Weight loss and carry

chaim · November 1, 2020, 09:20 PM

Let me start with a bit of bragging. I have lost nearly 100 pounds over the past 13 months (I have another 10-15 to go).

I live in Maryland, where it is very difficult to get a may-issue CCW permit (it is almost shall issue if you are a business owner who states their reason for the permit is protecting property, but police and officers of the court are the only people with much chance of getting one for personal self-defense- I'm not a business owner). I do have a UT non-resident permit and carry whenever I am somewhere I legally can (I am in DE, WV or VA at least once or twice a month). What that means though, is that I don't carry full-time, and while losing weight, as soon as my gun belts no longer fit I stuck with a lightweight snub (Taurus 856UL) in a pocket holster for most of the past year. Until then, I preferred a larger gun when I carried. I find I shoot a compact (CZ PCR/P01, SIG P229) or traditional subcompact (1st gen S&W M&P40C) better than a micro compact (in my case, a SIG P290RS) or pocket .380 (Ruger LCP). Meanwhile, I found them easy enough to conceal and comfortably carry that it was worth it to me.

So, on to the question. Has anyone lost a significant amount of weight and then found their carry preferences change?

I am finally ordering a new gunbelt. Using my cheap non-gun belts I've tried carrying my traditional carry guns around the house, and I'm finding that: 1) I notice the size more than I used to, 2) I'm noticing the weight more than I used to (but that may be the belt, so we'll see once the gunbelt gets here), and 3) looking in the mirror, I feel that it prints more than it did when I was fat.

Is it just more difficult to conceal a larger gun when you are fit and I just need to figure out the trick? Or, other than when wearing winter clothing/layers, am I likely going to need to give up the larger guns and go no larger than my S&W M&P Compact moving forward?

Warhammer · November 1, 2020, 10:34 PM

Congrats on the weight loss! That's an accomplishment to be very proud of!

A few years back, I dropped 65 pounds. I find it easier to carry IWB without all the extra fat pushing the gun outward. Perhaps the hardest thing was coming to terms with style vs utility when it comes to cover garments. Now that I can actually wear stylish clothing that fit correctly, I hate the idea of wearing baggy, ill-fitting "fat clothes." I find myself carrying slimmer guns. My Kahr CW9 gets a lot of play. I've been thinking of getting a m Sig 365 or Hellcat to up the capacity while staying small and compact.

chaim · November 1, 2020, 10:51 PM

Good point about IWB. I'll have to keep an eye on how it works for me (I've always preferred IWB anyway).

Quote:

Now that I can actually wear stylish clothing that fit correctly, I hate the idea of wearing baggy, ill-fitting "fat clothes." I find myself carrying slimmer guns.

Yes, this may be why I find I print more now.

Quote:

My Kahr CW9 gets a lot of play. I've been thinking of getting a m Sig 365 or Hellcat to up the capacity while staying small and compact.

If I decide that I can't (regularly) go with my previously preferred compact versions of service pistols, I may get a Kahr PM9 and/or a SIG P365 for when I need/want thinner than my M&P40C.

Now, another consideration... It isn't like I go with my M&P often these days. I usually either carry a revolver, or one of my compact CZs. So, if I do find that (other than winter) I can't carry my P01/PCR anymore, I may have to pick up a CZ RAMI in order to have something smaller that is as similar as possible. Though, they don't have something single stack for when I need even smaller. So, (as much as it pains me) it may make sense in that case to retire the CZs (and SIG) as carry guns, and maybe standardize on something where I can use a compact service pistol in the winter, a subcompact most of the time, and a small single stack that are nearly the same gun so there isn't so much variation. Then, I'd either pick up a S&W Shield and a 2nd gen M&P9c to go along with my 1st gen M&Pc, or I'd go with a compact and subcompact SIG P320 and a P365 to have three sizes of essentially the same gun. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Maybe adjustments can be made that I haven't thought of yet that will allow me to use what I have used for the past few years now.

jonnyc · November 2, 2020, 07:50 PM

I lost 30 since last March. Pants are now looser and I found that suspenders (usually over a wife-beater and under a second shirt) really help with the weight while using an IWB.
I'm 60, so YMMV.

