How do you carry concealed?

amywilkerson

amywilkerson

Joined
Nov 18, 2001
Messages
348
I'd like to know how other forumites carry their handgun of choice concealed. I'm thinking about going with a holster that rides in the center of my lower back. Given my lifestyle and the clothes I wear this would seem to be a good choice for me. But I'm looking for other options too. Pictures would be good too if you have any.
 
I concur shane.. AMY leave SOB for "magnum".. you get yourself a IWB you will have a quicker response time grabbing it and putting rounds on target! Good luck!
 
Don't worry, Jason, I won't carry concealed illegally. I'm not stupid. I am, however, very optimistic that Ohio's ban on concealed carry will soon be declared unconstitutional or that a permit system will be put into place. I'm merely planning ahead, which is something I do a lot!
 
Amy

Forgot who makes them...saw it in a magazine, but they make some purses that have a special pouch for a handgun. Rapid access, just stuff your hand in there and pull out your HG.

I agree with the other guys about IWB. Once you get used to it, you hardly know it's there.
 
I'm against the idea of a purse for 2 reasons: I hate purses, (I carry a wallet on a string basically) and they can be stolen. I would much rather have the pistol I spent nearly $1000 on on my body. Know what I mean? :)
 
Amy, I had no worries. I was not implying anything about your intelligence (you asked an intelligent question). I was merely stating that you needed to be carefull. As adults we make decisions that we have to live by. Always plan ahead!!
 
Sorry if you thought I was being sarcastic, I certainly didn't intend to come off that way. It would be nice if we could hear each other's tone of voice in the forums, that would certainly prevent a lot of misinterpretations.

I see you are a fellow Ohioan...what do you think will happen with Ohio's gun laws? I am very optimistic, especially after Ashcroft's opinion that came out earlier this week on the 2nd Amendment. Not to mention the Hamilton Co. case that is still pending. As I see it, what other choice does the Ohio Supreme Court have? Or am I being naive?
 
Amy,

When the time comes, get yourself a Blade-Tech IWB holster. Those are among the very best (kydex), and the company name DOES have the word "blade" in it, so they can't be all that bad, 'eh?.:).
 
Small Of Back (SOB) carry can end up being very dangerous, if you are attacked. Fall backwards with a chunk of steel secured right against your spine, and you might end up with some very significant bone damage.

In WaistBand (IWB) carry works for some, but others (such as myself) can't stand it. In any case, plan on buying extra pants, as the gun will add some extra length to your waist.

Personally, I find a belt holster to work the best for me. If the gun is positioned at a medium height, a vest or shirt will drape over it, concealing it from most observation.

I'd suggest talking to Matt DelFatti. I'm about to place an order with him, and I've heard nothing bad about his work. All his holsters are custom-made (the pieces on his website are examples). He insists on discussing your particular needs (based on how you dress, the shape of your body, the particulars of that handgun, etc.) with you before he will take an order. The prices aren't cheap, but I think a $1000 gun deserves a $100 holster:)

Before ordering anything, you may want to see if you can try out various production holsters at a local gunstore. It will give you an idea of what is comfortable or uncomfortable for you, personally. (and that goes double for IWB holsters, since they tend to be a 'love it or leave it' kind of thing)

A belt pouch holster (looks like a 'fanny pack', but with a hidden compartment for the gun) can also be a good thing to have, for when you cannot wear a covering garment (eg, hot weather), and can't be stolen from you easily, unlike a purse.

A shoulder holster might also be something to look in-to. They are not as good as a belt holster or IWB holster, when it comes to controlling and quickly-accessing your gun, but some people end up finding that, because of their body shape and mode of dress, it is their only viable option.

Side note: carrying a gun in a purse or briefcase is on my short list of 'very bad things'. If you carry a firearm, it is your responsibility to make certain that it is under your control at all times. Storing it in a purse or briefcase does not provide the necessary level of control. The last thing you, as an armed citizen, want is for a criminal to snatch your purse/briefcase, leaving you unarmed, and giving him a nice suprise to help him in his criminal escapades.

--JB
 
Here's how I carry mine.

SOBINSET.jpg
 
Michael, that's exactly what I had in mind for me. How long did it take you to get used to it? Do you ever worry about shootin' your left cheek off? :D
 
I absolutely LOVE it. Extremely comfortable, even with my 1.25" Galco SB9.

I'd probably recommend 1.5" or 1.75" belt though. I've got a 1.5" Wilderness Instructors belt on order.

Too me no time to get used to. Feels great -- in fact I feel naked without it now.

Mike
 
e_utopia took the words right out of my mouth. Avoid any position that could injure you if you slipped or that slows your draw by even the least little bit. The purpose of carrying a handgun is to help ensure your survival and unexpected attacks are what you're preparing yourself for.

Regardless of IWB or outside, carry on the strong side and practice drawing and presenting at least 1,000 times. I carry both and off body depending upon conditions. My .45 goes into a custom kydex paddle holster right at the 3:30 position or into a planner holster when off body. If neither of these work a small 9mm goes IWB at 1:00 under my bloused shirt.
 
well its hard to carry all the time, and conceal the gun too - i carry a glock 33 now, the baby glock, i carry IWB in a galco IWB holster w/a wilderness tactical belt, the belt is almost as important as the holster imho, get a good 1 designed for guns - of course ya can always carry a kel tek P32 in your front pocket, too - an excellent little gun imho, over 400 rounds through mine (ball,silvertip,glaser,magtech) with no jams!!!!!

honestly the most comfortable way to carry a fairly large hangun (ie gock 23/23/19) is a belly bag holster, not the fastest for sure, but the most comfy

a velcro belly band works well too, but again, slow to draw

ankle holster is ok too, but, again, slow to draw unless ya are driving a car, then ya can access fast when seated

good luck,


sifu
 
SOB holsters as mentioned by others is very bad for two reasons.
1) If you fall down backwards, it will be awhile till you get up.
2) Hard to maintain control if someone attempts to grab the gun.
 
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