Carrying a S&W 4566

I signed up for the CCW class for this weekend and went to Gander Mountain and purchased a cheap black padded nylon belt holster.
I tried it on for size when I got home and this gun under a T shirt stuck out like a sore thumb!
It was also like a boat anchor..HEAVY,im 5ft 6 in and 150lbs so im not
very big and I think this gun might be to large to CC for me..any thoughts?
I might have to buy another gun for carry like a 9mm glock 19?
I love this Smitty though,shoots real nice!
All comments appreciated!:image035:

Not real sure on the size of the 4566, but it looks like a full size 1911. I carry a 4in barrel Springfield XD and I have to say that a good gun belt and holster go a long way in the CC area, and body placement helps also. But the best with that gun is the 5.11 holster shirt because it places it under your arm, think shoulder holster, and any shirt will conceal but wear a button up for access.

I think the key word is cheap. Do yourself a favor and buy a quality holster for your handgun. I tried an inexpensive holster for my Glock 19 and it wasn`t worth the sales tax I paid on it. Your pistol wan`t cheap and your holster shouldn`t be either. I also strongly suggest that you make sure you have a good belt. As far as holsters go,I`m partial to Crossbreed Supertucks but there are a lot of good holsters out there.

Most nylon holsters are OWB. With a gun that large you need something more discreet, think IWB. While I prefer the premium holsters, much praise has been heaped on Supertuck and similar holsters. With your small stature you should consider something along those lines. You might also consider a dark colored, loose fitting T-shirt and wear the holster at the 3:00 o'clock position initially, it will conceal better there.

You need to spend a few bucks and get a good, quality holster like a UBG or a Crossbreed. They are well made, hold the gun securely and are comfortable as well as very concealable. No cheap nylon holsters for carry! Maybe for the car or the house, but not for CCW.

Get a good holster and a good quality belt to cinch it all up. Be conscious of your clothing choices and you should be able to hide that fine. The 4566 is a sizable gun though. Our State Police here use them for their issue duty sidearm.

Kind of a big weapon to carry everyday concealed. But I carried a Glock 19 daily for over nine years. The trick is as others have said a “quality” leather holster. I used a pancake style OWB holster at 4 O’clock to carry the G19, and wore a sport coat.

Today I no longer work for DOJ, and live on a tropical island.. So I mostly carry a Kel-Tec P3AT 380 in a nemesis pocket holster or if I’m headed out at night a Glock 26 OWB in a SGH holster.

Side Guard Holsters - OWB Holsters

My first CC holster was a cheap IWB nylon bag that I purchased from Gander Mountain. It was to fit a Colt 1903 .32 acp that was the only gun I had at the time for CC. It did not work too well. I was using a cheapo belt, for a small gun it is heavy and felt like I was wearing a splint on my hip.

I then tried to conceal a 1911 Government .45 acp, OWB with a Fobus holster and same cheapo belt. It actually felt better, but was still heavy (duh) and I was real leary of how well it concealed. I don't think I was ever made, but I was being extra careful making sure my t-shirts were long enough.

I finally got into a position where I could afford to get a different gun and a proper holster. After a lot of research and opinions from people on forums such as this one I decided on a Glock 19 and a Crossbreed Supertuck in horsehide with the combat cut, and a Crossbreed Belt.

G19-great reputation for reliability, compact size, 9mm easier to find (compared to .380) and cheaper (compared to .45acp), ammo capacity (15+1), 3 different size magazines will fit it(up to 33 rounds), easy to field strip and clean, simple to operate (no safety levers, but is sort of DAO), price was darn reasonable also.

Crossbreed Supertuck-comfortable, adjustable, affordable, horsehide is better for heavy sweating and humid climates, combat cut for better grip on gun when drawing, GREAT PEOPLE, 2-week try-it guarantee, lifetime warranty, currently pretty quick delivery times

Crossbreed Belt-thick (1/4"), heavy duty, ordinary looking belt for everyday wear, Crossbreed logo is on inside of belt (while I would love to advertise for them I don't want less disireables to figure me for a gun owner/target), the belts do take a little longer because they make those as ordered, my whole order only took 18-days (four of those were weekends).

I hope this helps.

Joker1

Carried a 645 (same basic gun as you have) for years as a LEO, but I used a quality belt slide. Rig placed the gun close to my body just above and forward of my right hip......good to go for concealing the piece and with a good belt very stable.

Never have cared much for the nylon rigs.......just too much bulk and in general they lack the rigidity a good carry rig ought to have...........Might I suggest you check out some of the slides that Dillon markets.

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cheap black padded nylon belt holster.

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The keyword there is "cheap". It's also probably one of the generic "Fits A, B, C guns, and maybe X and V, too."

Spend the bucks and get a good belt holster combo. The belt should be stiff enough to hold the holster/gun tight against your body. I like the Uncle Mike's Instructor belt. The holster should be made specifically for your gun. That doesn't usually mean a custom job - many holster makers carry a large line of stock to fit most popular guns out there. Decide if you want IWB, OWB, beltslide, paddle ,etc. I prefer Kydex paddle holsters. They're quick on/off, and I like the positive click-click of holstering/drawing. I carry at 9 o'clock (lefty), with no cant. It's a fast draw for me. You may end up with several holsters you thought you'd like but don't. Don't worry, they usually sell pretty good on the gun forums.

Even a full-size 1911 can be easily carried concealed. I used to carry a Steyr M9-A1 in a beltslide OWB. Now THAT'S a big gun!

You will learn to "dress around the gun". Dark colors and patterns are your friend. You can hide a DE under a loose-fitting, untucked sport or polo/golf shirt.

Good luck!

I had a 4566 as an issued weapon for several years. I'm 6'00" and tip the scales at 225lbs. The only way that I was able to conceal the thing well was with the use of a Milt Sparks SSII. Even with the high quality IWB, I needed a good cover garment.

Top-grade holster & belt purchases make a big CCW carry soooo much better. But no, it can't make it smaller!

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Originally Posted by kspilot536

I signed up for the CCW class for this weekend and went to Gander Mountain and purchased a cheap black padded nylon belt holster.
I tried it on for size when I got home and this gun under a T shirt stuck out like a sore thumb!
It was also like a boat anchor..HEAVY,im 5ft 6 in and 150lbs so im not
very big and I think this gun might be to large to CC for me..any thoughts?
I might have to buy another gun for carry like a 9mm glock 19?
I love this Smitty though,shoots real nice!
All comments appreciated!:image035:

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If you want a decent IWB holster for a reasonable price, try the Don Hume 715M.

A good holster makes all the difference in the world. A good gun belt makes even more difference.

I have done the same thing with my first holster. I learned the same lesson. I buy nothing but Don Hume. I carry the 5" XD .40 with absolutely no problems and no printing.

I know I've said pretty much the same thing everyone else did but there you go.