I'm old, I'm 5' 10", 225 lbs, and always dress casually. If any of you good men carry this revolver or something akin to it....How do you do it? I won't wear cargo pants, IWB is out of the question, my jeans are too tight to get anything more than two quarters in my pocket....do I really have any options, or should I look to a different gun? TIA......Zebulon

Outside the waist band, 1 3/4 " belt, sweatshirt, coat, baggy t-shirt etc.....only way to do it. Good holster and good belt are essential. Ray at Lobo Leather does excellent work. He's a member in this forum. Glaco makes good stuff too.

Due to a bad back I carry cross-draw and have tried both the 2.5" & 3" 686's
without any issues other than I thought they were a little heavier than I wanted
to tote around all day. I also carried a 686SSR (4" bbl) for awhile and that was too big.

One day I knew exactly how Goldilocks must have felt when she was
in the Three Bears House trying out the porridge, beds, etc......

I strapped on a 2.5" Model 66-2 that I picked up and it was just right.

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Ogy

I would make an order with Ray at Lobo for one of his:
Enhanced Pancake Holsters
Belt loops Size 1.5"
Color Medium Tan
ADD Optional Inner Hammer Shield.
Detail Boned Standard

The Inner Hammer Shield helps to keep your shirt tail out of the holster when reholstering.

I would request him to keep the holster length to a minimum for a 2.5" barrel 686. Having an extra 1/2" of holster is no different than concealing a 3" barrel 686. Perfect is exactly the length of the gun barrel.
Lobo Gun Leather - Home

I am old and Casual also. Get a few Nylon Fishing Shirts. They have plenty of length, which is a big issue. I also have come factory Discrete Carry shirts I caught on sale.

Get a couple CD-2 Safariland Speed Loader Carriers, and a couple Safariland Comp II speedloaders for reloads. I carry my revolver at 4 O'Clock, and the 2 Comp II Speed Loaders infront of the holster.

Then fill everything up with Speed 135 Grain 357 Magnum Short Barrel ammo.

As was said above get a Good 1.5" Belt to go along with the Enhanced Pancake holster, and it will carry just fine. Ray makes a great belt. Mine was made by a local saddle maker.

I am carrying a 3" 66-2 a lot of the time. I also have S&W checkered Rosewood Finger Groove Boot Grips on mine. Your shirt will slide around on wood better than Goodyear grips. Wood is better for concealed carry, and it looks better also.

I also have a 4" 686-4 that I carry some. The extra length makes it a little harder to conceal in the Summer, but I have done it.

For Fall weather Carhartte makes a canvas Jack Shirt that is nice and long. It is great for cool weather carry. You may need to go online to locate one.

Bob

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What others have already stated is super advice.

A gun belt that is made specifically for.....guns! Until I tried one, I never knew what a huge difference they make!

An OWB holster with belt slots that match the width of your belt.

I have found that an aggressive cant angle on the holster design can also help to keep the lower portions of the rig out of sight.

Heck, I even carry this 3.75" barreled Vaquero under an untucked shirt:

The 686 is a great revolver, and with a few extra bucks spent on proper gear....you will be good to go!

Unless waistband carry is necessary, try a ankle holster while wearing jeans.

OFGs have no business wearing tight jeans (speaking from experience). If you carry IWB, get your pants 1" to 2" oversized, and wear a 1-1/2" belt made for carrying a handgun. I use a Sparks VM2 for a 3" 686+.

A pancake holster works too, but you need a fairly long cover garment. A windbreaker won't do unless it reaches thumbnail length. A baggy sweatshirt might work, or a fishing shirt tails out. The fishing shirt is the de facto uniform for age 50+ men carrying a handgun. I have an Alessi CQC, but unlike IWBs, just about any brand will do.

Not with a 686 2 1/2 inch, it's weight makes that almost impossible to carry it for an extended period or if you are walking around. A J frame sure, but not a 686.

Thanks to all of you for your responses.....Has anyone tried a Belly Band of one sort or another with a degree of success? I'll consider all the suggestions...I'm really looking for some repetition.....if there was a "magic method" you'd all be using it. Then again, maybe a 2" 64 with a bobbed hammer might be a better choice. I'm just not crazy about adding guns at my age.....I'd have to leave them to you guys.....

Get a good gun belt and a owb concealed carry holster with matching belt slots. Position the gun at about 4 o'clock and use a loose fitting untucked cotton shirt as a cover garment. I usually carry a snubby this way but I have carried my wife's 4" model 66-3 before.

Zebulon ... You ever consider a top quality shoulder rig? Check out Lobo and Andrews Leather.

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I'm with the banned ...

Belly Bands work, but they are hot in the summer and not that comfortable anytime, they are meant for smaller guns. I'd say 2 hours might be the limit with a 686.

I am 5'10" and weigh 240. I wear size 34 pants but 38's fit soooooo much better...

I easily carry a M&P compact, 3913 or J frame inside the waistband. Right about the 3:30 position. I use a Beltman belt, even with shorts I have no problem carrying, especially easy with a Crossbreed Supertuck.

Zebulon:

Not trying to start an argument on the topic, but I would strongly consider carrying a M60, 36, etc instead of the M686. I have a M586 (same gun in Blue Steel) and quite honestly I would not consider carrying that thing on a daily basis. It's just too heavy, bulky and too large for discrete concealed carry IMHO. The M686 IS a great gun but it just doesn't lend itself to being carried concealed with any margin of comfort.

If you don't already have one, a used M60, 36, etc. can be picked up rather easily as there are plenty around. With the right load (let's say the Buffalo Bore HEAVY +P 158 grain LSWCHP-GC or the Speer Gold Dots) you will be almost as well armed as with a .357 out of a 2.5" bbl anyway, since the .357 Magnum looses quite a bit of velocity out of a very short barrel.

