concealed carry in work/dress cloths

[Lugger007]

Good afternoon,

I wan wondering how do the majority of you conceal carry when going to work. My attire will be mixed between full suits, slacks and tucked golf shirt and then jeans and polo. I work in the construction industry and if I'm in the office I need to dress up, but when I visit a job site jeans is fine.
My main question is what methods do you use? I prefer iwb, but for a suit i feel as if ankle would be the best. I have been looking at many holster manufactures but not sure what way is the best route so i can narrow my search.

And it is out of the question not carrying more often than not because of the location of the job sites as well as the hours in which i enter leave some of the sites.

Thank for all the help in advance.

Brian

 

[Lugger007]

Good afternoon,

I wan wondering how do the majority of you conceal carry when going to work. My attire will be mixed between full suits, slacks and tucked golf shirt and then jeans and polo. I work in the construction industry and if I'm in the office I need to dress up, but when I visit a job site jeans is fine.
My main question is what methods do you use? I prefer iwb, but for a suit i feel as if ankle would be the best. I have been looking at many holster manufactures but not sure what way is the best route so i can narrow my search.

And it is out of the question not carrying more often than not because of the location of the job sites as well as the hours in which i enter leave some of the sites.

Thank for all the help in advance.

Brian

 

[WC145]

I have two jobs, one is law enforcement, the other is medical. When I'm working the cop job I'm either in uniform or casual clothes but concealment is not an issue regardless of attire. When I'm in the hospital I wear scrubs and they don't lend themselves to concealing much of anything. I used to wear a Kel-tec P3AT clipped inside the waist band and a knife clipped in the other side. Now I carry a S&W 360 in an ankle holster and the knife in the waist band. Obviously slower to reach and draw from the ankle than the waist but I prefer the larger gun and caliber and no one bumps into it, it doesn't drag on my pants, etc. Given the clothing you've described, I'd look at either an ankle holster or a very small gun for pocket carry. I sometimes carry the Kel-tec clipped in a pocket, easy to reach and it looks like a knife.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Originally posted by Lugger007:
Good afternoon,

I wan wondering how do the majority of you conceal carry when going to work. My attire will be mixed between full suits, slacks and tucked golf shirt and then jeans and polo. I work in the construction industry and if I'm in the office I need to dress up, but when I visit a job site jeans is fine.
My main question is what methods do you use? I prefer iwb, but for a suit i feel as if ankle would be the best. I have been looking at many holster manufactures but not sure what way is the best route so i can narrow my search.

And it is out of the question not carrying more often than not because of the location of the job sites as well as the hours in which i enter leave some of the sites.

Thank for all the help in advance.

Brian

For me a suit is the easiest, if it is cut right. I have never had a problem with trousers, woolen sport jacket, and a 1911 in a Summer Special. Ankle is great for a backup or gun accessible while seated in a car, but for a bad neighborhood while upright, it is darned close to not having a gun. If your shoulders are outboard of your hips, an IWB should be fine. If you're worried, have your wife inspect you. At worst, you may have to get a jacket tailored with the gun on.

 

[Doug M.]

A good quality pocket holster is your pal, just choose your clothes carefully (dress around the gun). I have done fine with dress clothes and all other trousers except jeans, but I'm too cheap to buy new jeans and have not worn them in several years.

 

[38-44HD45]

If you are serious about carrying, dress to the gun, don't "gun to the dress." At my office and most other places I work, I typically wear a sportcoat or suit, so IWB carry of my 1911-types is easy. Before I carried full-size self-defense pistols daily, I didn't wear a jacket all the time. Easy adjustment. An untucked shirt works fine, too, for more casual settings, as does a light vest. Unless you just can't do otherwise (as in wearing scrubs) ankle carry should be reserved for a backup gun. However, ankle carry beats no carry, and it's your life, not mine.

 

[ACP230]

Another vote for pocket holsters/pocket carry.
I have pocket holsters that fit my jeans and my coat pockets and use them more than anything else I own.

 

[jimmyj]

Hi:
I found that a S&W Model 638/642 with Barami Grips and a pocket holster meets most all dress modes.
Jimmy

 

[2000Z-71]

I've been in similar situations. As an Architect that did most of the field work for the office it was mixed attire for office and field work. Being in central Arizona doesn't help much with the covering garments. I found that a j-frame in the pocket was my best friend.

