For me the G17 conceals and carries better than a full size 1911 in aiwb.
I carry a G17 in shorts and T all the time aiwb in DSG holster.
The holster is a HUGE factor in carrying this size pistol.
For me the G17 conceals and carries better than a full size 1911 in aiwb.
I carry a G17 in shorts and T all the time aiwb in DSG holster.
The holster is a HUGE factor in carrying this size pistol.
I’ve settled on an HK 45C light LEM, carried in a JMCK 2.5. All day comfortable, with the safety of a double action trigger, and the reliability of an HK.
I have carried a full size 1911, a P228, a VP9 and a G17 in the past, and the 45C is my favorite.
A SIG P229 is a very wide pistol. The grip portion is not the problem, but the frame width in the decocker area, and the decocker itself adds a bit more width, unless the weapon is DAK. A P229, in my opinion, is more difficut to conceal than a full-sized 1911, by any method, due to this width. I carried a P229 DAK for about eleven years as a duty pistol, and much of that time it was my personal-time concealed weapon. I never tried AIWB carry with the P229, as the frame seemed too wide to bother trying, and I was really skinny at this time.
All Glocks have defeated my attempts to carry them AIWB, truly concealed. The JM Custom Kydex George holster is, finally, afer a long search, comfortable enough with a G19, but the outer rear corner of the protruding rear part of the slide presses outward against the cover garment. An observer may think I am carrying a large smart phone, but the bulge is certainly there. I classify this as “casual” concealment, little better than open carry. (This is just me. Others may feel differently.)
I found a pre-owned JMCK George for a compact 1911, and bought it, to test/compare. The bottom is open, so any length 1911 will fit into it. A full-sized 1911 slide conceals better than a G19 slide. The outer bottom of the 1911 grip presses outward just a bit more than I would like, for truly deep concealment, but I deem it acceptable. Overall, with each pistol in a JMCK George, the 1911 conceals better, on my person, in my opinion, than the G19. The issue that remains is that the muzzle of the full-sized 1911 can jab me when sitting, so this is a very situational combination for me to wear, only suitable for brief periods, unless I acquire a compact 1911 pistol again. (I swore-off compact 1911 pistols, years ago, but have heard that some makers have finally got the reliability bugs worked-out.)
Realistically, I carry a full-sized 1911 pistol OWB, a bit forward of 0300, and dress around the weapon. I used to carry a 1911 IWB, just behind the hip, but the aging shoulder does not like that draw stroke much, anymore
My perfect AIWB pistol is a revolving pistol. I have a JMCK George for a 2.25” SP101. AIWB Nirvana. I should order a George for a 3” SP101. Perhaps I will inquire about a George for a 3” GP100.
I am relatively slim, at six feet tall, and can (barely, at times) fit into my one pair of VertX pants with a 32” waist, though of course, size 34” is needed to wear a gun inside the waist band.
Last edited by Rex G; 12-09-2017 at 10:20 AM.
HK p30, P30sk, and Beretta 92’sOriginally Posted by JTQ
The Beretta is the heaviest so it’s noticeable
No noticeable difference with the HK in a SME
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A claw holster with a foam wedge will likely remediate this. It's probably a good idea for the OP too.
JM's Wing Claw 2.5 is a really good example. I own it and the George and in my opinion, the George is better suited to smaller lighter guns than a full-size.
As noted previously, I started out using AIWB carry nearly 30 years ago when faced with the need to carry a service pistol (at various times in my military career a 1911, M9, or Sig P226/228) while wearing the Navy Service Dress Blue uniform--since the jacket is a double breasted type that could not be left unbuttoned, AIWB was the only option to allow easy access to the pistol. It also worked well with BDU/DCU uniforms when not wanting to appear armed, for example on MEDCAP's. Lou Alessi made us some holsters (APX-IWB), with a slight reverse FBI cant that worked very well for this option--the only potential downside of the Alessi holster was the plastic "Talon" clip that secured it to the belt--although to be honest none ever broke or caused any problems for us.
Likewise I have used AIWB for over a decade in the LE and civilian world, to carry primarily 1911's, G19's/G17's, M&P9/M&P45 w/ambi-safeties. During an Independence Day celebration a few years ago, a couple of friends from the PD were teasing me about my uncharacteristically running around unarmed in just a hippie-cam T-shirt and shorts, as shown in the photo below--not realizing I was carrying a 5" 1911 AIWB in an Alessi holster, along with a couple of extra mags...
For the OP, a G19 with a gadget, at PX4, an M&P w/ambi safety, a P30/P2000, or perhaps an alloy frame 4" 1911 would seem the best options.
Last edited by DocGKR; 12-09-2017 at 12:03 PM.
