iwb impossible for big boys?

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ssgrock3

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it was ok with shorts or jeans. not great, but manageable. slacks forgetaboutit!! what do you suggest....besides diet. lol btw, gun is a snubby.
 

Glock 'em down

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*Roy D. Mercer* Well...how big an ol' boy are ya?

I'm 6'2" and I weigh in around 350 +/-. I wear a size 54 pants. I've tried several different styles of IWB holsters as well as both leather and kydex. The only IWB holster that I could actually wear in "semi/somewhat" comfort was a Milt Sparks Versa Max 2. I sold mine because it just didn't get worn a lot.

Unlike most members here, whenever I'm vertical, I'm usually in a uniform of some type. Either at my full time gig at the campus PD or doing a prisoner transport for my local sheriff. Rarely am I ever in plain clothes, carrying concealed. During the rare moments that I am in civies, I wear my Smith & Wesson J frame model 38 Airweight Bodyguard in a DeSantis "Nemesis" pocket holster. Actually, the mighty J frame NEVER leaves my pocket - both on AND off duty.

For a CCW sidearm, it's usually my K frame Airweight model 12-2 snubbie in a DeSantis thumb break holster. Or my Colt "Cobra" in a Galco "Speed Master" OWB holster...or my Glock 22 in a Galco "Combat Master" OWB holster. :blahblah:

I just prefer OWB over IWB and I can hide it just as well with just a T shirt and a button up shirt over it.
 

jej

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Do you have a seriously stiff belt? Needs to be at least 1.5 inch wide. You need to be able to tighten it down, tight. If you can't do that, move along to shoulder holsters. I have good stiff belts from Wilderness [nylon, cheap - $30?], Mitch Rosen [leather, $70], and not so stiff, but OK from Filson [lots]. Of course, all cost more in big sizes. These are all better at 1.75 inch width. For "slacks" that allow 1.5 inch belts, most khackis will do. For 1.75, well, most work type khacki will do, but don't look dressy. This just is not going to work with skinny little dress belts on skinny little belt loops.

Next, if you are fat [as your post hints] you'll need to carry at 3 to 4 o'clock, if right handed. 1-2 o'clock won't work. Too much belly in the way when you sit for it to ever be comfortable. If you are real big but not fat, anywhere is OK.

If your shoulder flex is not good enough to draw from 3-4 o'clock, you might like cross-draw. Its not for me.

Really, though, IWB is not needed, if you are willing to dress around your carry. OWB works OK with the right shirt or jacket, provides quicker access, and eliminates the problems you are having. Again, a serious belt is needed. For your snubby OWB get a strong side open top. Don Hume makes a good one, so does Galco that GED mentions, so does that guy in Alaska. [edit - its http://www.simplyrugged.com/]. The holster model is "silver pancake" for small frame snubbies. That should find it with a google search if somebody else does not fill in the blank here. You could try an Uncle Mike OWB in kydex for like 20 bucks if you want, then get whatever leather suits you if the general idea is OK.

Pocket carry is OK for a backup for me, but kinda slow to access for my primary, in my limited experience.

If all that fails, welcome to shoulder holsters. They are hard to protect against a gun grab, kinda slow, and tend to make the user point the muzzle at all sorts of unintended targets when the gun is drawn. Still, they work great in some situations. Sweat pants/sweat shirt, for instance.

jej
 

natgas

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Similar problems here; just received my ComTac, MTAC today; haven't had a chance to try it but it looks very complicated. Most likely I'll just pocket carry my 357 snubbie unless I'm wearing a suit (which is once or twice a week), then I'll do the MTAC or an IWB clip holster. At 6'2" and 200 #'s, I don't know where I fall in the "big boy" category but I hope all options will work for me.
 

ssgrock3

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6' 223lbs, I cinched my belt down pretty good and at least while standing all was well. when sitting, the butt of the gun pushes forward. If I decide to use this method of carrying, I think I will get a stiffer belt. If this gun had a longer barrel I don't think it would tilt forward as much. This was iwb about 3:00 position or just to left of hip bone. Reckon I will learn what works. I am gonna see if a local member can critique what I got going on.
 

crazyfish

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Man, I'm fatter than you, and I carry IWB all the time. I carry my full size M&P, and Kahr P9. A good stiff belt is essential and a good holster. I'll shoot you a PM in just a minute....
 

vvvvvvv

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:ooh2:

6', 223lbs, FAT?

I AM VERY INSULTED!

I'm 5'9", 220lbs. I carry IWB at about 2:30 in a Crossbreed QuikClip set on FBI cant. I'm carrying a 5" XD45, and no one has ever noticed.

I just tiled my kitchen today with the help of my dad. We started at 8am, and just got done about 10pm. We even made a trip to Yukon for the tiles. I've done all sorts of contorting, and he never noticed a thing.

I'm sure it would be much better in a SuperTuck (had an uncomfortable ride home because the QuikClip shifted weird while loading the higher-than-normal truck bed, and I never had a chance to discreetly adjust).
 

ef9turbo

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No kidding. 6' 220lbs is NOT fat at all. I don't see how it's tough for larger guys to carry concealed, but then again I'm not that big. I'm 5'10, 170lbs and I can carry a G22 concealed pretty well.

It'll be a trial and error until you find something you're comfortable with. Good luck!
 

Michael Brown

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I'm 6', 240 and I carry IWB every day.

The key is an appropriate combination of belt stiffness, holster (I much prefer leather despite all the rage over kydex IWB), and, most importantly, position.

I find carrying at 3:00 to be more comfortable that typical 4:00 that most IWB carriers prefer.

One reality with IWB is you have to wear appropriately sized pants. You can;t wear the pants you were already stretching, throw a holster and hunk of metal in-between and expect it to be comfortable.

Truly obese folks may have trouble with IWB comfort but a guy with a 38 or lower waist shouldn't have a problem unless that 38 waist is on a 5'5" frame.

Michael Brown
 

owu1bag5

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i am about 6'3'' and 225. i can carry IWB but i choose to carry OWB because weapon presentation is much quicker for me. i think IF i had the proper holster then i would be a lot more comfortable carrying IWB, but for now i have a weapon and holster that allows me to carry OWB and not print. i carry a kahr CW9 in a jit slide every day everywhere i go. i just make sure my shirts are plenty long enough.
 

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