Is there a comfortable way to carry?

[bryang]

Still nervous about wearing to church and freaking someone out. I want to check out some of these other inside the waistband (IWB) holsters, but I'm so cheap, it could be awhile.

There are many forum members that attend church, not to mention there are many Pastors here also that carry at church all the time.
Here is a thread where chruch carry is discussed: http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... 80885d75d7

-geo

[CHLSteve]

Anyone else ride and have thoughts on this? I can't believe the motorcycle cops ride with one on their hip, outside the waistband (OWB) style and all. Looks like that would be VERY painful to fall on.

I got news for you, falling off a moving motorcycle is going to be very painful regardless of your carry status. Ask me how I know...

[ezypikns]

The Crossbreed Super Tuck, or any of the Crossbreed holsters are very comfortable, and not too expensive either. I think around 60.00. Plus they (at least they used to) have relatively short turnaround times. Ordering a holster from Milt Sparks is (another) test of your patience. Three or four month waits aren't uncommon. Of course they arguably make some of the finest holsters in the world.

[txflyer]

I find that the Sparks VMII is very comfortable with a full size 1911, provided I get it in the right place for my body. A 1/2" makes all the difference in the world and I've found that true of most holsters.

The good thing about ordering a Sparks is that if it doesn't work for you, you can usually sell for at least what you paid for it. I've seen e-bay listings on slightly used holsters go for more than the cost of a new one.

[iratollah]

Still nervous about wearing to church and freaking someone out.

I was in synagogue for most of the day on Yom Kippor last Thursday. Wore a suit with a dressy Galco belt and comfort wasn't an issue. As mentioned in a previous post, I wear a P239 in a Tucker OWB high ride. We have to stand up a lot during the service and now and then I'd have to make sure that my suit jacket didn't ride up, but it was never really a problem.

The previous week at our Rosh Hashana services, my cousin was carrying his Glock in an SOB holster. He said when he'd stand his jacket vent kept opening and exposing his weapon as the people behind him kept telling him to cover it up. He said he didn't know those folks and they didn't know that he's LEO, so he said they just must be good Republicans that they didn't freak out at the idea of him having a gun in shul.

I usually wear a sports coat at synagogue as it's acceptable to not wear a tie on Friday night, it's a good cover for my style carry. It does however make a difference if the jacket is cut with a single or double vent. For 4 o'clock carry, single vent is preferred. For SOB, double vent jacket is better.

[mr.72]

Still nervous about wearing to church and freaking someone out.

I have been carrying at church for a couple of weeks now. I'm not very fat, wear fashionable (i.e. not loose-fitting) clothes that fit, and I am in a very public position in a very large church. Nobody has noticed, including my own wife.

You won't freak anyone out because nobody will know you are carrying. However if you carry in a fanny pack then I venture that all CHL holders will know you are carrying.

[anygunanywhere]

Fanny packs have become less common so that now, the presence of a fanny pack (at least in some areas) nearly screams "I'm packing".

You won't freak anyone out because nobody will know you are carrying. However if you carry in a fanny pack then I venture that all CHL holders will know you are carrying.

I disagree. If a fanny pack screams gun then hawiian shirts scream louder. This "screams gun" stuff is silly. Carry how you want.

Anygunanywhere

[agbullet2k1]

Fanny packs have become less common so that now, the presence of a fanny pack (at least in some areas) nearly screams "I'm packing".

You won't freak anyone out because nobody will know you are carrying. However if you carry in a fanny pack then I venture that all CHL holders will know you are carrying.

I disagree. If a fanny pack screams gun then hawiian shirts scream louder. This "screams gun" stuff is silly. Carry how you want.

Anygunanywhere

I wore Hawaiian shirts in high school and college (and at work), well before getting a CHL, just because I'm a colorful guy. The thought of a fanny pack never entered my mind until I was looking around for a holster. I'm siding with the fanny pack = CHL crowd on this one.

