Really curious what you are using for a holster. I'm thinking we're pretty close in size and body type. The longest gun I've tried to carry AIWB was a M&P9fs (4.25")..couldn't get it comfortable, regardless of holster tried (used a "Keeper", SME, Shaggy, Looper, couple others).
Going down in length to a P30 has worked out way better for me. A Glock 19 in the same holsters (SME, "George", etc)is bearable, but going up to a 4.0" gun is definitely less comfortable. I'm wondering if going much longer, like a G17 with light would be comfortable again. Seems like there might be an "un-sweet" spot for me, regards to slide length that just hits me wrong, and maybe a G17 would be long enough to get past that.
Anyway, curious if you have had the same experience, if there's a point were it just gets better again.
I'm using a JM Custom AIWB for the G17 with the Inforce. He made it as a one off quite a while ago, and so it may or may not be identical to his current offerings, but he would be able to tell you better than I.
I find longer guns work better right up to the point that they stop working better. That will obviously vary from person to person. Shorter guns are never more uncomfortable for me, they just tend to want to come up out of my pants easier, and don't always conceal as well. If a 4.25" doesn't work for you, I doubt a .25" longer will help, but I certainly don't know. I might try a G34 holster, and see how that goes. You might be able to cut it down if it is too long, but you certainly can't add to the shorter holster. :-)
Dryfiring in a hotel room... BTDT quite a bit. THE best habit I ever got into for this was to lay a washcloth in the bathroom sink, do an administrative unload putting all the rounds from ALL the magazines into the sink. Then walk out of the bathroom and close the door.
Oh yea....turn the TV up too.
Regional Government Sales Manager for Aimpoint, Inc. USA
Co-owner Hardwired Tactical Shooting (HiTS)
Yea, just think, then you'll have the option of running a Roland Special I wonder if Tony can work around a frame-mounted T-2 too
Where and with what pouch(es) are you running the two spare +2 mags?
I stole Mr_White's idea of running one in the usual JM AIWB-SPMP position then running another vertically at 12:00. Tony made one with no cant for me for that spot, and it's worked like a charm. I've never found another location for even a single spare to work. It's really hard to imagine anyone running two under a t-shirt at any other location, but IIRC you've never been a fan of the AIWB mag thing so now you've got me curious.
The 34 holster was advice for JDB.
I do have a Roland Special, I just don't carry it. Mine may not meet the definition to a T, as it has some stuff on it that is different from the namesake, plus it lacks some of the fancy slide cuts. I also have a frame mounted T1. I don't carry that either.
Tony made me an aiwb mag pouch well over a year ago. I couldn't really use it then, but I can now. I only carry one, not two, but when I was playing around the other night, I put a second one on just for fun.
As an aside, I have many times carried two mags under my shirt, behind the hip. No issues whatsoever.
My reticence over the aiwb mag had more to do with it conflicting with my CP, rather than any issue with the mag itself. I recently figured out how to reconcile that issue, and now my mag and CP live together in harmony. A spare mag is never more important than a CP, so my spare remained behind my hip. Until now. :-)