CCW Attire

[1972RedNeck]

After yesterday's heinous attack on a church in Michigan I have decided to start packing in church. I hate that this is what the world has come to but it is what it is.

I have always struggled with CCW without a jacket. I don't like compact handguns and I am 6' 1" and 175# and wear 32x36 Wranglers. Shirt always tucked. There is no way I can carry a 1911 or the like without being quite obvious unless I wear a jacket. So if I need to CCW I just carry OWB and don a jacket.

My go to meeting attire is blue jeans and a conventional conservative western shirt. Knowing what to wear has never been a strong suit of mine.

Suggestions for a jacket that would match my attire that won't cook me in the summer time?

[JimT]

Wear a western vest ... With an IWB holster you can carry a 1911 no problem. It does not print .. does not show ...

[1972RedNeck]

Wear a western vest ... With an IWB holster you can carry a 1911 no problem. It does not print .. does not show ...

Yes, that would do it. But I would rather carry OWB with a jacket as that is what I am used to.

[Mark in MO]

I'm roughly the same built. 6'-0", 165 lbs. and wear 32x34 Wranglers. When I carry it's normally a single stack 9 using a Crossbreed IWB holster. I usually do so with an untucked shirt, either a polo or dress style, but can carried while wearing a shirt tucked in. While doing so there are only 2 black tabs showing at my belt line. They seem to blend in well with the black belt I typically wear. I don't believe anyone has ever noticed them.

[Bronco]

One of my carry's is a kimber eclipse with a 3" barrel, 45 acp naturally. A Sneaky Pete works .

https://www.sneakypeteholsters.com/?gad ... 9YEALw_wcB

[Malamute]

Wear a western vest ... With an IWB holster you can carry a 1911 no problem. It does not print .. does not show ...

Yes, that would do it. But I would rather carry OWB with a jacket as that is what I am used to.

A grey western cut sport coat would do what needs to be done, and stay in your standard dress style. I have a couple for special occasions, with a grey wool vest with silver buttons and black silk scarf alone or with a silver Navajo scarf slide becomes even more dressed up. All that works with blue jeans and boots, though I prefer black jeans, a short step up in look.

I mostly wear a canvas western cut vest to cover a pistol in town, I dont know if it would cover a 1911, but does cover a 2 1/2" Smith 19. Having a black holster and black jeans help stay discreet even if it peeks out unintentionally. The 4 pockets in the vest are very handy as well. I stopped dropping or losing sun glasses, cell phone, and had an inside pocket for check book and small note pad with town list of things to do.

[jeepnik]

I'm no help. Church here is pretty darned casual. Maybe that's just a SoCal thing. But I wear my standard jeans and Hawaiian shirt. Usually in a more subdued print for church. The wife has given up complaining. But no one at church has ever complained. Now that some know what's under the shirt there are likely very few that would complain. On the other hand, we have a couple of, hmm not sure exactly what to call us, folks that act as "sheepdogs" in full on three piece suits.

[AmBraCol]

Funny, thought I'd posted in this thread. Back in the day when suit and tie were more often used, no one ever noticed the heavier side pocket of my jacket. Nowadays an untucked shirt or western vest does the honors, but IWB is mostly used.

One very good option would be one of Skinner Sights Bible covers. You can pack a fairly decent sized piece of iron in that sword sheath - and that's what it's designed for. It's off body carry, but very inocuos looking and good cover - in more ways than one.

[AJMD429]

.
I’m lucky and that I only have to wear a suit and tie at weddings and funerals, and the three of us who hung out in high school together did attend to each other‘s weddings and our tradition was one of the guys carried his Smith & Wesson model 29, the other carried his Ruger Blackhawk 7 1/2 inch 45 colt, and I carried my Ruger super Blackhawk 7 1/2 inch 44 magnum on those occasions.

I suppose if we had to wear that kind of attire at church, the sky would be the limit, but realistically, I’m going to be wearing an untucked polo shirt or whatever a short sleeve shirt that’s designed to be worn untucked is called, or in the winter a sweater. I have a 34 inch waist but get 36 inch pants for inside the waistband carry, and I’m 6’2”. I’ve never had any problem carrying a full-size 1911. Usually an Para Ordinance P-14, or of late a Taurus PT-92, which is the same size as the Beretta 92 military Model.