Facts matter...Feelings Can Lie
Thanks; it may well be a good idea for the OP to try, but I have not done well with wings and claws, on RCS and JMCK holsters, and am skeptical about foam wedges. One of my JMCK G19 holsters, exact model forgotten, sitting unused, is now without its wedge and wing claw. I am about done with Glocks, at least the G19 size, anyway, as an aging, gimpy right wrist is forcing me to abandon “hands-guns,” and use only handguns. (My days of using a proper thumb-forward support grip are over, so no more light-weight, wide-body pistols for me, and infinite, un-ending thanks to God for creating me functionally ambidextrous.)
Thanks so much for the replies, everybody. I'll try to address them in order, more or less.
I do not have any friends local to me who carry appendix, so I'm out of luck trying different holsters or pistols.
Despite my familiarity with the M9 (and I do like the trigger on them), I am not a fan of the slide-mounted safety/decocker. As decockers go, I prefer the ergonomics of the SIG classic P-series the best, followed by the frame-mounted USP, and the rear slide one on the P2000/P30/HK45 better than the Beretta.
With the G17, in a good AIWB holster, if I adjusted it so the grip didn't print, then the back of the slide printed, and vice versa. That's part of the reason the G19 is at the bottom of my list even though I think I shoot it fairly well. It truly is a Glock world but I'd like to try something different. That, and I can't leave a Glock stock like I could some other pistols (gadget and new sights are a must; I can live with most other stock sights).
I am a little surprised that the 1911 with standard thickness grip panels is actually thicker than some double stack 9s. I shouldn't be, I suppose. I have some aggressive G10 grips on mine and I can see how it can actually be wider across the middle.
As for a lighter, compact 1911, to stay in the platform, I totally agree JAD. When I can afford to commit to the 1911 (or 2011) platform I would love to. For now I carry a 1911 because it's what I have. I don't have the money or knowledge to put serious training into the platform yet though (maintenance, particularly). If I got another holster for the 1911 it will almost certainly be an SME.
Thanks for your input too, Doc. Never carried in SDBs though I often Mexican'd my M9 in ACUs or Multicams (drank lots of chai in friendly people's houses). Those are pretty ideal garments to appendix carry a full size service pistol. I think your recommendations are sound; is there a reason a SIG isn't on that list? Too thick, or too unreliable these days?
I might give a claw/wing type holster a try. I don't think the issue for me, though, is that the pistol grip isn't getting tucked in enough. When I wear my 1911, the butt of the pistol is already right up against my hip bone. It can't be tucked any more, it's simply an issue of waist size (31" waist, I wear 32" pants). And if I shift the slide closer to 12 o'clock, the muzzle is jabbing into something more tender than my thigh when I sit down. That's partly due to the weight of an all-steel gov't 1911 though. I don't recall the muzzle length of the G17 giving me any comfort issues, it just printed above the belt like crazy.
If I have to go with a compact single stack for summer carry so be it. I'm also open to J-frame size revolvers for that task. Either way I'm definitely getting a double stack again, even if I can only carry it in cooler weather like we have at the moment here in Texas.
Your list, my thoughts, assuming you can't shoot and carry any of them before purchasing...
229 - I think this is the worst choice in your list, if you're going in blind. It's DA/SA, unlike your current SA pistol. Not saying DA/SA is bad (I like it myself), it's just completely different. It's heavier and thicker than most people will tolerate in the long run. Sigs QA has been hit and miss for a while now, and IMO they simply can't be trusted after the P320 shenanigans.
MP2.0 - Seems to be getting very good reviews, and also available with a very 1911ish manual safety (good for AIWB) and grip angle.
P2k/USPc - DA/SA or LEM, unlike your current SA pistol. Paddle mag release vs traditional. Sight choices aren't the greatest. Hammer fired, a plus for AIWB. None of that is bad, just different than what you have. Hk's are outstanding, but not everyone's cup-o-tea.
19 - Not much to say here that's not been said a million times on PF. The fact that so many people "come back" to a 19, should be telling. IMO, requires a gadget for AIWB, but readily available. You've already had a 17, so no big surprises here. By far your safest bet at this time.
My pragmatic suggestion, based on what you've said so far... Buy a 19, get a gadget, carry it. As time and opportunities permit, try those other pistols. If you fall in love, then buy one and make the transition. G19's, should you choose to get rid of it, are by far the easiest pistol to get in and out of. Or, if you like the manual safety, get the MP2.0 compact, which is the closest thing to what you currently have.
I have no problem carrying a pistols like a G19 or M&P in summer clothing, as noted in the above picture of me in a T-shirt and shorts.
You could convert a Beretta 92 to a G model de-cocker and go AIWB with that.
Recent Sig QC had been a bit too suspect for me to trust them out of the box; I also find the classic Sig's a bit harder to conceal than a G19.
Skip the J-frame as your primary--even something like a S&W Shield or G43 would be better.
A G19 or M&P compact would be optimal and should be easy enough to conceal in any weather, assuming prudent clothing choices.
Last edited by DocGKR; 12-09-2017 at 01:19 PM.
Facts matter...Feelings Can Lie
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