Any recommendatios on how to carry concealed while riding a motorcycle?

I've got a leather vest with breast pockets but the openings are too small.

IWB holster, on your strong side.

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John

That's what I have done for the last 13 years. Harley Davidson denim vest or untucked shirt. Reloads in the vest pockets. If I'm with a untucked shirt I use the DeSaints Second Six Speedloader holders. Tuff strips work good for the pockets also. I really like the DeSaints speedloader holder. Need to use HKS loaders. Truth be told I carry two reloads on the belt and two reloads in the pocket.

If your a bottom feeder (auto) magazine pouches are not a problem.

You need to carry the weapon in a holster. Even if it's a small weapon carried in the pocket; put it in a pocket holster.

I'm a big fan of the Kramer holsters.

I carried a redhawk 5 1/2" 44mag shoulder holstered in the summertime with a dress shirt out of my pants covering it with my leather jacket over it. In the fall and winter the 7 1/2" redhawk got it's turn for some fresh air. I use the bianche lined shoulder holster.

I was getting gas one night when a car pulled up with some middle aged dudes that were drinking. One of them said he was going to slap me and take my bike. Inside I was saying you feel froggy just leap fool. He never made a move. The booze was talking.

Depending on what you ride will dictate how you carry. I ride a BMW RT and carry in my tank bag. I also have pockets that will fit my Glock 26 easily enough in my leather or Aerostitch jacket.

I warm weather carry a Ruger 9mm LCP in my inside vest pocket and a 2nd clip in the other inside pocket. It's the only gun I own with less than a 4" barrel. Colder weather a 19 in a shoulder holster.

Been IWB for me for some time. Rethinking shoulder holster now.

I always have a Body Guard in the rear hip pocket and sometimes IWB with either a HK P2000 or Kimber Pro carry. But I just got a shoulder holster so I may try that.

It might be time for a different vest. Or a smaller firearm. What are you carrying?

I had the inside pocket on one of my jackets redone with a leather lining, with enough room for a real gun. Look for someone local to you that can sew leather, preferably someone who has experience with biker gear.

But, a shoulder holster under a shirt will let you keep your gun at hand, and on you, should you want to stop and take off the jacket. That's usually how it works for me these days.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

When out on the Harley I use a fanny pac designed for carry. It has a quick rip Velcro opening and a small holster attached inside. Works perfect with a smaller gun such as a J frame or my SP101. No worries secure, no worries about accidental displaying, such as a coat riding up over a OWB holster and immediately accessible if needed. My riding buddies always rag me about the manly thing. I just look at them and smile.


As mentioned above a tank bag is also an option. I have a small magnetic bag I use when on my big Summer trips. I'll pack a larger gun in that but you have to remember to always take it with you when you get off the bike.

My first thought exactly. Ah, if only fanny packs would come back in style. Sorry, I got nothing productive to add.

I swear, I was composing while KLYDE was and did not see that post.

I'm an "all the gear all the time" (ATGATT) rider, or at least was until my health forced me to sell my bike. I always carried in a tank bag.

The last thing I wanted was a hunk of non-compressible metal on my body if I went down. It was easy enough to drop the jacket on the tank when getting off the bike and moving the pistol into one of the pockets before picking everything up and going inside.

I've got options for carrying, J-Frame, Colt Gov't 380, 1911 Commander, 1911 full size, 1851 Colt Navy.

I did some experimenting last night and buttoned up, my vest will cover the J-Frame in an El Paso Saddlery Combat Express. I expect the Gov't 380 would work this way too with the right holster.

The more I think about this the more I want a thumb break whether IWB or OWB, between the vibration and rough roads there's probably a pretty good chance of losing it. I also like the idea of a shoulder holster and would like to try a vertical rig.

Here's my ride, not a very good pic but you get the idea.

I generally carry the same way IWB as when I'm off my bike. If I'm on a trip or a long ride I'll pocket carry in my motorcycle jacket. I try to avoid storing it off-body.

Inside pocket of a Levi jacket with an IWB holster has worked for me for many years.

Shoulder holster unless I'm riding sans jacket, then it's IWB, strong side.

I ride and it depends on what I am wearing as to how I carry. In warm weather I often ride with just a t-shirt as outerwear. Yes, I know that this is not the safest attire but I ride for pleasure and nothing is as good as the feeling of riding with a warm breeze on your skin. I prefer OWB normally, but the wind would push my shirt up and expose my gun, so when dressed like that I pocket carry (with a DeSantis, Remora, or Uncle Mike pocket holster depending on the gun). If I do wear a jacket that I carry OWB.

