The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Defense and Tactics => Topic started by: Cale on April 08, 2009, 10:13:32 PM
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I live in the hot humid gulf coast and I am looking for good concealed carry clothing. I don't wear vest, or jackets in summer I usually tuck my shirt in and usually have on golf shorts and knit shirt. As I look through the options for concealed carry it really limits you for summer wear. And to add to the problem I currently only have a Beretta Cougar 8040F and a Walthers P22 as my handguns. The cougar is heavy and the walthers doesn't pack the punch I prefer for defense. Any suggestions and a new sub compact gun is out due to the economy.
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I live in the hot humid gulf coast and I am looking for good concealed carry clothing. I don't wear vest, or jackets in summer I usually tuck my shirt in and usually have on golf shorts and knit shirt. As I look through the options for concealed carry it really limits you for summer wear. And to add to the problem I currently only have a Beretta Cougar 8040F and a Walthers P22 as my handguns. The cougar is heavy and the walthers doesn't pack the punch I prefer for defense. Any suggestions and a new sub compact gun is out due to the economy.
A coral or teal t-shirt and a white linen jacket. You can't argue with a classic. Seriousl I'm in the same boat. Just be glad that solid color Hawaian shirts are ack in style and go with that. Otherwise untuck the golf shirt.
Fightingquaker13
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I know that 5.11 makes shorts with pockets large enough to carry your pistols.
And many of the IWB holsters are tuckable.
Just my $.02
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Two words: Hawaiian Shirts.
Four More: The Wilderness Sonoran Shirts.
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I have all the clothes mentioned and they do work, but....
A few shirts and pairs of shorts are a few hundred bucks, over halfway to an LCP or J-frame. Just saying an different pistol could be the cheapest option.
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rw,
I am in FL and all I carry is my P3AT. Same problem as you with larger guns. A tee shirt and shorts don't hide much.
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It would seem that if your not wearing much, and it's a hot environment, you might want to check out something like a smartcarry. The guy that sells them is down in Largo Fl and he designed it just for the reasons stated in the OP.
www.smartcarry.com
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It would seem that if your not wearing much, and it's a hot environment, you might want to check out something like a smartcarry. The guy that sells them is down in Largo Fl and he designed it just for the reasons stated in the OP.
www.smartcarry.com
Charlie Parrot is a real good guy, you might have to wait for your holster as he makes them himself, but if you say you heard about it on Tom Greshams Guntalk he will give a 10% discount.
He's also an Old Corps Marine ;D
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Smart carry doesn't work well for us fat guys.
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I carry a 4-1/4" 1911 in a belt holster with t-shirt untucked in the summer. I wouldn't say it's perfect but behind the hip with a holster that brings the bulk of the gun above the beltline, it works. I wear 2xl t-shirts, not because I need to so much as I like a loose fitting shirt..., long/tall golf shirts or button "shop" shirts too...
It might be the holster, not the gun...not the greatest in the summer but until I get the small revolver I've ordered, it works for me.
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Perfect handgun for Florida! http://www.rohrbaughfirearms.com/ (http://www.rohrbaughfirearms.com/) ;D
Can hide it in your pockets, or in a smart carry holster made for it. Or in a belly band. 8)
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Cale,
Have you considered the Big Bertha 7.62 Nato Driver, the Taylor Made .223 iron set, or the Ping 9mm putter ;D
Sory .... You guys have covered it so well I couldn't add anything constructive.
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Concealed carry clothes - Eotac's discreet line:
http://www.eotac.com/?p=2§ion=action (http://www.eotac.com/?p=2§ion=action)
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I'm a tall skinny guy. In the summer I found it better to cant the gun a little bit more and move it forward. Then haveing a untuched shirt. Thats for a full sized 1911 frame( gov or commander)
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Smart carry doesn't work well for us fat guys.
