Morning Arfcommers.

Point blank, I'm a big guy, 5'11" and 380lbs. I'm not new to the gun world but am new to the carry side. I'm looking for options for IWB holsters and solutions that work well for the teddy bears like myself. And before it gets said I'm already working on the weight problem, problem is that doesn't fix the now situation, just the future. AIWB for me is out due to my dunlop syndrome. Any advice or ideas are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance guys.

Big guy here too.

This is what I use. I've had it for probably 8 months or so and haven't had any issues. I keep my holster at about the 3:30 position give or take a few minutes and I find it pretty comfortable. I can easily put the holster, with the gun in it, in my waistband with one hand and without looking very easily.

Bravo Concealment

As far as the poster above, I would say just wear longer shirts if you're going to owb carry or pull your pants up higher, difficult, I know. lol

I'm not sure about my geometry being off either, I feel just fine carrying mine, sitting down, walking etc. like it's not even there.

Any male over 40 who has a "mature" waistline or carrying just 20 pounds more than he should is in this camp. Most are too vain to admit it tho. I'm 5'5" and 180 - that stupid 20 pounds - diabetic, too - and IWB is a literal pain in the hip. Anything past 4:00 seems much more comfortable but winds up against a seat. Not bad, but not HSLD quick draw available. Meh. Risk is what you make of it.

Another alternative is upper torso carry, and it's back in style for CCW who realize they are supposed to carry, not posture like LEO's. Shoulder holsters/ATA etc do work and are more accessible when seated and driving, one of those physical situations that the over 40 find themselves in a lot more due to job progress and less physical work routines.

The reality is that waistband carry is really not suited for most Americans due to their work and lifestyle. Yet we look to cops etc as our role model and the "professional grade" shooters who all compete keep pushing it as the only method. However, WE ARE NOT ENFORCEMENT. We are people who carry.

This attitude toward choosing the "gunfighter" role model has even affected our choice of weapons, and that is why those who broke that stereotype and who came out with guns for CCW were so late in the game. There simply was no market in the 80's for slim, smooth, snag free DAO guns for civilian carry - until Kahr. Now? They have a good position on the playing field, even Glock has moved in their direction. CCW is NOT enforcement nor is it military - it's something else entirely, something that causes good people to disagree with folks like Massad Ayoob who have made it their life's work to explore. Long before it was popular or even legal for many of us.

Therefore, watch the recommendations with a view toward who is pushing the "gunfighter" agenda and who recommends what works for CCW. Waistband carry? Not so much. XXL waistband? Goes to making it work even less, and I am aware of it, even tho mines not the same size. Just bordering the same proportions.

If you are fit, have body fat less than 25% - don't engage. This is obviously not your area of expertise. Act accordingly. Your baseline experience is not relevant here.

There, I said it. It needs to be said more often.

Oh BTW, you slab abs dudes - keep in shape. Do you want to be surfing forums for suggestions in your mid forties and come across a post you made now? Because some of us have, and it's interesting to read our immature and uninformed opinions from 15 years ago. Embarrassing in some instances, just like pulling out the photo album and seeing us in our 80's mode. All that blow dried hair. Wish I had hair now.

Shoulder holsters. Think about it.

3:30 or so is ok but 5:00 or so palm out is better, and better yet with reverse cant. Palm out is widely frowned on for fear of sweeping yourself on the draw. I’m not so sure that fear applies to heavy set guys though, and practice can have anyone drawing wide enough to clear themselves anyway.

Surprisingly, a 5:00 or so carry with a sub compact works ok in my truck, I just need to adjust the kidney bolster.

I have a couple of Galco Jackass rigs. Depending on outerwear, you could carry a MK18 concealed. The trick for me is a relatively light pistol and two loaded (are there any other kind?) magazines for counterweight. A full size polymer framed pistol works ok, a compact or subcompact works really well. But unless you are wearing a blazer or suit jacket full time ...

A belly band worn higher than typical can work better than you might think. Man boob to gut swell divot provides room for a compact or subcompact. But for comfort you need to wear a T shirt under your dress or casual shirt, which I do not do.

My right wrist is limited in rotation by a childhood injury, I don’t really know how much it affects my options, I also don’t carry daily since I live in a commie enclave which suppressed 2A rights.

How do fatter guys not sweep themselves when skinny people do?  When a guy that's twice as round as he "should be" and has less twisting mobility and flexibility.

