The Lost Art of the Full Size Carry

[andyo5]

I am no longer a slim young man with a small waist. I have tried a variety of IWB and OWB holsters with guns in the 30 to 40 ounce range. Its OK for awhile, until my pants start to fall down. I have determined that waist carry is not for me and have sold off most of my holsters. I have a chest holster for 5" N frames, and a Bianchi fanny pack to carry a Commander sized pistol. My pants stay up, and I still have a real gun with me.
On a recent trip to Washington DC, I was talking to a security guard at the Smithsonian. He was wearing a thick utility belt with a 4" N frame, some speed loaders, mace, etc. He hiked his belt up several times during our conversation. This is OK for overt carry, but is a deal breaker for concealment. That why its a fanny pack for me.

 

[Rick_A]

Weighing guns out of curiosity, while a bit bulkier, the N frame is a full 1/2 lb lighter than the 1911. It sure doesn't feel it on the waist.

Just a few years ago my clothes started growing. My chin was no longer one piece. My belts that once accommodated a large gun with room to spare barely fit myself and my britches. I sweat like a pig in the heat. Running a couple blocks wore me out worse than a few miles used to. The balls and heels of my feet swoll if afoot all day. I thought hard about the fittest I had ever been. It wasn't being muscle bound...it was fresh out of high school as a wiry teen. The only thing stopping me from that physique was will power. In a few months I was that guy again and have stayed that way for the past couple of years. I hope to never be there again. I've found that a lack of excuses for poor choices and behaviors keeps me honest.

That's just me. While I'd sure love to eat like a glutton and blame it on my age I'd rather be the best I can be for myself and my kid. It'll be a long time before he gives his old man a whoopin.'

Sorry for the off topic rant.

 

[hardscrabble]

I was never comfortable carrying until I started to think about the "system" I was going to work with instead of just the handgun I wanted to carry. There's a combination of convenience, accessibility, magazine size, power factor, shoot-ability and concealment that I had to work out, and it took me several years to figure out that it wasn't all about balancing a cool gun with heavy caliber and magazine capacity. All that thought and expense was a waste when I left it all at home because it was a PIA.

I carry a combo today that I never thought I would ever use. I don't carry my favorite expensive custom shop 1911 in my favorite Del Fatti holster. I don't carry a super-capacity 9mm and I don't carry in my front pocket like I did for a while. I still don't carry every day, because some days I just don't want to fool with it, but I carry more than I did before I figured out what elements of the "system" were most important to me. Notice I listed "convenience" first (those attributes are pretty much in order of what I consider important). In MY world, if it ain't convenient, it ain't going along. When I thought it through, I figured out that there isn't much personal protection provided by a handgun left at home in the sock drawer. (Inside the house protection is provided by an extended mag 12ga loaded with Fed Flite Control buckshot.)

 

[Ross3914]

Suspenders will help out with the extra weight of any gun, large or small, if you have a bad back (like many of us) or other pain. They go a long way to relieving the pressure that you eventually get when the belt is the only thing supporting the weight.

Since you are going to be wearing some sort of garment that conceals your gun, the suspenders are hidden as well. So it's not a big fashion mistake because anyone that sees you have suspenders on, will see the gun as well.

It also helps out with the weight on the belt pulling your pants down.

Lastly, it makes taking a piss at a urinal easy.

 

[Grayfox]

My usual carry gun is a Colt Commander. Sometimes I go with my 3" Model 13 and I have been know to carry a N-frame when the mood strikes me.
I'm an average sized guy. 5'10", 180lbs. And yes, around here summers do get very hot and humid. But I have learned to dress quite comfortably around my gun.
For me it isn't so much a question of size or weight. Its about accuracy. I never have been able to shoot a small gun well. Now that I'm getting older and have a touch of arthritis in my hands, that makes it even worse.
Mind you that at average self defense distances, I can make proper use of a J-frame snubby if need be. I do own some and actually do carry one from time to time. Its just that I don't shoot them as well as I can a larger gun.
Should the worst ever happen, the hands start shaking, the heart starts pounding and the adrenaline pumping, I want every possible advantage I can get to make sure that bullet goes where it needs to.

 

[Rick_A]

I'd call most any K frame (especially a magnum) plenty of gun.

 

[feralmerril]

Havent read all of what has been posted but I see the published example pictures are of skinny guys, Not us normal 280 to 320 pounders. I already am so wide that if I try concealing one of my bigger guns it looks like I am trying to steal a stovepipe. As OC is legal here and I have a cc permit anyway I dont stress the few times I attempt to pack one of my bigger guns, and when I do its usually on the trail anyway and if we come out near a village resturant I either wear my shirt on the outside or put on a jacket. A couple years and pounds apart.

 

[nechaev]

With mouse guns and thin framed subcompacts being all the rage these days, most have abandoned carrying anything in a full framed gun.

Share your tricks and tips, if you got 'em.

