Advice for a newbie

[Kkpsiknl]

Ok, so I am brand new to cc and I am looking for advice and recommendations on IWB carry. Thanks in advance for the help.

[pebblebeachkid]

Get the n82 holster and live happily ever after

[Middle Age Russ]

Welcome to the club!! If carrying on your strong side (if right handed somewhere between 2:30 and 4:30), most folks seem to agree that a hybrid leather/kydex holster with the belt clips somewhere to either side of the holster body to be comfortable and very usable. The ones you seem to hear most about are the CrossBreed SuperTuck, the Comp-Tac M-Tac and the Alien Gear models. I cannot speak for the others, but nearly five years ago I ordered an M-Tac, carry with it nearly every day and haven't looked back. If you carry in some other location, there might be other, better choices.

Keep in mind that any belt holster will work best with a a good gun-belt. Most holster makers also make gun belts as well as some others like BeltMan. A good leather belt is likely to run nearly $100 by itself, but there are also some good nylon web belts with stiffness appropriate for use as a gun belt. Wilderness and 5.11 make good belts in this category.

[n5wd]

Hints for IWB?
1. A hybrid leather/kydex is a good blend of support and low cost, usually less $$ than an all-leather holster.
2. Most folks seem to find carrying at 3:30-4:30 seems to be the most comfortable (for right-handed shooters). That's just slightly behind the hip bone, but not so far back as to be in the small of your back.
3. Wear a t-shirt. Not only will you chafe, if you don't, but you'll put extra wear on the holster.
4. Wear a good belt - one that is fairly stiff, 1-1.5 inches wide and a bit thicker than you'd normally wear with dress clothes.
5. A holster takes some time to break in and mold itself to your body. Don't be in a hurry to discard a holster that doesn't feel right on day #1, but if it's not feeling right after a week or two, it's probably not going to.
6. You WILL go through more than one holster in your search for the perfect holster. Lots of folks have gone through three or four, and still aren't 100% convinced they have the best possible holster.
7. Borrowing someone else's broken-in IWB holster is like asking to borrow someones favorite shoes. Don't ask!

[Abraham]

4. Wear a good belt - one that is fairly stiff, 1-1.5 inches wide and a bit thicker than you'd normally wear with dress clothes.

I must respectively disagree with the above.

Don't wear "a good belt".

Wear "A GUN BELT"!

They are especially designed to carry the weight of a gun and perhaps a spare magazine or two.

[Jumping Frog]

Respectfully.

I agree a "good belt", "work belt", "heavy belt", "Amish belt", etc. are not the same as something designed and sold as a GUN belt. Get a gun belt.

[Abraham]

Pilgrim, "respectfully" ain't no laughing matter...

[Kkpsiknl]

I guess I should have said I am new to cc not oc. I have been carrying around the farm for years. Belts I have, iwb holsters I do not.

[johncanfield]

Hints for IWB?...
6. You WILL go through more than one holster in your search for the perfect holster. Lots of folks have gone through three or four, and still aren't 100% convinced they have the best possible holster...

Absolutely true - most of us wind up with a drawer full of holsters. Also, don't get hung up on IWB or OWB - try both. Usually I carry OWB but sometimes IWB works best for my clothing. For those rare dressy situations, I carry under the arm in a Kangaroo Carry.

[Salty1]

As mentioned a very good gun belt should be your first purchase, there are many manufacturers of them and at a minimum it should be 1.5 inches wide. I prefer to go with more of a custom design than off the shelf and have 3 of them, 2 blacks and a brown so they will go with whatever style of dress I choose. My favorites, holsters and belts, are made by TT GunLeather and Zlogonje GunLeather. Beware of the holsters that claim to fit many different guns as they may not fit the model you have properly, snug is good loose is not. Galco makes quality holsters and they are worth a look. I must be in the minority because I do not like kydex holsters and prefer all leather and have them made for the particular gun.

One word of caution, decide what will be your carry guns before you go out and invest in holsters or you will join the crowd that has a box with many holsters in it that are not used anymore.

[Kkpsiknl]

I carry a Glock 19 and my bug is a s&w shield. I have plenty of owb options. I just started looking at iwb options and got a little lost with all the companies and options out there.

[ajwakeboarder]

Welcome There are a lot of options for iwb ranging from cheap nylon to expensive leather. I've been using the cheap nylon for a couple of years. My advice, don't do this. Its uncomfortable and I'm always worried about my gun shifting. I have recently ordered an Alien Gear IWB holder after reading all of the positive reviews. I haven't received it yet, but from what i have heard, It is a night and day difference.

[sammeow]

Well, many options to choose. Think about what you want.
Single clip, double clip. Material.
I use either a a problem arises dbl clip for 3:30, a Remora or N82 for crossdraw AIWB for a SR9C.
For the LC9, Remora with sweatshield or their Micro holster. Also AIWB crossdraw.

Looks like the beginning of your IWB holster drawer.

[Kkpsiknl]

I bought a hanging shoe organizer for the closet in anticipation of having the holsters pile up.

[Taypo]

I lucked out and hit the nail on the head on my first try with a Galco V-Hawk for my 5" 1911. Of course, I screwed up and bought a couple different models for the 3" before I ended up buying another V-Hawk for it lol.

The wider holster profile seems to be the most comfortable and easiest to conceal, at least for me.