Concealing a full-size pistol

[JonVan]

I am really interested in getting a 10mm and have found the xdm elite is the thinnest full size available at 1.2mm a tad thinner than a 1911 and I really like the feel of the grip and sight picture. I was wondering how well/where a thin man like me could conceal it in the hot state of Mississippi. If it likely is too much effort to conceal does anyone know a full size 4.2"-6" barrel 9mm that's 1"-1.1" wide? The Hellcat is the closest I've seen at 3.7"

 

[GunnyGene]

You'll likely need to settle for a single stack to get any thinner. The S&W M&P- EZ 9mm is slightly thinner if you don't count the ambi safety (optional), and the barrel is only 3.68". The shorter barrel isn't going to make a lot of difference in MV tho.

I bought one a couple years ago, and it's an ok carry if you don't mind a 1911 style grip safety.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/m-p-9-shield-ez-manual-thumb-safety

PM'd you about this.

 

[hittman]

To me width isn't as important ( or hard to conceal ) as height and length.

G43 or Walther PP or PPK work best for me but …. Not considered full size by most folks.

 

[sharpblade7777]

This Glock would be pretty close. 4.17 inch barrel. .87 inch slide width. 1.10 inch width overall. 10 + 1 rounds.

 

[Hvymax]

You might have to grow a little? It helps if you are wider than the gun. I can carry a 6" barrel 44 in a shoulder rig. Cargo Pocket Carry is what I do in a t shirt and shorts.

 

[the_leper_colony]

... does anyone know a full size 4.2"-6" barrel 9mm that's 1"-1.1" wide? The Hellcat is the closest I've seen at 3.7"

Apparently these are finally available (several listed on GunBroker, all the metal-frame version):

P15 Pistol. 9mm 15+1 Capacity. Concealable, Dependable. KelTec

Announced in Jan 2022, The P15 is the lightest, thinnest double-stack 9mm handgun on the market. Excellent for concealed carry. Learn More.

www.keltecweapons.com

14 oz, 4" barrel, 0.88" wide - I have not read any recent reviews.

 

[blume357]

I really think the slight difference in various semi-auto's withs has little to do with what you want to do. If carrying on the hip then a really good belt along with the right holster and the cover garment is the key. Besides that... 99% of the public is so busy looking at their phone or trying to get somewhere they are not going to notice a bulge.

 

[Mobuck]

With a semi-auto, the grip length is the factor. The slide/grip thickness is much less an issue.
When I carried a KP95DC, the butt was always protruding. So much so that it wore through several vehicle seat covers. My cover vest was constantly hanging up of that sticky out butt. Carried cross draw, the butt was always sticking out frontwards snagging on everything. When I changed to a job requiring much more discreet carry, I have to give up the big, bulky 95.

 

[JonVan]

I looked up concealing a 1911 which is.more or less the size of the xdm I want. Two techniques seem to work. On it conceal the gun on the right side and conceal 2 magazines on the left to balance it out. Another which might be a little more effective is thunderwear holsters.

 

[Get Wood]

I am really interested in getting a 10mm and have found the xdm elite is the thinnest full size available at 1.2mm a tad thinner than a 1911 and I really like the feel of the grip and sight picture. I was wondering how well/where a thin man like me could conceal it in the hot state of Mississippi. If it likely is too much effort to conceal does anyone know a full size 4.2"-6" barrel 9mm that's 1"-1.1" wide? The Hellcat is the closest I've seen at 3.7"

I Have The R7 Kimber Mako 9MM. It Has A Great Trigger. And Fits Your Hand. Just My .02.

 

[the_leper_colony]

I looked up concealing a 1911 which is.more or less the size of the xdm I want. Two techniques seem to work. On it conceal the gun on the right side and conceal 2 magazines on the left to balance it out. Another which might be a little more effective is thunderwear holsters.

Knew a guy once who carried a very nice compact 1911 on one side, and to balance it out, he had a scandium-frame Smith .44 mag on the other side! Couldn't see either one with the shirts he wore.

 

[krw]

I am a self pronounced Glock affecinado. Hard to beat 43,43x, or 48 for edc pistol. I feel good 9mm is completely adequate for self defence round.

 

[Hvymax]

I'm with Mobuck. My Max9 and P11 with the short grips disappear IWB and OWB under a t shirt and my gravitational enhancement. Longer grips print big time under anything but a jacket. I'll usually shoulder holster anything full sized under a button up shirt or light jacket. With mags on the other side.

 

[sharpblade7777]

This is my favorite conceal carry for cool weather.

 

[sharpblade7777]

And most of the time I have this around my neck.

 

[Hvymax]

And most of the time I have this around my neck.View attachment 25712View attachment 25713

 

[Randyzzz]

I carry a full size HK45 when I feel the situation requires it. I'm a big guy- 6'2" and 285 lbs. I find that the correct holster makes carrying anything possible. I carry the HK45 in a Garrett Silent Thunder leather lined kydex hybrid. It's got a padded leather back and is very comfortable.

I also carry its little brother, the HK45C in a DMBullard holster. All leather, with a pronounced forward tilt. This all but disappears under a thick t-shirt. The 45C uses the same magazine body as it's big brother and I carry the full size mags with an extended baseplate on my weak side

I have found that the trick to concealing larger firearms is the forward tilt- it tucks in the grip frame and if you wear at 3:00 or slightly behind it has the benefit of your arm for cover too.

 

[Jeepnik]

Yaqui slide works just fine under a Hawaiian shirt for a 1911.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I carry most guns in a Simply Rugged holster. Most of the time I carry a Taurus G3c which carries 12+1. If I think I need more it's a S&W SD9VE which is about the same size as a Glock 19and 16+1. Seldom can I imagine actually needing more than the Taurus handles so I don't worry about anything bigger. I'm a bigger guy and carry at 3:00 with a shirt over. Very comfortable with that.

 

[Hvymax]

I honestly find it to be too much like work to go full sized. I'm not exactly in an Open Carry Friendly area in spite of it being legal. I don't want to need more than a T shirt and shorts. My Max9 with Crimson Trace disappears nicely into a Cargo Pocket. I only keep a full size in a shoulder rig for situations that might go to actual crap or not. My Bond Arms rides in a shoulder rig that I can wear under a button up shirt.