AliasNeo07
Ultimate Member
I don't know that this will actually help anyone, but its possible, so I'm posting it. This is not for fit, thin, or even a little bit overweight people. This is for fat guys.
I'm fat. I have been carrying every single day for a year, since I got my permit. I have gone through many guns, carry methods, positions, etc, and I wanted to share my experience for anyone who is overweight who might be getting into carrying a handgun for the first time.
I am not nor have I ever been law enforcement, military, etc. I'm not some tacticool ninja, just an average citizen. First, lose weight. That needs to be said. At one point I lost 150lbs. Sadly, much of that I've put back on, but I'm working on it. It does feel a little disingenuous talking about self defense while being so out of shape. Good physical conditioning is our first best defense. It's sort of like when people ask me why I don't have a bug out bag. Well, because I'm not going to be physically able to freaking hike to Virginia. That being said, I understand weight is a struggle for many, and even though losing weight and being fit is ideal, you shouldn't not carry just because you're overweight.
Equipment:
Belt - A sturdy belt is critical for carry, but especially if overweight. I use a thick nylon, rachet-style belt. I first tried this off of Blaster's recommendation and I like them. They accommodate up to 50" waist although I'm sure there are bigger ones, but Nexbelts are great. https://www.nexbelt.com/collections/edc-belts/products/titan-bd-black-precisefit-gun-belt-1
Depending on your weight, you can sort of "hang" over those belts and cut yourself from friction, though, so wear an undershirt or switch to leather.
Guns - I've tried Ruger LCP, Glock 43, Glock 43X, Glock 48, and Glock 19. I settled on the Glock 48 for a particular fat-person reason and I'll explain later. Carry whatever gun you'd like. Why Glock for me? Because a G19 was my first gun, and I've always owned Glocks. I'm used to them, I'm used to working on them, etc. If my first gun had been a PPQ, or a M&P, or HK, or Sig, I'd probably still be carrying those, because they're all good. This isn't a gun thread. I'm not going to get into a brand war. Size does matter though for IWB and I'll get to that later.
Carry positions:
Ankle: We're fat. We aren't bending down quickly or capably. If you think it would be good for driving because you can reach down and draw, think again - we're fat. If you're mostly worried about some scenario where you are comfortable having a very slow inconvenient draw, it is better than not having anything at all. However, I have not found an ankle holster that will fit comfortably. They all seem to be too small, so if you're that overweight, you may have the same issue. I've tried many different brands, including the industry standard Galco Ankle Glove. I can get it on there but it's still too tight for me.
Shoulder: It is doable, depending on your clothing. Galco makes good shoulder holsters, and you can order extra large harnesses from them if you're overweight or have bulky body armor, whatever. I tried this for a bit because I hadn't figured out belt carry yet. It worked, but it was still sort of uncomfortable. If you're overweight, it is going to be difficult concealability wise, unless you're wearing a suit or a jacket. I had some fantasy of having shoulder carry working under a normal polo, because again, I hadn't figured out comfortable IWB yet. Negative.
Pocket: This is where we sort of have an advantage. Our pockets are naturally larger than smaller people's. I can pocket carry anything from a Ruger LCP to a Glock 43 very comfortably. I always recommend a pocket holster. It protects the trigger, but also it does keep lint and debris out of the gun. If you pocket carry, clean your gun regularly even if it hasn't been shot. I didn't clean my G43 for a few months, and it was pocket carried daily. I took it to the range and had a malfunction after the first round, which is the only malfunction I've had with a Glock. Ever. Tried again, took it apart after a few weeks - lint. If you pocket carry, clean them.
Also, I don't know why people say you can pocket carry in a cargo pant/short pocket. I've literally never found a holster than stays upright in such a large pocket.
Anyway, if you don't mind the slower draw and size constraint, and don't need the pocket space for other stuff, pocket carry is very viable.
OWB: Probably the most comfortable carry method for us, but obviously we need to dress around the gun. Not much needs to be said about OWB. It works.
IWB: This is where I finally landed. I tried a lot of guns and holsters before finding what worked, and you might have to do the same. I ended up with a Vedder Lighttuck off of Blaster's recommendation, and it is now what I carry exclusively. I've tried leather, hybrid, etc. I have a box full of holsters I'll never carry again. Simple kydex with a single clip works best for me, but your mileage might vary.
The question is, what position?
Appendix is all the rage now. Some people will even tell you to try to appendix carry in the gap under your belly. I think it is a waste of time. It won't work for 99% of us.
Crossdraw? No. We're fat. Next.
3 or 4 o'clock? Ding ding ding. The most important and effective thing I learned is IWB carrying at 3 or 4 o'clock with a longer pistol. I have tried a G43 and G43x at these positions. They work, but I kept finding that the grip would be pushed away from my waist because of the size of my torso. If you're overweight, the trick is to carry something with a longer slide. I settled on the G48. What happens is that the longer slide and holster will have more contact with your leg, which sort of acts like a lever, pushing the grip back into your torso, keeping it tight. This was the trick I needed.
Now, when I get back down to a healthier weight, I'll probably go back to the 43x due to the reduced size/weight of the gun. I don't feel I need the 48's extra slide length for velocity or sight radius -- it just isn't what these guns are for. But honestly, the extra slide length and additional length of the holster working as a lever against my leg made all the difference for me.
