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View Full Version : Sport Coat/ Suit Jacket holster position?



tmoore912
01-05-2012, 01:46 PM
Anybody here who wears a sport coat/suit a decent amount for work and uses a OWB, forward of the hip, neutral cant for a sub-compact size pistol?
My carry problem is that I do carry AIWB all the time, but some with a sport coat/jacket when I'm working or going to formal parties and the like. I can do it AIWB, but it is difficult to keep the gun from flashing under the unbuttoned jacket if I happen to move the wrong way. I was thinking of trying to find a high riding OWB neutral cant holster for a G26 that could be worn just in front of the hip, but back enough to keep from flashing under the jacket if it opens up. It would need to really ride high on the belt so that I could sit at my desk or drive my vehicle without digging into my leg. I don't want to have to wear a holster behind the hip mainly for comfort reasons and access while seated. Does anyone happen to carry this way?

Mitch Rosen carries two holsters that could work. The Upper Limit (http://www.mitchrosen.com/product_line/product_line.html) and the Upper Limit - Express Line (http://www.mitchrosen.com/product_line/product_line.html)

Thanks for the help. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

JAD
01-05-2012, 01:58 PM
I run a Government Model in a Milt Sparks #60TK (http://miltsparks.com/60TK.htm) (roadrunner) with a casual blazer often enough. It's a raked holster and I wear it at 3:15 or so, but because it's high ride I have no problem accessing it in the car. I recently tried a Comp-Tac paddle with a 15 degree cant for a Commander and am not pleased; a high ride OWB really needs to pull the butt in to work well. I have not tried the upper limit but with a G26 it should work well. For me, I need the gun to be behind the hip to conceal reliably with an open front sport coat; a good coat will hang open at inopportune moments.

With a formal suit I have good luck with a Kahr PM9 in an Alessi Talon at 3:00. Anything heavier drags my pants too much.

tmoore912
01-05-2012, 02:05 PM
Yeah, casual wear I have down pat. Easy enough to do. It's the dressing up I have a problem with.

doctorpogo, thanks for the input.

JRCHolsters
01-05-2012, 02:29 PM
I like a high ride whenever I wear a suit or open jacket. I personally don't find the draw difficult on a high ride, ymmv. I like a bit of rake, but that is a very personal thing, depending on body type and physical issues. The butt of the gun has to pull in tight to the body as stated and I like a low cut front to clear leather faster on the draw. A G26 should lend itself very well to this type of carry.
http://jrcholsters.com/images/stories/holsters/album/hr-1%203.jpg

GJM
01-05-2012, 02:36 PM
The Mitch Rosen Upper Limit is one of my favorite leather holsters, and my wife routinely carries a G19 or G26 in an Upper Limit. One issue, is because of the amount of slide on a Glock, combined with leather, makes for a sticky draw. Rosen's 5JR, available as an Express line holster (faster and cheaper than non-Express holsters), or usually in stock at Dillon Precision, is very similar to the Upper Limit, but seems to allow for a faster presentation with a Glock.

TGS
01-05-2012, 03:06 PM
If the jacket opens up and the gun is forward of the hip, I'm banking on the gun being exposed. You can think of a few scenarios where it won't, but I guarantee you that you're reaching. If the wind blows, you sweep the jacket to get into your trouser pockets like a normal person, ect, there's way too much risk if you're in a NPE. Detective/Special Agent? Most likely not a problem, and it's probably a reason so many of them wear their badge on the belt next to the gun. Dressed up at a work, conference, ect as joe schmoe? Probably not going over well.

There's too many ways of the gun being exposed forward of the hip, regardless of holster, if the cover garment is an unbuttoned sports coat.....Unless you walk around like a robot and generally make unnatural/unusual movements.

I wear a sports coat a lot, but I will admit that's for casual wear and my untucked shirt is still the actual cover garment. I still carry AIWB....if I'm tucking in a shirt, it's easy enough to just wear a sweater this time of year, which happens to be a fantastic cover garment. If its too warm and I can't wear the sweater, it's back to behind the hip for me since I haven't seen a tuckable AIWB that doesn't look completely out of place/noticeable, and I haven't found open-front jackets of any type to be reliable cover garments if the gun is forward of the hip, as you specified in the OP.

In short, my $.02 is that you won't be satisfied with pursuing this.

SmokeJumper
01-05-2012, 03:51 PM
Just another option to look at is this from TT Gun Leather. http://ttgunleather.com/catalog/i63.html It may fit the bill for your needs based on your description. For myself, I use either OWB (most often) or IWB with my BUG on the ankle when the coat.tie thing is needed for work.

tmoore912
01-05-2012, 08:36 PM
If the jacket opens up and the gun is forward of the hip, I'm banking on the gun being exposed. You can think of a few scenarios where it won't, but I guarantee you that you're reaching. If the wind blows, you sweep the jacket to get into your trouser pockets like a normal person, ect, there's way too much risk if you're in a NPE. Detective/Special Agent? Most likely not a problem, and it's probably a reason so many of them wear their badge on the belt next to the gun. Dressed up at a work, conference, ect as joe schmoe? Probably not going over well.

There's too many ways of the gun being exposed forward of the hip, regardless of holster, if the cover garment is an unbuttoned sports coat.....Unless you walk around like a robot and generally make unnatural/unusual movements.

I wear a sports coat a lot, but I will admit that's for casual wear and my untucked shirt is still the actual cover garment. I still carry AIWB....if I'm tucking in a shirt, it's easy enough to just wear a sweater this time of year, which happens to be a fantastic cover garment. If its too warm and I can't wear the sweater, it's back to behind the hip for me since I haven't seen a tuckable AIWB that doesn't look completely out of place/noticeable, and I haven't found open-front jackets of any type to be reliable cover garments if the gun is forward of the hip, as you specified in the OP.

In short, my $.02 is that you won't be satisfied with pursuing this.

TGS, all good things to consider. I too wear Sport coats casually with a untucked shirt for cover, and since I'm in the Southeast I can get away with thin sweater vest under a suit jacket or sport coat for AIWB. I'm just trying to figure this thing out and see if there is any way to wear just slightly in front of the hip with a sport coat without something else for cover. I do tend to button my jackets a lot when outside due to wind issues, but then unbutton while inside. I just don't know if I could go back to behind the hip carry after 4 years of AIWB. I'll keep thinking about it though.

Thanks for your opinion.

Thanks for everyone's input.

HeadHunter
01-05-2012, 10:06 PM
I was carrying a Taurus PLY22 with a Covert Carrier recently. It was tucked behind my cummerbund.

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s91/HeadHunter_album/Blog/tux.jpg

tmoore912
01-05-2012, 10:14 PM
Nice! :) I've got a Kel-Tec .380 with a factory metal clip on the side that I use with a Tux or suit, but I was hoping to figure out how to carry a more substantial gun with a suit in front of the hip.