Summer Carry ? I'm 5'8" and like to wear short or lite pants; how can I

[corsar66]

I'm 5'4" and 165Lbs getting on the chunky side and wearing cargo pants 99% of the time, I'm carrying my XD Mod2 9mm in an appendix hoster most of the time, I can bet you you will see me and not know it unless I tell you. Last week I got a S&W Shield from another member on this forum and of course I had the Mod2 on me.

 

[Dyre Straits]

I carry my .380 (the one showing in my avatar) in my right front pocket with a long light shirt not tucked in. I've had only one person ask me about it...and it was a question about how to go about getting a carry license. I wear denim shorts and or some cargo-type shorts during the summer months.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

I carry my .380 (the one showing in my avatar) in my right front pocket with a long light shirt not tucked in. I've had only one person ask me about it...and it was a question about how to go about getting a carry license. I wear denim shorts and or some cargo-type shorts during the summer months.

Pocket holster, right?

 

[Dungannon]

I'm 5'10" and 250#. After years of carrying a Glock 19, I recently switched to a S&W 9mm Shield [IWB holster about 5 o'clock]. A real gun belt to prevent sagging and loose fitting, bold patterned shirts have been the best changes I've consciously made to minimize printing.

I noticed the Range365 blog had an article on clothing considerations.
Dress to Conceal

 

[Joe13]

I'm loosing weight fast right now so I'm inbetween sizes so I'm sporting the sagging shorts look unfortunately - hey! You try walking with something in one hand and a cane in the other while trying to keep your pants up lol.

My wife keeps harping on my about my official plumbers badge so I left the short where they were and pulled up the underwear and said there you go.... Gangster or Plumber, you pick.

So I'm back to a maxpidition fat boy 'Tactical Satchel', its not a man purse!!!

And it holds anything from a Sccy cpx-2 (tiny 9mm) to my 1911 without changing anything. AND it has a pocket for my man badge and wallet .

 

[TM-Salem]

Murse... ROFL

 

[Dreams of Steel]

I am 5'8" 220lbs and I have carried a Kahr CW9 in a Badger Concealment holster and it works very well with my cargo shorts. I recently purchased a Kahr CW45 and a Outlaw Holsters carbon fiber holster which feels almost identical while carrying. I can wear either piece without an undershirt and they do not rub wrong in any way nor do they print enough to look conspicuous. I have spent hundreds on leather holsters but rarely wear them, units with belt loops to feed through or buttons to fumble with just annoy the heck out of me. I much prefer a plastic clip I can slide over my belt and be ready to walk out the door in a few seconds. I will try and remember to have my wife take a pic when I get home of me with my CW45 on for reference.

 

[Dyre Straits]

Pocket holster, right?

Yes, my pocket is my "holster". The shirts I wear do a good job of covering whatever I carry in my pockets....front or back.

 

[Joe13]

Yes, my pocket is my "holster". The shirts I wear do a good job of covering whatever I carry in my pockets....front or back.

It's actually a really good idea to buy at least a cheap mikes sock holster or whatever to keep the trigger covered.

Its just an extra layer of safety.

I never put just a gun in my shorts pocket, it always has a cheap holster that at a minimum covers the trigger. Also doubles as a helpful way to print less as its more of a blob then an 'L'.

It's a $10 safety investment.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Yeah, what @Joe13 said. Pocket holsters are slick things that smooth over the firearm, cover the trigger for safety and don't hinder a draw.

Externally, *if* they can be seen at all, it looks like a wallet. I would never put a loose firearm in my pocket.

 

[Dyre Straits]

I totally respect what you both are saying. And, there is a small amount of concern about "printing" with the gun in my front pocket. If I were carrying a different kind of .380, I'd probably be doing things a lot differently.

However, this Titan II ACP has two safeties...one for the hammer and one for the trigger. The hammer safety can be released with just a push of the thumb. (I shoot right-handed although I'm primarily a lefty. ) The trigger safety can only be released by pressing a release button on the right side with the index finger. If this combination of safeties didn't exist, I'd definitely be protecting the trigger.

Safeties ON
Release Button
Firing Position

 

[Certaindeaf]

.I'd definitely be protecting the trigger..