I carry a M&P Shield 9 in a Alien Gear Cloak Tuck very comfortably at the 4 o'clock position.

The same gun gets pocket carried 50% of the time, but pocket carry involves experimenting with different sheaths/holsters.

I wear a pant size larger than what I measure to compensate for the extra room the gun takes up. I always carry.

I'm 5' 11" 265 and I was 300 at one point. I find IWB doesn't work for me because of the extra padding around my midsection. It's uncomfortable and I can't get a good firing grip on the gun as easily. I carry OWB at 3:00 to 3:30.

I am 5'9" and 230 lbs. I find a good leather pancake holster works great. For my Glock I use the cheap ass glock $11 holster. It works pretty good.

5'8" and 290lbs here. I have been using a Crossbreed Supertuck Deluxe. I've used one for almost 10 years. Once broken in and molded to you, it's a beautiful thing. I recently got a new one for my 43, the holster is one of Crossbreed's Founder's Series. I'm in the process of breaking it in. I carry at the 3 o'clock position. Muffin top and all. Honestly, it helps hide the gun. That being said, losing weight is the best thing we can all do. If you don't have your health, then what do you have?

IWB kydex at 4 - 5  Forward cant helps a lot!
G22

IWB @ 4:00 or pocket a mouse gun.

6'2 300lb

Try a single stack, very comfortable to carry

Comptac Ctac works for me with a 229

A fat guy’s draw is, by necessity, a wider arc, clearing his vitals.

I was in the same boat as you, OP, so take this FWIW...

I was at one point a 6'01" and 375 lbs asthmatic...a total slob. That was circa 2002-2003. I dropped down to 216 just to enlist in the Army in 2004; I graduated BCT at 196. By my second deployment in 2009, I was a more solid 204. Today, in 2018...I am about 40lbs heavier and balding as marriage, kids, work and life has taken it's toll. I am not what I was in the Army, but still better than I would've been.

You gotta make your health as much priority as your mode of carry, my man.

Anyway, AIWB may not be totally ruled out for you. Look up Spencer Keepers and you'll see what I mean. I've carried G17s, G19s, and VP9s IWB all the time, albeit without a WML. If I affix a WML then I carry OWB for comfort. You can also consider a smaller gun. A single stack handgun (Shield, G43, PPS, etc.) may be worth a look. I am a large mammal, too, and my go-to these days is a Shield 9mm.

Good luck!

Being a fat guy, like me, is not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to CCW.  It doesn't bother me to wear looser fitting clothing like it did when I was younger and could wear fitted Arrow shirts.  This helps a lot in hiding a pistol.  Look for fishing shirts and similar.  For me something around 3:00-4:00 is good placement.  I'm fluffy enough that I can handle IWB with no problem and with the right shirts OWB isn't a problem either.  IMO skinny folks have to be more careful than us folks of wider girth if they still have any sense of being fashion conscious.

Hey big guy... have you tried a pocket holster?

I'm going to suggest OWB and kydex. while not as big as some on here, I've never been skinny (5 9ish was pushing 275, now down to 240 and dropping). OWB lets you carry while you work to lose the weight, which is critical. IWB can be uncomfortable and an OWB lets you put it on top of what you are wearing. Unless you are a beautiful woman (and it doesn't sound like you are) nobody is looking at your hips. don't worry about printing.

HOWEVER and this is not to be mean, but truthful: Very few Americans are hurt or killed in a robbery every year, compared to the 300,000+ that die from obesity and it's related issues. so get a decent OWB Holster and wear it on hikes, walks, the gym, etc. That's a much better step in long term self preservation.

+1

If it wasnt fot pocket carry.  I probably wouldnt carry

I was 6'3" and 315 lbs.  I carry IWB at about 3 to 4 o'clock.  The roll got terrible gouged by the P07 hammer.

I added a flat piece of leather to my holster(s) to protect the skin from the hammer/beavertail on the pistol frame.  Works great.  Bag of leather scraps from a hobby shop (like Hobby Lobby) or a fabric shop and some of the leather/kydex/holster screws/nuts off e-bay and a drill/screw driver will get it done.

Forgot to put the picture in yesterday.



Oh, the "was" statement.  Now I'm still 6'3" tall and just under 265 and working my way down.  Still carrying IWB with the same holster/pistol.