[mr.72]

I guarantee you every single man at my church under the age of 65 who has a fanny pack on is carrying. They are not even close to being a normal accessory for an 18-64 male, at least not within 50 miles of downtown Austin that I can see. Hawaiian shirts are far more normal for that wide demo around here.

I don't say it "screams" anything.

If you are wearing something like khakis, jeans, cargo shorts, khaki shorts, or dress pants, and a normal T-shirt, logo-T, polo shirt, camp shirt, or normal buttondown-dress shirt (with or without a tie), AND a fanny pack, then the fanny pack is going to look very out of place. CHL holders will know you are likely carrying. Non-CHL-holders will just think you are weird.

However if you are an adult male wearing pale yellow shorts, a horizontal striped polo shirt tucked in with a belt, calf-height black socks and penny loafers, with flip-up sunglasses, AND a fanny pack, then the fanny pack is going to fit right in.

It's kind of like wearing snake-skin cowboy boots with cargo shorts and a T-shirt. Something doesn't fit. or wearing a shirt and tie with gym shorts. Again, it doesn't fit in. Or if you dress like a stock broker and have a 10" high pink mohawk.

I am not denying the usefulness of a fanny pack, but I guarantee you that I would get asked about it constantly if I wore one.

BTW I carry a messenger bag most of the time. Occasionally it has a gun in it.

[anygunanywhere]

Do man purses scream gun too?

Anygunanywhere

[Keith B]

Do man purses scream gun too?

Anygunanywhere

Depends on how well it matches your dress Anygun.

[anygunanywhere]

Do man purses scream gun too?

Anygunanywhere

Depends on how well it matches your dress Anygun.

You mean shoes. The purse matches the shoes.



Anygunanywhere

[mr.72]

Do man purses scream gun too?

Anygunanywhere

I guess by "man purse" you might mean "messenger bag", and you intend to disparage the users of such a bag.

I'll refrain from using the common-to-my-generation vernacular for your fanny pack, as if "fanny pack" is a macho sounding name to begin with.

Anyway to answer your question, no absolutely not. I suspect the demographic of people who tend to carry a messenger bag does not heavily overlap the demographic of men who have a CHL. Most messenger bag users I know of fit one or more of these categories:

- they carry something like a laptop or other large-ish item with them nearly all of the time
- they do not like to carry things in their pocket or on their belt, so they put cell phones, keys, wallet, etc. in a bag instead
- their peer group is not likely to accuse them of being feminine for carrying a "purse"

In my case, I fit all of the categories above. I typically have to carry a large collection of stuff with me most of the time, such as my laptop, iPod, portable digital recorder, Bible, couple of pairs of earphones and ear monitors, etc. So given that I have this bag with me anyway, I might as well put my phone and keys in it as well. I don't like having stuff in my pockets other than guitar picks. Have you ever heard of a "key crack"? Suffice to say having objects in your pocket can interfere with playing the guitar, or even make a crack in some high-end acoustic guitars. Just last weekend my pastor stopped me and said "that's a cool bag, where did you get it?". He also carries a leather messenger bag.

So in a certain demographic, a messenger bag is a routine item. It doesn't look out of place for me or the other guys I tend to hang with. However, a fanny pack would stick out like a sore thumb. In this crowd, a fanny pack looks out of place enough that CHL holders will figure you *must* be using it to carry, while a messenger bag looks very normal.

I think non-CHL-holders don't have a clue what's in your bag, no matter what kind of bag it is. Even if you carried a blue Smith and Wesson pistol case around like a briefcase everywhere you went, I don't think 99% of people would ever suspect you might have a gun in it.

[mr.72]

Do man purses scream gun too?

Anygunanywhere

Depends on how well it matches your dress Anygun.

You mean shoes. The purse matches the shoes.



Anygunanywhere

Oh, I thought your purse is supposed to match your hat.

[Keith B]

Do man purses scream gun too?

Anygunanywhere

Depends on how well it matches your dress Anygun.

You mean shoes. The purse matches the shoes.



Anygunanywhere

Oh sorry, you're correct. That confirms what my wife and daughter say about me being 'fashion challenged'