Already there brother. Old jean company company had thin/narrow and only a few belt loops. the Duluth have more loops and MUCH wider.
Big guy looking for concealed carry options
- Thread starter Thrun
- Start date
Good luck, Thrun, and welcome to the forum.
I usually don’t fit in with the crowd very well, and with guns and carrying, that pretty much continues. I know you are attracted to the Hellcat, and based on what I have read, it is a great gun. However, for me personally, I have no use for any striker fired pistol. I carry either a double action only revolver in a Mika holster in my front right pocket, or a single action/double action semi-auto in an appendix inside the waistband (aka AIWB) holster from Crossbreed. Neither has a manual safety, but the longer/stiffer trigger pull for all shots with the S&W model 642 or the double action first shot of the semi-auto is my safety. I feel like with a modicum of conscienceness, either is perfectly safe for me. If you study actual “private citizen” self defense shootings, most are finished either before a shot is fired or within 3 shots if shooting is necessary. So for me, a five shot revolver is okay 95% or more of the time carried around in my pocket and is among the most convenient and unobtrusive way to carry. Just drop it in my pocket when I am also dropping my wallet and keys in other pockets and walk out the door. I like simple. When I am also responsible for protecting other people AND myself at church, I feel I may need more ammo on board and carry a semi-auto AIWB. I use my thumb on the hammer when holstering the semi-auto to be sure I don’t have an accidental discharge. I also carry the semi-auto other times depending on my mood and circumstances. Nothing is 100% fail safe I guess, but these are mr preferences.
I know this is a long post and apologize. I wanted to maybe explain my thinking a little more than I usually do since you are new to concealed carry and are soliciting advice. Good luck in your search for the perfect solution FOR YOU. I subscribe to Keith Graves’ Christian Warrior You Tube channel, and he always ends with “Remember your ABC’s. Always Be Carrying.”
I usually don’t fit in with the crowd very well, and with guns and carrying, that pretty much continues. I know you are attracted to the Hellcat, and based on what I have read, it is a great gun. However, for me personally, I have no use for any striker fired pistol. I carry either a double action only revolver in a Mika holster in my front right pocket, or a single action/double action semi-auto in an appendix inside the waistband (aka AIWB) holster from Crossbreed. Neither has a manual safety, but the longer/stiffer trigger pull for all shots with the S&W model 642 or the double action first shot of the semi-auto is my safety. I feel like with a modicum of conscienceness, either is perfectly safe for me. If you study actual “private citizen” self defense shootings, most are finished either before a shot is fired or within 3 shots if shooting is necessary. So for me, a five shot revolver is okay 95% or more of the time carried around in my pocket and is among the most convenient and unobtrusive way to carry. Just drop it in my pocket when I am also dropping my wallet and keys in other pockets and walk out the door. I like simple. When I am also responsible for protecting other people AND myself at church, I feel I may need more ammo on board and carry a semi-auto AIWB. I use my thumb on the hammer when holstering the semi-auto to be sure I don’t have an accidental discharge. I also carry the semi-auto other times depending on my mood and circumstances. Nothing is 100% fail safe I guess, but these are mr preferences.
I know this is a long post and apologize. I wanted to maybe explain my thinking a little more than I usually do since you are new to concealed carry and are soliciting advice. Good luck in your search for the perfect solution FOR YOU. I subscribe to Keith Graves’ Christian Warrior You Tube channel, and he always ends with “Remember your ABC’s. Always Be Carrying.”
Frank Mika was in my LAPD Academy class, sadly he passes away in 2010, from cancer. Read his obit.
Also, I had earlier mentioned using a shoulder holster. One advantage is that a good one has tie downs on each side, making them similar to suspenders in keeping your trousers up, a common problem with us who are more gut than butt!
Dang, you’re a big dude and you can carry a bunch of stuff. Look to carry how you’ve trained. Also for gun retention. Also remember you have summer carry and winter carry because we wear different clothes and you never want to look out of place. Trying to figure out what is comfortable and concealable is key. I’m a big fan of IWB 3-5 o’clock position carry because I generally can always have it concealed and I can get at it driving or walking. I can also defend it from the gun grab if my concealment fails. That needs to be trained.
rcurtner
Professional
Welcome to the forum from South Texas.
Model 457
Operator
I'm a pretty big guy. 6'1", 240 pounds. I've weighed as much as 330. I found a high ride holster with a medium sized semi auto to be the most comfortable. I wear a tucked in t-shirt and my typical untucked Carhartt shirt to conceal. Unfortunately my preferred holster isn't made any longer but I have purchased from Craft holsters for new additions to my collection. I prefer models It.141 and It.C114. I own both and use whichever best suits what I am doing on a particular day. The It.141 is the most comfortable of the 2. And like Rainman, I too have a drawer full of holsters I didn't like! 
Those of us with a drawer full of holsters we didn't care for should have a holster trade day. We all might have a holster that someone else has been looking for.
Those of us with a drawer full of holsters we didn't care for should have a holster trade day. We all might have a holster that someone else has been looking for.
Bassbob
Emissary
That idea has been floated here by me and others for years and was shot down by mods/admins. No selling or trading allowed on the site.
rcurtner
Professional
Mernickle Holsters have a line of high ride OWB holsters.I'm a pretty big guy. 6'1", 240 pounds. I've weighed as much as 330. I found a high ride holster with a medium sized semi auto to be the most comfortable. I wear a tucked in t-shirt and my typical untucked Carhartt shirt to conceal. Unfortunately my preferred holster isn't made any longer but I have purchased from Craft holsters for new additions to my collection. I prefer models It.141 and It.C114. I own both and use whichever best suits what I am doing on a particular day. The It.141 is the most comfortable of the 2. And like Rainman, I too have a drawer full of holsters I didn't like!
Model 457
Operator
Maybe we should find the means for a live chat session and schedule a date for a trading session. I've never coordinated anything like this but I know between my uncle and me, we probably have 40ish holsters neither of us will ever use. It isn't worth the effort to try to sell them but there might be people out there that could use them for the price of an "If it fits, it ships" box from the post office. I know I have favorites that have been discontinued that I'd love to find!