Warhammer · November 2, 2020, 08:20 PM

I've also started to consider appendix carry, now that I don't have so much gut hanging over my belt. Take your time and try a few different methods and guns. Enjoy the challenge, as the reason you're even having it is because of your success at getting healthier!

chaim · November 2, 2020, 10:10 PM

Quote:

I've also started to consider appendix carry, now that I don't have so much gut hanging over my belt. Take your time and try a few different methods and guns. Enjoy the challenge, as the reason you're even having it is because of your success at getting healthier!

That's a good idea. I had long considered appendix carry, but with my weight, it was a no-go. From all accounts, it makes it easier to conceal a larger gun (and some reports seem to be that it is more comfortable with a slightly larger gun), so it might be worth a try.

Geezerbiker · November 2, 2020, 10:50 PM

I've always carried in a belt pack so I haven't changed in all these years. I also have a cross draw shoulder holster but I'd never used it much.

Tony

AK103K · November 3, 2020, 09:04 AM

Ive carried IWB, fat (215-220) through skinny (155-160), and really never noticed there was a whole lot of difference in how I carried things. Wear the right size clotes for the weight, and its pretty much even.

The only thing I think that favors, and/or is bothered less by the skinner side, is AIWB. A big belly pushing the gun out isnt a big help there.

Personally, I think its a lot easier, and a bit more comfortable, to carry with less weight on. Not to mention, you just feel a lot better, and a lot better off health wise anyway.

So good on you for dropping the weight.

chaim · November 3, 2020, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Ive carried IWB, fat (215-220) through skinny (155-160), and really never noticed there was a whole lot of difference in how I carried things. Wear the right size clotes for the weight, and its pretty much even.

The only thing I think that favors, and/or is bothered less by the skinner side, is AIWB. A big belly pushing the gun out isnt a big help there.

Personally, I think its a lot easier, and a bit more comfortable, to carry with less weight on. Not to mention, you just feel a lot better, and a lot better off health wise anyway.

So, feeling like I'm noticing the gun more, and thinking I'm printing more, is likely in my head and a matter of getting used to it? That would be good news. Just keep pushing forward until I'm used to it at my current weight

AK103K · November 3, 2020, 01:55 PM

I never really noticed it one way or the other. I always carried in the same spot, and just cinched my belt up as I lost weight so the gun didnt move.

If you keep your clothes more or less relative, it really shouldnt matter. If anything, you gain more concealment as you lose weight.

Of course thats assuming youre not dressing to show off your weight loss.

jmhyer · November 4, 2020, 10:24 AM

I lost ~40 lbs about a year ago and have transitioned from IWB carry on my hip to appendix IWB carry with my M&P Shield.

kenny53 · November 4, 2020, 06:19 PM

Over the 18 months I have 70 some pounds. I haven't bought any new garments so some are baggy and my darling bride tells about it. Some of my older stuff that I couldn't wear because of my chunkiness fit nicely now and I don't print. I carry a M&P 9 IWB and a M&P 9c in my pocket. I have a fairly thick leather belt I picked up in Mexico a couple of years ago. Had to add a couple of holes so I could tighten it up but it works fine. You will find the right combination that works for you. Congratulation on the weight loss.

chaim · November 13, 2020, 12:19 PM

Hmm, seeing a few comments about loose/tight clothing, I think I see the problem.

