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Thread: Determined to make AIWB work

  1. #11
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    Jun 2014
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    Quote Originally Posted by spinmove_ View Post
    I’m somewhat embarrassed to say that I haven’t put all THAT much effort into getting concealment of a larger gun to work better for me at this point than I currently have. I’m 5’8” and currently 230lbs so I have a bit of a “tactical shelf” in the front. Thanks to when I gained a lot of my weight earlier in my life (2000-2006) my pants probably sit lower than they should which also gives me a bit of a “tactical muffintop” around the love handles as well.

    I’ve asked around a little bit on what I could do and a lot of the advice I’ve gotten is “lose weight”, “buy pants that fit”, “buy a shitload of holsters and try everything out”, and “pull your pants up higher”. Losing weight is easier said than done. Having said that, I know how to lose weight as I’ve done it before going from 300lbs in 2006 to 200lbs in 2011. Buying a shitload of holsters is easy I guess, but expensive. Sometimes I can’t always drop $100 or more every paycheck just to try everything out. Buying pants that fit as well as pulling my pants up higher is the tricky part. If I pull my pants up higher they WILL NOT stay there as whenever I start moving in ANY direction (yes, including just walking forward) the pants will immediately start dropping down to where I typically wear my pants. If I buy pants that go up that high they won’t stay up. If I lose weight and give myself the extra room that way then my pants still won’t stay up. So I almost have to lose a ton of weight again in order to buy pants that’ll go up higher in order to reshape any shelf that I have. Maybe someone else has gone through this before and has some pointers that I haven’t heard before that’ll help.

    What I’m ultimately interested in though is finding some sort of holster that gives me the adjustment that I need until my weight comes down to where I need it to be (around 200lbs or less). I THINK at this point that adjustment is reverse cant. That would give me the ability to hide the gun at around 1:30-1:45 between my hip bone and centerline while keeping my pants where they currently are.

    The gun I’m trying to conceal right now is a G19, but am seriously tempted to move to a PX4C as I compete with a pair of 92s in USPSA and typically pocket carry a J-frame. I can get away with a G19 at around 3:00-3:30, but I have to wear something fairly big/loose in order for it to not print like a Heidelberg press. I’ve tried a G17 JMCK 2.5 wing claw. It doesn’t appear to have the reverse cant option and going centerline I’d need a wedge the size of a shoebox to keep it from rolling out. I can kind do a 92 at 12:30 with a JMCK 2.0, but I need to have my pants above the navel in order to do that. Sitting down it looks like I’ve got a 2x4 that’s trying to kiss my nipple.

    I’m just looking for some help from someone who might have similar experiences. If I literally MUST buy every single holster just to find something that works, then I’ll do it, but that sucks complete ass and it’s no wonder why the market at large wants slim guns that disappear under tight fitting T-shirts. Sorry for the frustrated rant and thank you in advance for any help anyone can provide.
    I'm your height and was almost exactly the same weight when I transitioned to AIWB years ago. Initially what I found to work for me was using holsters with a single PTD loop to let the gun angle back a bit. I dumped a lot of weight shortly afterwards and moved to other options, but the single point attachment setup worked to get me into AIWB sooner than I would have otherwise.

    Presently if I were looking at solving the same issue I would buy either an Enigma or a MMT Specialist Covert as previously suggested and then holster choice becomes way less of a factor. I say that as someone who owns and likes both.

    And pushups. Do all the pushups. As your stomach gets smaller and your chest gets bigger you'll find it easier to conceal whatever you want.

  2. #12
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    Have you tried suspenders to keep the pants from sliding down? That + an enigma, smartcarry, or Mastermind Covert belt should get you concealed and keep you comfortable most enough while you work on the weight control.

  3. #13
    Wood burnin' Curmudgeon CSW's Avatar
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    A year ago, I was your same weight, and I am the same height as you.
    Diabetes made me really start to manage my life, and especially the weight.
    Today I am 190-195, BUT, this was my experience when I carried a bit more.
    IWB didn't work for me, in fact it gave me terrible sciatica... That's why I went to aiwb.
    KSG Armory holsters is where I started with appendix, with a P99.
    From there, the m&p2.0, and for the last year and a half, a 1911 commander.
    The belt I use is the Mastermind Tactics Specialist. It is thinner than your 5 stitch, and more flexibility, and lighter. It is still rigid enough for aiwb.

    My holster, for the last year has been a Tenicor Certum 3, for the 1911.
    This combo has made appendix so absolutely effective and effortless that it's nuts.

    I was in the same camp with the Wilderness belt, but the Mastermind is so much better;
    It eliminated the weight of the 5 stitch, the big repelling buckle that we'll never really need, and the bulk.

    I'm not trying to sound like a salesman for them, but for less than 40 bucks, try the Specialist.
    The Tenicor does away with the wing, but instead uses a camming bar. It then has a smaller footprint, and less bulk. You can choose from several attachments to the belt.
    They offer the holster for the G19.

    Watching this thread.
    Good luck with your experiment.
    "... And miles to go before I sleep".

