TexasCHLforum.com

snatchel wrote:I forgot to put this up there:

Yeah, the part you are talking about would be exposed. Buy one of the "magazine" grip things off their website. It fits the place you are talking about just right.

I ordered this and one of the Qwik Grips to see which I like better. Having the best grip possible is worth the $10 or $15 of trial and error. Thanks again for all the info.

troglodyte wrote:

Purplehood wrote:...a 5.11 t-shirt for safety.

http://www.511tactical.com/All-Products ... Shirt.html. My newest two shirts are all black. My first shirt was black and grey as pictured.

I carry a XD9SC with a spare mag to work every day. Short Sleeve casual "dress" shirts, tucked in. I have a very active "office" job. If anybody has noticed, they haven't let on.

I have to wear another shirt (underarmor type) under it. The flat seams bother me, kind of scratchy. That's typical for me, I cut the tags out of my shirts. It doesn't bother my son at all. YMMV. Suprisingly it doesn't make it that much hotter to wear, but I'm pretty tolerant of heat.

I usually wear XL shirts and these are compression-type shirts so I thought an XL would fit OK. It let the gun bounce around and sag a little more than I liked so I returned it for a large. It holds the gun firmly against my side. The only time I really notice the snugness of the shirt is when I'm driving. With any movement I forget I'm wearing it.

Wow, this is a great idea! I'm going to order one and give it a shot. Based on your suggestion, I'll order a Large. Hopefully, it doesn't scratch much. My one worry is the heat factor, I am pretty sensitive to heat (I'm the guy in shorts and a t-shirt in 50 degree weather), and wearing compression shirts as undershirts tends to make me hot very easily, but at worst, this could be a good winter option in work clothes.

Scott in Houston wrote:After carrying more, you'll realize that being visibly exposed almost never happens, and when it does, you'd be amazed at how NOBODY notices. I'm convinced that I could almost walk the whole mall with my gun in an OWB holster and have it fully exposed except the grip, and people wouldn't even notice it or know what it is.

The only thing I ever get concerned with is getting discovered by feel. (e.g., hugs with friends, etc.)
I've learned to do a lot of one armed hugs or keeping my waste a long way from theirs. I carry at about 2-2:30, and a front on hug could definitely give it away. Also, when my daughter grabs me a lot. I've learned how to be defensive of that area from people's touch.

Worst case... when they do touch it, nobody notices or says anything. I'm also prepared with a quick answer if asked... "Cell phone clip".
Oops... Cell Phone Magazine?? haha

Fortunately, I'm not a big "hugger" and so most people are used to the one-armed hugs from me.

With my CHL in hand and my EDC broken in, I'm definitely ready to start and get comfortable with carrying. I just need my holster and belts to come in already.

snatchel wrote:I'm a BIG fan of Talon Grips. I tried the slip on rubber stuff that i've seen in stores and just didn't care for them. They felt funny, were too sticky, and weren't that comfortable. I traded for a Glock 30 a while back and the guy had put rubber Talon Grips on it. I loved them. I have put them on everything I have. They are cost effective and proven. I can't say enough good things about them.

http://talongungrips.com/Talon-Grips-for-Kahr-Kahr.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have the rubber style on my guns. The Sandpaper type just isn't for me. For $14.99 and free shipping, it's a lot of bang for your buck. Highly recommend giving them a shot.

Thanks for the recommendation. I like this option because it looks like these won't have any sliding or slipping issues and they won't add a lot of girth to the grip. I like the size and fit of the P9 grip as is, and don't want to make it significantly fatter, add finger grooves, or otherwise change it up too much (which is one reason I'm not interested in the Hogue grips). The downside of the Talon grips are that, based on the picture at that link, the grip does not extend all the way up the back side of the grip. That exposed cheese grater section was exactly where it was cutting into my hand.

Another option looks like the Qwik Grip, which has gotten good marks from both Kahr and Glock owners. Any thoughts?

http://www.lonewolfdist.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=1149

I broke in and got comfortable with the P9 this weekend. Put 200 rounds of WWB on Saturday and another 200 on Sunday. Overall, I'm very happy with the gun. It is comfortable to shoot, very accurate, and didn't have a single failure. The slide is extremely stiff, but I got used to it. The raised bumps on the back of the grip started cutting into my hand by the end of the range sessions, but I'll be getting a slip-on grip to solve that problem. I'm impatiently looking forward to my holster and belts arriving for carrying.