You may be worrying too much about being caught or printing. I’ve only had a person notice I was carrying in that manner twice that I’m aware of in 30 years or so. One of them was when a patient started having a seizure and I had to sort of climb across a table to help keep them from falling. My shirt had ridden up over the lower part of the holster. The other one was during a woman’s physical and I dropped something and bent over to pick it up, thinking that she wasn’t looking in my direction, but instead of squatting, I bent forward and the gun showed. In the first case, the patient’s husband, and in the second case, the patient herself, commented essentially the same thing which was “it’s nice to see one of the good guys in the world carrying a gun; that makes me feel safer…”

Regardless of what you choose, good on you for carrying in your place of worship. God’s children need protection. Some people say we should leave it up to God, but I figure I’ll let Him take care of the stuff I can’t do like tornadoes and earthquakes, but I have to assume His guiding hands led Mr. Ruger and Smith & Wesson and Colt and Beretta and all their buddies to have the inspiration to design tools to help us protect ourselves, so it is up to us to learn to use those tools proficiently and wisely.

I recently had a deranged patient verbalize a threat to kill me, and although I doubt that he will attempt that, those sort of things do serve as a reminder that we always need to be prepared to deal with violence if it comes our way. Hopefully by de-escalation, but if that fails, sometimes force is the only option. An old guy like me isn’t going to be able to stop somebody with my fists or some fancy ninja move, and there are plenty of other older folks, or women trying to carry a baby and hang onto a toddler, who really can’t protect themselves well, even if they do have a firearm of some sort.

It’s sad that we live in a society turning away from religion, not just to the extent that they scoff at, or ignore it, but to the extent that many are willing to try to destroy it.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I carried a full size 1911 in Houston for years and I was a lot skinnier than I am today.

For the last 40 plus years I’ve carried a pistol everywhere but the courthouse. Nobody has ever said a word to me.

You can dress around the gun but most people give themselves away by messing with it.

[Griff]

Jeans, IWB & hawaiian shirt or if in cooler weather, a sweatshirt or jacket.

[1972RedNeck]

Jeans, IWB & hawaiian shirt or if in cooler weather, a sweatshirt or jacket.

Not sure why, but I have literally never worn a shirt untucked as long as I have been dressing myself. A picture of me at 4 years old will show a tucked shirt.

[Pisgah]

A SIG P365 9mm in a pocket holster is part of my church attire.

It ain't no 1911, but 11 rounds of 9mm is better than a thrown hymnbook, and no one's the wiser...

[AmBraCol]

One thing most of y'all probably don't have to worry much about is "being made" by someone giving you a hug. That's a part of latino culture that complicates CCW as you've got to find ways to not only cover your pistol but prevent it from being touched inadvertently.

[1972RedNeck]

One thing most of y'all probably don't have to worry much about is "being made" by someone giving you a hug. That's a part of latino culture that complicates CCW as you've got to find ways to not only cover your pistol but prevent it from being touched inadvertently.

Yeah, I tend to be as prickly as a cactus so that's not a concern .

[jnyork]

I subscribe to the theory that " Having A gun is better than having NO gun". Sig P238 .380 in a Galco pocket holster, never leave home without it, never been "made" that I know of. I have a 1911 but it's just too much for me now at 85 years old.

[44shooter]

Instead of trying to redress you or changing your armament, I’m going to recommend a linen or seersucker jacket for hotter weather. Fortunately for you, these fabrics are “in” now and being warmer season items should be on clearance this time of year.

[AJMD429]

One thing most of y'all probably don't have to worry much about is "being made" by someone giving you a hug. That's a part of latino culture that complicates CCW as you've got to find ways to not only cover your pistol but prevent it from being touched inadvertently.

I guess I have also had several occasions where a patient has me stand up and pokes ME around the back to show me where THEIR back pain is, and sometimes I'm sure they feel the pistol. Fortunately although hugs are a part of interactions fairly often, especially if there is a scary diagnosis being delivered, hugs are usually higher up on the torso than the holster.

[Scott Tschirhart]

One thing most of y'all probably don't have to worry much about is "being made" by someone giving you a hug. That's a part of latino culture that complicates CCW as you've got to find ways to not only cover your pistol but prevent it from being touched inadvertently.

I have had people find that I was armed by hugging me. Most people don’t seem to care and I don’t hug just anybody.

