broknindarkagain

I'm sure many of you will laugh at this question, but oh well. I need to know. I'm pretty new to concealed carry.

Almost everything I hear is about "good belts". What is the difference between a good gun belt and a normal belt? I've looked at gun belts online and from pics I see no difference other then the materials they are made out of.

Can someone please explain this to me?

Thanks

__________________
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Taurus PT111 Pro 9mm

one eyed fatman

Google up gun belt makers or do a search here.

P95Carry

We have several threads on this over time - and a search might well find you one or two - with lots of info.

Generally they tend to be 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" and maybe up to 1/4" thick - often leather but not always.

Better still is that they are cut ''on the curve'' and so fit better. Comfort coupled with significant rigidity )non sag) is name of game .. and the top holster guys make fine belts as does Jim the Belt Man.

A fine holster on a skinny soggy cheapie belt is a waste!!

__________________
Chris - P95
NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member.

"To own a gun and assume that you are armed
is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!."

If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

Glock 'em down

Good "gun" belts are either double thick cowhide or they have a strip of Kydex running the length of the belt. I have been wearing a Looper's kydex belt for about 2 weeks now, and I LOVE IT! You know that little "V" notch that you get from the belt loop right above your butt from the center belt loop? It is nothing but a memory with the Looper Kydex belt. I've started to notice a LITTLE bit of warping around the front near the buckle, but that's from my big ol' belly - not the belt's quality!

If you will call Looper's at 1-800-299-5667 (LOOP) they can fix you up! Oh! I almost forgot! The price? $29.95! SUCH-A-DEAL!!! Call them and ask for Suzanne and tell her Evan Lee sent you!

whamonkey

Look here and be warned....you will buy one!
http://www.thebeltman.net/

cockedlocked01

The difference between a regular belt & a gun belt is night & day. An all leather gun belt is going to be about 1/4" thick. It won't roll &/or sag like a regular one with over time (Very little time, too). There are other kinds & some that use kydex in the middle. These are usually thinner than the double leather thick ones.

Personally, I use a Liger belt. It's all synthetic, thin, doesn't look like a gun belt at all, & has all the advantages of a gun belt. They're not cheap (The best price I've seen is about $55.00), but like the fact that they don't look like a gun belt & aren't thick like one, too.

Anyways, once you try a good gun belt on, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

__________________
"Use human means as though divine ones didn't exist, and divine means as though there were no human ones." Baltasar Gracian
Integrated Close Combat
NRA Member

Glock 19, Kahr P45, Kel-Tec P-32, S&W 442, & Dan Wesson 14-2

me

Drop by a Uniform shop that caters to Emergency Services if you can find one they will be able to help you find a good belt.

__________________
Mark

"The world is filled with violence. Because criminals carry guns, we decent law-abiding citizens should also have guns. Otherwise they will win and the decent people will lose."

-James Earl Jones

Mark Garrity

The other posts touched upon the main points.
Carrying concealed is more than just a good pistol and good holster; it has to be thought of a complete system of pistol, holster, belt , and clothing. A good belt is the foundation of the carry system. Much like you wouldn't want a house built on a cheap foundation, the best holster on the planet will not perform to it's full potential on an inadequate belt.
I could get rather lengthy discussing the merits of a holster-maker's belt over a store bought belt, and the various materials, etc.; but i'll keep this short with an easy test:
Take a belt and hold the edges between your forefinger and thumb. Now squeeze. If you can compress the leather and crush the sides, it is not an adequate gun belt. The thickness of the belt doesn't matter, it's lateral support you are looking for in a carry belt. I can make a very thin gun belt that looks like a dress belt, and you won't be able to crush it from top to bottom. It doesn't have to be 1/4 inch thick, but must be rigid laterally.

__________________
"He who makes things with his hands is a laborer, he who makes things with his hands and his head is a craftsman, he who makes things with his hands, his head, and his heart is an artist."
www.garritysgunleather.com

broknindarkagain

Here is a pic of a belt somewhat like what I normally wear. I did your little "test" and my belt seemed to pass. The metal studs on it make it a pretty sturdy belt.

Attached Images

3 row stud belt.JPG (101.6 KB, 311 views)

__________________
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Taurus PT111 Pro 9mm

cockedlocked01

Good info, thanks. So, my Liger belt's fine then. That's good to know. Belt makers apparently can make a gun belt thin, but the ones I've seen are thick (Unless they have a kydex or somesuch insert in them).

__________________
"Use human means as though divine ones didn't exist, and divine means as though there were no human ones." Baltasar Gracian
Integrated Close Combat
NRA Member

Glock 19, Kahr P45, Kel-Tec P-32, S&W 442, & Dan Wesson 14-2