Questions/opinions and advice on getting back into concealed carry

[BillSWPA]

As others noted, selecting clothing to fit around the gun is critical, as is a good quality belt. My favorite belts are the Beltman cowhide belts, which I have in the 1 1/4 inch width in black and brown. I like the 3/4 inch hole spacing. The precision of the fit is as critical as the rigidity of the belt for good comfort and good concealment.

If I expect to sweat, and am using a closed front concealment garment, I will use a Wilderness Frequent Flyer or a Maxpedition Liger. I added extra holes to the pre-existing holes of the Liger, giving me 1/2 inch hole spacing. Use a heavy duty punch for this - the material is so strong that I completely destroyed the punch I used in the process.

I saw ankle holsters mentioned. They are a poor choice for getting into and out of vehicles - which you will likely do in places where it would be best that the gun remain hidden. Even the best ones are uncomfortable all day, every day. My current favorite is the Galco Ankle Lite or Ankle Glove. C. Rusty Sherrick also makes a good ankle holster.

What has worked for me is a Kydex IWB holster carried at about 3:30 on the belt. You have numerous good options. It will hide under a jacket, untucked polo shirt, sweater, etc. For summer business casual carry, I use an Aholster pocket holster.

If you do use a shoulder holster, use one with a figure-8 harness and spare magazine pouch on the off side. This will keep the pressure of the back of your neck. Adjust the shoulder straps tightly enough so that gun doesn't flop around, but not so tight that they pull the gun outward. This avoids the need for belt tie downs, which tend to pull the gun in weird ways as you move.

[corneileous]

Well, today’s my first day on the job with my new carhart ripstop pants that have the cargo pockets on the side of the thigh.

https://www.carhartt.com/products/ca...stop-Pant-B342

They’re pretty comfortable and I like how the little Ruger rides in the right side pocket when I’m seated and how it still makes for considerably easy draw but already I’m not so much of a fan at all of having that side pocket beat and flop around on the side of my leg when I walk. Guess there probably isn’t a solution to that, is there?

But at least I will say though, since the top front hip pocket is actually a little deeper and a little bit wider than the front pockets on my other pairs of blue jeans, I can actually pocket carry this little pistol even with the 9-round magazine loaded into it pretty comfortably like I can in my cargo shorts. But yeah… I know, having it in that front pocket like that will make it pretty much impossible to draw from when I’m sitting down.

Guess I’ll just have to keep giving it a try for the rest of the day just see how it goes, or I may just try to find a way to put up with it because I still think it’s still a wonderful idea and pretty much the only option without open carrying and not having a holster stuffed down on the inside of my pants.

I kinda wish I would’ve brought my little pancake holster with me I told y’all about but I left it at home. Lol. I forgot that the few of these Old Navy dry-fit shirts I have were pretty long. A lot lot longer than the Russel shirts I buy at Walmart and even the Adidas shirts I buy at Sams.

The saga continues...[emoji41]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[JAH 3rd]

I pocket carry the above mentioned revolver in an Uncle Mike's size 3 inside the pocket holster. For me, it works. Secures the PD and the holster stays in the pocket when drawing the revolver from the pocket. I have a Ruger LCP, so I bought the size 2 of the same style U/M pocket holster. It did not work for me. The holster was fine. The LCP doesn't have much to grab a hold to when drawing from the holster. The lack of grip area, even compared to the PD, caused me not to carry the LCP.

[corneileous]

I pocket carry the above mentioned revolver in an Uncle Mike's size 3 inside the pocket holster. For me, it works. Secures the PD and the holster stays in the pocket when drawing the revolver from the pocket. I have a Ruger LCP, so I bought the size 2 of the same style U/M pocket holster. It did not work for me. The holster was fine. The LCP doesn't have much to grab a hold to when drawing from the holster. The lack of grip area, even compared to the PD, caused me not to carry the LCP.

When I was shopping around for a concealed carry pistol, I looked at that little Ruger LCP, even that little Sig Sauer 380 that I can’t remember the name of but for me with big hands, the handgrips on those are just way too small. But yeah, even when I pocket carry my little 22 mag revolver, the different hand grip that I put on it makes it pretty easy to pull out of that holster from the pocket.

Are you seated at all most of the day?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[JAH 3rd]

Seated probably 70% of the day. No problem with U/M size 3 holster when seated or standing. Having said that, how deep your pants pockets are play a part in securing the holster in the pants. I prefer pockets deep enough fully conceal the grip. But I do have pants where the grip is just barely below the pocket but the revolver still stays secure. You could experiment with pants and pockets to see which function best and gives you peace of mind when carrying concealed. I think we sometimes focus just on the holster and not the garment it will be concealed in............

[corneileous]

If it wasn’t just so hard to draw from a pocket while you’re seated. I mean granted, there’s really not that much of a problem with me having to access my pistol when it’s in that pocket while I’m driving this truck down the road but my only concern was that if I was ever in a traffic jam or sitting on the side of the road broke down or something and somebody approached me from the side of the truck that being able to pull my pistol out in a timely manner to shoot through the door if I had to, that’s where I would struggle getting my pistol out.