[JB]

Jeans, IWB & hawaiian shirt or if in cooler weather, a sweatshirt or jacket.

Not sure why, but I have literally never worn a shirt untucked as long as I have been dressing myself. A picture of me at 4 years old will show a tucked shirt.

I'm in the same boat. I wore it tucked all through school, then had to wear a tucked shirt through my work years. Now it just feels "odd" if a shirt is untucked. I guess that's why pocket carry is my favorite.

[piller]

I walk with a cane often nowadays due to having balance issues from the Covid vaccine causing 76 TIAs and 3 major strokes, and counting. I get to Church and sit down. The cane draws attention away from everything else. No one has said anything about anything but the cane. There are others whom I am pretty sure are carrying. A long sleeve shirt a size or two too big with snaps instead of buttons could easily hide a shoulder holster and a 1911. A leather vest is also a good way to hide something. I do not get hugs. The cane gets in the way.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Since June I have been carrying a .32 H&R Magnum Smith 632 in my pocket in a Simply Rugged pocket holster.

Am I lazy? Maybe.

[Walker]

I like that 632! I'm either in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt or wranglers at 6ft and 180lbs. Haven't tucked anything in since the 80's. A hi power in an Andrew's McDaniel II is very comfortable with delrin grips... the spegal grips are too rough on my hide.

[Ysabel Kid]

You can dress around the gun but most people give themselves away by messing with it.

That is pretty much how we have caught everyone trying to carry into our church (this violates state law, and we have an armed security team to keep everyone safe). Most carriers fiddle with their gun and/or holster. Dead give-away.

[marlinman93]

I carry different handguns for different seasons. When it's hot out and I'm dressed lighter I carry my small Walther that I could fit in my back pocket if I wanted, but I carry it IWB holster and even a T shirt conceals it as long as a T shirt isn't too snug.
In the colder months I carry either my S&W 39 single stock, or my 19 64 Colt full size 1911 style .45. Bulkier clothes, jackets, etc. make it easy to conceal, even with my outside holster. It's a Purdy Gear horizontal, so doesn't allow the muzzle to be exposed.

[Scott Tschirhart]

On weekends I’m generally carrying a SAA. Since Paul Persinger has my Colt, I’m carrying this USFA Rodeo.

[JimT]

Traveling I usually have several on me or within reach. This trip I have a .45 Colt single action and a S&W 340 .357. While the little Smith is easily concealed it's not hard to carry a .45 Colt single action out of sight.

I think of Gus's admonition to Juanz in the Lonesome Dove saloon as he was wiping the table. Gus said that most folks would not notice a dead skunk on the table. I have observed that same thing with the general population and peop!e who are carrying openly. And if they are carrying concealed they noticed even less.

[AJMD429]

.
There have been a couple times I carried in a paper bag....

One was walking 2-3 miles home through the Cincinnati ghetto areas after getting off around midnight in the hospital pharmacy. I had the gun deep-concealed in a modified cowboy boot (split the leather seam and sewed-in a pancake holster), but upon leaving, went to the bathroom, unfolded my lunch-paper-bag, put the Charter Arms Bulldog in it with my finger behind the DA trigger in case I stumbled, held the bag over the gun with my thumb, and walked home.

One time I did have to 'drop the bag' and raise the gun high to be seen - three dudes in a parking lot were in my way home (no real good way around it) and looking at something in the trunk of a car. I politely 'waited' a bit before entering the parking lot, for them to finish, but instead, they saw me, and one stayed at the vehicle, acting like he didn't see me, and the other two went each way to flank me. I dropped the bag and raised the revolver, and the flankers stopped, looked at each other and the other guy, then one of them said "It's cool" and then the one shut the trunk and the other two went off back towards the vehicle. I made a point of turning 90 degrees and walking 'around' the area but keepin an obvious eye on them.

The other time I carried 'in a bag' was a larger bag - because it was a 7-1/2" Ruger Redhawk - we were just walking a mile from my home to see a flooded river, and my daughters were with me at age 14 and 16. I was doing outside chores and it was 95 degrees, so all I had on was short pants, socks and shoes, and I didn't want to bother with a holster, so I carried that way. I wasn't expecting trouble, but with two cute teenage girls there did come by a pickup load of college-age dudes who slowed down to leer and mutter obscene things. So the fatherly thing to do was 'drop the bag'. It was amazing how much the behavior of those young guys improved...