I've always dressed decently. I have my suits (though not my sport coats and blazers) fitted by a tailor. However, when I was fat, there was a lot of material, and I wore a "classic" and not "modern" or "tailored" cut shirt and jacket. Now, I'm wearing more fitted styles and there simply isn't as much material to hide a full-sized (or nearly full-sized) pistol. Maybe I'll keep a few of the transitional sized shirts and pants (the ones one size too big) for when I carry something larger than the J-frame or subcompact pistol. I'll have to try my PCR and one of my XL shirts and larger pants later today and see if I still see the printing. Or, nothing wrong with the J-frame sized revolvers, S&W M&P 40c and SIG P290 (or getting a P365 or Glock 26 for the extra rounds) becoming my regular carry guns and only wearing the larger guns in the winter when I'm wearing layers (or when under a sport coat or blazer the rest of the year). That would put some fire under me to finally get a 10 round subcompact 9mm (and who doesn't like an excuse to buy a new gun).

SugarmillMan · November 13, 2020, 01:05 PM

I want to congratulate you on your weight loss! Keep doing what you are doing.

I feel your pain as I am a refugee from the Peoples Republic of Maryland. After I retired, I immediately moved to Florida and obtained my CCW permit. It was like a black cloud lifted from my being. I hope you can continue to make an effort to conceal carry where you are legal and keep trying different methods and handguns.
Lastly, go for the Sig P365. You will never regret it.

November 1, 2020, 09:20 PM	#1
chaim Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,095	Weight loss and carry Let me start with a bit of bragging. I have lost nearly 100 pounds over the past 13 months (I have another 10-15 to go). I live in Maryland, where it is very difficult to get a may-issue CCW permit (it is almost shall issue if you are a business owner who states their reason for the permit is protecting property, but police and officers of the court are the only people with much chance of getting one for personal self-defense- I'm not a business owner). I do have a UT non-resident permit and carry whenever I am somewhere I legally can (I am in DE, WV or VA at least once or twice a month). What that means though, is that I don't carry full-time, and while losing weight, as soon as my gun belts no longer fit I stuck with a lightweight snub (Taurus 856UL) in a pocket holster for most of the past year. Until then, I preferred a larger gun when I carried. I find I shoot a compact (CZ PCR/P01, SIG P229) or traditional subcompact (1st gen S&W M&P40C) better than a micro compact (in my case, a SIG P290RS) or pocket .380 (Ruger LCP). Meanwhile, I found them easy enough to conceal and comfortably carry that it was worth it to me. So, on to the question. Has anyone lost a significant amount of weight and then found their carry preferences change? I am finally ordering a new gunbelt. Using my cheap non-gun belts I've tried carrying my traditional carry guns around the house, and I'm finding that: 1) I notice the size more than I used to, 2) I'm noticing the weight more than I used to (but that may be the belt, so we'll see once the gunbelt gets here), and 3) looking in the mirror, I feel that it prints more than it did when I was fat. Is it just more difficult to conceal a larger gun when you are fit and I just need to figure out the trick? Or, other than when wearing winter clothing/layers, am I likely going to need to give up the larger guns and go no larger than my S&W M&P Compact moving forward?

November 1, 2020, 10:34 PM	#2
Warhammer Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2009 Location: North Texas Posts: 163	Congrats on the weight loss! That's an accomplishment to be very proud of! A few years back, I dropped 65 pounds. I find it easier to carry IWB without all the extra fat pushing the gun outward. Perhaps the hardest thing was coming to terms with style vs utility when it comes to cover garments. Now that I can actually wear stylish clothing that fit correctly, I hate the idea of wearing baggy, ill-fitting "fat clothes." I find myself carrying slimmer guns. My Kahr CW9 gets a lot of play. I've been thinking of getting a m Sig 365 or Hellcat to up the capacity while staying small and compact. Last edited by Warhammer; November 1, 2020 at 10:40 PM.

November 2, 2020, 07:50 PM	#4
jonnyc Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2009 Location: PA Posts: 1,731	I lost 30 since last March. Pants are now looser and I found that suspenders (usually over a wife-beater and under a second shirt) really help with the weight while using an IWB. I'm 60, so YMMV. __________________ 2024 PA Cartridge Collector Show; Aug. 16-17, 2024!!! Buy...Sell...Trade All Types of Ammunition & Ordnance PM or email me for 2024 show details.