Hopefully at least one person sees this and doesn't waste money on extra crap they don't need. Obviously this is what works for me, but I realize everyone's body is different, even among us larger Americans
.
I'm fat. I have been carrying every single day for a year, since I got my permit. I have gone through many guns, carry methods, positions, etc, and I wanted to share my experience for anyone who is overweight who might be getting into carrying a handgun for the first time.
I am not nor have I ever been law enforcement, military, etc. I'm not some tacticool ninja, just an average citizen. First, lose weight. That needs to be said. At one point I lost 150lbs. Sadly, much of that I've put back on, but I'm working on it. It does feel a little disingenuous talking about self defense while being so out of shape. Good physical conditioning is our first best defense. It's sort of like when people ask me why I don't have a bug out bag. Well, because I'm not going to be physically able to freaking hike to Virginia. That being said, I understand weight is a struggle for many, and even though losing weight and being fit is ideal, you shouldn't not carry just because you're overweight.
Equipment:
Belt - A sturdy belt is critical for carry, but especially if overweight. I use a thick nylon, rachet-style belt. I first tried this off of Blaster's recommendation and I like them. They accommodate up to 50" waist although I'm sure there are bigger ones, but Nexbelts are great. https://www.nexbelt.com/collections/edc-belts/products/titan-bd-black-precisefit-gun-belt-1
Depending on your weight, you can sort of "hang" over those belts and cut yourself from friction, though, so wear an undershirt or switch to leather.
Guns - I've tried Ruger LCP, Glock 43, Glock 43X, Glock 48, and Glock 19. I settled on the Glock 48 for a particular fat-person reason and I'll explain later. Carry whatever gun you'd like. Why Glock for me? Because a G19 was my first gun, and I've always owned Glocks. I'm used to them, I'm used to working on them, etc. If my first gun had been a PPQ, or a M&P, or HK, or Sig, I'd probably still be carrying those, because they're all good. This isn't a gun thread. I'm not going to get into a brand war. Size does matter though for IWB and I'll get to that later.
Carry positions:
Ankle: We're fat. We aren't bending down quickly or capably. If you think it would be good for driving because you can reach down and draw, think again - we're fat. If you're mostly worried about some scenario where you are comfortable having a very slow inconvenient draw, it is better than not having anything at all. However, I have not found an ankle holster that will fit comfortably. They all seem to be too small, so if you're that overweight, you may have the same issue. I've tried many different brands, including the industry standard Galco Ankle Glove. I can get it on there but it's still too tight for me.
Shoulder: It is doable, depending on your clothing. Galco makes good shoulder holsters, and you can order extra large harnesses from them if you're overweight or have bulky body armor, whatever. I tried this for a bit because I hadn't figured out belt carry yet. It worked, but it was still sort of uncomfortable. If you're overweight, it is going to be difficult concealability wise, unless you're wearing a suit or a jacket. I had some fantasy of having shoulder carry working under a normal polo, because again, I hadn't figured out comfortable IWB yet. Negative.
Pocket: This is where we sort of have an advantage. Our pockets are naturally larger than smaller people's. I can pocket carry anything from a Ruger LCP to a Glock 43 very comfortably. I always recommend a pocket holster. It protects the trigger, but also it does keep lint and debris out of the gun. If you pocket carry, clean your gun regularly even if it hasn't been shot. I didn't clean my G43 for a few months, and it was pocket carried daily. I took it to the range and had a malfunction after the first round, which is the only malfunction I've had with a Glock. Ever. Tried again, took it apart after a few weeks - lint. If you pocket carry, clean them.
Also, I don't know why people say you can pocket carry in a cargo pant/short pocket. I've literally never found a holster than stays upright in such a large pocket.
Anyway, if you don't mind the slower draw and size constraint, and don't need the pocket space for other stuff, pocket carry is very viable.
OWB: Probably the most comfortable carry method for us, but obviously we need to dress around the gun. Not much needs to be said about OWB. It works.
IWB: This is where I finally landed. I tried a lot of guns and holsters before finding what worked, and you might have to do the same. I ended up with a Vedder Lighttuck off of Blaster's recommendation, and it is now what I carry exclusively. I've tried leather, hybrid, etc. I have a box full of holsters I'll never carry again. Simple kydex with a single clip works best for me, but your mileage might vary.
The question is, what position?
Appendix is all the rage now. Some people will even tell you to try to appendix carry in the gap under your belly. I think it is a waste of time. It won't work for 99% of us.
Crossdraw? No. We're fat. Next.
3 or 4 o'clock? Ding ding ding. The most important and effective thing I learned is IWB carrying at 3 or 4 o'clock with a longer pistol. I have tried a G43 and G43x at these positions. They work, but I kept finding that the grip would be pushed away from my waist because of the size of my torso. If you're overweight, the trick is to carry something with a longer slide. I settled on the G48. What happens is that the longer slide and holster will have more contact with your leg, which sort of acts like a lever, pushing the grip back into your torso, keeping it tight. This was the trick I needed.
Now, when I get back down to a healthier weight, I'll probably go back to the 43x due to the reduced size/weight of the gun. I don't feel I need the 48's extra slide length for velocity or sight radius -- it just isn't what these guns are for. But honestly, the extra slide length and additional length of the holster working as a lever against my leg made all the difference for me.
Hopefully at least one person sees this and doesn't waste money on extra crap they don't need. Obviously this is what works for me, but I realize everyone's body is different, even among us larger Americans
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