[samsi]

(snip)

I think of Gus's admonition to Juanz in the Lonesome Dove saloon as he was wiping the table. Gus said that most folks would not notice a dead skunk on the table. I have observed that same thing with the general population and peop!e who are carrying openly. And if they are carrying concealed they noticed even less.

The two categories of people who generally do notice are cops and bad guys, it's the second category one should be watching out for.

[Scott Tschirhart]

People generally think it’s impolite to stare at another man’s crotch area.so a gun in my pocket generally won’t be noticed. I drape a shirt over the SAA and it passes without notice. I spot people who are carrying all the time. But this is Texas and they SHOULD be carrying.

[Griff]

Joe R. & I were on our way to RKrodles house... I darted across a highway intersection and was stopped by a State Trooper. Joe advised the Trooper that we were both LEOs and had several guns in my truck. The Trooper, chuckled and said... "This is Texas, I should hope so!"

[JimT]

In Colorado a few year ago I was talking to a person in a Rest Stop (long story) and the person was carrying a 9mm Glock openly but no one noticed. They were wearing black shorts with black belt, black holster and black gun. It was pretty well hidden in plain sight.

[marlinman93]

In Colorado a few year ago I was talking to a person in a Rest Stop (long story) and the person was carrying a 9mm Glock openly but no one noticed. They were wearing black shorts with black belt, black holster and black gun. It was pretty well hidden in plain sight.

I think a lot of times the person carrying doesn't notice that others do notice. I sometimes see someone carrying, and people walk past, then turn and point after they know the person wont see them.

[JimT]

I am sure that is true many times. I watched this person in a fairly busy place and didn't see anyone who saw it, though some may have.

[Paladin]

If you want to tuck your shirt in, try one of these. I carried a Colt Officers Model for a few years (before I got fatter); it worked great. It will take a while to get back in the holster and re-tuck the shirt, but that should not be a consideration.

https://aliengearholsters.com/collections/iwb-holsters

[Lastmohecken]

I always carry a Colt 1911 Lightweight Commander, usually in a Milt Sparks OWB holster, everywhere and especially church. I am on Captain of the security team. Everyone pretty much knows I carry anyway. So, I don't worry about being made, or accidently flashing the bottom of my holster, but normally, it's covered. I dress western, always have. In the cooler months, I wear a Carhart Vest, and I usually buy the tall size which hangs down a little bit more.
'
In the mild weather, I will wear a Tee shirt of some kind tucked in, always because I wear western suspenders also. And then I wear an untucked and usually open shirt over the gun. Usually, it's a heavier denim Wrangler shirt with long sleeves. But when it gets really hot, about 4-5 months of the year, I wear a thinner tee shirt, with no sleeves, and a short-sleeved fishing shirt, brush shirt, something from Bass Pro, something like that with a square tail. Sometimes I have had a western shirt re-cut to a square tailed shirt for that same purpose. And sometimes I wear a Hawaiian shirt.

I sometimes wear a shirt that is 1 size bigger than I really need, this makes it easier. Sometimes I will button the covering shift up, but leave a couple of buttons unbuttoned at the bottom. but if the shirt is not big enough, I just leave it unbuttoned completely. If my jeans are a little on the big side, and I want to conceal better, I will carry my gun in a Milt Sparks Summer Special IWB holster. If I used the IWB holster, I can carry a Lightweight Commander nearly anywhere, there's not a metal detector.

I must admit, that anymore in Arkansas we can open carry if we want to, so I am not always a careful as I used to be, about my holster peeking out the bottom or if my shirt blows open. But I don't openly carry per say. I also carry a spare magazine in a Buck Knife holster on the opposite side.

OH! I forgot to say, at church, I also always carry a Smith 2 inch J-frame Air-weight in off-side front pocket. I don't use a pocket holster, because I never had one that worked worth a stuff. But I do first insert a fairly large folded handkerchief in my front pocket before slipping my J-frame in. In tight western wranglers, I have found that to be the best way for me. The Handkerchief keeps the gun positioned well, and helps break up the outline of the gun, but it does not impede my draw.

[Lastmohecken]

On weekends I’m generally carrying a SAA. Since Paul Persinger has my Colt, I’m carrying this USFA Rodeo.

Scott, I really like your black holster for the singleaction. What brand is that holster?