Shirt Tuckers

[longtooth]

Just received my Hoffner's Ultimate Shirt Tucker. About like CTAC. I wore it about 4 hr this Fri. evening. Like it plenty good especially the low cut front. When you clear the belt you are clear of the holster. :D Question for all you guys that wear them. Hoffner's, CTAC, Versa Max, any other quality brand. How do yall rig up? I started as I normally did w/ my Don Hume PCCH. Pants on, belt on in hole I would wear it, then holster. That did not work. I know that several on & off's will give practice. Do you put your holster on pants, then pants on, then arm? What is the drill? :?

[Charles L. Cotton]

Longtooth:
Here's a "reprint" of a post I put on 1911forum.com about the Sparks VM-II in the "tucker" configuration:

Okay guys, I need some help. I love my VM2 with the belt loops, so I decided to give the Kydex clips another chance. (They've been in the dead holster drawer for over a year now.)

I finally got the holster on the pants by putting it on before I put the pants on. Getting the shirt tucked was a real hoot; I looked like my 200# sister-in-law trying to get into pantyhose small enough for her 14 year old 90# daughter. My wife was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe and I think I even saw the dogs snickering! Grabbing the shirt with my left hand through on open fly and with my right hand stuck in the back of my pants and working it back and forth like dental floss must have been too much for them to bear. If this is the normal procedure, I'd better get all of the serious bathroom work done before leaving the house.

There has to be a better way. How do you guys do it?

Thanks,
Chas.

Here is a response from Tony Kanaley, the owner of Milt Sparks Holsters:

Charles,
Funny! You sound like you got the system down pat. I use the same method, but with a slightly different twist. I don't fasten my belt, or trouser button until I get the shirt slid all the way into the clips. The method I use to keep my drawers from sliding down to my knees during the process, is to spread and spraddle my legs a little bit. Similar to the technique that OJ used with his hand to keep the glove from fitting..

Once I get the shirt in place, I do up my trousers and check to see if I need to further adjust my shirt fore or aft. Once I get everything where I want it and everything is fastened, I blouse my shirt until it just rolls over the top of my belt. That is pretty much it. Good luck!

Tony

I don't know if this procedure is required for all shirt-tuckers, or if it will work on others, but I suspect so on both points. I used it in the "tucker" configuration only once and I really like the VM-II. I think I'm going to try one of Gregg Garrett's Comp-Tac tuckers, but overall, I think tuckers are of minimal utility. Here are Tony's comments about tuckers:

My thoughts on tuckable carry:

I personally don't have much faith in the concept, but customer demand required that I come up with something to address it. I have found that tuckable carry works for me providing that I dress specifically for it. Blue Jeans and a polo/T-shirt seems to work best and I think the reason is because the heavier jean material helps soften the pronounced bulge of the holstered gun. Unfortunately, those who need to tuck their shirt are generally in a work environment which requires dressier attire. Form fitting shirt and pants are not going to cut the mustard in that regard.

Lets face it. In a situation where you are tucking your shirt in over your gun, there is absolutely no way you are going completely eliminate the bulge of the gun. The best you can hope for is that the holster you choose, helps disguise the bulge without adding unnecessarily to it.

That is why I chose the style of the VM-2 for this particular function.

With the holster mounts located fore and aft, the belt does not have to take an abrupt turn around the shape of the gun when strung over top of the holster. Most notably around the front. As a result, the belt transitions in a more direct line around the side of the hip where the gun is mounted, lending a more natural appearance. The bulge is still there, but it is softened to the point where it is less noticable.

Most people either love or hate the tuckable clips. I realized early on in the design phase, that many people would not be able to sucessfully tuck their weapon because of all the variables involved. That is why the VM-2 was designed to be adaptable, but not dedicated to tuckable carry.

The gun you choose, will have a lot to do with how sucessfull you are at tucking your gun. Think thin! The 1911 is optimal, but thinner is always better. Having said that, I know of at least one person that tucks over top of a full size USP and gets away with it. But that is an exception and definitely not the rule.