I carry a 4-1/4" 1911 in a belt holster with t-shirt untucked in the summer. I wouldn't say it's perfect but behind the hip with a holster that brings the bulk of the gun above the beltline, it works. I wear 2xl t-shirts, not because I need to so much as I like a loose fitting shirt..., long/tall golf shirts or button "shop" shirts too...
It might be the holster, not the gun...not the greatest in the summer but until I get the small revolver I've ordered, it works for me.
Yep same here....my actual size is XL...but a 2XL fits so damned good, I wear a 3XL for good measure.
:o
;D
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Perfect handgun for Florida! http://www.rohrbaughfirearms.com/ (http://www.rohrbaughfirearms.com/) ;D
Can hide it in your pockets, or in a smart carry holster made for it. Or in a belly band. 8)
It is a FINE weapon, but $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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Another option would be off body. Fanny Pack or Safepacker. I'm always one for urban camouflage, so I'd get a WWF Panda patch or peace sign patch to make them look less tactical.
I had a customer come in wearing a man-purse with a Surefire clipped to the carry strap. Surefire distracted me so much (trying to ID the model) I didn't notice the purse was a Safepacker until he was leaving.
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Another option would be off body. Fanny Pack or Safepacker. I'm always one for urban camouflage, so I'd get a WWF Panda patch or peace sign patch to make them look less tactical.
I had a customer come in wearing a man-purse with a Surefire clipped to the carry strap. Surefire distracted me so much (trying to ID the model) I didn't notice the purse was a Safepacker until he was leaving.
Those pandas are mean bastards. You'll be made right off. Off topic from classic jokes but here goes:
Panda walks into a bar and orders lunch. He finshes and walks to the counter to pay. As he does so, a couple walks into the bar. The panda turns, and without a word, draws his expensive subcompact from an off body holster with a WWF logo and blows them away. The bartender, hands in air says "What the hell did you do do that for?"
The panda, replacing his immpossible to spell pistol back into his fannypack now disguised with a happpy face and a no glocks logo, says "I'm a panda, look it up", and walks out the door.
The bartender, knowing that the cops won't be there for hours pulsl down his dictionary and does so. It reads; "Pandas, eats shoots and leaves". ;D
FQ13 (if any one asks I blame the rum)
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I can slip a Glock 26 into a kydex tuckable holster (i use a comp-tac CTAC, whcih is all kydex, but the MTAC with the leather backing works just as well) and tuck in a columbia or royal robins vented shirt with no problems. A lightly stiffer shirt, with a patter to break up printing is your friend here.
Just get clips on you holster that roughly match your belt color.
I prefer to wear jeans with shirts that are designed to be worn untucked. Ross, Marshalls, TJMax et all, has some really nice stuff at cheap prices, so you can try out different styles of clothes on the cheap to see what works for you. I can conceal a full sizes .45 pistol Sig 220 in a sparks VMII all day in this manner.
Get a good belt (read: not Galco). Order yourself a milt sparks belt, you will not regret it.
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Get a good belt (read: not Galco). Order yourself a milt sparks belt, you will not regret it.
+10
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I just got an MTAC and am a little disappointed. With the leather on one side of the holster, it allows the holster to partially collapse if empty, making it hard to reholster. On the other hand, it's comfortable to wear, but the long plastic cant adjustment pieces gouge me. I think I can fix this.
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Get a good belt (read: not Galco). Order yourself a milt sparks belt, you will not regret it.
+10
Definitely. I have two Milt Sparks belts, a 1 1/4" cowhide dress belt and a 1 1/2" sharkskin belt and they are superb for carrying any size pistol or revolver. They also look like new after constant wear for two years. My friend has a couple of the Beltman belts which appear to be just as good and available much quicker.
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I purchased a "cell pal" holster from the tampa gun show two years ago. It is the ultimate in total concealment.