I used to use a tank bag, and keeping a firearm there is not a bad idea if you always take the bag with you when off the bike (moving it from the bag to a pocket is too awkward and exposed for my liking). But carrying a tank bag has all the problems associated with women carrying a purse, i.e., having it snatched from the chair in the restaurant, forgetting it in the restroom, etc. Pocket carry, even if that means carrying only my Ruger LCP 380 auto, is the safest and most concealable.

I often carry a 342pd in an inside pocket of my riding jacket. It's so light I sometimes forget its there. I'm very fond of that little gun.

My brother rides a Harley and a Yamaha crotch rocket. I bought him a 5.11 brand T shirt with built in shoulder holsters under each arm. He initially thought it was a joke, but after using it a few times he loves it.

When I rode and I’m only a fair weather rider this is what I did here in the people’s republic of NY!

If wearing leather most times I carried a M39 in a shoulder holster.

If warmer weather and going very casual my carry was a M60 in an IWBH with tee shirt out. That WB carry took me through many vehicle checks on the side of the road, a couple with me dismounting and opening up the under seat to get out reg & insurance papers and nothing was seen. Also many drive bys by LEOs and again nothing ever printed. As a big guy with a full beard I normally got a good look at by the LEOs but never had any sort of problem. (I’m a firm believer that concealed means CONCEALED)!

Spare ammo: for the 39 a mag in a pocket, for the 60 a speed strip in a pocket.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

Glock compact in an unclemike's shoulder holster is how I do it

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Just the opinion of a kid

If you want a bit more security for retention and do not feel comfortable with a regular holster, you might take a look at the Wilderness Safepacker.
Safepacker Concealed Carry Holster, Concealed Weapon Holster

I have enjoyed a shoulder holster for my model 19 & 28 for years while motorcycling. It just works for me.

Lots of good points here. I have to agree with Vito concerning the T-shirts and NYLakesider's comments in regards to the weather and how I ride.

The first solution that I've come up with is I exercised imminent domain and tried the wife's 442 and the remora holster with the vest (I was wrong about the size of the opening, they are big enough for anything smaller than a 1911). It seems to work very well, the trouble is what will she carry???

The 442, Remora holster and vest doesn't solve the long term solution (my right of imminent domain will only last until she gets back from shopping) but it will work for the interim.

I know there will be times when I don't want to wear the vest so I need a good IWB for the wife's 442, a Colt Gov't 380 or an AMT Backup. Any suggestions?

You guys that carry IWB/OWB ever worry about retention while riding?

I can't believe there's no recommendations for the '51 Navy. Is it because I'm on the S&W Forum, : )

It's been said that if you see a dude with a fanny pack and a wallet bulge in his back pocket........he's packin'

Just a few thoughts.

I have crashed and have an imprint of my cell phone on my left leg and a nice imprint of my keys in my right leg. I am really glad I did not have a chiefs special on me that day.

I do carry an LCP in my jacket pocket (in holster) or my pants pocket, or IWB.

When its in my Riding coat, I say to the girlfriend "Watch my purse please" she knows.....

I can't leave the jacket alone. What if it got stolen just for the jacket and has a gun as a bonus.

I have slipped the gun in my pants pocket so I can take my jacket off.


I usually carry a 637 in an ankle holster. Totally useless on a bike. No access, pants get pulled up too far then its exposed. Its hard to cover back up when riding.

In 1993 a car pulled into my lane and piled on the brakes at the same time. I could not avoid her. It was a 15 mph crash. I had a sterling 22 in an ankle holster that day. As they were putting me on a stretcher, I asked for a cop. I told him about the 22. He took it to the police station where later that day I piked it up after showing my permit. No problems.
My LCP has replaced the sterling.

David

Not at all. I use a IWB hybrid holster made by Everyday Holsters. My firearm fits very well to the kydex and I have no concern that it is going to pop out at any time.

I am also not concerned about printing or my shirt blowing up and exposing my firearm. Michigan law specifically says that a person seeing a firearm in its holster is not brandishing, they can get as worked up and offended as they want. I am minding my business, rolling down the road.

I always worried about the in the waist band holster popping out. I can feel the heavy cannon in the shoulder holster all the time.

No part of my holster or gun can show here. It needs to be completely covered all the time.

I carry my Kahr CM9 or my LCP inside pocket of my leather jacket or vest in a pocket holster. If it's cold enough for leather chaps the LCP also fits nicely in the chaps pocket for an alternate location. During warm weather wearing a t-shirt either gun rides in my front jeans pocket in a pocket holster. Of course we also have open carry here but I prefer being the only one knowing I'm carrying.

