What to do when your gun gets too big for your pants?

[Deja vu]

I want to start this by saying I have never liked IWB carry. I have bought about 10-12 different holsters from multiple different makes and it was just never comfortable. I have a job where I have to sit alot.

So I went with pocket carry. I have been carrying a snub nose N frame (I know big gun) But when you are very over weight and tall its not as big of a deal.

Flash forward to today. Money is alot more slim and so am I. I have lost 110+LBS and about 8 inches of waist line (I am still pretty tall at 6' 6"). I suddenly found my N-frame is too big for the pockets on my now smaller pants. I cant really afford to get a new gun any more. I could probably afford a decent holster $100-150 but not enough for even a crappy gun.

Given that I hate WB carry and it has to be concealed at my current job, is there any advise out there? Clothing is a dress short sleeve button up shirt and blue jeans or Khakis.

[Fivesense]

Congrats on the weight loss- that's the first step toward your own best self defense!

Good news is you have options. If you have a few firearms to liquidate, do so and get a J-frame snubbie. You seem like you could easily handle a S&W 640 .357 and certainly the 642 in .38. Heck, get two. Ruger LCRs will fit you nicely. Any of the pocket snubs give you myriad options for carry- front pocket, back pocket, cargo pocket.

You can consider boot/ankle carry too.

If you are a vest guy or would consider it, your options expand (unlike your waist!). I highly recommend Garrett Industries OWB STX 2.0. It will hug you like your mother and is very comfortable. No joke- I carry my G29 10mm in a GI STX 2.0 and next to my J-frame, it's my most comfortable, concealable set up.

Your situation dictates a change in EDC selection. I'd also offer that you owe yourself (deserve) a gift- get something you like.

[weblance]

I'm a bit larger than I should be. I don't like carrying anything on my waist. I also gave up on pocket carry. I found the Kangaroo carry. It works great for me. I can slip it on, and off, over my head quickly. It carries a large, heavy gun easily. You don't notice the weight. Its comfortable, and well made. It doesn't make you sweat when it gets hot out. I think its a great solution. I use the Standard 3

https://www.kangaroocarry.com/collec...dard-3-holster

[tallball]

IMHO, get a Ruger LCR. I pocket carry mine. My friend carries his IWB. They are light and comfortable to carry.

[turkeestalker]

I'm with weblance.
I am an electrician by trade and have worn the Air Marshall day in and day out for years.

[CDR_Glock]

You can always trade for another firearm. That's what I would do.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[rodfac]

What to do when your gun gets too big for your pants?

Why, you carry it OWB like the big boys do...I've tried both methods and don't like the IWB method for the sweat that covers the gun all day, slowness of draw, and potential for the safety, if installed, to be knocked to "OFF", inadvertently. My son, a former Marine MP, has none of these concerns and carries IWB all the time. He's got a 34" waist, and weighs 185 lbs...ie. not much extra bulk on him...so IWB can be done...just not my bag.

Either of the two depicted below are comfortable for all day carry, as I do routinely, in any chair, tractor, car or lawn mower.

For OWB carry, minor wardrobe adjustments need to be made. With a T-shirt, and since I don't like sweat on my guns, I generally wear a tight fitting T underneath the more loosely fitting one. With long shirts with a collar, I let the tails hang, and I'm a "tall from the waist up" guy. It works for me. Here's a pr. of my home made rigs with a Sig M11A1 (P229) with a full 4" bbl. in the first and a Smith J-frame with a 3" bbl. in the 2nd; in my view, either is easily concealable. There are higher mounted holsters, but I find them uncomfortable (read: they stick the gun butt in my ribs). They may work for you however.

HTH's Rod

[g.willikers]

Switch to carrying a knife and take knife fighting lessons?

[2ndsojourn]

Get bigger pants.

http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/m...px?feature=MN8

[CCCLVII]

The OP said he wears a dress button up shirt if he wears if tucked in then OWB is not really an option. I have looked in to the urban carry. May be that is an option. I have no personal experience though.

[T. O'Heir]

"...have lost 110+LBS..." Congratulations. Isn't easy doing that.
Revolver fit isn't about your pants or its pockets. It's about your hands. However, a pocket isn't a great place for a firearm anyway.
"...job where I have to sit a lot..." Suggests cross draw, but that doesn't fix the concealed part. Unless you add a light jacket.
'Get bigger pants' isn't as daft as it sounds. Look into 'relaxed fit' (personally think that's a euphemism for 'old guy'. Very comfortable though. snicker.) jeans. They don't have to be $50 each either. $50 for jeans is insanity.

[CCCLVII]

If it was me I'd just sew bigger pockets. Or better yet have the wife do it lol!

I carry an 7 shot 357 in a pocket hoster but I'm a pretty big guy

[Chainsaw.]

A snubby N frame?

How about a trade for a J frame, SP or the like? Can still have that 357 but in an easier concealed package.

[Real Gun]

Clothing is a dress short sleeve button up shirt and blue jeans or Khakis.

If that is your choice rather than a actual dress code, look at conservative pattern camp shirts that are cut full and have straight, untucked tails. Then get a smaller gun and wear it IWB with sweat shield, my fav being a Galco Super Tuck.

