approaching concealed carry nirvana

ever since i got my first handgun and carry permit, i have been looking for a more convenient, comfortable, concealed method of carrying my self defense piece. i have tried a number of different guns, modifications, holsters, and carry methods.

when i got a j-frame smith i felt i was close, but wasn't quite there. the smith i picked up had rubber grips, and i found they wouldn't work out - kept grabbing my cover garment. i found an old wood grip set, and tried that. they were very small compared to the rubber grip, but they allowed me to get a much higher grip on the gun and didn't grab my clothes. despite their dimunitive size, i really liked them on the gun.

because of my work clothes (button down shirt, tie, sometimes a suit), i tried several methods of concealment. the most comfortable to carry was a high ride holster. however, this meant i could never remove my coat - not that comfortable for all day wear. i tried a couple methods of inside the waistband carry, and was disappointed w/ the lack of comfort, and shifting gun.

finally, i tried a galco 'ultimate second amendment' holster. fellas, i hit a home run here! the holster is stable and very comfortable. it truly is possible to forget you are carrying a smith airweight j-frame w/ an iwb holster.

the holster allows the gun to ride deeper than any other iwb holster i've tried, it is tuckable, stable, and very comfortable. between the holster and grips, even the most observant person will have a tough time spotting my piece, even if i am bending over or reaching up high. lovin' it!

2 small towns in s.d. have recorded 3 seperate murders and another small town has recorded a take over bank robbery in the last 30 or so days. i fear as the economy worsens and recovery drags on, we will see more of this sort of animal behavior. trust your judgement, be aware of your surroundings and situations, be careful and prudent, and carry your flippin' gun when you are out and about. w/ all of the holster, belt, and gun options available, i'm not seeing a reason to not carry.

anyway, 2-thumbs way up for galco's usa holster. compared to milt sparks (the gold standard), it is inexpensive and fast to get - and does a fantastic job of concealing and retaining a gun for iwb carry.

I'm currently useing a Bianchi international. pocket holster for my Taurus 650SS. it's a rubber outer nylon inner holster. reach in the pocket and pull the pistol and the holsters rubber outer coating keeps it in my pocket.

Cost all of $10

MM

elk hunter - i'll get some pics, but i need somebody else to put them up. the camera i have (nikon d-50) takes pics that are so big they are beyond what bsb can accomodate and i don't have a photobucket account anymore. but if somebody is willing to host them, i'll email them out.

dd - i've thought about the t-grips, but i don't need them or want them on my gun. if i was running some hot 357 loads i'm sure they'd be useful for protecting the middle finger from being mangled by the triggerguard, but the gun is comfortable to shoot, and i shoot it just enough to stay proficient - it certainly is not my go-to gun for range day.