Magazine Pouches and Concealment

[chasfm11]

Sorry if this is a stupid question but I'm just trying to understand.

I ordered and received a Minotaur holster from Comp-Tac. They sent me an e-mail advertisement this morning so I looked it to see if I could find a magazine pouch. They have one that will fit my Sig but as I looked at it, I was puzzled. They describe the orientation clearly - for a strong right side, the pouch should go on my left, bullet forward. That would put it on the outside of my belt. Typically, my cell phone pouch is about the same place so the mag pouch wouldn't be isolated.

But the pouch itself pretty much screams "gun". Anyone familiar with what a magazine looks like (i.e. an LEO) is going to recognize it right away. How is that consistent with concealment? I recognize that I could keep the magazine in a pocket but then it bounces around when I walk. A quick Internet search seems to show that other vendor's magazine pouches look the same as Comp-Tac.

So what is the "normal" approach for extra magazine carry? It looks like I'm going to be one of those for whom the background check takes a very long time (I have no idea why) and I have time to shop around and explore these kinds of topics.

TIA,

Chas

[Charles L. Cotton]

I carry an OWB mag carrier on my left side and it is covered by whatever cover garment is concealing my gun.

Chas.

[rbftfire]

I have been carrying my pistol in an IWB holster and just kept an extra magazine in my back left pocket. Not the best solution, but I'm still trying to figure out which pistol I want to make my permanent carry weapon and then I will try to come up with a more permanent solution.

[bdickens]

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?p ... ber=626620" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[seniorshooteress]

I went to the Dollar Tree store and got what they call a small camera case I had my spare mags with me and I can get 5 LCP mags w/ext in there easily. It has a loop on the back so you can put it on your belt. Has two zipper compartments so I use the other one for my small flashlite and my tiny knife. Measurements are: 4-1/2in wide (where the belt loop is) ____ 3 in.tall I and 1-l2 side --- if you have it stuffed full like I do. That is how I carry my spares so no one knows what they are. I can get 2 G26 mags in this as well as my lite & knife. Might hold a mag with 12/13 rounds if catty cornered. The mags lay flat not vertical but at least no one knows you have a mag carrier cause nothing is exposed. I bought 6 of these in different colors(got to coordiante with my clothes ya know) they are only a buck each. Oh yeah, made out of some kind of heavy fabric, not leather. I already have my pepper spray on my keychain. All I need now is a taser to hang off my belt and I will look like G.I. Jane

[GeekwithaGun]

I think there are lots of options, I carry the Comp-Tac model OWB and like Charles said, my cover garment covers it. I have seen IWB magazine pouches, but haven't used or tried to find any.

[G26ster]

I think there are lots of options, I carry the Comp-Tac model OWB and like Charles said, my cover garment covers it. I have seen IWB magazine pouches, but haven't used or tried to find any.

Cecil Roper makes a nylon horizontal mag holder for IWB or OWB, with flap.

http://usedlions.com/roper.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chasfm11]

I think there are lots of options, I carry the Comp-Tac model OWB and like Charles said, my cover garment covers it. I have seen IWB magazine pouches, but haven't used or tried to find any.

Since I have zero experience in doing this, my concern was in trying to keep both sides of a shirt down. I've been wearing the Minotaur around the house am comfortable that I can keep it covered with my shirts. My concern would be when I need to reach for something. I'm working on doing that left handed but that exposes the belt area on my left. I do understand that exposing a magazine pouch is not the same as exposing the butt of a pistol but figured that I really didn't want to leave myself open to any exposure. Just chaulk it up to newbie paranoia.

The Cecil Roper pouch looks pretty good and I like the velcro idea for it. It looks pretty thin, though, and my Sig magazines are pretty thick.

If you guys are comfortable with the OWB approach, have been doing it for a while and have not run into any problems, who am I to argue with that?

[G26ster]

I think there are lots of options, I carry the Comp-Tac model OWB and like Charles said, my cover garment covers it. I have seen IWB magazine pouches, but haven't used or tried to find any.

Since I have zero experience in doing this, my concern was in trying to keep both sides of a shirt down. I've been wearing the Minotaur around the house am comfortable that I can keep it covered with my shirts. My concern would be when I need to reach for something. I'm working on doing that left handed but that exposes the belt area on my left. I do understand that exposing a magazine pouch is not the same as exposing the butt of a pistol but figured that I really didn't want to leave myself open to any exposure. Just chaulk it up to newbie paranoia.

