loops for my holster that will blend into my belt - think it would work well, but I haven't pursued that.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: good luck, if you want to carry everyday regardless of whether your dressed like a safari photographer or not then you will probably end up with a bunch of T&E. Fortunatly, if you buy a quality holster and it doesn't work for you, you can usually resell it at a small loss. Unfortunalty it seems to take forever to get a quality holster so it might be worth ordering several different types so that you can decide what you like and sell the rest - it will cost you some money but probably save you some time, unfortuantly there isn't a one size fits all holster.

[vcdgrips]

Jeff,
As a guy who has to tuck in as well, I found that sweater vests can serve well as a cover garment. Wool dark ones in the fall/winter, bright cotton colored ones in the spring/summer. Such a set up allows me to conceal and access the gun much faster than when it is "tucked" away when I have used a belly band.

David
www.vcdgrips.com

[JeffJ]

David,
I'm a big fan of the sweater over a golf shirt throughout the winter, but if I wore any kind of sweater, vest or otherwise, this time of year I wouldn't worry about getting "made" I'd worry about being thrown in the looney bin. Seriously though, the tuck around and blouse works really well for me, even people who know that I carry are surprised. I think this has something to do with carrying AIWB as well, people just don't look there.

By the way, you've convinced me of the merits of the wicking undershirt - much, much cooler and I've gone ahead and ordered some of the under armour v necks since I can't find anything local. THe crew necks are just a little too visible for me. We had a garage sale last Saturday and I was outside in 102 degree weather with a black undershirt and a red polo and was much more comfortable than I should have been. Thanks.

[section8usmc]

When I went to bootcamp, I was 5'11" and 135lbs. Same weight when I was retired. I was diagnosed with severe Crohn's disease. Now I am between say, 115lbs to 130lbs in a good month/year. I wear a lot of loose clothing, and with a decent holster, actually have the ability to CC AIWB. However, I decided this was not for me, as I'm not willing to take the chance. Imagine how fast someone my size would bleed out in a mishap. No saving me for all intents and purposes.

Being in Wisconsin and not having concealed carry until this coming fall, there are just no places around that I can find with any decent holsters. Cabela's carries all cheap stuff, and they have been about as helpful as my 12 year old daughter as far as being able to help me figure things out. What I need is a professional to have me fitted for a holster, and help me figure out the right carry for me, and so on. It isn't really the size of the gun that's an issue, and I'm downsizing for CC anyway. I can carry my H & K USP .45 all day long in winter. As I joked on another thread, you can CC an M1 tank with our winter clothing. I have the typical tall and skinny guy basketball player hands with the long skinny fingers and big, skinny hands, so that brought me to the P2000SK. Fits just perfect, recoil is easily managed, and so on.

Do any of our Pros, LEOs, or members (figured the first two may know someone from their professions) know of anybody in the Milwaukee, Madison, or Green Bay areas, that could help me do this ? It would be huge for me. I wknd more than willing to drive, but with gas prices, I would prefer to stay within a couple hours distance. Obviously, Chicago would be no help since Illinois is now going to be the only state without CC. Any input would be great ! Thanks !

[Josh Runkle]

I can tell you that having a non hammer pistol does concern me if I went this route of AIWB.

Because?

[uechibear]

I wear a lot of loose clothing, and with a decent holster, actually have the ability to CC AIWB. However, I decided this was not for me, as I'm not willing to take the chance. Imagine how fast someone my size would bleed out in a mishap. No saving me for all intents and purposes.
<snip>

How one carries is a very personal decision. I wouldn't try to say what's best for you, but it sounds like AIWB could work if you thought about it a little differently. I'd venture to say that none of us wants to shoot ourselves in the femoral artery, but that's why people start practicing their draw stroke slowly—with an unloaded pistol—then build proficiency from there. I don't see why someone your size would bleed out any quicker than any of the rest of us, but please let me know if I'm missing something.

If you're "not willing to take the chance" of AIWB carry for other reasons, that's certainly your prerogative. I'm only posting this because there are so many benefits to it, I just don't want you to short-change yourself (in case you haven't considered everything involved).

Good luck finding what's best for you.

[section8usmc]

Uechibear, you may be right. I was experimenting the other day, and I was able to make a full size USP .45 disappear in a pair of basketball shorts, and a tshirt. Although this is obviously not the best test, I know I can definitely do it with my cargo shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. So, if it is the ONLY way, and it may very well be, then I will just have to practice unloaded, and so on like you suggest.

That being said, I would feel a lot better having a pro give me a hand, and see if it is possible to figure out some other carry. It would be I guess I should say, definitely preferred to find another carry. Winter, for FWIW, is not going to be an issue, and with my long arms, big skinny hands and fingers, and shorter upper body, I can cross body, or any number of other carries quite comfortably.

As for bleeding out, most people have roughly the same amount of blood, with small differences in body size, type, etc. A big issue though, is how much water your body holds also comes into play, as well as a few other things, so, though the time difference may not be much on the clock, it would be huge on the life saving part. Anyway, I will not abandon the idea, and do more reading, and see what I can see so to speak. Thanks.

[JAD]

5'10" (I once stood up straight and was 5'11", but, you know, meh); 168 right now, been 135 within the time I've been shooting.

IWB, sparks executive carry rough side out at 3:30, lightweight commander or dan wesson CCO as clothes dictate. If it's winter and I can wear a Patagonia vest indoors, alessi doj-s with a government model.

Aiwb looks great for the cool kids (and may finally be my ticket to a second gun), but us window lickers have observe all four rules.