Button up dress shirt for shoulder carry?

Pistoler0 · January 30, 2021, 01:24 PM

Hello all,

I work in a setting in which I have to dress formally: dress slacks and button up shirt, sometimes with a sports jacket (or suit) and sometimes not. Like this:

I have been concealing AIWB and it is great for stealth but it is not the most comfortable, and lately I have been considering shoulder carry.

Shoulder carry is very comfortable and I can do it all day. The only problem is that I need a sports coat, or a zip up jacket, or some other garment to cover it.

So my question is: do you know of any button up dress shirts with false buttons that snap open, that can be used for this purpose? One could conceal in a shoulder harness under such dress, then snap the buttons open for drawing.

I have seen these online:
https://www.galls.com/concealed-carry-shirts

and although they have the desired snap open button feature, they are not truly for formal wear.

I was looking for shirts more like the one pictured in this link:
https://www.concealmentclothes.com/b...-dress-clothes

Suggestions greatly appreciated.

Onward Allusion · January 30, 2021, 05:56 PM

What gun are you carrying? Have thought about a tuckable IWB?

ballardw · January 30, 2021, 09:32 PM

I remember a while back there was a company making shirts with snaps concealed by buttons so the shirt looked like it buttoned but you could pop open the shirt easily.

But can I find it now?

5.11 makes a number of shirts such as: https://www.511tactical.com/legend-l...-shirt-ws.html with a velcro placket but the added vertical seam with the placket may not be desired.

Rob228 · January 31, 2021, 05:58 PM

Woolworth Tactical shirts use magnets to make it look like your shirt is buttoned but you can reach inside. They are also designed around concealment.

RETG · February 1, 2021, 03:50 AM

People carry with their shirt over their weapon at all times, and I would hope they are willing to rip off buttons if that weapon is needed in a seconds notice. So, if you can conceal a shoulder holster under your shirt, once in your lifetime you may need to rip it open to access the weapon. Or, at least I would hope only once....

zeke · February 1, 2021, 07:58 AM

http://www.klnullholsters.com/default.htm

When our state got cc, used this holster with buttoned up/tucked in shirts and S&W 638. You would still need to rip buttons for quick access. Also helps not to wear tight shirts.

Pistoler0 · February 1, 2021, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RETG

People carry with their shirt over their weapon at all times, and I would hope they are willing to rip off buttons if that weapon is needed in a seconds notice. So, if you can conceal a shoulder holster under your shirt, once in your lifetime you may need to rip it open to access the weapon. Or, at least I would hope only once....

yeah of course, but what that is not very convenient for practice. And practicing the draw is important for effective conceal carry.

Pistoler0 · February 1, 2021, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onward Allusion

What gun are you carrying? Have thought about a tuckable IWB?

I have been carrying IWB but it is uncomfortable for all day, sitting at the desk.

Onward Allusion · February 3, 2021, 09:05 PM

Before Covid and working in an office environment, I would occasionally use a tuckable left-handed IWB with a Glock 26 when I wore a dress shirt or polo tucked in. It would be positioned small of back, hence the opposite side of my strong side (right). The holster was slightly larger than the G26 to allow it to sit further down.

These days, I get to wear it on my hip if I'm wearing pants while working at home!

Pistoler0 · February 4, 2021, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onward Allusion

These days, I get to wear it on my hip if I'm wearing pants while working at home!

Yeah, pyjamas carry

Doc Intrepid · February 4, 2021, 10:18 PM

OP,

I used to work in the same environment. My solution was to use a 5.11 T-shirt holster, link here: https://www.511tactical.com/mens-holster-shirts.html They come in both white and black, I had both.

Over the T-shirt holster wear any dress shirt - but I went with darker shirts with patterns. I went with one size larger and took my shirts to a dry cleaners to get light starch. I simply left one button un-done on the shirt - and it was covered by my tie. If you're really concerned about it, use a tie clip to hold your tie in place over the buttons.

