In Part 1 of this topic I basically went through methods that were some form of IWB carry. I’ll expand out to others in this section.
Table of Contents
Criteria
I’ll also relist the criteria I use for my holsters.
- Accessibility. If you need your gun you need it in your hand, not in the holster.
- Concealibility. The gun/holster should remain concealed. Otherwise
it’s open carry, which is not the purpose of this site. There are
times when it’s possible the gun could print briefly. That’s not a big deal. - Comfort. I’ve seen the saying, “Carrying a gun should be
comforting, not comfortable.” Nonsense. There may be trade offs and I’m not saying that you won’t notice the gun you have on.
But if it’s not comfortable then you’re doing it wrong. On the other
hand, you don’t want to forget you have it. Otherwise you might
accidentally walk into a US Post Office or bar or other restricted place
while armed. Or so I’ve heard. - Retention. It would be best if it was hard for someone other than
you to get to it. Concealment covers most of this, of course; someone
can’t grab a gun they don’t know about. Still, it wouldn’t hurt if it
was difficult for someone other than you to draw it.
Outside Waist Band (OWB)
Since this article (and site) are about concealed carry I’m just going to touch on this briefly. Simply an untucked shirt concealing an OWB carry is a big ask, especially if it’s a big gun. You need a jacket, vest, or other kind of outer garment. Perhaps a large, button up shirt as an outer wear garment.
The common holsters for OWB today are either paddle or belt slide with Kydex to hold the gun. Personally, I’ve found them to be a bit floppy for my taste. I’ve never spent the money for a good, leather holster. That might mitigate the unstable part. I’ve carried in 2 states and both of them have been warm ones. I rarely wear any sort of outerwear so OWB has never been a priority for me.
Ankle Carry
Pretty much what it says. The gun is on a holster on your ankle. Great choice if you sit a lot. Some obvious caveats apply.
- You need long pants to conceal it. In my climate there are only a few months a year when I wear long pants and an ankle holster with shorts doesn’t conceal much.
- The gun has to be small. Unless bell bottoms make a spectacular comeback then your 1911 or Glock 17 can stay home. Snub nosed, five- or six-shot revolvers, Beretta Pico, Ruger LCP, things of that nature.
- Speaking of bell bottoms, I have an ankle holster for my Beretta Pico. Haven’t used it yet. All of my jeans have straight legs and it’s almost impossible to get to the gun. Next time I buy jeans I guess I’ll have to look for boot cut and see if that helps. (I did eventually get some jeans/pants where the ankle holster worked. My review is here.)
Pocket Carry
Obviously I mean putting a gun into a pocket. However, there are different kinds of pockets, aren’t there? As I said, I live in a warm climate. So for me, pocket means: jeans pocket or cargo pocket. I rarely wear khaki type pants or shorts anymore but the same idea would apply to them as jeans.
This really depends on the gun. When I first bought my 9mm Shield I considered pocket carry. I even have a pocket holster for it. Rarely used it.
- Back pocket. Eh. The gun has to be really small. A small part of the Shield stuck out of my back pocket. Having a gun behind me that others can see is not a good idea. Trying to get to it when sitting isn’t easy and it’s not particularly comfortable to sit on a gun.
- Front pocket. When standing the gun was concealed. When walking it was concealed half the time but the other half it printed so clearly I might have just as well put a Plexiglas panel on the pocket. I’m right-handed so the gun was in my right front pocket. When my left leg was forward all was well. When my right leg came forward the material pulled tight and outlined the gun beautifully. Depending on the gun, one of these might work.
- Cargo pocket. I have some shorts with cargo pockets. They conceal very well. Good option when sitting/driving since the gun is right there by your hands. The pockets are generally secured with Velcro so the gun isn’t going to fall out. That is also an issue I have; my shorts have two different tabs and they’re far enough apart that I can’t simply lift up with one hand to release both. One releases and then I have to do the other. It takes more time than I like but it’s not a disqualifier.
On the other hand, I have a North American Arms mini-revolver. Five shots of .22 magnum. It’s my BUG and it’s in my pocket any time I have pockets and it’s legally allowed.
Down your pants
I have a holster called a Lightningwear. There’s another brand called Thunderwear. These holsters go around your waist before you put your pants on. The gun hangs in a pouch type device directly in front your genitals. Now, you look at that and get all freaked out. Don’t. It’s safer than appendix. Again, the gun is in front of the important parts. The muzzle is below what you don’t want to shoot. It’s also pointing down between your feet. I’ve never really tested this but I assume that someone attempting to kick you in the balls would be in for a rude awakening, too.
Advantages:
- Outstanding concealment. There is never any printing that I’ve discovered, standing or sitting.
- Excellent retention. I carry my Shield and two spare magazines. Nothing has ever fallen or shifted.
- It’s wonderful when working. I’ve used this rig while working on roofs, taking apart spas, and other forms of manual labor requiring walking, bending, lifting, etc.
- Noiseless. I love my Kydex holster but that noise is distinctive. Same with some leather holsters.
Downsides:
- It’s hard to get a shooting grip on the gun while it’s in the holster. I end up having to use my ring finger and pinky to pull it loose and then get a full grip. It works but is a touch slow.
- Very difficult to use while sitting. Normal or skinny people may not have this problem but my gut gets in the way. I would almost certainly have to stand to get the gun.
Conclusion
As I said before, my main carry method is a hybrid IWB holster for my M&P Shield. I normally have a BUG in a pocket, as well. That is what fits my normal lifestyle the best. The other methods all have advantages in certain situations.
My situation may be similar to yours. It may not be. You have to examine your situation and figure out what works for you.
