I’m 5’8"ish (closer to 9"), 145 lb, 28" waist pants, and I AIWB a P30LS with a carry comp, 140mm mag, X400UH, and ACRO P-2. I use a custom JMCK. A slick 5" 1911 should be pretty trivial with the right setup. It’s just a question of holster, belt, and clothing choices.
Agree to a point. AIWB with long slide/barrel/comp is problematic sitting or squatting for me. YMMV.
IME, clothing is a huge component of this. Non-stretchy cloth like denim can be much more restrictive when it comes to things like sitting and squatting compared to stretchy cloth. With all things being mostly equal, squatting takes more effort when wearing jeans than I am my hiking pants when carrying (I have to actually work on balancing myself properly versus it being effortless); denim versus softshells. The stretchier cloth allows the holster to move around a bit more as the body moves and pushes it around, though it should always settle back into the same place once you stand up.
Cut also makes a big different, since it then plays a role in where the holster sits on your body.
I’ve made many 18 hour drives while AIWB in my setup.
I saw a Utube vid of some skinny guy carrying a Staccato XC AIWB.
I’d find that a real chore.
I have no problem with a Staccato P or C2 size pistol, I’d not bother trying to carry my XC.
And yes, I find AWIB while driving to be “the way” for me. I place seatbelt strap between body and grip/butt of gun so I have an unimpeded draw. With cover garment over pistol/seatbelt it’s invisible.
I feel you CAN carry a small suitcase if you do it all the time and you don’t mind the inconvenience. Some say a suit case is quite comfy and I get that, but I dont want to carry a full size 1911 if I don’t have to. But if you have a high end beauty and want to cherish that awesome gun, freakin go for it. I’ve done it. But now I prefer to carry a P30 over a P30L, a Stacatto C2 over a P DPO… But the the only important thing is to carry what you can shoot.
I really don’t over concern myself with printing, I live in AZ so sometimes my shit is going to print. But I am going to carry, be ready its 2024!
I’m impressed with guys that carry, have a spare mag, knife, flashlight…, I got a buddy that keeps a spare 30 round mag in his cargo shorts, lets go.
PB
Amen to that.
“First rule of a gunfight, have a gun”.
I was running into this same issue where no matter what the grip was just sticking out like crazy (at least I felt so). Seems odd but I moved the holster to my 11 o’clock ish. Puts the grip centerlinewith your body. Might notbe for everyone.
You need to cant it
Holy crap, that’s alot of weight and bulk! 12 hrs a day, 4-6 days a week? That’d be too much for me.
G19 w/ optic, or bare G17, no lights, are perfection for me, although if I went back to 1911s I’d have no problem AIWBing the 5" I used to carry daily.
Fully agreed, clothing is a thing. I hate tight, restrictive stuff. Don’t own a single pair of Jean’s. Cargo pants, cargo shorts, dress slacks/khakis, in a generous cut that allows movement and comfort, that’s key.
I can give that a try. Guessing you mean to angle the grip down more?
Here is what I do now:
And with it in what I am guessing would be the more traditional aiwb position:
Other way, grip up.
You may need to slide the gun around and adjust ride height so you can sit comfortably.
A wedge would help push the grip into your body as well, but I dont use them.