  4. #14
    Member
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    Oct 2015
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    Rochester Hills, MI
    Wow, a lot to unpack here. Thank you, guys.

    Tenicor and MMT belts. I’ll look into those and see if I can give them a shot. My Wilderness Tactical I’ve had for a few years now is starting to get a little frayed, but it’s in good enough condition still I’ll see what the MMT belt can do for me.

    JMCK 2.5 and PTD loops. This is a combo I haven’t yet tried, so I’ll have to look into this as well.

    Pushups. Yup, I’ve actually gotten a gym membership with the wife and I’ve gone from 245lbs at the start of the year down to about 230lbs now. I was lower than that earlier, but recent stressors and poor eating have seen me rebound a bit. Now that I’m in a new job and Thanksgiving is over with, I can get back on the straight and narrow.

    Let me see what I can do and hopefully I’ll have some good results.

  5. #15
    Site Supporter MGW's Avatar
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    Hopefully @orionz06 will chime in. He probably has some ideas for you. He is unlikely to plug his own stuff but his DSG holsters maybe what you need. Lots of tuck and adjustability. You might also consider a longer holster. It doesn’t work for everyone but I 34 length holster works the best for me. But I have the opposite body shape issue that you do.

    Also, consider a belt the is more flexible horizontally.
    “If you know the way broadly you will see it in everything." - Miyamoto Musashi

  6. #16
    @spinmove_ I enjoy sharing PF with you and I'd like to contribute a little motivation to your AIWB journey. I am still a huge AIWB fan, but my body has conspired against me and about 2hrs of AIWB is all I can stand, especially sitting at my damn desk that I'm electronically chained to 60hrs a week. So it's the JM IWB#3 life for me for the last 2yrs.

    Anyway, I've got a couple different spare AIWB rigs that I got from PF'ers over the years and I'd like to gift you one of them for Christmas. The grey is a G17 length Dark Star Gear, the black is an older, G19 length Master Mind Tactics. The DSG has a ton of holes for various ways to set ride height and cant, the MM would probably be better suited to trying the single PTD method mentioned earlier.

    I've never used the MMT wedge in the pic and I'll include it with either holster. I think you're supposed to trim it to your preference, but I could be totally off on that. Consider trying one of MMT's Appendix Carry Pillows, you're going to be on the site anyway ordering a belt. I like the black teardrop style too, but I can't remember who makes those.

    PM me an address and I'll do my best to get it shipped over the weekend.

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  7. #17
    I was ~210-220 some years ago but I'm sitting at 165 today. 5'10".

    As I lost weight I shifted from 2:00 to 12:00 in my AIWB position. The type of holster I used also changed.

    When I was 200+ the best holster for me was the original JM Custom AIWB.

  8. #18
    Wood burnin' Curmudgeon CSW's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gun Mutt View Post
    @spinmove_ I enjoy sharing PF with you and I'd like to contribute a little motivation to your AIWB journey. I am still a huge AIWB fan, but my body has conspired against me and about 2hrs of AIWB is all I can stand, especially sitting at my damn desk that I'm electronically chained to 60hrs a week. So it's the JM IWB#3 life for me for the last 2yrs.

    Anyway, I've got a couple different spare AIWB rigs that I got from PF'ers over the years and I'd like to gift you one of them for Christmas. The grey is a G17 length Dark Star Gear, the black is an older, G19 length Master Mind Tactics. The DSG has a ton of holes for various ways to set ride height and cant, the MM would probably be better suited to trying the single PTD method mentioned earlier.

    I've never used the MMT wedge in the pic and I'll include it with either holster. I think you're supposed to trim it to your preference, but I could be totally off on that. Consider trying one of MMT's Appendix Carry Pillows, you're going to be on the site anyway ordering a belt. I like the black teardrop style too, but I can't remember who makes those.

    PM me an address and I'll do my best to get it shipped over the weekend.

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    Nice!

    MM's appendix pillows rock.
    Makes a 100 % difference in comfort
    "... And miles to go before I sleep".

  9. #19
    Supporting Business NH Shooter's Avatar
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    Sep 2014
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    New Hampshire, U.S.A.
    Quote Originally Posted by Gun Mutt View Post
    I am still a huge AIWB fan, but my body has conspired against me and about 2hrs of AIWB is all I can stand, especially sitting at my damn desk that I'm electronically chained to 60hrs a week. So it's the JM IWB#3 life for me for the last 2yrs.
    Yes, me too for the last 10+ years: a PPS M1 in a JMCK #3 on a Wilderness Instructor rides with me all day. It's in no way uncomfortable and having become so accustomed to and practiced with this setup, I really have no incentive to change. FWIW, with less comfort I can AIWB carry as long as I don't have to spend a lot of time sitting. For this reason I've never embraced AIWB carry for anything beyond some occasional experimentation.

    For reference I'm 5'8", 195ish lbs., 36" waist.

  10. #20
    I am curious why you are so determined to make AIWB work. There are so many other ways to carry.

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