methods of concealed carry

November 22, 2022

One of the most common questions asked by people getting into concealed carry is this: where should I carry my gun? While I certainly have my own preferences and thoughts, ultimately that decision is up to you. My intent with this post is to give you a few comparisons and factors to consider when making your decision. We’ll start with some big picture comparisons and narrow them down to a few specifics.

Carrying on your person or not?

The first question to consider is whether you want to carry your handgun on your person or not. Carrying on your person is much safer when it comes to gun retention, reaction time to a threat, and something like accidental misplacement or theft of the bag, purse, backpack, etc. that your gun is concealed in. Not to mention the safety factor of having children around that could find your firearm if it is unattended. However, carrying on your person presents challenges of its own. You’ll need to find a good holster that works with your gun, find a carrying location that’s relatively comfortable, and get used to going about your day with a firearm in that position.

If you opt to go with the not-on-your-person method, a variety of options are available to you. The simple solution is to conceal it in a bag, backpack, concealed carry purse, etc. They even make a variety of bags with hidden pockets to carry a firearms in. My advice in these situations is to keep your firearm in some kind of holster with good trigger protection to prevent negligent discharges while retrieving it from your concealed location. And remember, take responsibility for safe handling and storage of your firearm. Never leave it unattended or in a place where it can be accessed by children.

In 95% of situations, I prefer to carry on my person. There are many options for on-person concealed carry to include a variety of waist holsters, ankle/leg holsters, armpit/shoulder holsters, or even bra holsters for women. One big factor to consider with on-person carry is the sliding scale between comfort and convenience vs. readiness and preparation. You’ll want to find a balance between a carrying location that is relatively comfortable, yet provides you as quick access as possible to your firearm should the need arise to defend yourself or others.

Waistband carry: OWB VS. IWB

The most common place to carry a concealed firearm is the waist. Waistband carry is my personal preference as well. The first choice of options that you have is whether to carry OWB (outside the waistband) or IWB (inside the waistband).

Outside the waistband is typically more comfortable and accessible, and you can usually find OWB holsters for a lower price than IWB holsters for the same gun. One drawback is that OWB carry can be more difficult to conceal, and may limit your clothing choices. Typically people carry OWB holsters on their dominant hip (on the right hip for right handed shooters and vice versa).

IWB carry (again, my personal preference) affords the ability to conceal a firearm much more easily. While you gain the ability to conceal your firearm and carry in a variety of positions, it’s important that know that IWB carry requires much more training and care to implement safely.

IWB Comparisons

Let’s say you want to explore IWB carry. Some of the common options are carrying in the 3 or 4 o’clock positions, appendix carry (carrying in the front of your waistband), or in the small of the back.

When considering these options, it’s important to recognize again that there’s no one size fits all when it comes to which option is best for you. My personal preference is either 4 o’clock or appendix carry depending on the situation. The majority of the time, I carry a Glock 19 and an extra magazine in an appendix carry holster. Admittedly, this carry method is not top ranked for me when it comes to comfort and the ability to have a very active day without noticing my firearm, but my time in law enforcement has caused me to value preparation over comfort. If a scenario requires me to be a little more mobile or tuck in my shirt, I default to my M&P Shield with a 4 o’clock carry.

Factors to consider

Finally, I want to give you a list of overall factors to consider when making your decision. Some we’ve already mentioned and some are new. They are not necessarily listed in order of importance.

Comfort - Is the carry method you’re considering relatively comfortable for you? Are you going to be able to go about your day without being too constricted by the size of gun, carry location, or other factors with your carry method?

“Concealability” - Does your carry method allow you to adequately conceal your firearm with your preferred clothing choices?

“Printing” - This refers to the outline of your gun showing through your clothing. Even if your carry method allows your clothing to cover your firearm, does your gun “print” through your clothing? This will depend much on your firearm, your holster, your carry location, and your body type.

Preparation/readiness - Does your concealed carry setup allow you to have an adequate level of preparation for potential self-defense situations? Are you able to quickly access your firearm should the need arise?

Safety - Does your setup provide an adequate level of safety? This includes things like trigger protection, gun retention (from theft, children, or your gun falling out of your holster during various daily activities)

Closing thoughts

In closing, the choice of what is the best concealed carry method is debatable, and the choice is ultimately up to you. My advice is to do your research, ask reliable sources you’re connected with, and experiment with various methods until you find what you like. And most of all, train, train, train! No matter how many safety features your firearm or holster have, that all goes to waste if your don’t practice enough to become proficient with your setup.

Feel free to check out our upcoming firearms training dates on our home page. If you have questions or feedback regarding this post, feel free to reach out to me at isaac@htlwarrior.com.

- Isaac Costley