Anyone Change How They CCW w/Age?

[Old cop]

Just curious; I started out as a rookie cop carrying off-duty, holster on my belt. Went on that way for years until my hip began to bother me (after retirement) and switched to IWB/appendix until about three years ago. Now it's pocket w/holster full time. If I tighten my belt to accommodate either IWB or OWB my hips and back seem to go into spasm and hurt something awful. This only takes a few minutes and I've been to the doctor. I was just told, after X-Rays and other exams, I was getting old (70 later this year). Anyone else experience the same or similar problems? Checking w/fellow retirees some report hip pain, on the side they carried the weapon, similar to mine.

No big deal, I've learned that I can only carry a light J frame, or the M&P .380 and I'll always be armed. I practice w/my carry gun and qualify for LEOSA every year w/scores in the high 90s.

 

[Targets Guy]

I just keep buying faster holsters.

 

[petepeterson]

I'm in my 40s, but I'm having a lot of trouble with my right hip lately. Almost like nerve pain. I'm concerned it has something to do with my IWB strong-side carry. I took a week off and used a different method, but it didn't seem to help.

 

[Hamster65]

I never even thought about it until I saw this thread but yeah, I have changed it up. I used to hip carry a G19 in a Serpa holster and even tried a shoulder rig a few times. In summer time, I often used a "fanny pack" style concealment holster for it, or just carried a smaller pocket pistol.
I'd tried several IWB's that I didn't like or just ended up not being comfortable but, they've improved greatly over the years.
Today, I carry a Shield in a very slim Kydex IWB, at the 4 o'clock position. Carrying my smartphone at the 3 o'clock position, also helps conceal it. It's so comfortable that I can "almost" forget it's there.
The only downside to carrying in this position is, it would be difficult to get to while sitting in my car, if I needed it. For this reason, I rigged up a holder between my seat and the center console that my holster will snap into so now, my pistol is readily available if the need should arise.
Here's the holster. On the backside, it goes almost all the way up and even covers the safety.

 

[andyo5]

My experience mirrors yours, except that I was never a cop.
I carry a J frame airweight in a front pocket holster. I can also carry in a shoulder holster or a fanny pack. But IWB or OWB carry of a handgun has me tightening my belt to keep my pants up. I recently suffered a 6 week bout of sciatica because of this.
My problem is that my belly forces the belt downwards, and my fanny is not big enough to keep the belt up. So my pants tend to slide downwards unless I make the belt really tight. That's where my problem starts.

 

[hardluk1]

As I get older and slower after a couple hand surgeries I now carry a larger heavier double stack pistol but in the same iwb I have used for 10 years . Its a very modified Comp-tac neutral that gets carried at a 1:30 position canted to the rear so the grip lays parallel to my belt . My EDC is a p320 sig compact in 40sw but a wider ct45 kahr now gets some carry time . Works well in the same kydex body .

 

[BAM-BAM]

I'm 62 and for 25 years now mostly carry(90%) a 3913/14 Sparks Summer Special/Executive Companion....one spare magazine in a Safariland Model123 horizontal mag pouch.

Comparing what my Dad carried on his belt(4" revolver,2 reloads,cuffs) in the 60/70s to today's "Bat belts"...surprised you're not all in wheelchairs by 60!

 

[loc n load]

Carry mode

Carried a duty weapon from 73-08, always strong side, either in a Sam Browne rig or IWB / OWB concealed. Just came home from being "out amongst them", Glock 30 IWB blade tech, two full mags on opposite side. Model 49 Smith in pocket of Carhart barn coat.
Retired now - in my 60's, but for me, some things have not changed (my carry mode is one of the few things that have not changed).

 

[johnnyflake]

I'll be 75 this coming July. For many years while living where I was born and raised in the Mid-West, I carried a S&W 66. After moving out West to Henderson, Nevada, I started carrying a Colt Pony .380 - pocket carry, all the time. About 5 years ago, I switched to a Sig P238 .380, which I pocket carry 24/7. I much prefer concealed carry, but I do open carry sometimes, more now than I did in the past. When I open carry, it's either my Springfield .45acp Commander or my newer Charter Arms .45acp 5 shot Pitbull Revolver.