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S&W Armorer
Lost in the 50s

My Glock 19 rides well in a Blackhawk fanny pack, or I carry a Sig P290RS in a jacket pocket. I'm a dual sport rider, so I worry that a waistband holster won't keep a handgun secure when I'm riding over rough roads. I have a tanker style holster for my snubby 66, but carrying a hunk of heavy metal strapped to my ribcage seems like a bad idea when riding.

Two years ago I was carrying a colt detective special, OWB, while riding a crotch rocket through city traffic. I had a checked and rechecked that it would not ride up and show the gun multiple times before I left the house.

After going through a few stoplights in bumper-to-bumper traffic I started to notice that when stopped, no cars would come anywhere near my tail.... I reached back and found the gun was in full view.

Now I make sure I have a longer shirt that sticks out the bottom of my jacket. Stupid looking when I am off the bike, but it gives me a little extra insurance that something will be covering my gun.

I buy extra long pants for carrying in an ankle holster. Not the best, but its the way I carry most of the time, bike or not.

I always wear protective gear, this gives more places to conceal.

David

A company called Leatherup.com has 2 rater inexpensive but very good quality Gun Pocket Leather Vests I have had one and carry a Shield .40 or my Sig 239 very comfortably. be aware that the sizes run a bit small. I wear a
2x but had to get a 4x. the leather is heavy and should last for years.
Rob

It goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) When riding a cycle, motor or otherwise the retention capability of the holster is much more critical than just about any other form of travel. Just imagine dropping your pistol on the interstate, It might be impossible to find, it will be dangerous to look for it and such a drop will surely mar the finish.

I ride a crotch rocket..and have always put anything I like in the tank bag when I go out. Too easy to have something be noticeable or a shirt get hiked up and then the gun is open. I've tripped and fallen on a gun that was IWB on my right side...left a bad bruise that didn't heal for quite some time. Can only imagine what falling off a bike at speed (30 + ) would do, much less the damage to the gun itself. Also if you do fall at speed...anything and everything gets dragged....and a belt ( even a good one ) with enough weight on it sliding along the road will cut it off...then the gun comes off. I'd rather just put it in the bag and know it's right in front of me if I need it, but covered and secured so it's not noticable.

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1st smiles,lies.Last,gunfire.

The 442, remora holster and vest worked good (if you want to wear a vest). Work shirt untucked either over a t-shirt with a shoulder holster and eventually an IWB with thumb snap or some other form of positive retention will be the next thing I try. This set up may also work with on of those "concealed carry" t-shirt with th built in holster but I'll have to see one before I commit.

I have carried for many years while riding, more than I care to admit, and my answer is to carry the best, reliable, simple, potent, small defense weapon available, and carry it in a pocket, where it won't show, or fall out, and that suffices for me. As I don't expect to engage in a full fledge gun battle, having a potent little belly gun in hand, in a hurry, is hard to beat, and will take all the enthusiasm out of a knife attacker a bully, or whatever. although one could go to the extreme, pull a trailer loaded with a gattling gun
and a few thousand rounds of 45/70, if that is what it takes to make one feel safe, but I find that a Seecamp .32 acp. does the trick for me.
Chubbo

I've had my newest leather motorcycle jacket for 15 years and am still discovering pockets I did not know I had.

Between it, the underlying vest and handlebar mounted leather tool bag...I have many options for concealed carry.

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NULLI SECUNDUS

Personally, I won't "carry" off my body, tank bag, jacket that I would remove, handlebar tool pouch etc... That would be like carrying my wallet somewhere besides my pants pocket. My wife won't carry "off body" either.

It's also a lot more plausible that you'll need that weapon away from your bike, then what?

If you're carrying a weapon then you're 100% responsible for anything that happens as a result of it's use. I bet that woman that was shot by her child recently thought she had control if her weapon...

Well, I too suffer from the too small pocket issue now. I ride a naked sport bike, so there is no on bike storage to speak of. Last summer I upped my protection and went to two piece racing leathers. The pockets are so small, I usually only carry my license and some cash. My wallet doesn't even fit and my Iphone is a struggle.

Now, if it's at all warm, I have nothing but skivies under the leathers............so, I didn't carry at all last summer! I'm just counting on being able to ride away extremely fast

In warmer weather I typically carry a Colt M1903 in a holster clipped inside my riding boot. In jacket weather I just wear on the belt under the jacket.

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- Change it back -

Nice. I've got a '06 Stratoliner Midnight. I got tired of cleaning & polishing chrome after riding near the ocean on my previous Road Star Midnight.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

I've tried shoulder holsters, IWB, OWB, camera bag (stitched belt slot, not velcro) and pocket holstered carry when riding my bikes.

