I use two different EDC weapons, one a S&W 442 and a Glock 42. The G 42 is both lighter and narrower. Yet I find the Smith is more comfortable to carry. Weighting both with ammo and holster it comes to G 42, 18.2 Oz. S&W 442, 20.2 Oz. So how is it I feel the Glock but not the Smith when the 442 is 2 Oz. heavier?

It comes down to the gun/holster balance. The center mass of the revolver is carried pretty evenly by the belt. The center mass of the auto loader is above the belt with the grip, mag and ammo all leaning out. Without a long barrel to distribute or lever the weight you feel the torque on your belt, not just the weight.

This observation has given me the opportunity to increase my comfort level by shedding another 3 Oz. and buy a 340 PD. I'm always happy to help enable the Smith & Wesson family here. Plus I really don't like striker fired guns pointed to my bodily parts.

I had an M&P340 for several years. I didn't shoot it nearly as much as my larger heavier semi's and revolvers because it was just not all that pleasant to shoot. I can shoot almost anything pretty darn well but never felt that I could shoot it as well as many of my other choices. I recently traded it away and picked up a 649-2. It is much more pleasant to shoot and I hit better with it as well. Weight can be your friend in this case. Many members here are so concerned with light weight, that they for go shoot ability. I find that I also shoot all of my semi autos better than any of the small J frame types not to mention having more rounds on tap.

I’ve had the no-lock 340PD for years, zero problems and an easy always-gun in a pocket holster.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

My 2 EDC are a 9mm shield and a CZ 75 CPR they are both carried in Milt Sparks VMII. the shield is more comfortable and the CZ more comforting.
I shoot the heavier CZ better and it has more rounds, the shield is more comfortable and is worn when it will be a long day.

Before buying a new gun for CCW, I would find a way to shoot that exact model with the ammo you intend to carry in it. Not just one round, but a few dozen if you can work that out. If it still suits you then go for it.

Many times the way a gun feels and carries does not help out much when shot. 5 years ago I would only carry a 5 shot M60 and owned no "plastic guns". After I shot one of my friends Sig P365's with 11 rounds on board I could not deny it was far superior. So much easier and faster to shoot better rounds out of. That was to me and your opinion may differ, but at least try and shoot the 340 PD with carry ammo first - then be honest with yourself and ask, "is that for me"?

I carry my 442 with a DeSantis Clip Grip.
This puts almost the whole revolver below your belt.

I agree. I carry a M67 with a 4" barrel. It carries better than short barrels.

I carry my 442 with a DeSantis Clip Grip.
This puts almost the whole revolver below your belt.

I agree. I carry a M67 with a 4" barrel. It carries better than short barrels.

I found a gun-specific belt made a huge difference in my CCW comfort.

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Richard

I was able to shave approximately 800 ounces off of my waistline.
Concealed carry is easier now.
My draw is much quicker too.
Carrying a heavier gun is more practical.
Carrying two guns is more practical also especially if one is an Airweight.

Kind Regards!
BrianD

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696-6906-457-38-3913-CS40-411

I can always carry a lightweight J-Frame in my pocket. My second gun is in my waist. That gun depends on what I’m doing and what kind of shape my back is in. Some days it’s a second lightweight J-Frame. If everything is good it can be my Springfield 20 round XDm .

Update. I forgot to mention, a Bigfoot CCW Belt helps hold a waistband gun. I don’t get as many back problems as I used to.

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Two Handguns every day

As I approach my 70th trip around the sun, a 640-1 Pro in a Milt Sparks VMII has become my EDC for a couple of years now. Comfortable (and comforting) for all-day carry. For the BBQ, it’ll ride OWB in a custom “bamabiker” pancake holster.

Very occasionally, a Kimber Ultra Carry I, also in a Milt Sparks VMII.

My other J’s (several 36’s and 60’s) and K’s (19-5 and 66-4) are now relegated to the safe or occasional range duty. The J’s are redundant and the K’s are just too big for EDC.

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For a variety of reasons. most of my carry time is a G33 in a Kramer pocket holster. For some limited purposes, I carry my G42 in a Mike pocket holster. I have a belt holster for it but I don't think I have ever used it. Pocket carry requires devotion to a good holster and having nothing else in the relevant pocket.

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NHI, 10-8.

My 2” 36 or P365 ride nicely in my front pocket. As for belt carry I go from one extreme to the other. P365 in DeSantis belt scabbard and 3”629 also in DeSantis belt scabbard. Same quality Amish made belt for both. There’s not as much difference as you’d think in feel. Quality holster and design are the key. I find DeSantis hard to beat at twice the price.

A 9mmShield in a soft pocket holster in the right front pocket of my blue jeans..........I forget it's there
When I use to wear overalls when hunting or out and about in the woods/fields..........A 4 in 29 slid behind the bib on top my gut........Rode in perfect comfort and safety.

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S&W Accumulator

I have other larger revolvers and pistols that I can shoot better than the 442. But in fifty years of qualifications the J frames have always gotten me over a 95%. Plus I'm willing to carry it.

A P210 or G34 is a range toy. Old and arthritic I want small, light and comfortable.

Oh you poor guy dealing with bad holsters and carry set up's . I have carried a lw commander for most of my 37 years of iwb carry at 3:00 in a iwb hybrid holster that keeps my pistol pinned to the side Not all sag like your set up had !! My work belt is an old 1.5" LE brand ed belt know gone that's a reinforced 2layer + ss in-between 1.5" belt that still works well after 27 years . I still find my self doing elbow checks a time or two every day to be sure I still have my handgun on me . I do have thin grip panels on my 1911 but I can also do the same with a m&p 4.25 40 as the thickness of both is about 1.21 & 1.24 wide .

