Concealed Carry in Business Suit

[OneShotStop]

Hello to all, I am a new member and looking forward to participating in what appears to be an excellent forum. My first question concerns concealed carry while wearing a business suit.

I wear a suit every day to work, usually sans jacket as that is the custom in the office. Everywhere else, I carry my Kimer Pro CDP in a SmartCarry or Defender, or IWB with an untucked shirt. But the Kimber prints on the front of my pants in the SmartCarry when I wear suits. When I use the Defender, I get better results as long as I keep the Kimber at my 3oclock position, and dont allow it to rotate towards 2oclock, where it would begin printing on the front of my shirt.

I was thinking about using a shoulder rig like the DeepConcealment, or similar.

Does anyone else carry while wearing a suit sans jacket? What type of holster to you use?

[Ricky T]

Smith & Wesson J frame 642 or 38 in either pants pocket (Safariland #25 pocket holster, or Uncle Mike's pocket holster).

[Brommeland]

I'll second what Ricky T said about a J frame in the pocket.

[dragoon]

Most suit materials are rather thin.Most firearms will 'print' because of this.Find a friendly tailor that will work with you and your guns and holsters. He can add padding,or make other changes as necessary...Besides,what looks better than a custom-fitted suit?The clothes make the man...

[tonerguy]

Originally Posted by OneShotStop

Hello to all, I am a new member and looking forward to participating in what appears to be an excellent forum. My first question concerns concealed carry while wearing a business suit.

I wear a suit every day to work, usually sans jacket as that is the custom in the office. Everywhere else, I carry my Kimer Pro CDP in a SmartCarry or Defender, or IWB with an untucked shirt. But the Kimber prints on the front of my pants in the SmartCarry when I wear suits. When I use the Defender, I get better results as long as I keep the Kimber at my 3oclock position, and dont allow it to rotate towards 2oclock, where it would begin printing on the front of my shirt.

I was thinking about using a shoulder rig like the DeepConcealment, or similar.

Does anyone else carry while wearing a suit sans jacket? What type of holster to you use?

You can conceal a Kahr P9 or P40 easily with a tuckable holster under your dress shirt. A compact 1911 will work for many. I can discuss at length due to personal experience.

[CW Spook]

If you have a 3-piece suit you can carry most anything you want in a good IWB holster if you leave the vest on. I don't normally wear a suit, but I regularly wear a vest to cover my full-size 1911 which I carry in a Mitch Rosen ARG.

[AZ Husker]

Change jobs.

[john45]

Originally Posted by AZ Husker

Change jobs.

Leave it to Husker to find a simple solution.

[hongkong2]

I too normally carry a Kimber compact, but for dress up times I'll carry my S&W 442 in a Kramer pocket holster, never been made and I feel very safe. Happiness really is a warm gun

[JohnS]

I wear a suit during the week I have been very happy with my Alessi shoulder rig. When you get your suit fitted wear your holsters. I dont take my jacket off when Im carrying.

[mike allen]

Ricky T

I just got a 642 S & W yesterday. Have not shot it yet. I was influenced by our forum's coments on this light weight. This one I am going to carry. I have a Wilsom CQB Compact bed side, Ed brown Kobra Compact in the Tahoe and nothing in my pocket.
Are you familuar with a Milt Sparks PCH-R pocket holster ?
Mike

[Deputy25]

I carry a Smith model 60 in a Mika pocket holster, and a Glock 27 in a Kramer Confidant shirt holster (a lot slower to draw from than a pocket holster, but handier than a gun in the car).

[bubbygator]

I had been looking for a nice "casual" jacket for awhile - with the idea that if I found one nice looking I could perhaps use a shoulder holster or make some other accomodation than pants-pocket or tuckable holster. I recently found the jacket below. It's pretty rugged cotton, but still looks nice with khakis or dungarees, or even dress pants. The pockets in this one allow some possibilities that don't exist in a dress jacket or blazer. I can carry a j-frame in the lower outer (but inside zip-opening) pocket easily & have 2 layers of cloth prevent printing - even without the thin pocket holster that I normally have to use to hide printing. I'm still exploring the other pockets. The large inner, lower pockets can swallow a Commander, but it better be a light-weight. The inner, upper pockets can house a Glock or Walther turned backward (so that the draw is made by pulling the jacket wide with the off hand to present the gun). (If the gun is put into the normal "shoulder holster" direction, the butt isn't reliably hidden.) I liked the blue one so much, I ordered another in khaki.

[GRPfan]

Where'd you find it? Thanks.

[bubbygator]

Just right-click on the picture & you'll see the web address of Duluth Trading Co. - very nice online ordering & delivery.

