View Poll Results: What is your preferred way to carry?

Voters
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  • IWB/AIWB

    77 74.04%
  • OWB

    24 23.08%
  • Other

    3 2.88%
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Thread: OWB or IWB/AIWB for EDC?

  1. #21
    Banned
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Rocky Mountains
    My preference is OWB. Strongside in a Galco CM. Apparently I'm a Luddite.

    My practice because I spend the majority of my time away from home in an NPE is pocket carry in a Desantis pocket holster.

    ETA I guess OWB is being equated with open carry in this discussion. I don't open carry ever, I use a cover garment
    Last edited by Cypher; 07-16-2019 at 06:50 AM.

  2. #22
    Hammertime
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Desert Southwest
    AIWB most of the time.

    OWB concealed 4:30 position when running. Belt on skin, shirts over top.

    OWB 3:00 disguised in Safepacker when hiking with pack or riding bike. Safepacker attached to pack belt 3-4:30 position.

  3. #23
    Site Supporter Rex G's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    SE Texas
    OWB, by far, is “preferred,” by me, assuming we are talking about the primary handgun. No contest. The largest weapon I can comfortably conceal, AIWB, all day long, every day, all year, in an area with l-o-n-g summers, and humidity all year, is smaller than I would rather be using in an extended gunfight, and/or painful to shoot, in high volume, for training. AIWB can be a nice way, for me, to carry smaller/secondary guns, up to SP101 in size, and/or spare ammo.

    To be clear, I am simply answering the poll, and giving my reasons; not trying to convince or convert anyone. The way clothing drapes, on my body, the best places for me to hide weapons are at 0200-400 and 0800 to 1000. My default “primary” position is 0300, OWB.

    I am not opposed to AIWB carry, and I am glad that it works well, for many folks.

    Warning; the following rambles-on:

    For reference, I am not satisfied with the way any double-column-mag Glock conceals at AIWB, on my person. The protruding, blocky, rear portion of the slide produces a characteristic “bump” against the cover garment. I can deal with that, but have to be very careful in NPEs. Then, about a couple of years ago, my then-usual-daily G19 pistols started to really hurt my aging right wrist. A 100-round qual session produced very notable swelling, and pain, lasting about a week.

    Experimentation showed that any grip frame that does not reach all the way to the base of the heel of my hand, where the hand’s “heel bone” is located, is going to result in a painful shooting experience. That meant setting aside the G19 pistols, and carrying G17 and G19x pistols. Well, Glock “bump” plus a G17-length grip frame means two Glock “bumps;” simply too much for me to realistically conceal well at AIWB.

    I cannot just train with the G17, and carry the G19. To shoot a G19 decently, I have to train with an actual G19. I can still shoot G19 pistols lefty, but they are relegated to secondary roles. (I recently took delivery of a KKM barrel and comp, and will experiment with the Roland/Fauxland Special concept, but already know that will be too long for me to carry AIWB.)

    A full-sized 1911 remains pain-free to shoot, and is nicely narrower than a Glock, but is long enough to be uncomfortable when toted full-time AIWB.

    I have tended to carry duty-/service-sized handguns concealed, during personal time. (I LEO’ed for almost 34 years.) I would rather fight with a full-sized weapon, all else being equal. The grip of an SP101 is actually just long enough to anchor on my hand’s “heel bone,” but, five shots is, well, five shots, and the rather short length of the cylinder crane means there is less work space to reload quickly.

    IWB, behind the hip, worked well for me, for over twenty years, but my aging right shoulder, and relatively short torso, can now result in a painful geometric equation if I need to draw in any hurry. My left shoulder has much better agility than my right shoulder, so conventional IWB is workable for my “support” side, and, indeed, I have carried second guns lefty IWB. Again, however, that is second guns, so not really eligible for “preferred” status.
    Last edited by Rex G; 07-16-2019 at 10:48 AM.
    Retar’d LE. Kinesthetic dufus.

    Don’t tread on volcanos!

  4. #24
    Deadeye Dick Clusterfrack's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Wokelandia
    AIWB. I've even done 14 mile hikes over very rugged terrain carrying my gun in the appendix position.

    I compete in USPSA Production, and do not find that the different holster setup presents any type of "training scar" for my carry gear. When I carry AIWB I draw from AIWB. When I carry OWB I draw the gun from that position. No problem.
    "You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
    Shabbat shalom, motherf***ers! --Mordechai Jefferson Carver

  5. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Clusterfrack View Post
    I compete in USPSA Production, and do not find that the different holster setup presents any type of "training scar" for my carry gear. When I carry AIWB I draw from AIWB. When I carry OWB I draw the gun from that position. No problem.
    This has been my experience too.
    David S.

  6. #26
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    In the desert, looking for water.
    IWB ~3:00 for EDC with a gun on the belt is what I prefer to do. It is not what I can always do, of course. I’ve used it in class that way, and have also shot matches that way, but prefer to use a larger than my EDC gun in an OWB/gamer rig for matches.

    I forsee, however, as I transition to new employment in the next few weeks, that I won’t be carrying during the work day, and if I do, it will be all NPE level: tiny guns in slow draw deep concealment methods that don’t work for class or matches. Pocket, Smartcarry, etc. What I will probably carry is a flashlight and a can of pepper spray, and maybe a pocket knife.

  7. #27
    1. Competition, training classes & most DF = OWB competition gear, because 100's of IWB draws annoy my shoulder and I can "look the gun back in the holster" with OWB easier.
    2. IWB lately has been LCP pocket carry or when jogging LCP in small fanny pack
    3. IWB with G19 is at 3:30 for circumstances when I'm confident I won't print.
    4. I've got a few AIWB holsters that I'm starting to DF with to evaluate the feasibility of AIWB for me. Its going to be a long process.
    Last edited by Cheap Shot; 07-16-2019 at 11:11 AM.

  8. #28
    Modding this sack of shit BehindBlueI's's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Midwest
    Quote Originally Posted by Sauer Koch View Post
    Ok, my original poll question was simply to determine which was more popular for EDC, OWB concealed or IWB. Although the thread is still young, 17 of 20 voters said IWB.
    *OWB (open carry) is not part of this, unless you’re LE

    So, my question now is...for those in the majority, and some did answer this, but not all...if you carry IWB, do you use that same holster for a course, from concealment? If not, why?
    Depends. Generally no for higher round count classes that will get the muzzle hot. My IWB is comfy but not particularly insulating. I've not actually burned myself but have been hot enough I was keenly aware of the muzzle location and my skin reddening.
    Sorta around sometimes for some of your shitty mod needs.

  9. #29
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Northern Virginia
    AIWB for CCW. OWB for field carry where concealment isn't a concern, but that's mainly a S&W N-Frame where AIWB would be uncomfortable.

    Chris

  10. #30
    Gray Hobbyist Wondering Beard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    The Coterie Club
    I'd separate AIWB from IWB.

    In my case, and I imagine a few others, if I had to carry back of the centerline (3 or 9 o'clock) I'd carry OWB because I haven't been able to carry IWB with any comfort.

    That said, I carry AIWB nearly all the time (unless I have to wear a suit or suit jacket) because, for me, AIWB is the most comfortable, concealable method. OWB is next, then IWB.
    " La rose est sans pourquoi, elle fleurit parce qu’elle fleurit ; Elle n’a souci d’elle-même, ne demande pas si on la voit. » Angelus Silesius
    "There are problems in this universe for which there are no answers." Paul Muad'dib

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