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Thread: RFI: CCW Shirts

  1. #1
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014

    RFI: CCW Shirts

    Was hoping to get some suggestions from y'all.

    I'm migrating towards trying to carry a larger, duty sized pistol for CCW.

    As such, my wardrobe needs a little adjusting. I have a few XL T Shorts and polos, but not too much in the way of regular button front shirts. In dry practice, I'm finding where I place the gun just aft of my hip, my shirts are binding up a bit on the draw.

    I was thinking of opting into a lighter weight fabric, square tail, untucked shirt would be worth considering.

    Do any of you have any decent go-to shirt sources for CCW that work well and don't break the bank?

    Thanks in advance...

  2. #2

  3. #3
    The 5.11 Covert casual shirts work well.

    I'm also had good luck with rugby shirts.
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  4. #4
    Site Supporter Sero Sed Serio's Avatar
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    Oct 2014
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    Phoenix, AZ
    I am 5'9", have a runner's build where my shoulders are a bit wider than my hips, and have long legs (generally 31x34 pant size) and a short torso. It's very difficult for me to find CCW shirts, with a lot of shirts being too long and tight, causing me to print badly and/or binding up my draw, or being too loose and draping obviously over the top of the AIWB gun. I find it easier to hide a gun, even a full-sized gun, at 4:00 or so than it is to conceal it AIWB, but the speed, retention, and ability to discretely draw/be ready to draw makes AIWB ideal for me.

    My single best CCW shirt is a large (I typically wear a medium) 100% cotton Billa Bong plaid button up. It is short enough that it doesn't bind up when I pull it up with my support hand, but long enough to cover my pistol, tight enough to not look ridiculous, but loose enough not to print. I've been lazy, but I really need to find out if this particular shirt is still available, and buy something like 20 of them. ECCO is another brand that I've had success with. Shop at places that sell gangbanger or "Cholo" style shirts that don't go full gangbanger/Cholo (you never go full...)--avoid the mother of pearl buttons, or the shirts that are so baggy you could hide an SBR under it.

    I strongly recommend square tail shirts. Stay away from the featherweight fabrics--they don't have enough weight to slide off the butt of the concealed gun, and can print very badly. On the other hand, a heavier fabric has enough weight to slide off. Silk and linen are excellent options. An added bonus with linen is that tends to be naturally "rumpled," which will drive your GF/SO/wife crazy, but really helps to hide any shadow/printing. If I can find a Hawaiian-type shirt that doesn't have ridiculous Kahunas/palm trees/ukuleles on it, it's ideal. Although not really viable for me in AZ, flannel would do an excellent job, because it is heavy enough to slide right off the butt of the gun. Maybe it's my 90's grunge stereotype of Seattle, but I'm assuming you can get away with it up there.

    Darker colors and plaid also tend to break up outlines and prevent shadows. I'm a big fan of dark red as a "tactical" color--it doesn't scream "I want to be able to hide!" the way that dark blue/black does, but because of the way the human eye works it achieves virtually the same thing if you ever want to not stand out at night.

    Finally, I'm sure you know this, but holsters make a huge difference. Although not necessarily applicable for IWB, I am currently in the process of picking up JMCK Wing Claw 2.5 holsters for every "platform" that I carry. Carrying IWB, I can typically conceal a full-size handgun if I dress around it, and can conceal a mid-size under a t-shirt. With traditional AIWB, the best I can do is a mid-size G19 or P2000 when dressing around the gun. However, with the Wing Claw, I can legitimately conceal (as opposed to cover) a P226 under a t-shirt. I've got one on order for my P229s, am planning to order one for my P2000, and am thinking about a G17 over a G19 for my next purchase (for shootability/reliability reasons) because I know I can pull it off.

  5. #5
    Columbia PFG for warm/hot weather

  6. #6
    Site Supporter
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    Nov 2013
    Location
    Illinois
    I typically didn't like button down shirts when I was carrying 4:00. Same reason as you. They'd bind up or slow me down. I did like a standard polo or T-shirt maybe sized up a size with a loud pattern or a dark color.

    Now that I do appendix carry, a button down is actually pretty nice and conceals a bit better than a polo or T-shirt.

    Shirt brand didn't really matter to me either way though. I saw a shirt I liked in a size that works for concealment and that's what I cover with.

    Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Hokey / Ancient JAD's Avatar
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    Jul 2011
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    Kansas City
    Land's End interlock polos. I usually find them on sale. With a pattern, they're really unbeatable.

    https://www.landsend.com/products/me...32?sku_0=::4GI
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  8. #8
    Site Supporter Hambo's Avatar
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    Aug 2014
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    Behind the Photonic Curtain
    My favorite Columbia shirt is http://www.columbia.com/mens-pfg-sla...en%27s&start=0. Very light weight but looks dressier than most of their fishing shirts.

    In polos I prefer LL Bean https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/9148...t-pocket&csp=a
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  9. #9
    Member
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    Apr 2014
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    NW Florida
    I recently picked up one of these from LL Bean

    https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/9251...ve-print&csp=f

  10. #10
    If you have a Sears around you go to their mend section and look at their short sleeve button down shirts. They can be had for less than $15/pc and they are pretty good.

    Stay away from single solid colors. Lots of lines, preferably horizontal help break up visual depth on a shirt.

    For polos, anything a size or so larger which has lots of crazy designs. As long as it'll break up the print of the pistol it will work the best.

    Nothing slimming or slim fitting, it'll make you print like crazy.
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