Thoughts on Carrying Large Semi-Autos

[Tracer_Bullet]

Mix and match. It depends upon a lot of things such as whether my back is bothering me, what kind of cover garments I can wear without standing out, whether it will be an issue if the gun butt happens to print (depends on who I am with), and other factors.
Right now, I'm pretty much stuck with compacts in a crossdraw holster because I'm gimping around on crutches and the crutches bang against anything I try to wear on my strong side.

 

[madmikeb]

My primary carry gun is a 3" Kimber Ultra CDPII in .45 acp stoked with 230 grain Hydra-Shoks. My second in line is a Glock 27 in .40 S&W. I use this when I'm traveling by air as I don't want to trust the airlines with my Kimber. The Glock would be much cheaper to replace. When it gets really warm its a M60 Ladysmith in .357. So I voted compact. The Kimber is by far my favorite for concealed carry.

 

[40khammer]

My first CCW purchase was a Walther PK380 because it was "built for concealed carry." While I don't regret purchasing the gun and enjoy shooting it, I have since purchased a S&W SD40 and am very happy with it.

I carry it every day in the Texas summer heat and it is still comfortable to me. I carry in a tuckable IWB holster I made myself.

Some people cant stand having a full size gun on their hip and have to wear compacts and pocket pistols. Others have no problem carrying the full size guns.

I work in a field that involves having alot of things hanging off my belt, so I don't even notice the gun's weight.

 

[Sportsterguy]

I'm 5' 7" and 170 lbs. Been packing a full size Springer 1911, Colt Commander or a S&W 3" 657 .41 mag forever. You just need a good IWB holster, quality belt and the right shirt. Never been made since 1985. I dress casually and Columbia Fishing Guide shirts will cover up a 12" chopped twelve gauge DB shotgun in the summer and hides my full size weapons with ease. Plus they do a great job of keeping you cool on 95 degree days. Buy them 1 size larger as they run big. For winter wear a large sweatshirt does the job easily also. The darker the color seems to make the weapon disapear easier. I used to be lazy and just slap on a model 36 in a IWB but with crime going up rapidly the last 5 years wanted more punch so the 36 is now my detective daughters BUG.

 

[Nelapse]

Here is what I have carried in the past.

Springfield XD40: too bulky, heavy, easily noticable
Rossi 38 Special 2" barrel: Worked awesome very comfortable. only 5 rounds though
Rossi 357 2" barrel: my current carry. 6 rounds and easy to conceal.
Taurus millenium 9mm and 45acp: decent with uncle mikes in the pants holsters. a little bulky with handle but very managable.
Keltec PF9: very easy to conceal. 7-8 rounds I can't remember. Should of kept it, may buy again for wife.
Kahr CW9 9mm: very slender, easy to conceal. a little easier than taurus millenium, harder than keltec
Beretta 25 cal: Just stick it in your pocket. No firepower, but you can conceal it in just about anything. Good backup weapon
Beretta cougar 40 cal: heavy as a brick, bulky as all hell but accurate as they come. Good open weapon, not a good conceal.
Taurus 1911: my bedside gun, tried to conceal once for grins. No way. The best way is maybe no holster, kinda of lame gangster style, but if wearing a jacket, shoulder holster. Great gun, not a great conceal.
s&w 357 4": waist band is doable but its heavy and uncomfortable while sitting. I just holster it for hunting now.
S&W Sigma 40 cal: bulky, hi capacity but handle is noticable under shirt

These are guns I have used, some were great carries, some not so much.

 

[IslayMalt]

I carry my full-size Kimber everywhere I go; either IWB or belt. The 442 I bought for when I didn't want something so big. When I finally get some decent holsters then I'll see if I carry it more often. I may very well, as long as I can find a decent IWB rig for it. From what I've found so far a Rosen ARG seems to be the best choice, even though I can't tuck it in. Which isn't necessarly a big deal. A sportcoat or jacket would cover it, like it does the 1911. But I've never tried the 1911 with dress pants which seems like the place where a j-frame would come in handy.

