Recommendations for conceal carry holsters

[canamkayaker]

New to this. After concerns with wanting to protect my family and taking a public serving job. I’m taking a class this weekend.

How would you recommend concealing a bodyguard w/out laser?


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[murphydog]

It is a highly individual answer and depends on your work attire, body build, any physical limitations (flexibility, range of motion, strength), and personal preference. Easiest would be an inside or outside the waist belt holster. Try several out before buying if you can and even with that, plan on buying several before finding the one that works best for you. Good luck in your search.

[Iggy]

I'm sure most of us have a box full of holsters that didn't work out we'll sell you cheap..

The class this weekend may give you some good insight. Don't get in a rush.

[ISCS Yoda]

Iggy is right. Don't rush.

Having never actually used a S&W Bodyguard I am not 100% sure of its size. I am guessing that you mean the .380 pistol and not the .38 caliber revolver but as it is J-frame sized it is easy to conceal..

For my purposes, guns that small go into pocket holsters in any kind of pants unless you're super thing and wear skin tight pants. Jeans, dress pants, cargo pants, it will drop into any pocket - always use a pocket holster!

Anything can be carried IWB or OWB but those little guns are super easy to carry concealed that way if that's your choice.

[canamkayaker]

Sorry, yes it’s the 380 not the 38. 6ft 240lb fairly athletic but my gut is growing since the kids came and activity level went down. I was thinking about trying the inside waist on the back. I think they refer to that as appendix but not sure. It is a small pistol but I know it’ll be awkward at first. My LGS is really thin on holsters right now due to Christmas shopping.


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[coachray]

I have a BG 380, but only carry it on occasions where printing is a no no. I use a DeSantis Super Fly pocket holster for inside my front pocket. Of I carry IWB it's with a DeSantis Sof-Tuk holster. Both of those work well, and they are not that expensive. I normally carry a S&W Shield 9mm and sometimes use the Sof-Tuk I have for it.

[hyena]

My Bodyguard .380 is my EDC, and I carry it in my front pants pocket in a Desantis Nemesis holster. Cheap, effective. There are times when I'm on my motorcycle all day and I use an inexpensive Galco IWB holster clipped to the top of my boot. Both conceal and work very well.

[old bear]

To many to options to lock just one down. Yet, here is what generally works for me.
Discrete carry, Lobo combat special. More concealed carry, Lobo Enhanced Pancake. Deep carry, Lobo inside the waste band. Deepest carry any good quality shoulder holster under two or more cover garments.

[Jimmy4570]

For leather, look at Milt Sparks, Kramer, Mernickle, El Paso Saddlery, Tucker and Byrd and Mike Barranti. For Kydex or- better still- Boltaron holsters, check out Hillsman Holsters, HTC, Raven and Comp-Tac. Somewhere among those makers you'll find the ideal holster or two you'll want for all your concealed carry needs.

[Geronimo Jim]

Really been happy with the 5 or 6 Lobo's I got. Most in horsehide.

[ldryder]

If you want a pocket holster that will disappear while you're carrying and actually stay in your pocket when you draw your weapon, get a Pocket holster from Robert Mika. If you want a IWB/AIWB holster that you won't even know you're wearing and has one of the strongest clips that you'll ever want on a IWB holster, get a Waistband Holster from Robert Mika.

Both will last forever and conform to the shape of the gun and to your shape as well.

No matter which holsters I've tried over the years, I always keep coming back to my Mika holsters and sell the other ones after trying them for a while.

Mika's Pocket Holsters

[richardw]

I have a Remington 380 and it is about the same size os the Bodyguard. I I have two holsters for it. One is an uncle Mikes size 3 pocket holster bought on eBay for about $7. The other is a convertible Kydex holster from Galloway Precision. It can be worn inside the IWB or OWB with a simple change of the side to which the clip attaches. So with 2 holsters I have three Carry options. The Galloway holster cost about $40 including shipping. They make the holster for the Bodyguard and other guns.

[robertrwalsh]

Murphydog (and others) are right. It is a highly individualized decision, dependent on what sort of clothing you are wearing, your body size and type, exact weapon and how deeply you want/need the weapon to be concealed and the weather, which will affect your clothing decision. I do very nicely about 90% of the time with an OWB strong-side holster worn just behind the point of the hip. That could be completely useless for you.

[crazyphil]

First, think of your body as a clock with your belly button 12:00
Your right hip would be 3:00, Middle of your back 6:00, Left hip 9:00.

What you describe that you have been thinking of would be middle of
back. I suggest you forget that because it is an excellent way to get
a serious back injury.