The camera bag works well with my J's for warmer weather conditions, especially when I want to remove my leather jacket when I park the bike and want to enjoy the hot weather in one of the Coastal towns. FWIW, the outside "front" pocket holds 5-6 speedloaders ... and it barely looks as though it would hold the snub, let alone so much extra ammo.




Otherwise, I tend to either use pocket-holster carry in my riding jacket or one of my custom leather vests. All of them have been fitted with heavy leather holster pockets, made by a local shop who has made custom leathers for the public and police for decades. The heavy leather "holster" pockets have always been a popular option for its customers.

If I don't expect to be removing my jacket, and want something larger than a J-frame (or LCP .380), I'll use one of my OWB scabbards. I'll sometimes wear LS Levi shirts to conceal a OWB scabbard if I want to be able to remove my jacket.

I ride cruisers, which means I don't have quite the positioning and wind concerns (lifting the jacket and any shirt underneath it) as sport bike riders.

I gave up using IWB holsters many years ago, due to personal comfort reasons. I spent enough years wearing them, and buying my jeans with slightly larger waistbands. Not interested in that anymore (and I have quite a collection of them from some of the big names, packed away in my holster boxes).

Security, safety, comfort and convenience.

I realize that any holster design and location is still going to present some level of an increased potential risk of injury (or loss of the weapon) if the bike goes down. I do what I can to try and mitigate any unnecessary risk in that regard.

Man, I wish my new saddle would arrive (was told it ships this week). The weather is great here in the hills and along the Central Coast for riding!!!

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Lots of good carry advice!!! But have ANY of you actually tried using a handgun while on a motorcycle? I have been riding for over 50 years and have had only one occasion to try to use a handgun to protect myself while riding. I was almost pushed off the road and 4 "yutes" in a car, threw balled up paper cups of ice at me all at once. I realized that all I could do was stop as quickly as possible in the emergency lane. They were much quicker at stopping their car and by the time I got my side stand down they were piling out of all four doors. I was saved by a man I did not know who had seen everything and stopped behind us and got out of his truck with a shotgun. They huffed and puffed but wanted NO part of his shot gun and my pistol that I had finally retrieved. Saved by a good Samaratan who left as quickly as he showed up. From then to now we practice here on our range what to do in these circumstances. You are in a terrible shape on a motorcycle if attacked. Can't stop fast as a car and may not be able to accelerate out of reach. Tough situation!

Nope. Not me. Too much else going to trying to keep the rubber side down to think about drawing and firing a weapon while still riding.

I've only personally known 3 men who have had to draw their handguns while riding, 2 of which had to fire them while in motion. Yes, they all survived, and they were fortunate they didn't lose control of their bikes. Still not something I care to think about trying.

As difficult as it is to think about shooting from a car/truck (and most agencies have policies about shooting at or from a moving vehicle, and for good reasons) , doing so while trying to control a motorcycle introduces even greater difficulties and risks.

I choose my carry method for transporting the weapon on my person while riding, so I'm armed when off the bike, not for thinking about trying to draw & shoot while riding. I'd hope to either use the bike to get away from the threat, or, failing that, at least get safely stopped and use the bike for cover ... or better yet, get away from the bike to real cover.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

There is a M60-10 there OWB under a shirt and jacket and two speed strips.
I used to carry a 642 cross draw but I passed that on to my daughter. The 60-10 has a 3" bbl so I have to carry in an OWB holster so I don't get jabbed.

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Marty 4513TSW 13-1 642 60-10

I thought about this topic a lot when I started riding on the road. My problem was with having to possibly draw my weapon while moving. I am right handed, and ended up going with my Glock in a High Noon IWB Down Under holster. I also have either a j frame, or Ruger LCP in a pocket holster in the right inside pocket of my jacket. That way I at least have something easy to access with my left hand if I need to keep using the throttle. I always wear a jacket, so this might not work for everyone. Good luck in your choice.

I also have a Versapak courier style bag with a padded gun compartment made by Maxpedition. It's well made, and rides comfortably out of the way. It doubles as a carry all for camera and other extra gear. Lots of different models and makes out there designed for hunting and defensive carry. I know 5.11 and BlackHawk also make something similar in a courier bag.

Forgot to add, my opinion of course, I am right handed and my right hand controls the throttle. No way I can think of that allows me to ride and draw. So my plan is, firstly, when necessary, get the heck out of Dodge. I can pretty much outrun any gansta-mobile, and most other bikers. NO, I cannot outrun a bullet, of course. The second choice I see when the SHTF and I cannot get away is to drop the bike right there and defend. Wife understands and we are in communication all the time (well, perhaps less after lunch when she had her 2nd bloody Mary and is singing along with the MP3 and drowns me out )

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Marty 4513TSW 13-1 642 60-10