Like I said, I am not trying to start an argument about the fact that an L frame CAN be carried - yes I know they can and people do, but there are much better CCW guns available IMHO so why not take advantage of that? I would rather see you carry a J frame EVERY DAY, than an L Frame only when it's convenient. After all, we never know when, if and where we will need to protect ourselves, so my feeling is I'd rathere have a smaller gun all the time than a larger gun sometimes. Just my .02 cents.......

Chief38

Chief38.....I appreciate that....I've tried not to add any more guns due to my age......It's just that the 686 is on hand. I fully understand your point and appreciate your efforts to help. We have my Wifes 2" 64 at Mag-Na-Port right now being done for her. As soon as it gets back, I may add another for myself. I completely agree with your stand.....Thank you all for your help....I'll post an update when I sort it all out.......Zebulon

I've tried the belly band and I recommend staying away from it. It slides around on me to much (rides up).

A second revolver is not a bad idea at all.

The wife and I went out for Catfish when I got done mowing the range at the Club this evening. I took a shower and put on my fishing shorts. I put on my J Frame 442 Pro Moonclip in a Lobo Model 1 Pancake, and I have 2 spare reloads in TK Moonclips carried in California Competition Works J Frame Moon Clip Carriers infront of the holster. My carry ammo is Speer 38 Special 135 Grain Short Barrel HP's. My grips are Hogue Checkered Walnut Finger Groove Boot Grips.
The 442 Pro Moonclip is my Number One choice in a Lite weight Concealed Carry J Frame.

I carried my 3" 66-2 all day before that in a Lobo Enhanced Pancake. I also carried 2 reloads for it in Safariland Comp II Speedloaders carried in Safariland CD-2 Speedloader Carriers infront of the holster. I have S&W Checkered Super Rosewood Finger Groove Boot Grips on it. My carry ammo was Speer 357 Magnum 135 Grain Short Barrel with a speed strip of shotshells in my pocket for snakes.

I decided to lose a little gun weight wearing my Nylon Fishing Shorts this evening.

I was wearing a Tan Fishing shirt during the day, and switched to a Green Fishing Shirt when we went out for Supper.

Yesterday I wore my 4" 686-4 all day in a Bianchi Pancake. We were all over yesterday. We rewired a Solar Panel on a Deer Feeder after a Coon had jerked the wires loose. We were swapping out camera cards on Game Cameras. We went to WalMart and Town & Country getting supplies to cook for our Rifle Match's this weekend. I have Ahrend's Retro Combat Round to Square butt grips in Meridillo on the 686-4. Not the best choice in concealed carry grips, but this is my new SSR and Steel Challange Revolver. So I am more concerned with it being shootable, than concealable. I still concealed it just fine under a Nylon Fishing Shirt.

Your 2" 64 is not a bad extra carry revolver either. I am working on a trade for a 2" Model 15-4 at the moment. It is almost too slick to carry. Sure wish it had a box and papers.
I will need to get an order off to Ray for an Enhanced Pancake, and Ahrends for a Finger Groove Square Butt Boot Grip for it shortly. As slick as the 15-4 is, I thing I will go with Miradillo and a Tongue Oil Finish on the grips. This might qualify as a Barbecue Gun.

Get a Good Belt and Holster, and some fishing shirts, and you can conceal a 4" N Frame with no problem.

Just for Info. If one could afford it at all a 386 Night Guard would make a great carry revolver if you can round one up before they are all gone. The Night Guards are discontinued. The 386 is a 2.5" L Frame Airweight with an XS 24/7 Tritium Front Sight, and a Cylinder & Slide Extreme Duty rear sight. The lite weight makes this a great choice for a Very Shootable Concealed Carry Revolver.
I have a Bad Itch for one.

Bob

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For a second there I thought I'd stumbled on to a fashion forum. <G>

Hill Country:

BobR1 has only provided details about his shirt selections of the day. If we are to understand his sense of haberdashery and fashion flair, we need to know the color of the fishing shorts.

Perhaps we may never know...

Zebulon:

I like my 3" 686+ in a Tucker [tuckable] IWB on a Beltman belt. No problem for me carrying that revolver. Of course, if you are wearing shorts or lighter trousers then pocket carrying a J frame is the better option.

Chris

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/at least she finds me handy.

Green to match the shirt of course.

My point was that you can pretty much carry anything with the correct shirt selection.
However the pants selection can make a difference on how heavy a handgun you can carry.
Nylon Shorts are not the best choice for a heavy handgun in my experiance. The fit being somewhat loose, you need the belt snugged up overly tite. On the other hand Blue Jeans, and cotton Dress Pants are a much more secure concealed carry platform.

Another consideration is accessing your billfold. If you carry at 4 O'Clock the longer the barrel, the more of a problem getting in your Right Back Pocket becomes. This also changes depending on the pants pocket location. Blue jeans seem to have a fairly high back pocket, as compaired to some other pants styles. The higher the top of the pocket, the closer to the handgun muzzle. The shorter the barrel, the less the problem. In my experiance a 2" barrel is not an issue at all. When you go to 2-1/2" you are still ok. I find 3" to be a maximum and still being able to get in your back pocket.
With a 4" I relocate my Bill Fold to a front pocket.
This is where you need to watch your holster selection. You do not need an extra 3/8" of holster past the end of the muzzle.

If you are going to carry, your clothing selection is something to be considered in.

Bob

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Each of you brought something of value to the table. I'm tahnkful for all the input. I'm going to walk through my options and choose one or two. I'll repost when I get it figured out. Thanks guys for the assist....Zeb