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Concealed Carry Discussion: Tips and Tricks

LAZY EYED SNIPER

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I've been doin a little experimenting lately with different holster types and different sized handguns. I've found that with the right holster, almost any handgun can be properly concealed. I used to think that light or summer carry meant being restricted to carrying sub-compact or micro-compact pistol. My everyday wardrobe when I'm on my own time almost always consists of shorts and a t-shirt. Also being that I'm 5' 8" and having a compact frame myself, I thought I was resigned to carrying handguns in the LCP or P380 size range. I've tried a few different holsters, belts, and handguns to find that with the right combination almost ANY handgun can be properly concealed with almost ANY style of dress. Even with my size I've found ways to properly conceal my full-sized 1911s, Beretta 92fs, and even my bulky Glock 21.

First and foremost is choosing a firearm that you're comfortable carrying and that's been proven at the range to be problem free. It must cycle through your chosen carry ammo without failures. I use a 500 failure-free round limit before I consider any of my handguns for concealed carry. For practical purposes and due to the expense, a lot of us use different practice ammo at the range than what we carry. However, it's extremely important to make sure your pistol functions flawlessly with the ammo you plan to carry for personal defense.

Next comes the holster. Finding the proper fit for your weapon is of utmost importance. Too tight, and you may find yourself playing tug-of-war with your belt when seconds count. Too loose and you might end up in an embarrassing situation, asking the person in the next bathroom stall to hand your pistol back to you after it fell out of your holster and slid across the floor. With larger pistols, the angle of carry and position of the holster on your belt is crucial to hiding the butt of the gun from sight. Carrying extra mags on your belt can sometimes be tricky as well. Finding the right mag holder/pouch is equally important.

In my opinion, a proper gun belt is one of the most underrated tools for concealed carry. Even the best holsters can be handicapped by an improperly fitted belt. One that is too narrow for the loops in a belt holster can allow an outward cant and expose the profile of your pistol. You'd be surprised what a belt that's actually designed for carrying weapons and gear will do for ease of concealment.

Your choice of clothing can be equally important for concealment. I'm not suggesting we all run around in 5.11 Tactical shorts and concealment shirts, but even the color of your clothing can make a huge difference in your pistol being properly concealed or being obvious to onlookers.


So, let's hear it everyone. What methods do you use? What belt, holster, equipment do you use for concealment? Do you carry extra mags? Does the size of the pistol matter? In what position does your holster sit on your belt? Do you carry a back-up pistol or knife? If so, how do your carry it? This thread should be a great place for those new to concealed carry to get some tips, tricks, and advice. I'm sure those of us who've been carrying for a while might even learn something from each other too.



Let the discussion begin...
 
I will soon be new to concealed carry, (i'll be goin for my ccw this summer) so I'm very interested in hearing what others are doing.

I plan to carry my 1911 govt. full size frame. I'm making my own belt and holster, but am relying on other proven designs from which I have patterned my holsters.
 
When it comes to my 1911s I always carry in condition one (locked and loaded) and prefer some sort of active retention but have never been a fan of straps. Here's my go-to rig of choice for my EDC Kimber Ultra CDP II.

Bianchi Carrylok on a 5.11 Tactical 1.75" Basketweave Leather Belt




It offers a great combination of an open top holster with a lever release that keeps my Kimber nice and secure. Unlike most other holsters of its kind, the release lever sits just behind the trigger guard and is designed to be operated with the middle finger. This placement allows your index finger to operate freely and align with the trigger while drawing your weapon. It's a very sturdy holster and when used with a purpose built gun belt the rig is as solid as they come. You can see in the photo that the fully loaded pistol stands straight up in the holster on its own. It comes in a variety of sizes and molds for 1911s, revolvers, and a variety of other pistols.
 
For most of the other CC pistols in my rotation I use a simple inside the waistband holster. I've had good experienc with Uncle Mike's. Great prices for a basic IWB and they come in a wide range of sizes.


Pictured below are two extremes in size between my Kahr P380 and my Glock 21...




I haven't had a pisol yet that they can't fit. These IWB holsters are extremely versatile and are very secure with the use of the proper fit for your pistol and a good belt. While great for compacts and sub-compacts, when worn at a forward angle on your belt, these IWBs can conceal the butt of much larger pistols. Wearing just shorts and a t-shirt, I can fully conceal the G21 in the holster pictured above. With its diminutive size, the P380 can ride easily in the waistband or even be clipped into the inside pocket of a jacket or sportcoat.
 
I use Uncle Mikes as well, I prefer the IWB style.
I'm fairly average size, 5'11" 170 and I usually wear t-shirts.
I carry a XD40 SC or p226 in my Uncle Mikes.
 
http://www.smartcarry.com/

I use the Smart Carry setup with my XD40sc. I really like it because you can use it with virtually any pants or shorts. The only downside is that your draw is slower and requires a great deal of practice to get used to.
 
Anybody carry extra mags?


I usually don't around town, but I always do when I'm goin on a long road trip.
 
With the smart carry I always have one extra mag with me even around town.
 
A few thoughts:

1. Based on personal experience, I prefer SD/carry pistols to be as simple, operationally, as possible. This means no manual safeties. I own pistols with manual safeties, but they are not for EDC.

2. Pooping ... my pistol always comes out of the holster. If the toilet has a tank with a flat lid, the pistol goes there (pointed in a safe direction). If the toilet has no tank, I place the pistol in the basket formed by my shorts and pants. Either way, it's out of sight and not going to fall out of the holster accidentally.

3. Holsters ... I've tried a lot of different holsters and have settled on the CrossBreed. They make several different styles. Some are larger and can easily carry a full-size handgun comfortably (with the appropriate gun belt). Others are smaller and work well for sub-compact-sized handguns.

4. Pocket Carry ... every once in a while, I'll carry in my right front pocket. Make sure you've practiced your draw before you do this. It works well with some pants/shorts and not so well for others. I use a simple Blackhawk generic holster.

5. Printing ... 99.9% of the population won't notice. If they notice, they'll think it's a cell phone. I like very lightweight shirts in the summer time like the loose-fitting Nike Dri-Fit, Under Armour Heat Gear, etc. The thin fabric tends to drape closely over whatever it covers. However, I've never been "busted" while carrying and wearing one of these shirts. Just act and dress normally - not like some Joe Tacticool - and no one will have a reason to give you a second look.

6. Drawing From Concealment ... three words: practice, practice, practice. Once you get your holster setup worked out, practice drawing while wearing the clothes you will normally wear. I usually do a couple practice draws when I "saddle up" for the day because each shirt is different and needs to be swept aside differently.

7. Multiple Weapons ... if you decide you want to have more than one weapon in your carry rotation, make sure they are all operationally similar. This ties in with #1 above. In the heat of a high-stress situation, you don't want to be trying to remember if you need to flick a manual safety or not.

8. Extra Magazines ... yes; at least one. The number one failure reason for semi-auto hanguns is magazine-related failures. I think I've posted a narrative from a guy who was involved in a SD shooting in a fast-food restaurant. I'm paraphrasing, but he said something to the effect that there was no better feeling in the world than when he was able to slap home his second magazine and continue to defend himself. It's not about capacity. It's about redundancy.
 
I really like this set up!!

LAZY EYED SNIPER said:
When it comes to my 1911s I always carry in condition one (locked and loaded) prefer some sort of active retention but have never been a fan of straps. Here's my go-to rig of choice for my EDC Kimber Ultra CDP II.

Bianchi Carrylok on a 5.11 Tactical 1.75" Basketweave Leather Belt




It offers a great combination of an open top holster with a lever release that keeps my Kimber nice and secure. Unlike most other holsters of its kind, the release lever sits just behind the trigger guard and is designed to be operated with the middle finger. This placement allows your index finger to operate freely and align with the trigger while drawing your weapon. It's a very sturdy holster and when used with a purpose built gun belt the rig is as solid as they come. You can see in the photo that the fully loaded pistol stands straight up in the holster on its own. It comes in a variety of sizes and molds for 1911s, revolvers, and a variety of other pistols.
 