I think different guns, different holsters, and different belts work for different people. Takes a while to find what works well for different individuals.

When ya get there tho... It's great.

I carry 22oz (unloaded weight) Shield 45 to a 35oz (unloaded weight) S&W 686 revolver. I sometimes also carry a 17oz Ruger LCR. Other than that, I've carried 12oz (unloaded) 380auto's in the past. I have never had a problem with comfort. I've even, on 3 occasions over the last decade, have been running late, rushed out of my house, completely forgot to put my EDC into the holster that's was on my hip, and went all day until I got home without realizing it. I can't say I personally notice a big difference between a few onces of weight on my belt, and comfort typically depends on the holster I'm using rather than the whether a handgun is a revolver or semiauto, center mass, torque, etc.. I typically carry all year around conceal OWB In a leather pancake holster with nothing other than a medium pole or t-shirt on.

I do find revolver easier to conceal than semiautos because they do not have standard profile of a handgun and because how the grip is angled. I just never obsessed about the weight of my carry guns unless it was a firearm I planned to carry while at the gym, going for a run, or the like. In which case I'd carry a 380. Size and printing are what concern me. Weight and not ever wanting to feel that I'm carrying a firearm, not so much.

I have the opposite take than Well Armed. I’m 62, and that may be the difference.

I started cutting the weight of my carry guns soon after starting to carry all day, almost everyday, which in the People’s Repulic of Maryland wasn’t until about 5 months after Bruen. I carried in VA before that but before or after crossing the bridge (over the Potomac River) into or out of MD I had to disarm or arm up.

Not including hunting or working at the hunt club, I’ll carry a 28oz (unloaded) or so gun, but prefer lighter.

Typical carry is a Sig P365X for an auto or a S&W Model 386 for a revolver.

My question would be why use a belt holster for either one of those? Both of those belong in a pocket using a good quality pocket holster that distributes the weight evenly across the bottom of the holster. A pocket holster should never concentrate all the weight on the muzzle of the gun. Desantis Nemesis is an excellent pocket holster and the price is low enough to try that carry method without paying prices charged by custom holster makers.

As has been stated, IWB carry works much better when you find a good holster and belt combination. unfortunately that can take much trial and error. And I have the full holster drawer to testify to that. Since I have retired, I carry exclusively OWB in a belt slide style holster. My carry choice ranges from a a Glock 43 to a NAA 32ACP guardian to a Beretta 32ACP to a S&W model 60 and even a LCP II in 22LR. To me, weight is less an issue than the size. And my choice of carry just depends on what I feel like carrying and what I will be doing that particular day.

Well done OP, you've (re)discovered a core principle of gunleather, which is, "don't get a good gunbelt, find a holster maker who understands centre of gravity". Modern big mag pistol are far heavier at the grip, loaded, than a revolver is at the grip. Looking at today's gunleather one would think this basic premise had been forgotten.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

We can't carry in public libraries. I go to them often. It's not unusual for me to forget to re-arm afterwards. I guess that means my rig is comfy (and I'm getting forgetful).

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A couple thoughts:

1) Assuming equal weight, a revolver is almost always more comfortable to carry than a semi auto.

The width of the slide and frame is fairly uniform with a pistol so you have that bulk along the entire length of the gun with more empty space inside.k

In contrast, while a revolver will be a bit wider at the cylinder the rest of the frame and barrel are quite thin and the barrel isn’t very deep either.


2) IWB or OWB carry comfort comes down to two things:

- a stiff carry belt that will support the handgun without rolling over; and

- a *well designed* holster with two clips or belt loops that will keep the holster from rotating, that also has enough area to spread the pressure from the holster over enough area on the hip to keep it comfortable all day. As noted above, semi auto handguns have magazines in the grip and that can cause them to want to tip. Two clips help with that, but so does some cant to place the weight of the magazine over the center of the holster. That usually helps draw the butt in close to you as well.


With those parameters met you should be able to carry a 35-40 oz handgun all day long and not find it uncomfortable.

LCR and a P365

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My sentiments exactly - and it took me a lot of years to obtain the comfort level I currently enjoy. I'm "big boned" (although my doctor doesn't exactly call it that...), and I've finally settled on the following:

• S&W CS45D - Because I love 3rd Gens more that plastic, plus this one is small, light, accurate AND still a .45ACP
• AceCase IWB "Tuckable" holster - Because it rides lower inside my waist belt while really reducing any printing,
• SUSPENDERS - Because I don't want my pants to end up around my ankles if I need to draw or when I remove my pistol!

The suspenders were the final key to my comfort because they help share the load of the pistol, etc. instead of all of it being supported only by my belt. Most often I wear them under my shirt because I very seldom tuck in.

And that’s the reason most of us have a “holster box” full of stuff that didn’t work for us🙄

I carry a 642, works in the pocket. It isn't pleasant to shoot, it's for what if. If you just can't shoot it well enough, use something larger and heavier. A heavier gun probably means you'll have to carry in a belt holster instead of your pocket. You can carry almost any handgun on your waist. I have a rather new 9mm EZ that I may start carrying in a belt holster, it's too big for pocket carry. The EZ is easy to shoot and so far it's reliable. Shoots low, gotta file off the front sight to zero it.

I have several guns that I consider EDC. First, my M649, full weight (I cannot abide lightweight revolvers) J-frame revolver, 95% pocket carry. Very comfortable all the time. Occasionally, it rides comfortably in a Galco Summer Comfort IWB, particularly when I'm driving under certain circumstances.

When I decide to carry a pistol it can be a Walther CCP (striker fired) or a CZ-75 Compact (TDA-hammer). Both ride just as easily in a pocket or on my belt depending on clothes and circumstances.

I notice no particular difference in my pocket or on my belt. The OP's complexities are way over my head.

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Come and take it!!