I just got a new job recently as an auditor, which requires that I occasionally go to some pretty undesirable places. When working, I have to wear at least khakis with shirt tucked in, but more normally I tend to be in a suit (without the jacket in summer…it’s just too damn hot for that down here in Louisiana!). I have to have any firearm completely 100% concealed for me to be able to carry.
What do you guys recommend or suggest for a method of carry for me? I’d honestly love to find a way to carry something like an LCR, but it seems like the only way for me to truly conceal a firearm in this attire is to use something like the P3AT, Bodyguard 380, and the like.
3 day’s a week I have to dress as you describe for work. The other day’s a get more leeway. When having to wear Khaki’s and tuck the shirt, I go with an LCR in a pocket holster or a tuckable kydex holster from CCC. You could also go with an ankle holster ( not my first choice for a primary carry gun) or something like a smartcarry.
As a fellow “professional” (for me of the InfoSec nerd variety), I’ve gone through a few combinations of weapon, holster, and carry position. I’ve come to love the M&P9c and a RCS holster with ‘tuckable’ IWB belt loops at about the 4 o’clock position. Dress pants + button down shirt worn loose - my CCW disappears. While less than ideal for speed of draw, I’ve found it to be a reasonable compromise given client expectations for business dress.
…with a suit you have even better concealment and more options. Good luck in your search, know that you’ll probably have to try out a few combinations to find what works for you.
I would check out the Walther PPS or MP shield, both in 9mm, and if you are a bigger guy you may be able to fully conceal a g19 or mp9c as well. I also really like comptacs line of tuckable iwb holsters.
Thanks for the quick replies, I’ll have a look at a few of those options over lunch if I can. I’m 6’2" but pretty skinny at around 160-165 lbs. I’ve tried to just conceal my 19 various ways without a holster in typical work attire with no success.
There is a level of “tuckable holster” concealment that will pass muster when walking down the street. However, it is difficult to avoid detection if you are around the same people, in a relatively confined area, all day long. Given this and the fact that you are most exposed while going between your parked car and the client’s place of business, perhaps off-body carry is your best bet.
There are several concealed-carry briefcases and laptop cases on the market. Off-body carry is far from an ideal carry mode, but sometimes compromises must be made. The upside is that off-body carry makes carrying a full size pistol practical and, if you have to use it, it’ll be more effective than a tiny pocket pistol.
I personally am a big fan of ankle carry- once you practice with it, in comparison to a tuckable with a shirt tucked in covering it, I can draw from an ankle faster. My choices for you would be a subcompact auto- lets say a glock 26 or a smith j frame on the ankle, and/or a small pocket auto. My routine daily carry is a j frame on my ankle and a seecamp 32 in a pocket.
Aaron, I use the RCS Phantom holster. Initially I was certain a kydex holster would be uncomfortable, but after actually wearing it (daily carry for past 6 months), it’s incredibly comfortable. With a good belt (very important part of the system), I honestly barely notice.
Again, you may hate kydex, and prefer something like a Crossbreed Supertuck or Galco King-tuk (I have no direct experience with either, just know that they come up often when discussing IWB carry), but for me this system has been working quite well.
Also, for comparison - M&P9c is almost identical in size to a G19 (frame-wise, the magazine finger extension, or lack-thereof can make the 9c a tad shorter).
I work in an office, around the same people everyday, plus patients. I’ve been carrying a Sig P238 in a Ryan Grizzle pocket holster for two years w/o ever being detected. That’s wearing khakis and a shirt, with no jacket or lab coat. About two months ago, I picked up a Ruger LC9, and have been carrying it in the same way. SOME pockets are a tad shallow for the Ruger, but most conceal it fine, and it IS a very thin, 8 rd, 9mm. If I can carry the 9 almost as easily as the .380, then I will, and a PROPER pocket rig will acomplish that.
As a side note, I like the P238 a lot.
I grew up in Oklahoma and spent a fair amount of time visiting relatives in Louisiana and Arkansas during summers when I was a kid. The heat is one of the reasons I stayed in Washington state when I left the Army.
This thread has a lot of good advice, but you need to give your clothes as much attention as you give your pistol. Most clothes in department stores are a little on the baggy side, which is lucky for you. You’re also lucky that it’s common to see slim guys like you wearing dress shirts that fit at the neck and sleeves but that are cut full through the body. Embrace that look when you carry tucked in, and you should be able to hide something the size of a G19 and a spare mag with ease, especially if you carry AIWB.
A tailor can help with the suits. Most big department stores have tailors who can alter your suits to fit properly. Let them help you out. Also, if you know any cops, especially detectives, ask who their tailors are. This problem is more common than you’d think.
This may not help you, but I have found that I am better at drawing from a hidden holster in a bag nearby than from a concealed holster with a shirt tucked in. So what I do is I have a back pack that has a holster in it always with me (it is my laptop bag). Allows me to have a fullsize gun with me, as well as something I can easily leave in my car if I have to walk into a Government building. If you carry stuff like a laptop with you, you may want to check out some of the excellent bags out there for them, such as the ones made by Maxpedition.
I am still looking/waiting for a perfect IPAD case that has room in the back for the Walther PPS. you would think someone could come up with that…
I think this would be your best route. There are several opitons out there for this.
For me, if I have to tuck in my shirt then I pocket carry a J-frame S&W or my G26. I’m not a fan of the .380ACP so I don’t have any of the small mouse guns. I know they aren’t very fashionable but pleated pants are your best bet when pocket carrying.
I’m lucky in that I’m rarely in the same “fashion conundrum” you are. However, there are RARE occasions when I have to be armed with a tucked in shirt and no covering garment.
For these situations, THIN is key. The G19 is a fantastic pistol, but not optimal for concealment in your situation. I have a Kahr PM9 that I use for those times when I have to carry a gun in DEEP concealment.
I use either a FIST ultrathin kydex tuckable holster, or a leather tuckable; both have worked fine for this application. No, it’s not fast, but it is VERY discreet.
Ankle carry is another option, and, in fact, I carry my PM9 daily in a Galco Ankle Glove as a BUG. It’s not terribly fast on the draw either, and you have to make sure your pants have plenty of “break” so your rig doesn’t become visible when you sit, but it’s definitely an option.
I’m personally not a fan of pocket carry in the pants pocket. First of all, you need to have pretty darned deep and loose pockets to avoid looking like you have a Costanza Wallet (or you’re just happy to see everyone). More importantly, most of us spend most of our days sitting - at a desk, table, or behind the wheel of your car. Drawing from a pocket holster while sitting down is next to impossible without serious contortions - try it sometime with an UNLOADED pistol, and you’ll see what I mean…
If I was in your shoes, I’d look hard at the Kahr P9 - slightly larger with an extra round on board, but still perfectly concealable tucked or on the ankle, and easy to shoot well.
I’ve very successfully worn a 5" 1911 in a shoulder rig under a tucked in dress shirt. If you use a smaller and lighter gun it would be even easier. Just rip it open superman style in a crisis. This also presumes there are few if any hugging types in your office.