Speaking of triggers, it kinda looks like some heavy lint spooge inside the guard there.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Speaking of triggers, it kinda looks like some heavy lint spooge inside the guard there.

Yeah, get that thing cleaned !!! Still, a nice small pocket holster would stop any 'banana in your pocket' comments

 

[Joe13]

I totally respect what you both are saying. And, there is a small amount of concern about "printing" with the gun in my front pocket. If I were carrying a different kind of .380, I'd probably be doing things a lot differently.

However, this Titan II ACP has two safeties...one for the hammer and one for the trigger. The hammer safety can be released with just a push of the thumb. (I shoot right-handed although I'm primarily a lefty. ) The trigger safety can only be released by pressing a release button on the right side with the index finger. If this combination of safeties didn't exist, I'd definitely be protecting the trigger.

View attachment 307637Safeties ON
View attachment 307636Release Button
View attachment 307635Firing Position

Appreciate the curtious response and we all feel safer with what is comfortable so kudos with whatever works for you.

I don't use the safeties on guns that have them and have ones without safeties.

Grew up with one so I still sweep the safety either way but the sock is mostly to cover the trigger - also keep them a little cleaner (couldn't help that one).

Printing is a side effect and not why I use them.

Another side effect is I have a holster to clip on my belt if I need that pocket or faster access to the gun.


We all go thru evolutions.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Just a quick addition to my previous post. I have used a woven belt before, and in my experience they work fairly well with a ITW holster. Never had success with an OTW though. That's probably due to my big belly/no butt body.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Guy's, remember, printing is NOT brandishing!!!

People see a print of my pistol, tough doodoo! If it upsets them, really tough doodoo!

 

[revjen45]

I always wear a shirt over a t-shirt, Carhartt pants - shorts in the summer, long cargo pants otherwise. If I don't button the shirt it covers any pocket bulge or a compact auto OWB. It seems to me that the shape of the gun is often as important as the size within limits. Also, a single stack auto =< 9mm goes right into the pocket of Carhartts.

 

[wired]

It's become second nature to move certain ways around other people to avoid telltale printing and bulging. Unlike those freakishly tiny-peckered guys who feel some sense of duty to "educate" the liberal masses with OC in public places (which will NEVER happen), concealed means concealed to me.

I'm 6'4" 225 lbs. I wear shorts and go out hiking, driving around in the woods. On the way home I go shopping and walking around downtown etc. I'm carrying a pretty ratty looking rusty .45LC Colt Model of 1909 on the hip in an equally ratty cut off greasy Hunter holster most times I'm not at work. Besides my equally ratty Luger it is the only gun I have that isnt too pretty to carry and the Luger is too rare ( The Germans only made 2 million of the things and they are all horded away ) . The Colt and I are both Army veterans. I dont care one iota if anyone notices I have 3 lbs of gun hanging 6 inches off my hip. Not one bit. I'm not carrying to impress or educate anyone and could care less what other people think about my carrying a gun. Open carry is legal and I have nothing to apologize about. I carry a gun because no one is going to stop me from supporting my family and I feel no need to conceal anything.

 

[Raidingtime]

I either put my Kahr cm9 in a Desanti pocket holster or use a pistolwear jogging holster. I specifically use it because it looks like a fanny pack on the outside and no one looks at it differently than if I was nerd from the 80's

Pistol Wear - Holsters that fit your lifestyle. (http://www.pistolwear.com/)

Just dont be this guy and point your gun at your junk

View attachment 297721

good thing they only gave that monkey a training gun

 

[Raidingtime]

Point well taken Decklin.

It was not my intent to single out or attack any particular individual. In discussing some practices and personal feelings about concealed carry (which I strongly endorse for civilians who carry in public, particularly congested urban settings), I used offensive words to express my views about those who like to advertise that they are armed - with the overt objective of pushing an agenda.

To clarify, I don't condemn those who OC (open carry) where it's permitted (and sometimes not) - OC is a personal choice. I just question the underlying motives of those (thankfully few) who OC in hopes of eliciting some sort of reaction in others.

As a side note, I carry wherever it's practical to do so discretely. I'm just not personally inclined to signal an evil person planning evil things in a public place that my loved ones and I would be the best targets to neutralize first.

How else are people suppose to witness the sun glistening off my polished stainless steel desert eagle during the summer time?