Lastly, practicing your presentation from a tucked gun position can be very frustrating. If it takes more than a minute to set it up, then you are not likely to get much practicing done. Also it gets boring very fast. Needless to say if you are not dedicated to the notion of tucked carry, than you would be perhaps better off looking for an alternative mode of carry.

Just my .02 for what its worth.

Tony

I hope you have better luck with yours. Give us a field report after you've used it for a while; maybe you're on to something that may work well.

Regards,
Chas.

[longtooth]

I will report every day for a few because I should learn the easy stuff pretty fast. After that when I learn something new. For sure I did not get it for the tucking. I will primarily use it w/ untucked cover. Needed a new one & got it for the extra stability & the low barrel clearance. As for as the on & off, that will be tough to rig up, If it is covered & I have to disarm then I will simply leave the arm in my lock box in the truck & leave the holster on. I do that w/ empty mag carriers a lot. Thanks for the long ago post. (and for all the q's you have answered for me in the past few days. Jerry.

[HighVelocity]

My VM2 tuckable clips live in the drawer as well. I tried them but I am just not limber enough to get the shirt tucked in around them.
In fact, I kinda hurt myself twisting around.

It's belt loops for me, always.

[OverEasy]

Longtooth,

I recently bought a Hoffner's Ultimate Shirt Tucker also. First shirt tucker I ever owned. I wrestled my shirt down between the holster and my pants. I cinched up my belt and tried to clear the shirt for a draw. Ha Ha Ha Ha,
I couldn't get the shirt out of my waist band for awhile, way too long. My problem is I'm built like, let's say, to paint a picture, a tennis ball with legs sticking off the bottom. No hips! I have to cinch my belt up real tight to where it diggs in all the way around to keep my pants up. If I don't draw my belt up tight enough, I can hop up and down just a little and my pants will be down around my ankles and thats just with car keys, knife and some change.
So, I'm not going to tuck. I really like the holster and I will wear it with my shirt OUT.

I'll add one other tidbit of related info. I wear an undershirt (tanktop style) to keep the gun off my bare skin. The cotton undershirt and a cotton outter shirt always seem to hangup on each other. ie. If I reach up the shirt goes up and stays up and I have to grab the shirttail and pull it down.
I had a "great idea". I bought a $20 silk undershirt. Now my cotton outter shirt slides up and down smooth "as silk" and always hangs very naturally. However my PANTS also slide very smoothly on the silk undershirt.
You solve one problem and create another! I may try susppenders under my cover garment.
Good luck

[longtooth]

Thank you overeasy. I probably will never use it to tuck either. I really like it too. :D I appreciate the silk idea. I never thought of that. I DO wear suspenders. I have worn them almost all my life. As a young man in the log woods I wore overalls. After moving into a foundry the overalls held extra heat I went to pants but built like a coke bottle needed the suspenders. I too have no hips even though I am probably a little slimmer than you describe yourself. I have no beer belly. Quit all that when I made a life committment to Jesus Christ. I just have no hips. Get good all elastic suspenders one & half inches wide. If they are not all elastic they will not stretch in the front & the back when you bend over. The Army Nave store here has them on the surpluse side. Maybe the same there in Houston. They are reasonably priced at 10.00 a pair & I get several of different colors. (No fashion statement I just like colors & even a Red White & Blue pair.) They should last a couple of years each. When they start to stretch out they are easy to take up in the back about an inch. That will give you more wear. I have told several about it & my statement is that suspenders are the best friend concealed carry ever had. I think you will like them. Your cover garment covers them just as it does your gun. I am getting more comfortable putting it on. I need to wear it a while to decide exactly where to position it. I really like it. Have a great 4th.

[longtooth]

Overeasy, I just noticed your location & also your navy dates. PM me & lets visit a little.

[tex45acp]

overeasy & longtooth,

Thank you both for the writeup on the tuckable style holster. I was looking into getting one, but with what I have read about their problems, I believe I will remain an OWB carry type of person.

Gentlemen, I also am a swabbie, served from 76-78 as an avaition boatswains mate, then shore patrol duty.

Anchors away!!

[longtooth]

Then I salute you to for preserving what my Dad & others fought so hard to retain. Thank you tex45acp