While I prefer a 5" 1911 IWB, I'll sometimes carry a 4" N frame. While the 1911 is fine under a tee, for the big N I prefer to carry OWB which requires a button up shirt to avoid printing.

The shirt should not be snug fitting, and should not be of a thin or flimsy material. It is preferable that it extends a couple inches past the holster, for obvious reasons.

Why carry a large gun? It's easy to conceal with some small concessions made to dress and movement. The weight is not obtrusive with a proper belt supporting it. Mainly, they are the easiest to shoot well, and while I am capable of shooting most any gun well I like to carry what I shoot best. It also allows the use of more serious calibers in barrel lengths that make better use of it.

In my case the only downside in this method of carry is some noise created between belt and holster when walking or moving about. Sitting on a bench style seat is a little problematic as the gun/holster will essentially be resting on it.

The other thing is that anyone moving in for a big hug is likely to get a bit of a shock.


20131111_020945_LLS by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

20131111_021647_LLS by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

Apologies for the dirty mirror. Darn kids...

How many (if any) reloads do you carry and it what form -- for example speed strips or speed loaders?

 

[Rick_A]

None. My reload is a J frame back up in 38 spl.

 

[Grayfox]

The other thing is that anyone moving in for a big hug is likely to get a bit of a shock.

There's an old trick for that. If someone tries to hug you, move first and hug them around the waist. Then they have no choice but to hug you around the arms and chest. Nobody's the wiser.

 

[mbliss57]

Havent read all of what has been posted but I see the published example pictures are of skinny guys, Not us normal 280 to 320 pounders. I already am so wide that if I try concealing one of my bigger guns it looks like I am trying to steal a stovepipe. As OC is legal here and I have a cc permit anyway I dont stress the few times I attempt to pack one of my bigger guns, and when I do its usually on the trail anyway and if we come out near a village resturant I either wear my shirt on the outside or put on a jacket. A couple years and pounds apart.

That looks like southern Utah near Kanab.. am I close?

 

[mbliss57]

I wear 511 tactical casual shirts. Plaid and prints. They look and feel good. And have great conceal capability for small and large guns alike.

 

[vsraptor]

I carry a full size M&P IWB in a galco v-hawk. It's comfortable all day. When I need to down size for deeper conceal meant or I'm more worried about "showing", I carry a shield in a stow-and-go or shoulder holster. And then I decide what shirt I want to wear, depending on the mood.

 

[BobC357]

I used to carry an N-Frame but now I carry an M&P 9mm FS. I have big hands and the little guns never feel right.

 

[feralmerril]

Top picture is between brian head and cedar breaks national park. About 8 miles from where we live as the crow flys at cedar city. Bottom picture about 40 years ago in the high sierras near gold lake california. Thats south of portola. Used to have some land there.
Kanab is about 70 miles SE of us. We get there regularly too.
We are close to cedar breaks, zion and bryce canyon national parks. Our thing is riding all the trails around us. This is the country to own ATV`s.
This country changes a lot in a few miles. This is sand hollow area about 55 miles south of us near st. george.

 

[Rick_A]

There's an old trick for that. If someone tries to hug you, move first and hug them around the waist. Then they have no choice but to hug you around the arms and chest. Nobody's the wiser.

That's not my MO. I like to keep my hands at my sides and grimace a little...avoids future awkwardness.

 

[Old cop]

As others have said as I got older the J frame got carried more and more. Physical problems limit me to a small .38 even though I'm still relatively slim (6' 2" 190) age does have its limitations. Practice is the key to carrying a small gun.

 

[old tanker]

Wherever on your body you decide to carry, you need to NOT be self-conscious about it.
* People acting self-conscious gets them 'Made' more than printing.
* People DON'T actually look for printing, but they DO notice people who act self-conscious.

I find that to be true as well. At work, dressed in a company polo shirt and slacks, a Colt Commander carries just fine in an old Bianchi Shadow. A couple spare mags ride on the opposite hip and no one notices.

 

[RobertJ.]

My EDC is a Colt DS, carried in a Galco Combat Master at 4 o'clock. No problems keeping it covered with a loose fitting T or Hawaiian style shirt. My "goin' to the city" carry is a Model 39, also in a Galco CM, and it conceals just as nicely as the DS. My "working out in the woods" gun (which I do on a regular basis) is a Ruger Super Redhawk .44 mag with a custom shortened 2.75" barrel, carried in a Simply Rugged Sourdough Pancake. I always have a shirt over it, but I'm also wearing Carhart bibs, so it stays hidden pretty well.

I have some younger friends who think a person's crazy for not carrying the smallest, lightest pistol available. Of course, they're also all into Glocks and AR rifles, and it's near impossible to have a conversation about classic firearms with any of them.

 

[Golddog]

I'm 76, 5'11", 145 lbs., retired, living in the woods far from bad guys. I carry a CZ Rami on the trails; when I go to more dangerous locations (the big city), I'll sometimes carry a full size CZ 75 with a an 18 round magazine. Holsters vary from chest band (deepest concealment) to Kydex IWB (for quick urban access). I've found IWB, even with the large CZ 75, to be more comfortable than other forms of carry.

