IWB / OWB 12, 1, 3?

[E.Shell]

I'm right handed and carry daily "AIWB", but shifted to 11 o'clock due to an old surgery.

I'm using a very good quality leather holster and a P365X, but otherwise almost the same setup and advantages as Hogarth discusses in his post above.

I sit about 50% of my time at my office and the pistol is not uncomfortable. I also do a lot of driving with it on, mostly 1-2 hour runs, but have also been to Florida twice since May and wore it almost the entire time driving/riding with no discomfort.

I do not normally holster the gun while wearing the holster and definitely would not try that sitting. I usually remove the pistol/holster as a unit and put it back on the same way. I have become quite good at opening the clip with my left hand as I withdraw the gun/holster from the waistband with my right hand.

For the hugging thing, I lean in with my right arm/shoulder and lean my left hip away, putting a little distance between my pistol and the hugger. I think they mistake me for being polite and trying not to grind my crotch against them while we hug. If it's someone I DO want to grind my crotch against, I wouldn't care if she felt my gun(s).

 

[rob.mwp]

I'm right handed and carry daily "AIWB", but shifted to 11 o'clock due to an old surgery.

I'm using a very good quality leather holster and a P365X, but otherwise almost the same setup and advantages as Hogarth discusses in his post above.

I sit about 50% of my time at my office and the pistol is not uncomfortable. I also do a lot of driving with it on, mostly 1-2 hour runs, but have also been to Florida twice since May and wore it almost the entire time driving/riding with no discomfort.

I do not normally holster the gun while wearing the holster and definitely would not try that sitting. I usually remove the pistol/holster as a unit and put it back on the same way. I have become quite good at opening the clip with my left hand as I withdraw the gun/holster from the waistband with my right hand.

For the hugging thing, I lean in with my right arm/shoulder and lean my left hip away, putting a little distance between my pistol and the hugger. I think they mistake me for being polite and trying not to grind my crotch against them while we hug. If it's someone I DO want to grind my crotch against, I wouldn't care if she felt my gun(s).

That's great.. thank you for taking the time to write that all out.

As far as hugging goes, I'm sort of known for leading with the crotch.. just an ongoing joke and not something I do with everybody, but it would be weird if I didn't.

up until this point I've been leaning towards the certum3 but you guys have me questioning if I should go for the velo4... well shit.

 

[hogarth]

Well... I go to a church that's pretty "huggy".. not sure how that would go if someone felt something.

I'm just thinking things through.

If you cant or blade your body slightly they'll never feel it.

 

[Phoenix_1295]

up until this point I've been leaning towards the certum3 but you guys have me questioning if I should go for the velo4

If your plan is to only wear AIWB, go with the Velo4. It is designed specifically for AIWB. It has an integrated molded wedge and “wing”. It is easily tuckable with the DCC clips. The DCC clips are very secure.

If you are planning to swap between AIWB and other location IWB, then go with the Certum, also with DCC clips. The Velo4, with the molded wedge would not be comfortable on your hip. You could get T1C wedges and attach them to the Certum with velcro if you wanted to be convertible between locations.

 

[possumman]

Don't worry you will eventually end up with a box of holsters-some good -some bad -some you will wonder "What was I thinking?" Personally I like OWB at 330 or 400 for my semi-- IWB bugs the crap out of me altho sometimes I do that---I like pocket carry with my LCR Appendix does not appeal to me at all---I mostly wear untucked patterned shirts year round

 

[E.Shell]

Don't worry you will eventually end up with a box of holsters-some good -some bad -some you will wonder "What was I thinking?" Personally I like OWB at 330 or 400 for my semi-- IWB bugs the crap out of me altho sometimes I do that---I like pocket carry with my LCR Appendix does not appeal to me at all---I mostly wear untucked patterned shirts year round

LOL, true about the holster box...

For comfort I MUCH prefer OWB, and 3:30 for either IWB or OWB.

Unfortunately, my current job entails a lot of bending over a drafting table. My door is behind me on the right, meaning the first thing anyone looking into my office would typically see is my pistol butt sticking up as a 3:30 carry does when one bends at the waist. Our office is gun-friendly (we even have deer heads) and no one cares, but we do get visitors and I never know who might walk past and glance in. I don't need the gun in my office, but I travel back and forth from home and typically do any shopping on my way home. I also visit job sites and sometimes make stops along the way. I NEVER sit my gun down anywhere except a certain spot at home, so it's on me all day no matter what and has to ride accordingly.

 

[rob.mwp]

If your plan is to only wear AIWB, go with the Velo4. It is designed specifically for AIWB. It has an integrated molded wedge and “wing”. It is easily tuckable with the DCC clips. The DCC clips are very secure.

If you are planning to swap between AIWB and other location IWB, then go with the Certum, also with DCC clips. The Velo4, with the molded wedge would not be comfortable on your hip. You could get T1C wedges and attach them to the Certum with velcro if you wanted to be convertible between locations.