 

[Old cop]

Thanks for the replies thus far, please keep them coming. As to body type I'm tall & thin, no belly but no butt either so my pants will slide if there is too much stuff in my pockets.

 

[springer99]

Still carry the same hardware that's I've always favored; but the biggest change has been that I now need suspenders to keep my pants up. Should have done that years ago; so much more comfortable.

 

[grover99]

as I have gotten older I have gotten back to my roots and started carrying revolvers again like I did 30 years ago. The 686 and the 69 are my main carry now and they are heavy so I almost always use suspenders. When I was younger I thought that only old guys wore suspenders. Well now I am an old guy.

 

[Joe7]

Hamster65 - do you have a link to the holster you posted a picture of?

 

[snuffy51]

On my hip where it belongs.

4" K-frame in a Hunter 1100-30 1534 holster, 6 rnd. speed strip in my shirt pocket. Loaded shotgun in my truck if I can get to it.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Short and squat and old......but not as old as some folks....

I pocket carried for decades, mouse gun, J frame, etc. On rare occasion, when I was headed somewhere that I thought required more firepower, I belt carried, usually IWB, sometimes OWB, always concealed. (Not counting hunting escapades, which are different.)

Now that I'm older, and the war seems to be more often on our streets than ever before, I switched to belt carry, again usually IWB (okay, today I have a concealed carry vest on so the gun is inside that), and now I carry a 6 shot K frame or a High capacity pistol like a 6906. I was getting really tired of J frames, anyway.

So, actually, despite age and hip and knee and spine issues I'm 100% comfortable with belt carry all day. This vest is okay but the snubbie K frame's weight drags on me far more than in a belt holster. Not a problem, really, but I'm actually more aware of the gun in the interior of the vest than I am when it's high riding IWB.

 

[ken158]

I think it goes with the territory... Started carrying a lightweight commander off duty and on duty were K and N frame with gun belt and all the other **** we had to carry... Many years in plain clothes, carried anything from snub 66 to P7 to Sig 225 and USP compact. Alternated between belt and shoulder holsters. Now retired and a Shield or 642 goes where I go. Oh yeah, the opposite hip from duty gun gives me the most problem and I guess just balancing out the equipment caused that as well as getting in and out of the car many times a shift and poor posture while driving many miles.

 

[Old Corp]

Biggest fault I see in my CCW is jumping around to different guns way too much. Can vary from a fullsize M1911 to a S&W j frame, M&P/M10's, my old duty M66, sometimes a M58 or even a Brazilian M1937 .45.

IWB with almost anything causes back pain. (can thank a drunk driver who rear-ended my patrol car while I was seated in it on a traffic stop in 1984)
Many OWB holsters of the 'speed scabbard' design is my favorite. Pancake design, which I've used for years, involves belt loops that are too far apart.

 

[Rangerpat]

My carry guns have become lighter over the years as I have aged...

most of the Smith revolvers that I carry all day long begin with the number 3_ _.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Yes. I just turned 71. I thought I had solved all of my problems with OWB carry a few years ago when I started using a good belt from the beltman, but in the last few months or so I have occasionally grown weary of carrying my 2" Model 15 OWB. When that happens, I either carry a 642 OWB, a 642 in my pocket, or the Model 15 in a Bianchi 9R (Berns-Martin) shoulder holster. I haven't tried my long-time favorite (Government Model in a Milt Sparks Summer Special) lately, but I suspect that it would be the same as the 15 - OK for a week or two, and then time for relief.

I don't really know, but I suspect that it may be muscles more than age. Since carrying heavy hardware isn't usually critical in the places I am privileged to inhabit, I haven't bothered to investigate this properly. For health reasons unrelated to firearms, I probably should.

 

[Arik]

I've tried different methods whole learning what works and what doesn't but I've been carrying iwb ow for over a decade