For this setup, you're pretty limited in options. It will certainly require a smaller gun, and from the looks of it, you're limited to either pocket carry or ankle carry (as it appears you have a bit of room down there). Something small like a Ruger LCP would be ideal for this kind of dress style, and would fit in with your clothing choices.mr.72 wrote: OK, now I have a couple of pairs of jeans like this (which I wear 90% of the time without a belt):
The fit me just about like they fit the guy in the pic. When I do wear a belt it's because I have to clip wireless equipment to it, which means I am going to be on stage in front of a few thousand people lifting the tail of my shirt messing with my wireless gear before the downbeat. I won't be carrying at that time.
The cargo shorts open up your possibilities quite a bit, and a somewhat larger pistol is do-able with these, as you have noted with the Smartcarry. You can also carry something somewhat bigger in the cargo pockets as well, though I would recommend using some sort of holster inside and stitching in a horizontal piece of cloth for the clip to hold onto (kind of like a horizontal belt loop) so it doesn't move around. I've read of people doing this in the past on this forum, and they seemed to have reasonably good experience with it.mr.72 wrote: In the summer I also tend to wear cargo shorts not unlike these:
Again, those I wear with a belt but it's a cotton/canvas belt and it's not really very tight. Just tight enough to keep the shorts from falling smooth off.
In either case I don't wear shirts tucked in. 90% of the time I wear a t-shirt untucked. I don't mind wearing a wicking tank top under the t-shirt (tucked in).
I don't look like a Bowflex pitch man but I am a cyclist with a moderately athletic build.
I have found that I can conceal my Sigma with the Smartcarry and the cargo shorts no problem. Those are rather baggy. I think a belly band would likely work better since I could wear it up a little higher easier. I have found that I can't use the Smartcarry with my normal jeans... there's just not enough vertical space (it ends up mexican carry... butt of the gun over the belt line). If I want to carry with jeans, I have to pick some of my jeans that don't fit so well (baggy, higher-waisted) and then I have to wear a belt to keep them from falling off. Of course my wife hassles me about my choice of clothes when I do this.
I'd say a smaller gun is good to have, if only for the carry options it gives you. Honestly, I don't see the Sigma working with the tight clothing you show above (the jeans picture), since everything is pretty form-fitting. For the times you wear the cargo shorts or something similarly looser-fitting, you could carry either a larger or smaller gun or both of them.mr.72 wrote: So right now I guess I am seriously considering buying a much smaller gun (see my sig). I'd rather find a way to carry the Sigma.
I would recommend looking into the options for a smaller carry gun that fit within your budget. The Ruger LCP is a good choice at under $300 (when they are available... they seem to be getting a little easier to find than a month or so ago), and I have been very happy with the reliability of mine. There are also other choices, such as the NAA Backup .380, which is even smaller than the LCP, but somewhat more expensive. I tried one out at our last Austin get-together, and was impressed with the accuracy of the thing, and considered getting one of my own for quite a while. I believe McBride's had one in stock last time I dropped in there. If you're down that way, you might call beforehand to see if they have one and stop in to see how you like it.