Levels of concealment in close contact situations
I never thought about this all that much until the first time that it happened. In the Advent of cell phones it’s actually easier and easier to get away with now, but it can be a problem in unfriendly territory. Many first time CCW holders start out with a paddle holster and a large size auto, but slowly transition to IWB. IWB may not be the most comfortable for everyone, but there are problems that can come up with OWB in office, weddings, social environments. There are gray areas where CCW may not be acceptable, but not illegal, and you may have problems.
I am speaking from experience here and not about what happened to me, but what happened to a friend of mine. A women he worked with brushed up against him in a door way and hit the side of him where the firearm was. She felt a clunk and then pushed up against the part of his body where she felt the gun holsters protruding area and start to say “what the hell is that” she kept poking and prodding him until she broke out into a cold sweat and realized it was a gun. You’re average citizen isn’t going to look for a CCW, but if they find one, they may announce it. It’s not just about hiding the gun from sight, sometimes concealment means not being able to find it in close contact situations.
The Beretta 92FS is one of the longest serving sidearms in the United States Military for a reason. As much as a love the 1911, I have to agree that an average shooter will be more proficient with the M9 than with the M1911. Carrying the Beretta 92FS in an IWB holster is possible but I doubt it would be very comfortable for 24/7, but try putting one in a Fobus paddle holster and wear a good gun belt like The Wilderness instructor belts and you won’t notice the weight. I would highly recommend picking up atleast 1 double mag holder for your sidearm. These are great Winter carry guns and carry holsters, but will require a longer cut coat or jacket for concealment.
The concealed carry market is exploding with various tactical apparel and holster designs. Most gun owners that are not in law enforcement have the ability to select whichever firearm suits there comfort level and that will change depending on the environement they are in. Sometimes the idea of getting a $150 or higher shoulder holster sounds like fun and you can announce to everyone in the room that you are carrying a full size handgun, but that’s not really concealment. It’s hard to really give suggestions on what is best for concealment, because some of the best shooters I know carry a small auto or revolver in a pocket and I wouldn’t want to mess with them.
Some users like to bash the clip on holster designs and the reality is that a clip on isn’t as secure as a paddle or belt design, but if you match the right belt to a holter, it is a fine CCW option, especially if you are going to be taking the gun and holster off while you are out. I personally prefer the vertical shoulder holster design, but I’ve been tempted to wear the Galco Miami Classic holster on occassion. They are defanitely one of the nicest shoulder holsters out there.
The Bianchi black widow holster can be used with a J-Frame revolver. You will want to choose a good gun belt for any of your Bianchi holsters. Some of the Bianchi holsters are attached to a belt through a belt loop or by a clip. Depending on your preferences, you will have to decide on what works for you. As to which type of belt, we highly recommmend using The Wilderness Belts which come in various styles and colors.
Additionally, holsters with this all-new ergonomic design are completely operable with the thumb making training easy, and the straight up draw makes them very instinctive to use, yet difficult for an assailant’s attempted takeaway. And finally, once the retention devices are released, the weapon can be drawn straight out of the holster with no twisting or other motion required.