Daniella

My husband needs a new belt after starting to work out..So i thought i was going to surprise him with a new,good quality belt..he might start getting into the hole carry thing..

What is the difference between the belt sizes listed as 1.25'-1.50' and 1.75 inch? What would fit and look good at a male dress pants? What belt would look good with a outside carry and somewhat heavy gun?

Cthulhu

It's the width of the belt. The belt width you want may be dependent upon the holsters you already have. You'd need to know what width the holster belt loops/slot can support and buy accordingly. Likewise, it would help to know the size of the belt loops on any pants that may be worn with the rig.

-JT

Pete Zaria

Cut a piece of cardboard (using a ruler to measure) to 1.5 inches thick and a few inches long. See if it fits in his belt loops and the loops for the holster. If so, a 1.5" belt will work.

Roughly how big a dude is he, and how heavy a gun must be carried?

Peace,
Pete Zaria.

__________________
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
- Margaret Mead

"Booger Hook Off the Bang Switch" - unknown

Daniella

He is around 210 but would like to end up on 175..He likes the full size 1911s

bzdog

Personally, I like the Galco SB9 Dress Belt in 1 1/4". It doesn't look like a "gun" belt, and is a sturdy two layer leather (actually two layers of leather stitched together) so it is very stiff and gives good support.

I like the tan, but tend to wear black as it hides holster clips.

The main thing about dress pants is that the loops are only so big. 1 1/4" is no problem. 1 1/2" probably is OK too. Anything larger than that and it might not fit the loops of some pants, esp. dress pants.

In general, I think it is good to pick a size and stick with it. When you order holsters you want to pick a clip/loop size for your belt. If you pick everything the same and stick with it you'll have more options. While you can often wear a holster designed for a wider belt, it can feel 'sloppy'.

-john

Pete Zaria

I'm 6'0 and 170lbs, and have been carrying my fullsize 1911 lately. It really works best with a 1.5" or thicker belt, and it needs to be pretty stiff.
An all-steel 1911 with an 8 round magazine and one in the pipe weighs about 44oz or 2.7 pounds (IIRC). It takes some serious support to hold that up.



Peace,
Pete Zaria.

__________________
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
- Margaret Mead

"Booger Hook Off the Bang Switch" - unknown

Wasabi

Go here:
Gun Belts by The Belt Man

Call them. They will tell you everything you need to know. I ordered a 1 1/4" black elephant skin w/7 holes and am very happy. I'm only 5'9", 200 but the 1 1/4" works fine for me and my smaller support needs (PM9, Ultra CDP II). In fact, after this post, I'm ordering another in shark skin. Again, tell them your needs and be prepared for excellent advice.

__________________
NRA Life Member

retsupt99

For my jeans and 5.11 shorts, a 1.5" belt is perfect...my IWB clip holsters would work on any belt, but my OWB holsters were ordered for 1.5" belts...
I believe a 1.5" belt would work for most situations, but perhaps not with suit pants...

__________________
‘‘Four out of five politicians surveyed prefered unarmed, ignorant peasants.’’
— Unknown

Liberals are as American as 'dog dodo' pie...

Daniella

His current belt seems to be a 1.5' and there is still room in the loops..he has a ordinary belt and is quite soft so it did not give me a good impression on how the gun belt would be in the same loops..But I kind of lean towards a 1.75 inch..

Would fit all needs as it fills out the loops and strong enough to carry whatever he
decide and it looks good..

David in FL

1.75" is awfully wide. Think police belt, meant to carry everything but the kitchen sink.

For jeans, I wear 1.5". For shorts or dress, 1 1/4". To gain some perspective, just measure the width of the belts that he currently owns. Remember too, the stiffness and strength of a good gunbelt comes primarily from the materials used, it's construction, and thickness, not so much from it's width. Also, an internal stiffener can be added by most makers if need be......so if you wanted a 1 1/4" belt for wear with a suit, but needed to carry an all steel 1911 OWB, you could meet both requirements.

As previously mentioned, a call to Jim Speidel, at Gun Belts by The Belt Man will absolutely answer any questions you might have and will ensure that you get exactly what you need. Fast and at a good price too!