Some day, when I figure I've gone as far as I can, I'll cut the long tails off my belts.  Right now, I've drilled holes in the belts two or three times so I can tighten them up.  One belt is now past the side loop on the left side and with a small amount of buckle offset to the left I can put the tip under the belt loop at about 8 o'clock on my pants.

Good luck on your weight loss/lifestyle journey.  It's worth it, big time.  I haven't worn my knee braces in months.  I no longer have the knee popping pain when changing direction in the kitchen.  You can get there, if you want to.

I carry a Glock 19 in a Milt Sparks Executive just behind my trouser's pocket seam. Conceals with an untucked T-shirt, and it doesn't bother me driving.

I have an Uncle who is 5'8" and 300+

90% of the time he carries a J-frame or single stack sub-compact in his front pocket.

15-20 years ago, when he was more like 235 lbs, he carried medium framed revolvers with round butts and bobbed hammers OWB with a large shirt to cover them. He says the curved grips and no hammer made it comfortable enough that it didn't bother him too much to sit down with the gun on his belt.

As a fellow big guy I feel your pain, figuratively and literally. Im 6'3" tall and currently a little under 250lbs. I have struggled with weight for years and at my biggest i was about 440. There is a youtube video on AIWB for big guys on youtube you might want to check out I tried their method and never could be comfortable doing it. I carry IWB about 4:30 and this works for me for everything from a LCR to my G19 and full size 1911. I highly recommend and under shirt and as you shed pounds and get some extra skin the under shirt is even more important. Skin in between gun and holster hurts like hell and will give you a nasty blood blister. Hope this helps

I'm 5'6 and 210 lbs.  I do carry a J-frame iwb and pocket with a leather holster.  The issue I had is after while, my jeans start to wear thing where things tend to sit, so the bottom pocket started ripping across and the pocket seems with my knife and light has also worn through.  I agree with most on IWB around 4:00.  Recently acquired the P365 and got a cheap kydex holster from Amazon for 20.00.  It rides low and close and I didn't even notice it  at all.  So long story short, A smaller handgun like P365 would help for IWB.  Pocket carry is useful, but it is hell on your clothes.

I almost exclusively carry OWB 3:00-4:00.  Loose polo or other shirt.  Only exception is with an LCP II, which I pocket carry when others aren’t an option.

I'm fat, I like leather vs Kydex, but I use both. I like Compact guns vs full size but I carry both. Milt sparks for leather.

6'4", 295. I pocket carry a Springfield 911 380. I like it. I can't always carry this way tho.

I’m not as big but too big too.

What the big pain is washing out the hips with storage that leave you wearing the belt excessively tight or worrying about keeping your britches up if you had to run.

Big guys often wear belt and suspenders.   For gun carry that’s pretty good, it’s a light version of the old load bearing equipment.   I would start out there with a FBI tilt pancake holster at about 3:00-4:00.   Depending on where your jean belt loops are you can slide the own pancake holster on your belt.  This allows an a minor adjustment from the car to walking.  IWB is more difficult to get that minor shift with.   It can also act like a shoe horn allowing your pants to slide down.  

Of course you would need a cover garment sufficiently long to conceal.   Those panama or Hawaiian shirts work in the summer.   I often wear a red neck flannel shirt in spring or fall for a cover garment.  Suitable for trips to tractor supply and Lowe’s.

Shoulder holsters I gave up on.   Too many times getting trapped with a jacket on and sweating for it.   Gave mine away.

Inside waist band will be far more comfortable.  But you do you.  I'm not as large as you are, but I gave up on IWB years ago because of comfort.

I used to work with a pretty big dude who used a fanny pack to carry, I want to say he carried a full sized with 4 extra mags in there.

Not often, but I pocket carry my g43 from time to time in a Boraii eagle holster...primarily carry it aiwb though

I'm guessing you mean outside the waistband will be more comfortable and I tend to agree, especially for all day comfort.

Heres some advice: Lose 180 lbs

Opens up a million new options, better holster options only being 1 lol

Sorry, posted damn near the same post as the one from back in November or October last year.

The +2 Glock mag extensions dig into your gut less than the standard floor plates, making reloads more comfortable to carry

Suspenders and a belt.

3:00-4:00 is your answer. Appendix after you get in shape. Just make sure your Dunlop doesn't go flat and get pinched In Between the holster and pistol when you switch over.

(I used to be fat, so I feel like I'm qualified to rib ya, only kidding tho)

Shoulder holster.