Concealing Methods

[WaltherCC]

I also have a Walther99 that I use as my primary carry gun. It's my first carry gun and I often feel like it's a lot to lug around, but I haven't had any problems. I carry in a Galco Concealable Belt Holster I purchased for around $75-80, and mostly carry on my hip under a shirt. I'm 6'2", 200lbs and don't have problems with people noticing I'm carrying. I agree with previous posts, I am definitely more aware of my gun then the people around me. I almost always have a little bump, never a bulge, and I'm very conscious of it, but not once has someone stopped or stared. Face it; if you don't look or act like a gun toting lunatic, people don't have reason to suspect you may be armed. Whether or not you're carrying a gun is just not the first thing on people's minds. Carry with confidence and you'll remain the only person that knows you're carrying a gun.

[abock33]

Originally Posted by DrDavidM

I like an Inside the waist band holster (IWB) at about 4 o'clock (right behind my strong hand hip bone).

+1 on the IWB. I've found that with a tighter shirt I can move it further back around 5 o'clock. I can hide my glock 23 with a teeshirt in either position.

[BikerRN]

The "trick" to concealing a gun is using good quality gear.

Take your Fobus and throw it in the trash and go buy a good Holster. Milt Sparks, Mitch Rosen, Greg Kramer and Matt Del Fatti all make good Inside The Waistband Holsters for concealed carry. Also, when you order a Holster take the time and spend the money to order a Belt too. Holsters are designed to work with a proper Gunbelt, not the flimsy crap that passes for a Belt at Men's Warehouse.

You may find that IWB Carry is uncomfortable at first. Unbutton your trousers for a week or so and see if that works. If it does gradually start buying pants 1"-2" bigger in the waist. All of my pants are sized to accomodate a weapon carried IWB.

If you want to save a dollar or two take a look at Mitch Rosen's "Express Line" instead of his "Premium Line". They don't cost much more than a Galco and the quality is 10X better IMHO. I'm using a Mitch Rosen "Express Line" ARG until my Del Fatti ISP4 gets here. That will be in about 18 months. Lightning Arms Sports sells Holsters by Milt Sparks and Matt Del Fatti if you don't want to wait to receive a handmade one from the maker. In my case, with Del Fatti, I had some "alterations" to the Holster. So, I have to wait for him to make it. Milt Sparks is running about 6 months on orders and they are well worth it. Mitch Rosen is about 3 weeks on an "Express Line" and 10 weeks or so on a "Premium Line" the last time I talked with him.

Good luck and stay safe.

Biker

[toreskha]

A few tips on concealment:

• Get a gun you know you can conceal, and work up from there. Start off wearing a Kel-Tec, Kahr, or something else small. If you feel that's your limit, then stick with that. If you feel comfortable hiding something bigger, then go for it. There's a danger in buying a giant gun you can't hide - if it's difficult to carry, you'll probably just leave it at home a lot.
  
  
• Get suitable clothes. Get jeans or other pants with fairly thick or otherwise suitable material that won't show objects underneath well. You'll probably have to start buying these things a size or two bigger than normal. Get shirts that extend down far enough and have a material suitable for concealment. Depending on your situation, heavy material might be better in some cases, or something light and billowy might be better in others.
  
  
• Learn to walk. Walking around with a gun isn't necessarily a natural movement; you may want to rehearse this and watch yourself in the mirror a few times. Practice holding your shirt down nondescriptly, in case of wind; the best way is just to put your hand in your pocket, or hold it relaxed at your side. Try sitting down and standing up, making sure that you don't print during the act, and that you can perform the movement smoothly with an oddly shaped piece of metal strapped to your body.
  
  
• Get the right holster, and possibly several varieties depending on how you normally dress. You'll find lots of advice and opinions on what holster to get for what activity.
  
