Skinny guy, having trouble staying concealed

[TNoilTech]

Like the title says, I'm a tall, fairly skinny guy. I carry a Glock 23 in a Galco Skyops IWB Tuckable holster. I work in shorts and a tucked in Polo style shirt, and carry in the 3:30 - 4:00 position for comfort. When i'm standing, the only trace is a slight bulge or irregularity in the belt, which i usually cover with a phone. The problem i have is when i bend over or crouch down, which i do a lot working on cars, the gun becomes rather noticable through the shirt. I've been made twice in 6 months, once by a LEO and once by a fellow concealer. anyone have any thoughts on how to show a little less? I love the gun and the holster, so i'm hoping i can change something i'm doing rather than changing equipment.

Thanks in advance

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[zacii]

Perhaps a change in your shirt selection, or get a CrossBreed SuperTuck.

Also, you could try tucking your shirt. If you tuck in, you get a little blouse action that conceals the handle nicely, even while bending.

[TNoilTech]

Sorry, I should have clarified, i do keep the shirt tucked, and bloused. Also, it is a uniform shirt, so i dont have much option to change it. I did order a 'tall' shirt so i can blouse it more than a regular shirt without coming untucked. Maybe i just need to exaggerate the blousing even more...

[Agave]

A friend of mine is 6 feet tall and weighs 140 lbs. He carries a Beretta 92 AND a Beretta 96 at 12:00 on a regular basis.

Get a Comp-tac C-TAC. It'll serve you better than that Galco.

Aslo, you may have an easier time hiding it at 2:30.

[danoam]

I'm a smaller guy too. I carry in a Crossbreed at 4:00 and other than a bulge on the belt I really don't have much of a problem. I do print some when I bend over but not excessively. I work closely with people and have not been made yet.

[zacii]

Sorry, I should have clarified, i do keep the shirt tucked, and bloused. Also, it is a uniform shirt, so i dont have much option to change it. I did order a 'tall' shirt so i can blouse it more than a regular shirt without coming untucked. Maybe i just need to exaggerate the blousing even more...

Get your uniform shirt and experiment with blousing it, to varying degrees and scrutinize yourself in the mirror.

All else fails, you could get a Smartcarry as well, it would give you another option in the carry repertoire.

Although you don't want to get a different holster, your uniform and body type might require some adjustment, to achieve the level of concealment that you need.

[aedinius]

Also, be careful how you bend over. Bend at the knees, it's better for the back and won't print as much. Either a SuperTuck or a CompTac would do much better than the SkyOps, I think. With a tucked polo, I don't have many problems printing. I'm 5'6", 150lbs.

[Stevew]

I haven't had a problem with being skinny and concealed carry for about two decades. But if I remember correctly the higher and more forward I carried the less I printed when I bent over as a heavy equiptment mechanic.

[grady]

Appendix carry and SmartCarry allow me to conceal much better than carrying 3:30-4, especially when bending over.

[Sticks]

For those who appendix carry;

Try bending over/balancing yourself over a hard object like the front end of a car, wood chair back, saw horse, chain link fence. Having the majority of your weight pressing a firearm into your gut for extended periods is nowhere near comfortable, especially when you have no gut to speak of.

To the OP, go with the thinnest holster you can find (kydex/leather combo like the CrossBreed) and try your ride height with the trigger right at the back of your hip bone, and go with a good forward cant.

This is going to sound weird...without attaching the holster to your pants, move the holster & weapon around at the 3:30-4:00 position (up and down, rotating the cant) until the holster finds the, for lack of a better description, dent in your hip area. After about a week your body will get used to it. The only discomfort you may get is the dovetail or safety pressing into your kidney over extended driving or sitting in a chair with lumbar support.

I'm 6' 3" & 165#. Field service mechanic for a concrete paving company. Carrying a Baby Eagle full size (4.72" bbl, 13+1, .40 S&W) in a home made kydex leather holster 12+ hours a day 5 days a week at work. Been made twice. Once when my shirt rode up doing an in-frame rebuild on a piece of equipment in the field and my shirt ended up behind the grip, the other by someone who "figured it out".

[tkruf]

Everybody has their own opinion as you know. Mine is, thinner gun with shorter grip. Glock 23's are not exactly subcompact. If you like Glock and the 40 cal, then try a Glock 27. Have you thought about trying a Kahr? They are quite a bit easier to conceal.

[hdawson]

Try a handgun designed and built for concealment. Ala Kahr. Checkout their web site and compare size and weight. Mine has been perfect.

[TNoilTech]

Thanks for all the input.

Appendix or 12:00 carry is not an option, i bend over the hood of a car all day, and would risk beating the crap out of fenders, not to mention the discomfort of leaning on the gun.

I will look into other holsters. I like the galco for the one clip on the belt, and its minimalist design. It doesnt get too hot and is fairly comfortable. but I will certainly try some other ones out. my neighbor owns the local gun shop, so i can get just about anything, although the smart carry probably wouldnt work for me.

keep the ideas coming, and i'll try to get some pictures this afternoon of what im up against.

Thanks.

[southchatham]

Remember who made you. They are looking for it. They see a small bulge and guess, you confirm. Maybe your not printing bad as you think. Also go up a size in your shirt.

[Martial Archer]

Remember who made you. They are looking for it. They see a small bulge and guess, you confirm. Maybe your not printing bad as you think. Also go up a size in your shirt.

Agreed & also agree that the right holster helps but still may not be the best solution.

My preference is to carry my G23 IWB in a Minotaur MTAC. The nature of my work (landscape contracting) make this method impractical...it is just too hard to maintain a satisfactory level of concealment (for me IMO).

My compromise is to carry a S&W 642 in the pocket while working.

YMMV