[bassJAM1]

Have you tried wearing an IWB holster since the weight loss? You may find it's more comfortable now.

[ballardw]

Pockets are generally fabric.
Fabric is cheap.
Might investigate replacing the pockets with some that will fit the pistol in the skinnier pants.
If the pockets are inset into the side seams the openings for the hand can also be made a tad larger without showing.

[75218ron]

My belly got too big, I lost my waist, and I can't keep my pants up, especially with the weight of a pistol and holster......so if I carry at all, it would have to be with one of those belly bands.....lol. Surely, there's at least one guy out there that can sympathize with me. hahaha

[Deja vu]

Trading the gun is not an option. It was a gift from my wife an represents alot of sacrafice on her part.

I have looked in to the Urban Carry and I am not sure I like it. The Kangaroo Carry looks intersting. I have tried to use the IWB holsters since I lost weight and I still dont like them... Not sure why other than sitting with them is hard when you have a good sized gun. They are great for standing but when sitting at my desk They are really uncomfortable and I sit 95% of the time im working.

I like the idea of adding to the size of my pockets. My wifes use to sew when we where young, ill see what she thinks.

The dress code is a set dress code. Has to be a single color collored and botton up shirt, With full leangth pants (no shorts), Tucked in shirt.

Thanks for all the advise!

p.s. wow this thread got alot bigger than I thought it would.

[Real Gun]

wow this thread got alot bigger than I thought it would.

It would have been shorter, if you had disclosed that it is really about your wife's feelings. We get that. Is there really a solution here, ignoring the main obstacle? Too bad it couldn't be about keeping your gifted gun but adding another for carry at work.

[BlackLabsMatter]

That is a bizarre dress code. They're sticklers about the shirt(and it must be tucked in) but allow you to wear blue jeans. That does not meet the conventional requirements for business casual. But I know, each place has its own ideas.

Clothing options to consider:

First off, smaller pants does not need to mean smaller pockets. Avoid the slim fits. There are even professional looking pants designed around concealed carry like these chinos: http://m.galls.com/woolrich-elite-co...FdlMDQodFvwIrg

The wife sewing up pockets would be a better idea. It could give you a perfect fit.


Do they allow snap-button shirts? That would give you an under the shirt option.

[riverrat38]

My pants are 5.11 tactical, and the pockets are too large for pocket carry of my S&W M640Pro. I need to make the holster bigger, so the gun and holster doesn't lay horizontal in the bottom of the pocket. I have put a 4 inch M686 in the pocket fully concealed.

Best,
Rick

[larrydean]

I suggest a belly band for my carry. Had enough of the holster carry and in pocket. I found a very comfortable belly band at Daltech Force with a very affordable price. I even got the two gun belly band cuz you just never know.

https://www.daltechforce.com/search?q=belly+band

[ShootistPRS]

There are ankle and calf carry holsters but they are hard to get at under the best of circumstances. The belly band is an option as long as the shirt can hide it as is a shoulder rig under the shirt. I have never liked the IWB or pocket carry but if it is what works for you then modifying pockets or getting jeans that have larger pockets is also an option. I wear pants with "cargo" pockets when hiking and if you could find them in denim it might be a good substitution for you as long as the dress code allows.

On the gun side Cobray makes a cheap derringer that will fit most any pocket. I have one in 45/410 that I sometimes carry as a back-up with 410 slug rounds in it. The slug rounds have higher muzzle velocity and better accuracy than the 45 Colt rounds. I usually carry the derringer with shot shells for snakes.

[Concerned Citizen]

"What to do when your gun gets too big for your pants?"

You have two options. You either get bigger pants or a smaller gun. You need a J-Frame or equivalent sized revolver. I understand that money is tight and that you're not willing to trade in your N-Frame, so here is a good option:

You can get a Taurus M85 with blued steel frame right now for $209.99 here: http://palmettostatearmory.com/tauru...fs-85b2fs.html They are also currently offering a $40 rebate which knocks the price further down to $169.99. This is an unbeatable deal on a new revolver. You probably can't even get a Ruger LCP for that cheap. You said you can afford to spend up to $150 on a holster, so laying down an extra $20-$40 for a new gun instead should be doable.

This M85 having an all steel frame and an exposed hammer is not the ideal snubnose for pocket carry but if you managed to pocket carry an N-Frame before then you can manage this. Alternatively, you can get the "Ultra-Lite" version for $10 more.

Actually, you have a third option, but it's one that you don't want to hear... force yourself to get accustomed to carrying IWB, at least for the time being. If you sit a lot, pocket carry is not a good plan anyway as you won't be able to get to the gun quickly enough in a seated position. You could drop $50 or so on a decent IWB holster for your N-Frame instead and that would be your cheapest bet for now until you can get a J-Frame or something. Since you've lost so much weight carrying IWB now shouldn't be so much of an issue as it was before.

[44 AMP]

My belly got too big, I lost my waist, and I can't keep my pants up, especially with the weight of a pistol and holster

SUSPENDERS

and, yes, I'm an old guy...