  
• If you're good at keeping up with an external object, don't dismiss the possibility of external carry. So long as you can draw quickly, you can carry even a large handgun in a briefcase, backpack, camera case, etc. Just make sure you act and look the part. Make an effort to not look like someone who people would think would be carrying a gun, or the bag may look suspicious. It's a stupid stereotype of course, but just keep it in mind.

The biggest part, IMO is just trying to look very unlike a stereotypical individual who might freely exercise their 2nd amendment rights. Wearing a camo jacket and a hat that says GLOCK on it is going to be a dead giveaway. You might as well just walk around with a gun on your hip for everyone to see. Khakis, a country club polo shirt, boat shoes and a PDA will cause people to not even consider you as a possible candidate for concealed carry. The same thing goes for carrying around props like Starbucks cups, a copy of your local liberal rag, or an NPR affiliate sticker on your car.

Although some people might consider them to be cheap, I really like Uncle Mike's for my P3AT - they're very slim, lightweight, and extremely simple. It's little more than a neoprene sleeve, and with small gun it looks like a wallet at the most. Today I used the pocket holster to carry at an event where people were being searched; security and cops were everywhere. No one gave me a second look, and I breezed right through.

[DrLewall]

The problem I have with IWB carry is I suffer from that dreaded chemical isufficientcy, noassitol..I aint got no butt to help hold my britches up so I have to sinch my belt tight just to keep my pants on (when I wear em)..thus I carry OWB

[Kivuli]

It also depends on how big of a guy you are. If you're on the thin side, IWB is probably your best bet for an on-your-person carry. If, however, you are a knuckle-dragging monster like myself, all you need is a decent paddle and a loose shirt. Also, before you go out, give yourself a quick look in the mirror. If you glance at yourself and can't honestly say you see the outline of a gun, then you're fine. You're looking for it. Average Joe on the street probably isn't even considering you past which way he needs to walk to not bump into you.

[tattedupboy]

Originally Posted by HowardCohodas

If I remember correctly yours is a 4" barrel. I carry a 4.5" barrel M&P 45 with a CT laser in a SmartCarry http://smartcarry.com/. Never been made.

From my experience, SmartCarry is good only in that it makes the gun totally disappear. Drawing while standing is slow, and drawing from a sitting position is virtually impossible.

[HowardCohodas]

Originally Posted by tattedupboy

From my experience, SmartCarry is good only in that it makes the gun totally disappear. Drawing while standing is slow, and drawing from a sitting position is virtually impossible.

Using the SmartCarry requires some adjustments and experimentation.

Drawing from a SmartCarry is not fast. My time has improved with practice. I am now experimenting with a move that looks like I'm pulling up my pants (I've got a little bit of a tummy ) that ends with a draw.

Drawing from a sitting position is more difficult. When I sit I also hike my pants and with my thumbs I also hike the SmartCarry. This leaves my rather large pistol nearly verticle. For driving I've added a ClipDraw so that I can carry IWB without holster.

[Mushroom]

I started my search for a carry gun and carry method with only two unalterable criteria.

1. The caliber had to begin with a "4".
2. I had to be able to hide it without wearing a jacket.

Everything else I figured I could train my way around. I knew from the beginning that some compromises would be necessary to meet the requirement of my criteria number two. Remember this weapon is meant only for self defense at spitting distances. I now have a drawer full of holsters that are growing mold from disuse.

I'm 5' - 9" and weigh 155 Lbs. I have a Kahr MK40 (.40 S&W). I carry it IWB at 8:00 O'Clock, (I'm a confirmed lefty), in a Blade Tech, (ultimate concealment), holster set for the FBI cant. The little Kahr just disappears under only my tucked in shirt. Even my best friends have never spotted it! With both hands available for the draw I can have it out and running in just under one second. It is so comfortable that I forget it is there, and as a bonus I can easily reach it while seated behind the steering wheel of my car.

[MichaelJ07]

I have had zero issues with my ubghholster from Nate Gables. I carry either my Bersa 9UC or my CZ75 PCR. From shorts to suits, it just rides and hides well.