When I first got my CHL (long, long ago, back in June
), I was wondering what kind of gun I'd be able to conceal. I'm 5' 6", and not much over 135. There's not much apparent room to conceal anything. I was looking at stuff like the Pager Pal, SmartCarry, Thunderwear, etc, and wondering how badly it'd print (And how badly it'd hurt if I sat down wrong... 
).Then I started fiddling around with a cheap belly-band holster. Just for kicks, I stuck my 5" 1911 in it, positioned at about 4 o'clock, and tucked my shirt in. The gun disappeared.
I carry a 3" 1911 most of the time, as the muzzle of a longer gun can kinda "pinch" the skin if I sit down wrong. But both guns are remarkably slim for their firepower. Positioned just behind the hip, they are comfortable carry pieces for all day long. Blouse out the tucked in shirt just slightly, and the "lump" caused by the pistol butt disappears. Friends and coworkers have sworn I had nothing on me, when in fact there was a big ol' .45 on my hip.
For concealed-carry, there's darn few guns that beat a 1911. Try out holsters; I'm sure you'll find one that works. The difficulty in finding a good holster is worth it, at least to me, for the peace of mind that comes with carrying a "large-caliber handgun."