I also put a few hundred rounds through my H&K USP40, which resides in my night stand, and sighted in my .270 Remington.

Spent the afternoon breaking down, cleaning and oiling all three while watching some football.

RPB wrote:Welcome
Yeah they have a great price for a reinforced gun belt

Feel free to ask any questions any time.
Many of us tried many different "systems" of carrying and can save you buying gimmicks that sound good but end up in a drawer unused.

At first it's a real learning experience, later it's as natural as putting on shoes to go out. You don't consciously notice or mentally dwell upon wearing a gun, (or shoes) but feel odd without it (them).

Sorry, missed your post with the switch to the new page. I definitely appreciate the information and recommendations. Between practice ammo, classes, and quality gun(s) and equipment, it's a lot of money even if you buy all the right stuff the first time.

The frustrating thing right now is that there is apparently a good amount lead time when ordering quality equipment, like belts and holsters. So, I'm waiting all over again.

Ameer wrote:I think it's good manners to keep my gun and my underwear concealed in another's home unless invited to do otherwise.

Lots of people comparing concealed carry to underwear in this thread. While I certainly agree in principle, the possibility of my underwear choice being inadvertently revealed is far less likely than my choice to exercise my 2A rights when playing around with kids. If that were not the case, I would have bigger problems.

I'm getting the sense, however, that my worries about inadvertently exposing my gun are inversely proportional to the amount of time I've actually spent carrying, and that I will relax over time.

Ameer wrote:I got a guayabera shirt as a gift. I bought a few more after I realized the potential for concealed carry.

I really wish my office dress code allowed this, but unfortunately does not. Still a good call for non-work wear.

RPB wrote:Speaking of deep pockets, certain models of slacks/pants/jeans at Duluth Trading Co have deep pockets, not all models do, but the ones I buy do. They'll say things like 12 inch deep pockets etc on those.
Also
Old suits/ pants can be altered and the pockets deepened.

a P9 is a bit bigger than a pm9, but in the right pants, it can work.

IWB is easiest probably, and I prefer it, easier/faster access and imho, very secure with a proper belt made to be a gun belt
When carrying IWB, a real kydex reinforced gun belt from Comptac or other manufacturer makes all the difference, don't get tired as easily, easier to conceal, etc etc

Blackhawk is Kydex reinforced $29.00 a super good first gun belt for those not yet understanding why they need a stiff (preferably kydex reinforced) gun belt instead of a belt from Target/Sears etc

http://www.blackhawk.com/catalog/Belts,30.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

IMPORTANT SIZING: The pistol belts have 5 holes to insert the belt tongue through. The size measurement of the belt is taken from the fold of the belt as it attaches to the belt buckle to the MIDDLE hole in the belt. For example, the 40" size belt, measures 40" from the fold of the belt as it attaches to the belt buckle to the MIDDLE hole that the buckle tongue would be inserted.

Ordinary dress belts are simply not the proper platform for carrying a handgun, spare mags or handcuffs. Everyday dress belts don’t have the stability needed to keep your handgun from rolling out, yet a heavier belt with a suit can scream “Armed Professional”. These Carbon-Fiber and lizard skin finished belts give you the same appearance as any other 1 1/4 inch dress belt that is made of premium materials, with the added benefit of a reinforcement spine.

Even with pocket carrying weight, a proper reinforced belt made for concealed carry keeps your back from getting tired as fast and also keeps you from having to tighten a regular belt so tight.

Thanks for the recommendation on the belts. Just ordered a couple.

snatchel wrote:Agree with most of the above.

In Texas, you don't need to announce to anyone that you are carrying unless they are LEO and they ask you. I also have some very liberal friends, and when I visit I never tell. There just isn't any sense in them knowing if I am carrying or not--and I'm not going to tell them just to pick a fight over who is morally superior.

Will your gun be displayed when you are playing with the kids? Probably not. Even if it is exposed, I bet solid money that no one even notices. If they do see it and comment, just pass it off as no big deal. They may as questions or jibe you about it, but if they truly respect you it will be a non-issue. Best outcome would be for you to convince them that maybe they should look into getting their own and invite them to a range day!