Concealment concepts makes it. It is a leather cross draw holster that sits in your pants behind your front left pocket. It clips to your pants or belt. A cell phone holder is on the outside. you simply pull up on the cell phone with your left hand and grab the gun with your right. It takes a little practice, but is pretty fast to do. you can do it sitting down as well. It is very comfortable. The cell phone acts as a decoy, and it simply looks like you have something in your pocket, if anything at all. It is a universal fit and wont fall out. Its great for motorcycle carry. you could wear a pair of shorts with no shirt and still be armed!
Check it out www.concealmentconcepts.com sales@concealmentconcepts.com
View the video demonstration under "insrtuctions"
You will not be disapointed with this thing! ;D
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FQ, that Panda joke is very funny....enjoyed it !!!
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I got a kydex pocket holster from Alan Miller in Tennessee (http://www.lefthandholster.com/).
It's very thin and allows me to carry a G26 in the front pocket of Cabella's cargo pants or shorts.
I tend to do this on weekends when I'm out and about a lot with other people;never been made.
Otherwise, I also use J-frames in DeSantis pocket holsters.
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When in Florida, I carried my Walther PPK/S in a Don Hume front pocket holster, while wearing light shorts and golf shirts. It could possibly even have been carried in some famous theme parks. I was never made and I'm a big guy.
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I carry my 1911 or Model 13 under an untucked T shirt and no one gives me second look, including Cops. And I'm only 160 Pounds.
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Well, i suspose just about any gun can be carried concealed if one wants to put the effort and expense into it-----even a desert eagle.
My biggest problem i guess is that i don't worry about the fashion police so to speak nowadays. Over the years, suffering under the left-handed curse, i have gone thru numerous holsters as i suffered a very serious gun trading adiction in my early years.
It sure can get expensive after a while, be it changes in wardrobe, belts, holsters, guns...........and it tends to create a pile of holsters left unused in the closet and a row of clothing that just does not work for carry. So, for better or worse, i've noticed a glaring trend over the years in myself. And that trend is pocket carry with 38's. Seems that it does not matter if i dressed for church or dressed for fishing, i got a pocket and don't have to worry about shirt tails and flashing all the time. The 38's have become an extension of myself and standard practice. If they are not in the pocket, then i kind of feel that a part of me is missing.
An airweight 38.....for me is ideal. I accept its advantages and limitations. It's not for everybody. If you are willing to dedicate yourself to one paticular carry gun, get the appropriate leather and dress accordingly, then your problems in all likelyhood would disappear. The biggest problem for a lot of folks is getting accustomed to carrying the weapon concealed. Starting out, it will feel like you have a brick bulging from the holster and you feel like you are telegraphing to anyone and everyone that you are packing by the bulge and the "print". You further telegraph by constantly adjusting, checking, and tugging at the weapon. You are going to have to.......for lack of a better term...force yourself to accept the carry weapon untill it becomes part of you and you feel natural with it. If, over time, you just can't adjust to it, then there is a problem with the gun/holster/wardrobe selection. But by all means, give it a chance and some time before you jump on the trade bandwagon. Heck, wear the rig around the house, mowing the grass, just whatever to get accustomed to it.
I took a shortcut with pocket carry. which means i'm either smart, stupid, or somewhere in between. I'd rather think of it as being poor, practical, and doing the best with what i got......guns, holsters, clothing.....and needs.
Either way, best of luck to you and your choices whatever they may be. A lot of us have been there/done that. What works for one may not work for another. The important thing is----do it. I know things are tight right now and a different gun may be out of the question. Just look at your clothing on hand and make a deciision if it would work. Cloths are expensive as well. A fanny pack is an attractive short cut and a lot cheaper than an entire wardrobe change. After-all, concealed is concealed....and practical for the use and the budget. Over time, changes can be made but it will get you started with the beretta couger---and a lot of other guns as a generic concealed carry system.
By the way, you will still feel like telegraphing and might be uncomfortable with the fanny pack.......give it time, it will work.