You are not going to do any 'quick draws' with this set-up, but it isn't difficult at all to reach in through the missing button and draw the pistol.

Something like a Glock 43 would be ideal with this rig. Just remember: "slow is smooth and smooth is fast"! It worked for me for a number of years. Best with it.

Pistoler0 · February 5, 2021, 11:29 AM

Thanks Doc!
Just purchased one of the 511 Tactical shirts.

January 30, 2021, 05:56 PM	#2
Onward Allusion Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2009 Location: Back in a Non-Free State Posts: 3,133	What gun are you carrying? Have thought about a tuckable IWB? __________________ Simple as ABC . . . Always Be Carrying

January 30, 2021, 09:32 PM	#3
ballardw Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 1,411	I remember a while back there was a company making shirts with snaps concealed by buttons so the shirt looked like it buttoned but you could pop open the shirt easily. But can I find it now? 5.11 makes a number of shirts such as: https://www.511tactical.com/legend-l...-shirt-ws.html with a velcro placket but the added vertical seam with the placket may not be desired. __________________ -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ All data is flawed, some just less so.

February 1, 2021, 03:50 AM	#5
RETG Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2009 Location: Somewhere in Idaho, near WY Posts: 507	People carry with their shirt over their weapon at all times, and I would hope they are willing to rip off buttons if that weapon is needed in a seconds notice. So, if you can conceal a shoulder holster under your shirt, once in your lifetime you may need to rip it open to access the weapon. Or, at least I would hope only once.... __________________ I give MY OPINION (not often) based on many years shooting at, other than paper targets. I will not debate my experience vs. your experience based on dreams and "what ifs." I'm 73; I'm too damn old to care.

February 3, 2021, 09:05 PM	#9
Onward Allusion Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2009 Location: Back in a Non-Free State Posts: 3,133	Before Covid and working in an office environment, I would occasionally use a tuckable left-handed IWB with a Glock 26 when I wore a dress shirt or polo tucked in. It would be positioned small of back, hence the opposite side of my strong side (right). The holster was slightly larger than the G26 to allow it to sit further down. These days, I get to wear it on my hip if I'm wearing pants while working at home! __________________ Simple as ABC . . . Always Be Carrying

February 4, 2021, 10:18 PM	#11
Doc Intrepid Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2009 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,037	OP, I used to work in the same environment. My solution was to use a 5.11 T-shirt holster, link here: https://www.511tactical.com/mens-holster-shirts.html They come in both white and black, I had both. Over the T-shirt holster wear any dress shirt - but I went with darker shirts with patterns. I went with one size larger and took my shirts to a dry cleaners to get light starch. I simply left one button un-done on the shirt - and it was covered by my tie. If you're really concerned about it, use a tie clip to hold your tie in place over the buttons. You are not going to do any 'quick draws' with this set-up, but it isn't difficult at all to reach in through the missing button and draw the pistol. Something like a Glock 43 would be ideal with this rig. Just remember: "slow is smooth and smooth is fast"! It worked for me for a number of years. Best with it. __________________ *Treat everyone you meet with dignity and respect....but have a plan to kill them just in case.*

January 31, 2021, 05:58 PM	#4
Rob228 Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2010 Location: Hampstead NC Posts: 1,450	Woolworth Tactical shirts use magnets to make it look like your shirt is buttoned but you can reach inside. They are also designed around concealment.

February 1, 2021, 07:58 AM	#6
zeke Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 1999 Location: NW Wi Posts: 1,671	http://www.klnullholsters.com/default.htm When our state got cc, used this holster with buttoned up/tucked in shirts and S&W 638. You would still need to rip buttons for quick access. Also helps not to wear tight shirts.

February 5, 2021, 11:29 AM	#12
Pistoler0 Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2019 Location: Conifer, CO Posts: 632	Thanks Doc! Just purchased one of the 511 Tactical shirts. __________________ Life is simply an inter-temporal problem of constrained optimization.