November 13, 2020, 01:05 PM	#14
SugarmillMan Member Join Date: February 21, 2008 Location: FL Posts: 96	I want to congratulate you on your weight loss! Keep doing what you are doing. I feel your pain as I am a refugee from the Peoples Republic of Maryland. After I retired, I immediately moved to Florida and obtained my CCW permit. It was like a black cloud lifted from my being. I hope you can continue to make an effort to conceal carry where you are legal and keep trying different methods and handguns. Lastly, go for the Sig P365. You will never regret it. __________________ Proud to be an American!

November 2, 2020, 08:20 PM	#5
Warhammer Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2009 Location: North Texas Posts: 163	I've also started to consider appendix carry, now that I don't have so much gut hanging over my belt. Take your time and try a few different methods and guns. Enjoy the challenge, as the reason you're even having it is because of your success at getting healthier!

November 2, 2020, 10:50 PM	#7
Geezerbiker Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Location: Willamina, OR Posts: 1,908	I've always carried in a belt pack so I haven't changed in all these years. I also have a cross draw shoulder holster but I'd never used it much. Tony

November 3, 2020, 09:04 AM	#8
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	Ive carried IWB, fat (215-220) through skinny (155-160), and really never noticed there was a whole lot of difference in how I carried things. Wear the right size clotes for the weight, and its pretty much even. The only thing I think that favors, and/or is bothered less by the skinner side, is AIWB. A big belly pushing the gun out isnt a big help there. Personally, I think its a lot easier, and a bit more comfortable, to carry with less weight on. Not to mention, you just feel a lot better, and a lot better off health wise anyway. So good on you for dropping the weight.

November 3, 2020, 01:55 PM	#10
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	I never really noticed it one way or the other. I always carried in the same spot, and just cinched my belt up as I lost weight so the gun didnt move. If you keep your clothes more or less relative, it really shouldnt matter. If anything, you gain more concealment as you lose weight. Of course thats assuming youre not dressing to show off your weight loss.

November 4, 2020, 10:24 AM	#11
jmhyer Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2012 Location: MS - USA Posts: 899	I lost ~40 lbs about a year ago and have transitioned from IWB carry on my hip to appendix IWB carry with my M&P Shield.

November 4, 2020, 06:19 PM	#12
kenny53 Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2015 Location: My back yard Posts: 971	Over the 18 months I have 70 some pounds. I haven't bought any new garments so some are baggy and my darling bride tells about it. Some of my older stuff that I couldn't wear because of my chunkiness fit nicely now and I don't print. I carry a M&P 9 IWB and a M&P 9c in my pocket. I have a fairly thick leather belt I picked up in Mexico a couple of years ago. Had to add a couple of holes so I could tighten it up but it works fine. You will find the right combination that works for you. Congratulation on the weight loss.

November 13, 2020, 12:19 PM	#13
chaim Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,095	Hmm, seeing a few comments about loose/tight clothing, I think I see the problem. I've always dressed decently. I have my suits (though not my sport coats and blazers) fitted by a tailor. However, when I was fat, there was a lot of material, and I wore a "classic" and not "modern" or "tailored" cut shirt and jacket. Now, I'm wearing more fitted styles and there simply isn't as much material to hide a full-sized (or nearly full-sized) pistol. Maybe I'll keep a few of the transitional sized shirts and pants (the ones one size too big) for when I carry something larger than the J-frame or subcompact pistol. I'll have to try my PCR and one of my XL shirts and larger pants later today and see if I still see the printing. Or, nothing wrong with the J-frame sized revolvers, S&W M&P 40c and SIG P290 (or getting a P365 or Glock 26 for the extra rounds) becoming my regular carry guns and only wearing the larger guns in the winter when I'm wearing layers (or when under a sport coat or blazer the rest of the year). That would put some fire under me to finally get a 10 round subcompact 9mm (and who doesn't like an excuse to buy a new gun).