 

[GatorFarmer]

I used to be a slum lord. Under a sport coat, one can hide most anything. Talk to your tailor, he/she can adjust your clothing around the gun or guns, it isn't an uncommon request.

If you switch to khakis from jeans, the pockets will be much more spacious.

 

[Guest]

Most of this question depends upon just what you're planning on carrying. I carry a pair of Glock 27s in SOB Belt Holsters but NOT in the SOB position. I use them in a Strong Side Carry position. Both guns stay "high & tight" and a light weight vest is plenty so a Suit Jacket would be great. I've never been a fan of the Polo shirts but have used a number of light shirts that are square cut along the bottom and work fine for covering my hardware but I prefer a vest - I own several.

 

[flop-shank]

WC145, IMO you should start carrying two guns. Keep the 360 on you ankle while wearing scrubs and try a NAA mini (lr., mag, or Black Widow if you can get away with it weight wise) IWB. Use the big gun first if you have time to get to it.

Lugger, do you wear an untucked shirt while wearing construction clothes?

 

[Lugger007]

Thanks for every ones opinions and recommendations so far. Right now I will be carrying a Glock 19, but I plan on purchasing something smaller for summer carry.

On the idea of pocket carry, unfortunately I don't think that will work for me. I'm the type of person that hates things in my jean pockets. I will have to try it though in my dress pants. Maybe if i pick up a small enough j-frame or a small kel-tec it might work.
I will have to try on my different suits and dress and see how it works and how I can change my dress to make it work. I'll also make sure to have my g/f double check to make sure I'm not printing at all.

flop-shank, I work on the management side so I am not physically doing any of the work. If I'm acting as a superintendent on a job I'll be walking around a lot, bending and such but not any major work. So usually my shirts are tucked in. While at work very rarely would they be un tucked.

Thanks again for all the help.

Brian

 

[flop-shank]

Lugger, a P3AT, or Black Widow, in a pocket holster with a fairly substantial set of keys, or a hanky in the bottom of the pocket, might look pretty nondescript if your jeans fit somewhat loose. I would also think about a second gun on the ankle for a weak hand draw. Smartcarry/thunderwear might also be a good alternative for a BUG.

 

[WC145]

Originally posted by flop-shank:
WC145, IMO you should start carrying two guns. Keep the 360 on you ankle while wearing scrubs and try a NAA mini (lr., mag, or Black Widow if you can get away with it weight wise) IWB. Use the big gun first if you have time to get to it.

Given my position at the hospital, the size of the facility, and the area that I live and work in, I really don't feel the need to carry two when I am there. Should that ever change, I can go back to carrying the P3AT clipped in my waist band along with the 360. Now, on the other hand, when I am on duty for my LE job I ALWAYS carry two, my duty gun and the 360, plus at least one long gun in my vehicle.

 

[The Big D]

IIRC, this topic has been covered before.

However, if I am wrong

, here's my opinion. FWIW, I have CCW'd essentially 365 for 30+ years; in all climates and all 50 states.

I never allow a gun to dictate my attire. I am often in business attire (suit and tie) but just as often in business casual or "play" clothes. To the best of my knowledge, I have never been made as CCW.

I have carried a mid-size 9mm for just about half of those years. Recently I got a 642 and a 60 that I now interchange for most of my CCW.

I use Galco OWB's or one of several IWB's (usually j-hook for ultra-concealability.) Always strong side carry.

If not wearing an outer garment or camp shirt, I use an IWB with my shirt tucked/bloused around the grip. Smooth finish wood grips work best as the fabric doesn't cling. J-hooks show very little, and no one has ever asked "what's that little black thingee?"

In my experience I have learned that a quality dress belt is more than sufficient to properly secure a quality holster and the pistols I CCW. It is very important and often overlooked (given some of the photos I have seen here), but if you OWB be sure there is a belt loop between the holster slots and use that loop. (On some pants I have had to relocate a belt loop.) If you use a proper belt, a proper holster, and that loop most CCW type (if there is, indeed, a "type") weapons won't sag a bit.

Be safe.

 

[Andy Taylor]

Originally posted by Model520Fan:

Originally posted by Lugger007:
Good afternoon,

I wan wondering how do the majority of you conceal carry when going to work. My attire will be mixed between full suits, slacks and tucked golf shirt and then jeans and polo. I work in the construction industry and if I'm in the office I need to dress up, but when I visit a job site jeans is fine.
My main question is what methods do you use? I prefer iwb, but for a suit i feel as if ankle would be the best. I have been looking at many holster manufactures but not sure what way is the best route so i can narrow my search.