The Cecil Roper pouch looks pretty good and I like the velcro idea for it. It looks pretty thin, though, and my Sig magazines are pretty thick.

If you guys are comfortable with the OWB approach, have been doing it for a while and have not run into any problems, who am I to argue with that?

I believe Cecil makes the pouch to fit the magazine. They are all made by hand by him. Give him a call. Nice guy. When he made mine, he sent it to me and said if I liked it to pay him, or send it back if I didn't.

[The Annoyed Man]

I think there are lots of options, I carry the Comp-Tac model OWB and like Charles said, my cover garment covers it. I have seen IWB magazine pouches, but haven't used or tried to find any.

I use a Comp-Tac OWB magazine carrier for my full sized M&P 45, and that is a pretty big magazine. It conceals just fine, including with the pistol in an OWB holster on the other side. That magazine carrier is a good design and works real well. I even use it when I'm carrying that M&P IWB.

[silverbear]

With appropriate cover garments, it will conceal better than you think. I'm relatively new to this but have learned after carrying that nobody really notices as much as you think they do.

[davidtx]

How many of you guys are carrying a BUG and a spare mag/speed strips for it? My belt is getting pretty crowded...

[GeekwithaGun]

I think there are lots of options, I carry the Comp-Tac model OWB and like Charles said, my cover garment covers it. I have seen IWB magazine pouches, but haven't used or tried to find any.

I use a Comp-Tac OWB magazine carrier for my full sized M&P 45, and that is a pretty big magazine. It conceals just fine, including with the pistol in an OWB holster on the other side. That magazine carrier is a good design and works real well. I even use it when I'm carrying that M&P IWB.

Mine is the Comp-Tac Tek-Loc single mag pouch http://www.comp-tac.com/product_info.php?products_id=88 for my M&P 9c, locks in place and retains the magazine really well. I like that I can adjust to fit my belt, although I haven't had to. All my holsters are from them (I am not affiliated in any way except as a satisfied customer )

@Chasfm11 - keeping the shirt down isn't a problem if you wear something longer. I have had to adjust my wardrobe over the past year so I can dress around the carry method. When IWB, i can where a T-shirt, just a little longer one, without problems of showing, polo shirts work great tucked or un-tucked with the right holster too. There are really so many options available that fit in my casual and daily business casual attire.

I also found that what feels uncomfortable at first, becomes more natural over time and as the fear of "being made" subsides. No one really will notice, although I still get a little uncomfortable and wonder "can they tell?" when I'm in line in front of a LEO or in a bank line.

[Excaliber]

I think there are lots of options, I carry the Comp-Tac model OWB and like Charles said, my cover garment covers it. I have seen IWB magazine pouches, but haven't used or tried to find any.

Since I have zero experience in doing this, my concern was in trying to keep both sides of a shirt down. I've been wearing the Minotaur around the house am comfortable that I can keep it covered with my shirts. My concern would be when I need to reach for something. I'm working on doing that left handed but that exposes the belt area on my left. I do understand that exposing a magazine pouch is not the same as exposing the butt of a pistol but figured that I really didn't want to leave myself open to any exposure. Just chaulk it up to newbie paranoia.

The Cecil Roper pouch looks pretty good and I like the velcro idea for it. It looks pretty thin, though, and my Sig magazines are pretty thick.

If you guys are comfortable with the OWB approach, have been doing it for a while and have not run into any problems, who am I to argue with that?

I wear my double OWB mag pouch for my 1911's at 8 o'clock (behind my left hip) with the bullets facing forward and the gun at 4:30 behind the right hip. My cell phone rides in a horizontal case at about 10:30, almost in front.

I easily access and replace the cell phone without risking showing either the mag pouch or the gun, or looking like I'm trying to hide something.

In fact, if I took off the covering garment and stood directly facing you, you wouldn't see either the mag pouch or the gun because of the way they're positioned just behind the hip. This takes a lot of the anxiety out of windy days when the wind may blow your jacket open.

If I'm going light, I just slip one spare mag into the left front pocket of my jeans where it rests next to my SureFire.

[A-R]

I've also used camera pouches and cell phone holsters to carry spare mags in past. But I now carry all of mine in various sizes of Ripoffs holsters

http://www.ripoffs.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;