But like I said earlier in the discussion, if I have to resort to just buying pants with bigger front pockets that will still conceal pocket carry pretty comfortable, I’ll just have to figure out some kind of a holster that I could put in this truck that’ll work about like the console holster that I put my pickup just for while I’m in the truck.

And well, how ever I guess a longer shirt tail will conceal over my high-rise pancake holster.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[corneileous]

Just thought I’d update the thread to report that I’ve been carrying my full-size 40 PX4 in my Mod 5 leather pancake holster with thumb break for a few days now.

The belt I’ve been using is the one I’ve always used, which is one I got from CrossBreed. I bought some longer tshirts that cover the gun well, but I still have a little bit of printing which I’m no too terribly concerned with since I don’t think Oklahoma cares like other states do about committing to either or as far as open or concealed carry.

The reason I never tried this sooner was because I was always worried about printing. That’s why I resorted to pocket carry.

I’ve got what I think is a fairly nice custom kydex pancake holster on its way for use with the new XDE 45 I bought and if it works out better than this leather holster does with the Storm, I might get another one to use with the little compact PX4 I have for when I’m at work. I’ll still continue to use my new DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster with the new Springfield for summer carry in my dress shorts because it just works. Or I may just keep that as an “every once in a while” option if the new kydex holster works that well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[vcdgrips]

Thanks for the update. I think you will find that owb on the beltline presuming a proper holster and belt combo will get you where you want to go. As you observed re printing, concealed means concealed, it does mean invisible to the trained eye at 1 meter.

Re the platforms you mentioned-while I suspect both are accurate and reliable enough for ccw use, I would note the manual safety orientations are completely different. You may want to consider selecting your EDC platform and holster, thereby solving the hardware problem so you can free your mind to solve the software ones re presentation, manipulation, accuracy and speed.

FWIW

[corneileous]

Thanks for the update. I think you will find that owb on the beltline presuming a proper holster and belt combo will get you where you want to go. As you observed re printing, concealed means concealed, it does mean invisible to the trained eye at 1 meter.

Re the platforms you mentioned-while I suspect both are accurate and reliable enough for ccw use, I would note the manual safety orientations are completely different. You may want to consider selecting your EDC platform and holster, thereby solving the hardware problem so you can free your mind to solve the software ones re presentation, manipulation, accuracy and speed.

FWIW

It’s worth a lot. I think a lot of my printing is just still from plain ole T-shirt’s, even though I did find some under armor shirts in a 3x that were extra tall, that don’t fit me like a bed sheet. Lol. Depending on how well the little Springfield conceals when I get that new holster in, I’ll probably still end up trying the route with the looser-fitting button-up shirts that was previously recommended but like I said, since the law doesn’t care here, I’m not too terribly concerned about printing.

But you’re right, I can see the importance of going with one handgun and sticking with it but isn’t it safe to say that even though the safeties- that is if my PX4’s were still F’s- aren’t in the same location and don’t work in the same direction that, since I don’t even use the safeties that this would be an understandable exception? The storms have no safety and even when I’m at the range, or even when the XDE sleeps on the nightstand at night, the safety on it never gets used. I know this may sound silly but I try to treat it like it doesn’t even have a safety.

Hopefully this doesn’t sound as though I’m arguing but to be perfectly honest with you, if I already had a decent OWB holster that would work for this gun, I’d have it strapped to my belt instead of my PX4.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[vcdgrips]

I have no frame of reference with the Springfield safety other than I know it goes down to the fire position. I would also ponder why carry a gun with a safety if you are not going to use said safety.

What I do have a frame of reference is the m9 style slide safety that is also on the PX4. I know from training those involved in the carrying/use of the M9 etc that the safety has to be flipped up to the fire position. I know that over several classes, shooters thought their gun was off safe when in fact it was not because Murphy is always in play. I know that vigorous slide manipulation can put that safety into the non fire position such that one must train in a manner that presumes such safety is in such a position and work that into every presentation/manipulation.

To Recap-IMHO for you based on your posts to date

1. A gun with sights you can see and a trigger you can manage
2. Carried in a OWB quality holster mated to a quality belt
3. Concealed by the wicking garments previously discussed
4. Practiced with on a consistent and regular basis such that manipulation and presentation from your carry system are second nature.


Having said all of that I am at a loss why you do not buy a gen 5 Glock 19 (given the massive advantage this system has re support, gear etc.) with the Gadget/Striker Control Device, a quality in stock/quik ship kydex/injection molded holster from any number of makers, 1000 rounds of ammo and take a class where you can work out much this under the watchful eye of an instructor. You will know after a couple of days what really works and does not, particularly under less than ideal conditions, i.e. time constraints, target size limitations, the stress of "competition" within the class re drills etc. It might be even more informative for you to take the class with what you have right now and then you would REALLY know if what you have will really work for you.