 

[Protected One]

More like the "less practiced art", rather than "lost".

 

[Protected One]

My EDC is a Colt DS, carried in a Galco Combat Master at 4 o'clock. No problems keeping it covered with a loose fitting T or Hawaiian style shirt. My "goin' to the city" carry is a Model 39, also in a Galco CM, and it conceals just as nicely as the DS. My "working out in the woods" gun (which I do on a regular basis) is a Ruger Super Redhawk .44 mag with a custom shortened 2.75" barrel, carried in a Simply Rugged Sourdough Pancake. I always have a shirt over it, but I'm also wearing Carhart bibs, so it stays hidden pretty well.

I have some younger friends who think a person's crazy for not carrying the smallest, lightest pistol available. Of course, they're also all into Glocks and AR rifles, and it's near impossible to have a conversation about classic firearms with any of them.

Nothing wrong with Glocks, but if it were practical I'd carry my Browning HP everyday!

 

[Hot Toddy]

When I got my CCW I used to carry a 6" Anaconda 44 mag with 2 speed loaders in a cheap nylon shoulder holster. Been in a few places I shouldn't have been, but was never suspected. Amazingly enough it was pretty comfortable. I have tried IWB, but between back pain, and unable to sit for long periods or heaven forbid go to the bathroom could never get used to it. My daily carry is a 1066 with 2 mags in a High Noon shoulder holster. Comfortable, can drive all day if necessary and still take care of "personal " business. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Jamesjah]

I've found the best way to carry my full size involves suspenders

 

[Miami_JBT]

I sometimes carry fullsize pistols, in Florida, during the height of summer.

 

[HorizontalMike]

I'll CCW here in TX when the few businesses post their 30.07 warnings, but other than that I will OC. And most of the time it will be a 9mm 2.0 w/17+1rd so reloads are not really needed. With all this Covid-19, I stay home and let the 'boss do our grocery shopping...

 

[Rushing1]

I'm 76, 5'11", 145 lbs., retired, living in the woods far from bad guys. I carry a CZ Rami on the trails; when I go to more dangerous locations (the big city), I'll sometimes carry a full size CZ 75 with a an 18 round magazine. Holsters vary from chest band (deepest concealment) to Kydex IWB (for quick urban access). I've found IWB, even with the large CZ 75, to be more comfortable than other forms of carry.

You and I are similar in tastes! At 77, I, too, carry the Rami a lot. It is easy to shoot, very accurate, and super reliable. Holds a lot of rounds.
And I carry the Stainless CZ75 in kydex. 18 rounds is plenty , with one reload.
Both are easy for me; and I may just get the CZ PCR, as I am more accurate with it and it may replace the "fat" little Rami.

 

[uncleted327]

I'm not sure if it's a lost art, more like an unnecessary art these days. Why carry a fullsize when a compact does everything the same in a lighter package. To use the ugly and ubiquitous Glock as an example, why carry a 22 over a 23? I suppose there is a small group that can't shoot the compact as well as the fullsize, or have freakishly large hands, but all in all you have to want to carry a fullsize these days. Which is fine, to each their own, but you don't really gain anything with the fullsize other than weight and a longer barrel and grip to conceal.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Hey after 42 years with a Pa. licence to carry...... at 5'9" 155-165 ; I have concealed carried everything from a Colt .380 Mustang Pocket Lite or a S&W 337 Airlite PD to a Colt Combat Commander, Sig 220 or Beretta 92 Centurion.........

For the past 28 years in my Burb of the Burgh....... a S&W 39132NL is the most common EDC........ "Today" with the new Mec-gar 15 round flush fit magazine the Beretta 92 Compact is seeing more holster time.

Barrel length is the key for me...... 4 1/4" on an auto or 4" on a k-frame revolver (but 3" is much better).

The key is a good belt and a good holster...... while like most I've got a"Big Box-O- Holsters"....... 95% of the time I'll be wearing a Milt Sparks IWB Summer Special or Executive Companion......be it a Walther PPK or Beretta Centurion.

I do have a weak spot for the Browning High Power (with mec-gar 15 rd mags) but stopped carry cocked and locked back in the 80s.

I'll admit I'd carry my alloy frame Sig 220 before my all steel S&W 4566; or my Beretta Compact or S&W915 before my Smith 5906


All that said .......................
Kids today are just lazy !!!!!! ...... .....

 

[ladder13]

I'm not sure if it's a lost art, more like an unnecessary art these days. Why carry a fullsize when a compact does everything the same in a lighter package. To use the ugly and ubiquitous Glock as an example, why carry a 22 over a 23? I suppose there is a small group that can't shoot the compact as well as the fullsize, or have freakishly large hands, but all in all you have to want to carry a fullsize these days. Which is fine, to each their own, but you don't really gain anything with the fullsize other than weight and a longer barrel and grip to conceal.

+1 .................