You mentioned appendix. That would be around 1 to 2 o'clock.

This will be controversial I know, but you asked for advice. When you
need your gun, you need it quick. Personally I think pocket carry is
too slow.

In my opinion outside the waistband (OWB) is the quickest, wearing it
at about 4 to 5 o'clock. (Assuming you are right handed)

An open top (no retention straps) is generically referred to as a
speed scabbard. A well made speed scabbard will hold your gun
without retention. It will be much quicker, And you will have it
covered with shirt or jacket so nobody will know you have it.

Then practice a lot, with the gun unloaded. I used to be able to
draw and fire in less than a heartbeat. (About a second) But that
was a long time ago. Now I rely a lot on situational awareness.

Your pistol should conceal well with just an untucked t shirt or shirt.

As far as what holster, I prefer the little revolver rather than pistol,
but if they are made well for revolvers I believe they would also be
well made for pistols, so I will recommend the following. Left to right:

Black Hills high ride. This one is shark, but you can also get cowhide.
Thad Rybka's Gaylord style speed scabbard.
DeSantis Speed Scabbard
Don Hume's JIT
Price Western Leather (PWL) Gaylord style speed scabbard

[nachogrande]

Tradeoffs abound. A pocket holster is OK when standing, seated not so great. If you do not have rock hard abs & a six pack, the love handles can push the gun away from your belt. Shoulder holsters are nice (IMO) but harder to cover & tend to bounce around with much movement. IWB can be uncomfortable next to the skin. Retention VS speed is a whole other conversation. I prefer something that covers the entire trigger/trigger guard with a top snap, or other retention device, and open at the bottom so it can't fill up with water or debris. IMO IF You can find a belt holster t works for you, congrats. The old Mom & Pop shops usually had a box of inexpensive used holsters. When you get it all figured out, along comes another gun. It's kind of a never ending quest for many like me. For pocket carry the bear creek wallet type is OK, for OWB the DeSantis mdl 80 thumb break is about my oldest & most used. Neither are close to top of the line expensive. Good luck & IF you find the Unicorn, please share it with the group.

[AlHunt]

Nobody has really emphasized the importance of the belt. If you go with some kind of belt carry, you should check out belts especially designed to carry a firearm. It'll be wide, thick, stiff and cost as much as the holster. Without it your firearm will be drooping all over the place and you'll be forever hitching your pants back up.

IWB @ 12:00 for me, by the way.

[crazyphil]

It is important that your belt be the same width as the loop(s) on your
holster so the holster will stay in place on the belt and not rock back and
forth. Your pistol is only about 12 ounces plus the ammo, so the thickness
of the belt is not quite as important as it would be with a heavier gun.

Neither of my belts shown in the 1st and 5th frame above are very thick,
but they are lined. Fairly stiff. They do just fine with the little guns, but
I use a thicker gunbelt when carrying bigger guns.

[Rpg]

Terminology is a bit confusing in that Smith makes, or has made, several handguns they’ve called Bodyguard.

The originals, the M38 and M49, are j frame revolvers. The contemporary Bodyguard 38 revolver IS NOT a j frame but rather an odd, funky, reliability challenged revolver action used in no other pistol. Finally, the Bodyguard 380 is a semiautomatic pistol.

The OP’s Bodyguard is the 380: a very small semiautomatic.

These things impress me as pocket pistols, not something to carry on a belt.

These things are so small that they are hard to grab and present (draw) from a belt holster any more quickly than they can be presented from a pocket.

I wouldn’t carry one of these tiny pistols in a belt holster: I’d pocket carry it.

[Jaysq]

Originally Posted by canamkayaker

Sorry, yes it’s the 380 not the 38. 6ft 240lb fairly athletic but my gut is growing since the kids came and activity level went down. I was thinking about trying the inside waist on the back. I think they refer to that as appendix but not sure. It is a small pistol but I know it’ll be awkward at first. My LGS is really thin on holsters right now due to Christmas shopping.


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No, Appendix is actually where your appendix is. The middle of the back is called "small of the back" ***. That is the worst location and can do the most damage should you fall or get knocked down on your back. You could damage your spine.

The bodyguard is a small gun and easily pocket carried or IWB or OWB. If you pocket carry always use a pocket holster. Mica Pocket Holsters is the top of the line.
Mika Pocket Holster by Jerry Jaynes, on Flickr

Outside the waistband (OWB) it doesn't get any better than Wright Leather Works.
S&W Shield 003cf3 by Jerry Jaynes, on Flickr

I have never been able to carry comfortably IWB.