When I was in Jr. High School I started wearing Jeans, a black T-Shirt and a flannel shirt every day. The components have changed a little over time, now I'll wear a hoodie or a Cabella's shirt instead of a Flannel or a pull over but generally when I'm not at work that's how my circle expects to see me (if you're in my circle you know I have a gun anyway.). Plus Clorado so you can pretty much get away with an over shirt of some kind all year longOriginally Posted by Tabasco
When I first started working almost 28 years ago it was the issued M-64 or my back up Chief. Early 90,s we went with the SIG 226, off duty I carried it or sometimes a 232, 225, 228, and 229 over the years.
I am 5' 10" 180 now days, the SIG,s were always kinda hard for me to conceal vs the Gen-3 Glocks that I went to about 15 years ago.
Now that I have went all Glock I used to carry the Gen-3 19 off duty but for the last several years its been my on duty Gen-3 17 both on and off duty.
For me the 17 is not that much harder to carry. I now also up graded from one spare mag to two.
For several years I always carried off duty in the same Blade Tech IWB for the 19 and the 17. But now due to nerve irritation in my right hip caused by carrying on and off duty for so long, I carry 99% of time in a OWB X-Concealment "C" holster which conceals very well and causes my leg to go numb less often.
The reason for the 17 and double spare mag is mostly due to the changing of times and being able to get better consistent drawing grip on the 17 vs 19.
I started out with a gen3 19 when I was 21 and then moved to a 5" 1911 for a couple of years. The 1911 was carried iwb in a milt sparks. I also carried a 19 iwb and AIWB for a little bit but mostly the 1911. I then switched to a full size M&P 9 as the agency I worked for issued 40 full size M&P's at the time. I mostly carried that iwb with a light in a secret city weaponeers light bearing iwb rig ( I actually got my order before it uh yeah lol). For awhile I also carried it owb using a open button up as a Concealment garment, which I also did with another 5" 1911 then a 17 and a 34 all with lights.
I then made the switch back to AIWB for off duty concealed carry (a couple years ago) and have rocked a 17, 34, and 19. The 34 was my uniform carry at work but I'm now carrying a 19 in a non uniform position. Therefore I've settled on the 19 as my main platform as I have three now. Recently I've run owb concealed again occasionally but prefer AIWB. I run my 19 in a Dark Star Gear AIWB holster for a 17 (his newest rendition).
I carried a 26 or tried once when I was younger it didn't geehaw with me at all. That's the only time I've ever carried anything smaller than a 19 in the past 9+ years that I've been legally allowed to carry concealed.
Last edited by karmapolice; 12-23-2016 at 01:02 PM.
For the last year I carried a revolving door of full size 1911s at the AIWB position, and now I'm carrying a Gen3 Glock 22 at the same spot. I've found that with good holster selection it conceals just fine under an untucked t-shirt or polo shirt. In the summer I carried all the time under t-shirts or polos. In the spring/fall/winter the addition of a pullover means I can carry all kinds of nonsense AIWB if I wanted to.
Why the switch?
I'm 5'11", 230lbs, athletic build. I wear full button up shirts pretty much exclusively. Physical concealment of a full sized handgun, worn inside my waistband isn't overly difficult year-round. And I live in Central Florida and regularly play in the swamps & on the beach.
I'm in the same boat as SLG; I've been working against a shot timer pretty hard since October and I can't find any difference in my shooting ability between a M11A1/P228 hybrid or my Mk25s. If anything, I'm actually a little faster out of the holster and on target with the M11A1/P228 combo, but my groupings aren't as great. So I wear the Mk25.
I have had no issues concealing my Mk25 under a tucked in button up shirt in a JRC AIWB CDA II holster; the black belt loop matches my dress belt perfectly so no one has noticed. I did have to get some "loud shoes" so that the sound of leather creaking in the holster doesn't raise too many eye brows. Everyone at work knows me as "the gun guy" or "the shooter" so I'd easily be made if anyone put them together. I wear black undershirts (tight fitting Columbia breathable t-shirts) so that if a "peek" of the gun can be seen through the buttons, it would be written off as my dark undershirt.
For good measure, I've been trying to work with my 1911 more recently and haven't had issues concealing it while out with the family(again, worn in a JRC CDA II). We've been Christmas shopping in Orlando and all over Disney (which has a beefed up security presence compared to last year) and no one has given me a 2nd look. The 1911 conceals a little better because it is flatter, it doesn't cause my belt locking area to look so poofy.
The easiest pistol for me to conceal, by far, has been a 1911. Bearing in mind that my normal dress code is jeans and a concert t-shirt. But then I had a conversation with TLG about multiple opponents and a few weeks after that conversation I talked to Tom Givens who told me I need a 3 bad guy gun which means a gun with at least 10 rounds on board. I started carrying a 92.
"There is magic in misery. You need to constantly fail. Always bite off more than you can chew, put yourself in situations where you don't succeed then really analyze why you didn't succeed." - Dean Karnazes www.sbgillinois.com
I've carried a G19 AIWB year round (Georgia, so mostly t-shirts, short sleeve button downs and polos, all untucked) for several years now, only substituting a Shield or J frame for NPE stuff.
Recently I picked up a G17 Gen4 with the intent to have the grip chopped to take G19 mags. I ended up carrying it a little and liking it and have pretty much made the switch, buying a second G17 to go with it.
For reference, I'm 5'8", sitting at about 170lbs as I type this and rarely tuck any shirt unless I absolutely have to.
Last edited by Crashpad; 12-23-2016 at 02:57 PM.
I carry a G17gen4. I carry strong side. I wear button up shirts alot, polo shirts, henley shirts. All of them untucked. I sometimes have printing when moving at odd angles.
Something not mentioned so far is weight/thickness. I find my 17 far easier to conceal when wearing a Shmidt button up thats stiffier and thicker than a thin henley. Most arent looking for a pistol, so i get away with the thin henley. But slightly thicker, darker, properly fit shirts work best for me. Oversized can hang up on the gun after getting out of a car, undersized print all the time. Thats my 2cents.
-Cory
Last edited by Cory; 12-23-2016 at 03:55 PM.
I finished the project that I was doing that involved shooting 1911s.
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