And it is out of the question not carrying more often than not because of the location of the job sites as well as the hours in which i enter leave some of the sites.

Thank for all the help in advance.

Brian

For me a suit is the easiest, if it is cut right. I have never had a problem with trousers, woolen sport jacket, and a 1911 in a Summer Special. Ankle is great for a backup or gun accessible while seated in a car, but for a bad neighborhood while upright, it is darned close to not having a gun. If your shoulders are outboard of your hips, an IWB should be fine. If you're worried, have your wife inspect you. At worst, you may have to get a jacket tailored with the gun on.

I know an attorney who carries a 4" N frame in a shoulder holster every day while wearing a suit. Suits are easy. Any half way decent taylor can make the suit fit the gun. If you must remove the jacket, go with a tuckable IWB holster. That way your tucked in shirt is providing the concealment, not the jacket. Alternatively, a pocket holster works very well in the front pocket of dress slacks, better than with jeans even.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Thoughts on the subject, after 40 years of daily carry and 24 years in law enforcement:

1. The handgun you are carrying with you is the one that you will have to use, should the need arise. The handgun left at home, in your office, or under the seat of your vehicle while you are elsewhere will be of no use to you.

2. The method of carry must be comfortable, otherwise you will forego carrying from time to time (maybe on the day the need arises).

3. The well-placed shot ends the confrontation. Put in the time necessary to become, and to stay, proficient with whatever handgun you carry.

4. There is no perfect solution for every person or every set of circumstances.

5. Every holster/carry selection requires some degree of compromise between the four major factors; i.e. comfort, concealability, accessibility, and weapon retention.

Here in southern Colorado we have a moderate climate most of the year, so outer garments can be worn most of the time. However, during the summer months we frequently experience temperatures of 100 to 106 degrees or so, and an outer garment is just out of the question.

I have never found an ankle holster that is truly comfortable, but I have carried a .38 Chief Special in a clip-on IWB holster clipped into the top of my boot. Western boots offer quite a bit of room for that purpose. But access is cumbersome and time consuming, also requiring telegraphing your intentions.

When an outer garment is wearable, I prefer strong-side OWB in a high-ride pancake style. When hot weather precludes the outer garment, I like a fanny pack (mine has a quick-access tear-open velcro panel to access the pistol compartment, which is large enough for a full-size 1911 pistol, Browning Hi Power, etc). Several manufacturers make these. They are innocuous looking, bring no unwanted attention, and serve the purpose well enough for me.

I also have a belt-carry camera bag, prominently emblazoned "Olympus", zip-open top to a compartment that will carry my digital camera, but also holds my .38 Chief Special quite nicely. I imagine that there are such carriers for iPods, etc., that would also work.

Lots of options, if one applies a little imagination.

 

[cmort666]

My typical work (office and field) is tucked polo shirt (I NEVER wear untucked shirts except for exercise in hot weather), and jeans or dress pants. I never wear anything that could be considered a "cover garment" except in very cold weather.

I carry a variety of handguns, including a Norinco M1911 and a 3" S&W Model 65. I use a Don Hume 715M clip on IWB. It's not designed to be "tuckable", but is surprisingly so. I tuck most of my polo shirt in, then blouse the part over the holster under. It's very unobtrusive and nobody has ever given any indication that they know I'm carrying, which wouldn't matter here in Ohio anyway.

When I know I'm going to have to disarm frequently (Post Office, restaurants with liquor licenses, posted locations, etc.), I carry a 2" S&W Model 36 in a Desantis Nemesis pocket holster.

 

[safearm]

I carry daily, i.e., every day. At work, I mostly wear suits, sometimes business casual, i.e., dress shirts and slacks. Most of the time, I have a J frame in a pocket holster, and no one has ever made me for CCW, even after I show them (very select few) that I am carrying. I don't wear tight jeans; I'm old enough that I care less about appearance than comfort; it's also easier to conceal with pleated pants and deep pockets. Sometimes, I'll wear an ankle holster with or instead of a pocket holster.
At home, I'll have either have a pocket gun or a holster gun. I own a horse ranch, and frequently use a gun to eradicate pests.