I can't comment on business dress & concealing. I'm a student, so I wear shorts and an untucked t-shirt about 90% of the time. Pocket carry is great though, and although the P9 isn't tiny, it can be pocketed comfortably depending on your slacks. If you want to look at something smaller, check out a Kahr CM9 or PM9. Both of those are tiny little pocket guns but fairly easy to shoot. T

Color me jealous. I've tested it out, and you're right that the P9 can be pocket carried in a pinch, depending on what pants I'm wearing. A couple of years back, I got back into good shape, but I still have some slacks a size or two up with sufficiently more room in them to conceal the P9 in my pocket. Down the road, I might look into something even smaller like the PM9.

Good points about handling situations with certain friends. Like others have said, I plan to take a don't ask/don't tell approach. I raised the question because, as we all know, little kids are unpredictable and probably present a greater risk of unintended exposure. They also tend to evoke greater than normal protective instincts from their parents. I was just curious to know whether this situation has come up for others, especially those with more liberal friends, and how they have handled this situation. My plan is to be particularly dilligent about avoiding exposure, and if exposure does happen, try not to let it become a big deal. If it does become a big deal, I can choose whether to return to their house in the future and leave my gun in the car.

You guys rock. Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. Looks like step 1 will be getting comfortable with day-to-day carrying and what holster options work best for different scenarios.

A-R wrote:I don't tell anyone I'm carrying unless law requires me too. I carry at friends houses, even those with kids. Don't ask don't tell- concealed is concealed. If me or my gun ever became a problem serious enough that others need to be aware/warned then we've all got bigger problems anyway.

For business carry, your P9 should work great "tucked" in you crossbreed holster. I carry a similar sized Walther PPS in a similar Comp Tac tuckable holster (shirt tucked into pants over gun) and no one has a clue

Thanks for the good info. Without having the holster yet, it's hard to know what will work and what won't. I'll try different shirts to find what sizes work best for tucking over the gun.

I intend to follow the same don't ask/don't tell approach, but the kid thing makes me nervous for two reasons. One, I'm sure it's pretty easy to accidentally show when playing with or picking up young kids. I suppose I could be cognizant of that and avoid such situations, but it would be a noticeable change if I started avoiding the kids altogether. Second, I guess I can understand (although not relate) to parents being protective of their kids and their homes and not understanding that guns are safe in the right hands. I'd prefer not to create a scene or find myself persona non grata in the homes of certain long-standing friends.

I obtained my first CHL while living in Florida a little more than 10 years ago, but moved to Texas shortly thereafter and didn't pursue obtaining my Texas license until very recently. Although I've owned several handguns, none were suitable for concealed carry, and the process of getting licensed all over again, finding the right carry pistol, the right holster, and putting in the time to take some tactical classes and practice regularly with my carry weapon took a backseat to everything else in life. Some recent incidents spurred me to get the lead out and stop making excuses.

I took the CHL class, and received my license last month. I researched, rented and borrowed a bunch of different guns until I found the gun that fit me just right. I bought my Kahr P9 Black w/ night sights this past weekend and absolutely love it. As soon as I got home, I broke it down and inspected and cleaned it (kind of a pain compared to my HK USP40). I picked up a few hundred rounds of 9 mm, and I'll be heading to the gun range this weekend with my wife to break it in. I tried several different holster options and ended up ordering a CrossBreed MiniTuck (horsehide) IWB holster. This week I'll be signing up for a tactical pistol class, which I'm pretty stoked about. In the meantime, I've been reading a lot on this forum, which has been a great resource, as well as a few other websites. As soon as my holster arrives, I'll do my Wally World walk.

In the meantime, I have a couple of questions you fine folks might be able to help me with:

1. It is my understanding that in Texas, one does not have to announce that you are carrying when entering another's home. That said, how do all of you handle it from an etiquette perspective? Many of our friends have young children, some of them are extremely liberal, and I could see it making others very uncomfortable if I accidentally showed or printed and it was noticed. Never going over to those friends' houses isn't really an option (although I occasionally wish it were), and I suppose I could just leave the gun in the car. Any other ideas for handling this situation?

2. How do you Texas professionals handle concealed carry when dressed for work? For obvious reasons, unless the weather is nice, I don't wear a jacket unless I have to and it would raise questions if I did. That leaves pocket carry, which would really require a smaller gun for those days. Any tips?

Here's a picture of my Kahr: