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Avoid Being a Target — Is Your Pistol Truly Concealed?

Agreed, good post. One of the things I was trained on with some overseas work is sew fishing weights into the front corners of you over-shirt or jacket so it stayed in place but gave some weight if you needed to peel it back quickly to get it out of the way. I always preferred a fabric OTB holster with a cant that avoided printing and near the center of the back but towards the draw side. It was reasonably comfortable when sitting in the office.
 
66JAG said:
Agreed, good post. One of the things I was trained on with some overseas work is sew fishing weights into the front corners of you over-shirt or jacket so it stayed in place but gave some weight if you needed to peel it back quickly to get it out of the way. I always preferred a fabric OTB holster with a cant that avoided printing and near the center of the back but towards the draw side. It was reasonably comfortable when sitting in the office.
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Wouldn't be very comfortable if somebody knocked you on your ass though
 
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Maybe it's me but I can see the Bulge.

But I was also looking for it. If I walked past this guy in Walmart I don't know if I would even pay any attention to him.

I think the biggest mistake that people make is thinking nobody's paying attention anyway. Most people aren't but I promise you some people are.

Tl/DR: just because you think nobody's paying attention to you does not mean that nobody's paying attention to you.

I had this thing that I used to do at work And It's kind of weird because I don't remember what it was.

Whatever it was I wasn't supposed to be doing it and I didn't think that anybody knew about it.

So, I had a co-worker who would not do his Patrols. And it was obvious that he wasn't doing his Patrols.

Now companies just use geotags and they know whether or not you're doing your patrols but back then every once in awhile the Field Supervisor would stop at the site shift and hang a sign on the fence.

On the sign was written "This sign is a test. As soon as you find it call security control and tell them where and when you found it."

The field supervisor put four or five of those signs up and the guy never found one of them.

I was his supervisor I had to write him up for it. So I'm right in the middle of this counseling session where I'm writing him up and he looks at me and he says "What about that thing that you do (that you didn't think anybody knew about) all the time you're not supposed to be doing that either.

I ended up telling him that whatever it was that I was doing didn't affect anybody off site but him not doing his patrols the chain of command was aware of and I didn't have a choice, I had to write him up for it.

The whole point of this long drawn-out story is just because you think nobody's paying attention to you does not mean that nobody's paying attention to you.
 
I did not save the world nor did I do feats of derring-do and had a leg holster when wearing the IBA since you really could not get to it. The fun part is you had your rig and long gun while going on a Herc, but had to put you pocket knife in your ruck.
 
Getting old (75) and hip wear (in or out) hurts. The appendix carry makes me nervous like the author points out, as does the forward rake as when one sits down. The direction the muzzle points to is sensitive. I just don't like the pistol pointing at me or anyone else. I try to use a shoulder holster whenever the weather permits. I can carry my Browning HP or Colt 1911 if desired. If I cannot use the shoulder holster, I use a Galco OWB FBI cant holster with a Sig Sauer P239 .357 or Sig Sauer 1911 Ultra Compact .45. I tried cross draw with them, but concealment is not near what the strong side offers. Crossdraw is more comfortable sitting, and I have trained myself to draw the gun without "sweeping".

None of the above work when the weather is 75 and above. Anyone walking around or in a store with a loose fitting shirt attracts some attention, but I have the saving grace that open carry is still legal in my state, and I don't expose myself in situations frequented by skells.

I am not former LEO or military, and carry the gun as a last resort. If I have to do a "fast draw", it is not going to be fast, but I will have the means to defend myself, and that is all I can expect.
 
This is my chance to let people dogpile me for my uneducated AIWB opinion. I'll preface my remarks with the admission that there may be AIWB holsters out there that are simply magical and disappear, even when the wearer is carrying a Springfield Echelon with a light and optic mounted, and a 2-mag sidecar. If they exist, feel free to point them out, because I want to keep an open mind.

However, my assertion is that AIWB carry works great - IF your chest extends past your midsection. For many, if not all, of the male and female firearm "influencers" we see in videos and social media posts, this isn't a problem and their well-defined chests and tight tummies are tailor-made for AIWB carry... apparently.

For the rest of us, not so much.

I've carried strong-side hip (4 o'clock?) pretty much since I started this journey 6-7 years ago. I'm getting along in years and have arthritis in the 3 lower vertebrae of my back, but it works for me, at least with my Springfield XD Mod.2 subcompact. Most of the time I have no discomfort, even while driving. This setup conceals pretty well under a button-down, untucked shirt. I can even get away with it for a quick store run with a loose t-shirt too, should the need arise.

Can I draw, present, and get rounds on target as fast as John Lovell or many other professionals. No, sir. But I do okay, and practice clearing my garment and drawing from concealment at least 3-4 times every day. And, unlike some secret service agents, I can reholster smoothly (and safely) without looking.

Based on all of that, I won't be dropping a c-note (or more) on an AIWB rig anytime soon, but like I said, if someone knows one that's extra special and will conceal well even for those of us with a bit of a spare tire on a less than 6' frame, send it!
 