It works VERY well for me. Couldn't be happier with the holster. I love the combination of the open top with the retention lever. The position of the lever allows for a very natural draw. I also holster my m1911 knife weak-side on that rig, but didn't put it on for the photo...
 
Don't know how I missed this thread but here is what I do in Phoenix, AZ. The heat drives many decisions around here, from activity, clothing, and also my CCW. My three options are (and I use all three based on my mood, where I'm going, the activity, what I'm wearing, etc...):

- M&P 9c in a Crossbreed Supertuck IWB holster - it's a 12+1 capacity and I'll many times (but not always) carry an extra 17+1 mag using the Xgrip extension and one of my fullsize M&P 9mm mags. I usually carry Gold Dot 124gr +P but I'm currently trying Federal HST 124gr +P ammo. I'll probably switch back to the GD but they both work well.

- S&W .357 640-1 in a Galco Kingtuk IWB holster (5 shot 2" barrel J-frame) - I always carry an extra 5 rounds. I use the Gold Dot 38spl 135gr +P Short Barrel ammo ... good stuff.

- Kahr CW9 in a Kholster Crescent IWB holster - this is a 7+1 capacity and I always carry an extra 7 round mag in the pocket. I use the same ammo that is in my M&P 9c.

My holsters are carried in the 4:00-5:00 area. They are all leather and kydex combo. If I'm carrying my M&P 9c or Kahr CW9 and I'll be sitting for a long period (i.e. movies), then I'll move it to 3:30 so that I'm not getting jabbed in the back with the grip. I'm almost always wearing my black 5.11 Tactical Trainer 1.5" belt. I got it at Cabela's for about $40 and it works very well with all of my shorts and jeans, which is what I normally wear when I'm not at work.

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I carry a few differant ways. Usually I'm wearing a Galco leather IWB. The only thing I don't like about it is the leather conditioner that they have on them. I'm a little anal about keeping my gun clean and I swear every week or so I'm cleaning that conditioner off my gun. Is it bad for the gun? Probably not, but it looks like there is something sticky all over it.

Other times I carry in one of my 5.11 holster shirts. It is essentialy a underarmor type shirt with pockets sewen in on either side to fit any full size or smaller pistol. I balance it out be keeping two mags on the opposite side. I can honestly say unless I'm running, I usually forget it's there.

I also have a Blackhawk Serpa II holster I use for open carry. I don't usually open carry unless I'm at work, but every now and then I will. Good thing about Iowa, they let you carry however you choose.

Actually, kinda funny side note. In Iowa you can open carry ANY weapon that it is legal for you to own. My wife was joking the other day about getting a samuri soward and carrying it across her back just to see the reactions on peoples faces. Long as she has a ccw she can legaly do it.
 
Sn3aKyGuY said:
Actually, kinda funny side note. In Iowa you can open carry ANY weapon that it is legal for you to own. My wife was joking the other day about getting a samuri soward and carrying it across her back just to see the reactions on peoples faces. Long as she has a ccw she can legaly do it.

We had a local fella that decided to test the boundaries of his open carry rights in a similar manner by carrying a loaded Draco AK 47 pistol into a busy local park hanging from a shoulder sling while wearing full camo. It didn't end well.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009 ... ed-let-go/

He subsequently lost his carry permit. His federal lawsuit against the state of TN was dismissed, then recently revived after the presiding judge reversed his own decision.

http://www.necn.com/02/22/11/Judge-revi ... 57ea9f1465

This guy was out asking for trouble. He has had three prior run-ins with the local PD for walking around his neighborhood with a black powder revolver in his hand. One can argue his motivations and political agenda, but in the end it only brings negative publicity and tarnishes public opinion of carry permit holders. TN does allow for open carry of any handgun, but I choose to ALWAYS carry concealed.
 
Again, this was just a good laugh we had. I'd never really condone anyone walking around armed for bear, ecspecially in a park. That's just pure stupidity. If I was on duty and saw that we'd at the very least be having some words. There is a time and place for that sort of stunt and around children or where children could be is neither of those. He's lucky an over zealous ccw holder didn't take him as a threat and put two or three clips in him.
 
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