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Old January 15, 2025, 12:16 AM   #1
Shoots Left
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IWB Holster Between the Belt and Pants

The question is…is it practical and safe to carry such a holster in this manner?

The background…I’m looking for an IWB holster for my Shield. As I was researching the matter on the interweb I started thinking about how to carry if the waist of my chosen pant du jour won’t allow for IWB carry. I really don’t want to invest in a separate OWB holster or another pair of jeans one size up (if you can even find a Levi’s 517 in a 35 waist) so I was thinking that this might be a viable carry option. Anyways that’s how I came up with the idea of between carry as a possible solution.

I started searching this idea on the interweb to see if anyone else might have thought of this and guess what? I’m not the only one! In any case there seems to be enough pros and cons out there that I’m uncertain that I want to carry in this manner when the occasion calls. On one hand this carry method really scratches an itch but there’s a part of me that says that this may be a disaster waiting to happen.

I don’t know enough about IWB carry to make an immediate decision since I have never carried in that manner before. I could go into more details what I like about the idea and what bothers me about the idea of between carry but I believe there’s enough here to elicit a comment or two.

Thanks.
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Old January 16, 2025, 10:51 AM   #2
Spats McGee
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I carry more OWB than IWB these days, but I carried IWB for a number of years. I did not carry IWB between belt and pants, but as long as the trigger guard is covered, I don't see it being a safety issue. Not any more than standard IWB or OWB, at least.
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Old January 16, 2025, 02:30 PM   #3
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At a glance, this would seem a good idea. I usually do not care for OWB holsters as they seem to all tilt away from the body, so this might be a good compromise.

However, in my case with a double clip holster the carry position would have to change or I would have to skip a belt loop. Maybe with single clip holster, it might work. YMMV.
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Old January 17, 2025, 12:57 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OPC View Post
At a glance, this would seem a good idea. I usually do not care for OWB holsters as they seem to all tilt away from the body, so this might be a good compromise.

However, in my case with a double clip holster the carry position would have to change or I would have to skip a belt loop. Maybe with single clip holster, it might work. YMMV.
Yeah the belt loop issue was mentioned in some of the other discussions I was reading. One fella apparently between carried almost always, if not always. Said that he took his britches to the alterations shop to have the belt loop moved so he could carry at 3 o'clock.

Personally I'm not that intrigued by the idea to want me to carry all my jeans to the tailor's shop.

Thanks for the replies.
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Old January 17, 2025, 10:52 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by Shoots Left View Post
...Said that he took his britches to the alterations shop to have the belt loop moved so he could carry at 3 o'clock.

Personally I'm not that intrigued by the idea to want me to carry all my jeans to the tailor's shop....
You could use a sharp blade (or a seam-ripper) to take one belt loop off of one pair of pants to give it a try.
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Old January 19, 2025, 01:16 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spats McGee View Post
You could use a sharp blade (or a seam-ripper) to take one belt loop off of one pair of pants to give it a try.
That's an idea. When I finally decide on a holster I still need to figure out which "compass point" placement works for me IWB style since I've never carried this way before. The belt loops may be a moot point...or not...if I give the between carry thing a try. We'll see.

Thanks
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Old January 21, 2025, 07:38 AM   #7
Fla_dogman
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I've used my iwb holster as a owb a few times for various reasons. I never had any problems in doing so. It felt secure and was actually comfortable.

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Old January 21, 2025, 03:18 PM   #8
ammo.crafter
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jeans and iwb carry

Which your jeans to Lee jeans as they run just bit roomier in the the waist.
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Old January 21, 2025, 08:15 PM   #9
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I like appendix with my G19. I could not get my IWB holster to work at all OWB, I'd either carry weak side and cross draw or have pistol backward on my strong side OWB neither is acceptable. I pocket carry more with the LCP in a pocket holster now that I am more a homebody.
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Old February 1, 2025, 12:39 PM   #10
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I found iwb carry too uncomfortable. It felt like I had a phone book jammed in my pants.
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Old February 1, 2025, 02:36 PM   #11
Jim567
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I also could never get comfortable with in the waist band carry.
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Old February 6, 2025, 10:43 AM   #12
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I appendix carry a Beretta APX Carry 9mm. It's the most comfortable place I've found for that pistol. All I can say is the smaller the pistol the easier and more comfortable IWB carry is.

I'm new to CC as I've lost a bunch of weight and can now carry IWB comfortably. Before I was OC and carried more towards the 2:30 position and found my hands and arms more naturally covered my holstered pistol than at the 3 o'clock. I still find IWB carry at those positions to be far too uncomfortable, and am thinking of looking for a holster that allows kidney carry IWB.

Right now I'm using an all Kydex holster as I have a RMR sight on my carry pistol. I'm looking at something different to CC so I can go to a more comfortable holster. With a RMR sight my options were limited on holsters.
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Old February 6, 2025, 07:54 PM   #13
Ajiel
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I have done it but a good holster and belt is needed to carry a pistol IWB or OWB, especially OWB.
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Old February 11, 2025, 01:01 PM   #14
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After years of different carry styles and belts I’ve learned that for me, the belt is KORE (although hanks works for dress situations) and the only holster I trust is Tier1Concealed.

I like everyone else had a holster drawer before finding them maybe 8-10 years ago. I have maybe 9 of their holsters now. Not cheap by any means but the innovation is second to none and you can often find them a good deal cheaper on eBay

I feel like with appendix I can get to the weapon so much quicker
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