My $0.02 on the subject is muscle memory. The longer you carry the better it gets (or worse, depending on perspective). I wore and still wear a pistol on my hip, currently a Hellcat. I tried messing with that formula and I soon realized that no matter how I wore my pistol or where I rigged it (shoulder or mid thigh) my hand would always instinctively go toward the hip. With the exclusion of those experiments, I kept my weapon always in the same position. I can’t imagine reacting under stress and losing time and maybe worse because you had to thick where your weapon was located
 
Mr. Untactical said:
This is my chance to let people dogpile me for my uneducated AIWB opinion. I'll preface my remarks with the admission that there may be AIWB holsters out there that are simply magical and disappear, even when the wearer is carrying a Springfield Echelon with a light and optic mounted, and a 2-mag sidecar. If they exist, feel free to point them out, because I want to keep an open mind.

However, my assertion is that AIWB carry works great - IF your chest extends past your midsection. For many, if not all, of the male and female firearm "influencers" we see in videos and social media posts, this isn't a problem and their well-defined chests and tight tummies are tailor-made for AIWB carry... apparently.

For the rest of us, not so much.

I've carried strong-side hip (4 o'clock?) pretty much since I started this journey 6-7 years ago. I'm getting along in years and have arthritis in the 3 lower vertebrae of my back, but it works for me, at least with my Springfield XD Mod.2 subcompact. Most of the time I have no discomfort, even while driving. This setup conceals pretty well under a button-down, untucked shirt. I can even get away with it for a quick store run with a loose t-shirt too, should the need arise.

Can I draw, present, and get rounds on target as fast as John Lovell or many other professionals. No, sir. But I do okay, and practice clearing my garment and drawing from concealment at least 3-4 times every day. And, unlike some secret service agents, I can reholster smoothly (and safely) without looking.

Based on all of that, I won't be dropping a c-note (or more) on an AIWB rig anytime soon, but like I said, if someone knows one that's extra special and will conceal well even for those of us with a bit of a spare tire on a less than 6' frame, send it!
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Bobber said:
My $0.02 on the subject is muscle memory. The longer you carry the better it gets (or worse, depending on perspective). I wore and still wear a pistol on my hip, currently a Hellcat. I tried messing with that formula and I soon realized that no matter how I wore my pistol or where I rigged it (shoulder or mid thigh) my hand would always instinctively go toward the hip. With the exclusion of those experiments, I kept my weapon always in the same position. I can’t imagine reacting under stress and losing time and maybe worse because you had to thick where your weapon was located
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I get this. My IWB concealed holster gets far more reps than my "battle belt" set up for training with the XDM Elite Tactical platform. I have to look that into the holster but my EDC I can holster in the dark without looking and it's second nature.
 
Lab Us said:
jxtactical.com

Fat Guy Holster®

Find premium tactical holsters and gear, designed for durability, comfort, and reliability. Ideal for law enforcement and tactical enthusiasts alike.
jxtactical.com jxtactical.com
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Thanks - I just need to figure out what the heck a mono block + ulticlip would get me... and if that would be the way to go. I will definitely keep this in mind for my next carry gun. The jury is still out on whether it will be the new Mod.3, Walther PDP-F, or the Echelon - and I'd love to be able to EDC the Echelon, but it's definitely a size upgrade from my XD Mod.2 subcompact.
 
Appraiser REALTOR said:
A good article. I wish one of these articles would give some advice and/or options for those of us that are a bit heavyset (fat) other than just loose weight. I've tried several types of concealed carry over the past 15+ years and still have not found anything that is truly comfortable.
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as someone who is also a fat bastard i wear loose slightly oversized shirts, this and the big belly actually cause the shirt to slightly balloon out from my body enough that it helps hide mine. i use a fobus or SA polymer holster (depending on which gun i have on, either my xdm 10mm full size or my SA double stack ultra compact, officer size - 13 rounds in .45 total on the SA, its like a para ordnance double stacker 12-.45 with one in the chamber) and have it just forward of my hip so the muzzle is at my front pocket, never prints. in winter i just put in my jacket pocket, i wear a carhartt jacket and the pockets are plenty big enough for the SA. also, i carry OWB, works best for me comfort wise.
 
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i have found that the best for me is OWB with either fobus or SA polymer holsters. im overweight, wear slightly oversized loose shirts and carry either my xdm-10mm full size (15+1) or my SA ultra compact (officer size) double stack (think para ordnance style) (12+1 in .45) normally, sometimes even drop down to my para ordnance p-10 (10+1 in .45). in winter both the .45's fit in the pocket of my carhartt jacket. also, wife just bought me a new leather jacket, biker style as we both used to ride, it actually has handgun pockets on the inside, designed and made specifically for them. been carrying since the 80's. so far my state doesnt have mag capacity laws, gonna hate if they ever change that, have to move then.
 
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