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Well, the deputy pretty much just said it all. Pocket carry with the right pants is hassle free and very fast on target. You can have a full firing grip on the gun and look quite harmless in the process, or not. I was a big fan of the Cabelas nailhead hikers until they discontinued them - they had the right pockets. Now I'm wearing the Eotac 205 denims, good pockets in the right places. If I feel my day is going to be more problematical, the full size gubmint model rides in a Crossbreed Supertuck. You can tuck a shirt over it or wear a cover garment. Either way it's very comfortable, even while driving. But on the whole, the deputy has nailed it.
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Smart carry doesn't work well for us fat guys.
Yeah, after looking at their website pictures, it appears that if I were wearing one while sitting down I'd look like I was VERY excited to see you!! ;D
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I totally agree with pocket carry being the most viable option if you have the right gun.
I have bought lots of holsters and the 2 that I use are pocket holsters that I've made myself.
I carry my PPK/S or my M&P340 in my left front pocket (left handed) and have no trouble with concealment or comfort.
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In my experience, FWIW, don't go out and buy clothes that scream 'GUN', all of the 5.11 stuff. photographer's vests etc.. Just wear clothes which don't stand out of the ordinary. They, and you should 'just blend in'. Outside of that, select a well designed holster that makes the gun 'go away'. My EDC holster is a Comp-Tac CTAC and makes either one of my full size 1911's 'go away', as illustrated below.....
front concealed
(http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/jac2001/th_IMG_1016.jpg) (http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/jac2001/?action=view¤t=IMG_1016.jpg)
front exposed
(http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/jac2001/th_IMG_1021.jpg) (http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/jac2001/?action=view¤t=IMG_1021.jpg)
right concealed
(http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/jac2001/th_IMG_1017.jpg) (http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/jac2001/?action=view¤t=IMG_1017.jpg)
right exposed
(http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/jac2001/th_IMG_1019.jpg) (http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/jac2001/?action=view¤t=IMG_1019.jpg)
left concealed
(http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/jac2001/th_IMG_1018.jpg) (http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/jac2001/?action=view¤t=IMG_1018.jpg)
left exposed
(http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/jac2001/th_IMG_1020.jpg) (http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/jac2001/?action=view¤t=IMG_1020.jpg)
This is what I wore to church this morning, and with the exception of a change to shorts and a ratty shirt, I'll wear this same set up tomorrow for work....
....and yes, it works well for us fat guys!! :-X
...oh, yeah, don't forget the heavy duty gun belt!!
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Im wildly sorry that I resurrected an old topic from the dead, just have a few interesting observations from personal experience, maybe someone will need this information in the future.
Just my opinion, and worth exactly what you paid for it, but I would avoid using any internal gun pockets, or purchasing jackets with them as a feature.
All that I have ever tried will make the jacket sag appreciably, even with the lightweight micro .380s that weigh in the 10-13 oz. range. Not to mention poor retention and positioning of the gun in the pocket or "pocket holster".
I simply use any jacket or vest that I own as a cover garment. They will all work for IWB carry, may need a little longer (what we call "barn/chore jackets") for OWB, or consider a high-ride holster like the Sparks TK-1; obviously, a shorter slide can be concealed easier, with a shorter jacket, OWB than a full size service model.
our main choice is between "jacket you intend to wear all the time" and "jacket you will take off indoors." When it's below zero outside and 80F indoors, the parka or flight jacket has to come off, which makes it useless for concealment.
While they're not particularly fashionable in most places nowadays, the old-school "spors coat" is cut loose, normally has a single button which need not always be done up, and is generally very light weight, intended to be worn indoors or in hot weather as part of "a suit of clothes." You're supposed to wear a proper "overcoat" over a suit; those tend to be cut fairly long.
Sartorially, a sports coat is worn with a button-up shirt and no tie; a turtleneck is acceptable. Designer T-shirts are considered tacky. Sports coats are "singles" and don't have to match the pants, unlike a suit.
Of course, people might think you're a doorman or a wino if you go about wearing one, but your gun will be acceptably concealed.There are a lot of useful videos on this topic on Youtube. I'll leave one here for general information, I hope this helps someone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlSw0CJu3sw