[RealtorShot]

Hi all,

Been a lurker for some time and have learned a lot on this forum. My wife and I decided to take a few classes and get our CWP and we both have another new interest in common!

The reason I decided to carry is because I'm a realtor and show houses quite a bit. It's not uncommon for me to do an open house in a vacant house, or show vacant houses. This past year, I was showing an investor a vacant house in the north area of town, and it's a pretty rough area. We went into the house, walked towards the back of the home, and there was a guy smoking crack on the floor. He jumped up, looked at us in the eyes, and we had what you know as a Mexican standoff. He made the first action and fled. In my opinion, there are two types of people in this world- those that will flee, and those that will fight. I'm lucky because this guy hauled butt away, but what if the next guy decides he wants some extra cash? So I made the decision to carry and be prepared for the "just in case" scenario where I might be protecting myself, and the person I'm with.

Sorry for the drivel, I'm on to my point. So now I carry a Ruger LCP pocket carry, since I usually have a shirt tucked into my slacks and can't carry IWB. I have a pocket holster and I'm concerned about the printing my piece has in my front pocket of my slacks. I feel it's noticeable, and that everyone can basically tell I'm carrying. Clients and work-friends alike.

Is this just because I'm a new CWP carrier and a typical thing to feel, or do you guys/gals find this with certain pocket holsters? I think some clients would not like to find out that I'm carrying, and don't want them to notice easily.

Thanks all.

 

[phreddy]

You can IWB carry with tucked in shirts with a tuckable IWB holster. Crossbreed Supertuck is one type. Other companies make similar holsters.

Very few people notice things like you carrying. They are oblivious. My wife can rarely tell if/where I am carrying even though she knows that I do.

Some fabrics do print more than others. The thin fabrics of dress pants tend to cling more than khaki's. So altering your wardrobe could help.

You could also dress up more by wearing a sport coat. I know it gets hot a humid in Charleston, but that is why they invented seer-sucker.

 

[GhostMaker]

I used the pocket carry alot when I packed a 5 shooter and it worked quite well. I just made sure my wardrobe permitted me to do so effectively and didn't print the gun/holster. To accomplish this I went up one size in my slacks and had the waist taken in to fit. This ensured my pockets had just enough room in them to allow a good draw from the holster, and that my carry method didn't print. Since body types are different you may want to experiment with this and visually inspect your concealment in a full length mirror. Some folks liked ankle rigs but I found the pocket carry worked best for me.

 

[ccw9mm]

If you can have someone else take a handful of photos of you carrying in your typical attire, from a variety of angles. It'll help us see what others are seeing. Otherwise, it's hard to say whether it's all in your head or likely something others are picking up on.

If you're a new carrier, very likely it's mostly (if not all) in your head. Ensure your clothing selection is decent. Not all pants on a given person equates to effectively being able to add another ~20oz of bulk into the pocket without that bulk being seen. As well, depending on how you move, bend and twist, how fast your walking gait, a heavier/bulkier holstered gun in the pocket can swing a bit. Depends on your pants choice, the thickness and stiffness of the material, whether it billows or is somewhat tight in that spot, whether the cut of the pants allows for non-printing motion in the directions you're moving.

That being said, the Ruger LCP is about as puny as you can get. The Kel-Tec P3AT is another, about the same size. If you can't pocket carry the LCP without printing, it ain't gonna happen. Ensure you've got a decent holster that matches your curves, that's flat/shaped well enough out front to hide the bulge and make it look like a wallet or something else. Ensure your fabric choice is thick enough, patterned enough, billowy enough to cover the bulge and movement.

Consider cover garments, as well. IMO, a nice light jacket can break up the pattern visually so that what's tucked in there just below the bottom edge of the jacket no longer appears an interesting shape/curve, as the eye will be drawn elsewhere. A sport coat, even better. A slightly longer cut can help. But without a jacket, the eye goes to the two obvious flat/frontal spots of the chest/shirt area and the pants/pockets area. A jacket helps break that up, a bit.

Pics, if you'd like some constructive criticism on what it looks like.

Welcome to the wonderful world of carrying. k:

 

[lordhamster]

Wear a sportcoat. Looks professional and covers perfectly.

 

[ANGLICO]

Glad you came out of the shadows. Great first post. Welcome.

I IWB carry with no tuck = I have no useful advice for you.

 

[spdracr39]

Most printing is only in your mind. To everyone else is looks like nothing.

 

[hienykins]

:wave: I carry a Ruger LC-9 in a pocket holster and it works fine, but can't get ANY bigger gun!! Like they said, it mainly works best with thicker pants fabric, like denim or Khaki Cargo's. Thin weight slacks will give you away!! Also some jeans have smaller pockets, also!! Just beware and try different things out till YOU are comfortable!! :sign11:

 

[SCXDm9]

So now I carry a Ruger LCP pocket carry, since I usually have a shirt tucked into my slacks and can't carry IWB.

Why not?

I carry a XDm 9c (much bigger than a LCP) IWB everyday with my shirt tucked... no one ever notices. You just need the right holster.

 

[birdman253]

+1 on carrying IWB with tucked shirt. My normal attire for work is starched/pressed jeans, and button down shirt. Also, my Glock 23, IWB, and with my shirt tucked in.

Get a tuckable IWB holster, and then slightly "blouse" the bottom of your shirt. Everything just disappears. In the beginning you will feel like every person that looks at you sees it, and knows, but trust me, in time you will find that absolutely no one notices. And if someone does, who cares?

Good luck!

 

[gasmitty]

A number of pocket holsters have a front panel which is fairly flat, that breaks up the outline of the gun and makes it look like you have a wallet in your pocket. One example (which I happen to use) is the Pistol Packer Premium by Wild Bill's Concealment. If you pro through our 'sticky' of holster makers, you'll find many more.

 

[archer51]

First off....Welcome to the forum.

As to your question, as mentioned by others there many good quality tuckable IWB holsters available on the marked, if you want to go that way. As for the pocket carry, if your carrying it in a pocket holster that should mask what your carrying. I think what your having is new carrier jitters. With many people carrying front pocket wallets these days, or even dropping their cellphones in the front pocket. I highly doubt anyone is going to make you with front pocket carry.

 

[paaiyan]

I'll agree with everyone else. Printing is *mostly* in your mind. Not entirely, but for the most part. Here's an example of what other people notice, I started carrying openly at work when I got my new Kimber, because my Crossbreed hasn't come in yet. Normal attire is pants and a tucked in polo, so there was nothing hiding the gun. It took some of my coworkers over two weeks to notice.

Previous to this I carried a S&W M&P .40c IWB with the same clothes, tucked in polo. Very rare was the day that anyone noticed. The last time I can remember anyone commenting was a coworker who also carries. He was new at the time and didn't know what the policy was on it, but noticed a flash of the belt clips and recognized the Crossbreed because he has one himself.

 

[OhioCatter]

You have gotten some very good replies but i'll throw my .02 cents in. When I first started to CC I swore everyone knew I was carrying. It felt like my EDC was glowing red and saying look here (gun). After awhile it went away (the feeling) and have never thought twice about it since.