[proloader]

I wear a suit for work, but I tend to keep the jacket on, so concealability is not a problem. I carry a Wilson CQB Compact in a Tucker HF1 belt slide holster, and no one, except my co-workers, who are also packing pistols, knows it is there.
I also occasionally carry a Glock 23 in a Comptac CTAC. It is tuckable, but the pistol prints noticably under my shirt. If I were less stout, maybe it would conceal better.
Nonetheless, when I do not want to take the slightest chance of anyone noticiing that I am carrying and need immediate access to my firearm, I carry a Kahr PM9 in an Alessi Roughout pocket holster. It is the same weight as a S&W 642 and only 2 or 3 ounces heavier than a S&W 340 (Scandium). Whether 9mm or .38 is a better round could be debated forever, but I personally shoot the PM9 better than I shoot a snubbie.
Good luck.
proloader

[proloader]

Mike,
I had a Sparks pocket holster when I used to carry a S&W 340PD. It is a great holster, with a wire frame that allows the holster to be adjusted somewhat.
However, I thought that the holster was a little wide. It fit great in jeans, but I found it too wide for some dress and casual pants.
The Alessi Roughout is a nice pocket holster.
proloader

[ljc]

Hi folks,

here's my .02.

When I am casual on weekends, I carry a Commander 1911 / Milt Sparks 55BN, with shirt out ONLY.

During the week, when I am wearing a business suit and might have to take off my jacket, I do a Kahr P9 / Galco USA IWB and it allows me to tuck my dress shirt in over the belt clip, albeit somewhat a pain in the butt. But it seems that on one can notice the butt of the gun, and that's good. larry c.

[Konza]

It seems to me that an ankle holster would be just the ticket for a suit without a jacket.

[shadows]

Originally Posted by Konza

It seems to me that an ankle holster would be just the ticket for a suit without a jacket.

Good idea.

I work carry a Keltec P32....works great with my suits for two years. Belt clip works great for IWB carry and flab/shirt bulge covers quite nicely. Can easily be mistaken for a folder. Not a big bang...but better than not carrying because of suit CCW restriction.

[crodbum]

from what i hear the mitchrosen arg holster because of the radical fbi cant conceals very well in a suit. (most likely with a 4" auto or smaller.)

[VA1911]

My question is: how are you going to get under your dress shirt or to your ankle holster in a matter of seconds? If a bad guy draws on you or is threatening your life in some other way, you may have precious few seconds to respond. With that in mind, I would always suggest carrying on your strong-side hip, IWB or OWB.

[SauerKraut]

I have successfully carried on many occasions with a dark suit, dark belt, and white shirt using a SIG 239 and a Comp-Tac ShirtTucker holster. The dark pattern of the suit and belt breaks up the outline of the holster loops on the belt and if you fleece your shirt properly the folds of white should do pretty well to conceal the butt of the gun. It is a good idea to use at least a pinpoint Oxford, if not a full Oxford, cloth shirt to aid in concealing the color and outline of the weapon, though I have gotten away with Broadcloth on several occasions.

I am sure that an Alessi WSDT or Milt Sparks VMII could probably serve the same function for you, as well.

[XavierBreath]

I carry a Para C6.45LDA in a SmartCarry with a suit. It's about the same size gun and the same holster as what you are working with. I may have the slight advatage of a little gut. If you have a flat belly, you may be hurting.

Anyway, I also print the butt of the gun occasionally. This mostly occurs when my pants droop in front, and the pants are draped over the butt of the gun. My solution was suspenders instead of a belt. Have the suspender buttons sewn on a bit to the rear of normal in the pants front. That will give you better weapon access at the expense of making you look fat. The REAL advantage of suspenders is that you can wear a size larger pants. They will stay up, and you can draw the weapon quicker.

Another thing is to realize that most people will not even see the butt of the gun printing. From above, the print looks huge. From the front, it tends to fade away. Also, people avoid looking at each other's groin. If they do notice, I would wager a week's pay that they will never ask you about it or discuss it with other people. Most people will believe you have an insulin pumpo in your pants before they believe you have a gun in there.

If you are willing to alter your gun, a bit of melting on the butt and MSH will help. Rounding that MSH and frame just a bit will just make the ladies excited instead of worried.

Edited to add....Nuts... sorry about dredging up an old thread, I thought i had a new question.

[Soflasmg]

I'm a salesman and wear a suit all day, off only in the car so it makes it easier for me.

I carry a glock 19 in a Brommeland Maxcon 5 and a keltec .32 in a pocket holster.

I tried a Mitch Rosen workman for a while with a Kahr pm9 and although it concealed superbly it was a bit uncomfortable.

Regarding special tailoring, I gotta disagree with some of the posts. My g19 is unnoticeable. I would imagine talking to any of the pro's like Allessi or Brommeland would bear this out.