 

[BigRich315]

I carry an M&P40c in a Kholster with great ease and, just to see if I could, began leaving in the FS mag (plus X-Grip) that it gets while I'm at home. The longer grip, effectively FS, doesnt seem any harder to conceal. I can sometimes notice a slight bulge from the base, but only because I'm looking for it. It makes me want to get a real FS M&P and have the benefit of a longer barrel. (Funny how these things seem to multiply)

 

[SgtSam]

When outside of the confines of the Constriction of Illinois, I usually carry one of two guns. My Hi-Power Practical is gun of choice. It's not hard to conceal and it's got more firepower than I'll probably ever need. My main alternate is a S&W CS9.

I prefer the 9mm cartridge because of a problem of arthritis in my hands and wrists. The choice between the Browning and the CS usually rests with the clothing that I'm wearing, or just how badly my shot to hell back feels.

I own two "poly" guns, the Kahr and a Ruger SR9c. I've never carried the Ruger, bought it for my wife, but she has not shown any interest in it. She actually prefers a Kahr CS9 that I bought her before the Ruger. Personally, I'm not really a big fan of "poly" guns, much preferring steel and aluminum.

I do have two back-ups for the Browning. One is another Hi-Power, not a Practical, and the second is a S&W 9mm Pro-Series 1911. Haven't actually carried either one yet, but, some day. Oh, I do have a back-up for the CS, the afore mentioned Kahr CW9, when it's available and the CS isn't. However, the CS9 is totally preferred over the CW9.

Just my take on your question.

 

[azalea]

The season (and related clothing selection) and place of carry makes a difference to me. No matter how you look at it, a compact presents less of a "bulge", and this becomes more important when wearing lighter clothing. Other things being equal, it is also lighter weight ... and MAY be faster to draw and acquire the target.

End result is that I have three carry 1911s. One full size and two compacts. I'm confident in all three, so it's really just a matter of the situation and the clothing.

 

[rchance]

I carry a full to medium size weapon in a belt holster with just a t-shirt pulled over it. Yes I print but who cares? I guess everyone thinks it's a cellphone or something but if not we can open carry here in Kentucky anyway. Just be comfortable is my motto.

 

[IslayMalt]

I carry my full-size Kimber everywhere I go; either IWB or belt. The 442 I bought for when I didn't want something so big. When I finally get some decent holsters then I'll see if I carry it more often. I may very well, as long as I can find a decent IWB rig for it. From what I've found so far a Rosen ARG seems to be the best choice, even though I can't tuck it in. Which isn't necessarly a big deal. A sportcoat or jacket would cover it, like it does the 1911. But I've never tried the 1911 with dress pants which seems like the place where a j-frame would come in handy.

Well I finally received a DeSantis Speed Scabbard. Fits great. Next thing is a IWB, which will probably be a ARG, unless I find something that is realistically tuckable (not photoshopped). Of course with dress pants a pocket carry should work just fine.

 

[Springfeildkid585]

"Silversmok3":

You are certainly not an anomaly. The 4506 like the 1911 is a relatively flat gun that can be easily tucked down into the waistband without a great deal of discomfort to the wearer or distortion of the body's natural sight lines, which, if disturbed, might serve to give things away to even a casual observer.

Fact is, if you are male and wearing the gun in a typical behind-the-strong-side-hip position, it is quite often the bulk of a reholsterable IWB model and not the gun itself that can cause a problem of waistline bulging and pant surfaces distorting enough to become a "tell" for others to pick up on. Note that the more common collapsible, soft-bodied designs are not as prone to creating this effect but they can have problems of their own.

I have to agree, I carry my 1911 in a tuckible occasionaly and always have to wear a loose shirt or jacket to cover the bulge, and i expiriance discomfort when sitting. However; about a week ago my brother came home earlier than expected. As is the standard method, I grabed my pistol and made a positive i.d. from upstairs before he climbed them(not puting him in my line of fire only moving towards the stairs while calling down) he told me he had brought a party to the back yard. I knew most the people, so i just tucked it without a holster in my waistband at a 6 o'clock position(same as w/ the tuck. It was comfortible and not a single person made me. I wouldn't recomend it for daily carry, but clearly it's the holster more than the gun. I'm definatly planing on getting something more compact when my bank account allows it.

 

[6thtexas]

I've been toting my Sig 220 in a Remora holster and I am amazed how well it conceals

 

[ralph7]

my most carried gun is a seecamp .32 in a pocket holster in my back pocket.
i have a safe full of guns and have carried everything imaginable, but the seecamp is comfortable to the point of forgetting about it and i can wear any type of clothing.