Appreciate the insight. It's a shame they're so damn expensive (to me). If they were ~ $60 I would have bought both

Don't worry you will eventually end up with a box of holsters-some good -some bad -some you will wonder "What was I thinking?" Personally I like OWB at 330 or 400 for my semi-- IWB bugs the crap out of me altho sometimes I do that---I like pocket carry with my LCR Appendix does not appeal to me at all---I mostly wear untucked patterned shirts year round

I'm really trying to avoid that, lol.

 

[Batt816]

OWB @ about 8 o’clock. I am a lefty. Taurus G2C with urban carry holster. Thinking of switching to a 365X with same type set up.

 

[jc1240]

Lately I've been using the TUC from https://www.northcoasttactical.com/. It is very similar to my Bravo Concealment, but the belt clip is a little higher which lets the gun ride a little lower and that helps my fat ass conceal. About 1:00 IWB, sometimes 2:00/2:30 depending on what I'm wearing, but the TUC lets me go with 1:00. The Bravo Concealment prints at 1:00.

Gun is an M&P Shield 9, original flavor.

 

[cmb]

Well... I go to a church that's pretty "huggy".. not sure how that would go if someone felt something.

I'm just thinking things through.

Our church is pretty 'huggy' too but so many others are armed, it wouldn't matter.

 

[rob.mwp]

Thanks to all the comments.

Our church is pretty 'huggy' too but so many others are armed, it wouldn't matter.

I don't think they are, but I've never really looked before either. I refrain from politics so I don't know where any of them stand.

 

[Blaster229]

I don't care how or what you carry, there is an amount of discomfort with any type of carry. You have to suck it up and get used to it.

 

[rob.mwp]

I don't care how or what you carry, there is an amount of discomfort with any type of carry. You have to suck it up and get used to it.

I'm 100% fine with that. Accessibility and printing are neck and neck what I'm concerned with, comfort is a distant 3rd (but still obviously a consideration).

 

[Blaster229]

I'm 100% fine with that. Accessibility and printing are neck and neck what I'm concerned with, comfort is a distant 3rd (but still obviously a consideration).

More forward cant is your friend regardless of placement. Get the butt high up as possible.
Less cant the more forward between 1 and 3 the holster should be.

I had success many years with P229 in a leather OWB holster at about the 2 o'clock position. That and a proper shirt.

 

[rob.mwp]

... and a proper shirt.

I think this will help me a lot. The wife wants me to move aways from "work" t shirts anyway

 

[BradMacc82]

I don't care how or what you carry, there is an amount of discomfort with any type of carry. You have to suck it up and get used to it.

Definitely no lies there.

AIWB definitely leaves a lot to be desired in the comfort arena, but on a 1-10 discomfort scale - maybe a 2/3 for me, depending on which holster I'm using that day.

 

[smokey]

I used to carry iwb 3-4 o'clock and favored compact guns with a short grip due to the grip projecting back and printing. I've since switched to appendix and now favor thin guns with a long grip and short slide(g43x).

I carry the g43x in a Bravo concealment torsion holster on a Kore belt. It's comfortable, conceals easily, you can defend it against other people trying to grab it easily, and is fast to draw/shoot with in most positions.

In the above picture, you can see what it looks like when driving and when walking around. When driving, just untuck your shirt over the lap belt to allow for an easy draw while seated(if you can't just unlock your belt with your left hand first).

You can also see what it looks like on a recent trip to target. That is a somewhat tight and thin t-shirt, but the gun is still very hard to see if you're not a gun person.

Body type will be a fairly large factor. If you've got a big gut, appendix becomes less comfortable/concealable and things like wedges matter more(because your gut will push the top if the slide out forward). You'll likely need a shorter grip and to carry more off to the 2 o'clock position if your belly is larger, or go with 3 o'clock where it'll tuck under your love handles for concealment.

For safety, either step back when reholstering as described earlier in this thread, or just yank your holster, put the gun in, and then put the holstered gun back in your belt.


For just straight up comfort, it's tough to beat a leather thumb-break owb holster at 3-4 o'clock. If I'm doing yard work, hiking trails, or if I feel like carrying something bigger in the winter, this is an option I'll sometimes go with.

 

[smokey]

More forward cant is your friend regardless of placement. Get the butt high up as possible.
Less cant the more forward between 1 and 3 the holster should be.

I had success many years with P229 in a leather OWB holster at about the 2 o'clock position. That and a proper shirt.

I feel like I can conceal a howitzer under a black t-shirt with a dark patterned button-up over it. The layers and colors break up any shirt bulge and make it much less noticeable.

 

[Biggfoot44]

I'm 100% fine with that. Accessibility and printing are neck and neck what I'm concerned with, comfort is a distant 3rd (but still obviously a consideration).

Printing is far overblown.

 

[River02]

Printing is far overblown.

Agreed--- damn few to essentially zero are looking. Folks have dozens of other things on their mind that consume their in the moment consciousness. I'd imagine far down on that list (at the bottom) is: "is that Mr. X actually carrying a handgun". Herding babies, scheming the next deal, trying to remember what's on the wifeys shopping list they left at home far and away take up all the spare cognition most folks would have reserved for situational awareness.

ETS: Then again...you could walk into a deli full of Blasters (or other MDS Persona non-grata) then you're just SOL.