 

[Scrat]

i usually carry my .40 sigma or my sd9 both full size... course im not exactly on target for weight either lol

 

[cavnamvet]

Close to home I usually carry a Kahr P9 or Springfield Armory
9mm EMP.

When I go into Miami I carry a Glock 19, with my Colt 6920
in the vehicle.

 

[ArmedBadger]

We just past concealed carry here in Wisconsin. I was planing on carrying my Kel-Tec P3AT or my S&W Sigma 9, but now I'm having second thoughts. That's why I'm here.

 

[Knightrider03m]

I normally carry my Sigma. I like full size guns due to the fact that I can shoot them better, I have a better grip on it, and I have more rounds to work with before I have to reload.

 

[Vartarg]

Mixed

I've been carrying for 16 years, and have carried lots of different guns over that time.

I'm currently retired, and most often carry my Kimber SS Compact .45ACP (Milt Rosen IWB) or J frame S&W Airweight (Uncle Mike's pocket holster in the right front pocket).

 

[Etemmu]

I have carried a fs USP40, but only in the fall/winter. If I had a 45 I could probably pull that off during the summer. I should really get a 45...

 

[SMITHTEX45ACP]

I have been carrying concealed since the Texas Concealed Handgun License came out. I have tried all kinds and sizes of weapons and realized that the weapon is only a small part of the equation. There are so many variables that make concealed carry comfortable, accessable and especially concealable. I have read intently, over the years, any information, opinion and actual facts, taking in the person, their mode of dress, places they carry and what is carried in those particular places. I have purchased and tried most kinds of holsters and carried each of my handguns in many of them....not just one. Saying this has been an expensive and tedious process is an understatement.....but one that has given me insight to what works and what doesnt....at least for me. I have freely given my experience to those who have asked but never forced anything upon anyone. If something works for me but not for another...or vice-versa, I will not, in any way, show disrespect for what they do or do not. What works for one might be completely wrong for another. I know a guy that carries a Hi-Point .380 in an Uncle Mikes OWB holster. He can draw it in a heartbeat and put 5 rounds in a silver dollar sized target at 15' repeatably!!!

Lets start with the support system.....the belt!!! I dont care how comfortable you think your rig is.....try it with a proper "gun belt" and you will know support and comfort. Proper belt support will allow guns of much larger caliber, weight and round capacity to be carried comfortably. I have even seen folks use suspenders to help spread that load evenly across their shoulders as well. Suspenders will disappear under a shirt.

The holster......well here is where most folks scrimp and never get a real feel for just how secure the gun can be carried. My personal preference, for my size 6'-6" and 42 waist, is inside the waistband (IWB). It suits 99.9% of my mode of dress when I conceal. I have tried many styles of IWB holsters by many different manufacturers, custom and off the rack. My favorite is the custom with either straps or kydex clips positioned fore and aft the gun. This type of design spreads the support around my waist instead of concentrating it in one spot, like the single strap/clip, in the middle does. The spread design also prevents the holster from rocking back and forth. My favorite holsters are made either of leather or horsehide, because of their ability to hold securely but give when needed. I have tried hybrid (leather/kydex) holster and they are my second choice. Pure kydex does not work for me.

The gun....my personal favorite is my Wilson Combat Professional. A stainless 4" 1911. I also carry a KelTec PF9 as a BUG in a leather pocket holster and even as main carry from time to time with a leather IWB as well. I recently found a gun I have been looking for many years, a S&W 1066 and have found an IWB holster I can use for it. It will be carried as much as my Wilson. I also carry my full sized (5") 1911's, in a high end leather IWB holster, using a true leather gun belt and have done so comfortably for years.

Lastly practice the draw, using snap caps of course, in the clothing you wear when you carry, wearing whatever you carry. You might have the best gun, holster, gun belt and ammo available.....but if you can't get the gun out and on target quickly and efficiently....it's all for naught. Practice, practice practice!!!

Good luck with your choice!!

SMITHTEX

 

[Helderberg]

I work at a job where I am standing, kneeling, and lying down at some point everyday. For that reason I use a S&W 380 Bodyguard in a Galco pocket holster. I am currently working on a LC9 IWB but have yet to find the right holster.
Be safe, Frank.