# Concealing a full size handgun.



## MarkM (Sep 7, 2007)

Still looking for a handgun to get when I get my concealed weapon permit. I looked at some guns the other day and compared the Springfield XD the regular size gun and the compact. I am 6'6'" and have pretty big hands, I really liked how the full size gun felt in my grip, the compact seemed a little small in my hand. Looking at the XD compact on the internet it looks like it comes with a 13 round magazine that had a spacer on it that makes the grip into a full size so maybe the compact is still the way to go. How hard will it be to conceal the full size gun in a IWB type holster?

Mark


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## truemule (Sep 12, 2007)

The wal-mart test.  There is alot of truth to that. When I first started carrying (many moons ago) I carried with a galco paddle holster. I was patterned by a lady and her daughter while checking out. Luckily they didn't make a seen. I changed my holster and some other things and have never had a problem since. I carry a compact model .40 on most days. But, I have carried a full sized revolver S&W 686 4in barrel without ever having a problem. Like EHF saids, its all about clothing and holster.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

I carry a Glock 21 in a shoulder harness, I also carry 1911's (full size) in a Fobus belt holster. I'm a little guy, 6'2" and 250lbs. :lol: I wear large 2xx long sleeve shirts over a t-shirt. No one knows I carry except everyone on this forum NOW. :shock:


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## huntducksordietrying (Sep 21, 2007)

Al Hansen said:


> I carry a Glock 21 in a shoulder harness, I also carry 1911's (full size) in a Fobus belt holster. I'm a little guy, 6'2" and 250lbs. :lol: I wear large 2xx long sleeve shirts over a t-shirt. No one knows I carry except everyone on this forum NOW. :shock:


I was going to say, Al, I had no idea. Do they let you carry at work? I know it seems kinda strict there, maybe not when youre the BOSS! :shock: 8) :lol:


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Not the BOSS and don't want to be the BOSS. Just a peeon. The answer is no, I can not carry at work. That is a major no, no. Instant termination. :shock: But I do have about 15 hired guns to help when needed. :lol:


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## threshershark (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm 6'5" with big hands too, and I carry full frames with no problem. I've tried the compacts, but since I shoot better and more comfortably with a full size, that's what I carry. My 1911 is thinner and easier to conceal using IWB than many compacts, because it's not really the footprint of the gun that's important -- it's the thickness. If you find a handgun with a slim profile, you won't notice a little more grip or barrel length.


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## Gee LeDouche (Sep 21, 2007)

I have pretty good size hands.. I carry a 45 Sub compact, double stack and it fits very well. I did carry a Berreta 92F for a long time before I got this 45 though. and it worked great. I never had any issues at all. this is the perfect season to carry, becuase even if it is showing through your shirt, just throw on a light jacket or vest and you'll be golden


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

So is it just that you guys don't want people to know you are packing heat that you try to keep it covered up, or is it an all or nothing law thing- if you are going to carry, it MUST be completely concealed, or completely visible?


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## threshershark (Sep 7, 2007)

Utah actually has an open carry law, meaning that if you want to stroll around w/ a pistol in a belt holster in plain sight, you can. There are some inherent issues with open carry though -- even though it's legal it can bring you some problems. People can be easily intimidated by open carry, and brandishing issues can crop up. In some circumstances it may also make you a target.

To carry a concealed weapon, you need a permit. The point of this is to maintain the ability to defend yourself without being obtrusive, drawing attention to yourself, or creating any unneccessary stir (as well as having the element of surprise to some degree).


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## Surfer Coyote (Jan 14, 2008)

MarkM said:


> Still looking for a handgun to get when I get my concealed weapon permit. I looked at some guns the other day and compared the Springfield XD the regular size gun and the compact. I am 6'6'" and have pretty big hands, I really liked how the full size gun felt in my grip, the compact seemed a little small in my hand. Looking at the XD compact on the internet it looks like it comes with a 13 round magazine that had a spacer on it that makes the grip into a full size so maybe the compact is still the way to go. How hard will it be to conceal the full size gun in a IWB type holster?
> 
> Mark


That's exactly what they've done. It is compact size with the flush fit magazine, and then the exact same size as the regular size gun when the 13 rounder is in. One way to think of it is they cut a chunk off a regular size gun and stuck it on the bottom of the magazine. I'm going to agree with width being more of an issue when concealing. Double stack guns like the XD are a little too fat for an IWB for me personally. I much prefer single stack guns for that type of carry.

Kahr makes a pretty slim .45. Their TP45 still has a pretty good grip size, but is just barely over an inch wide. If you get into one of their .40 cal the width drops to under an inch.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Yeah I knew they require a permit to CC, but I wasn't sure if there was a requirement to make sure your arm is completely concealed if you have a CC permit. I guess if Utah allows open carry, it wouldn't make sense to have a rule such as I mentioned. I can see how some people (ignorant people) would get nervous when seeing a gun, but I can tell you this much, if I decided to try some funny business and noticed someone carrying a gun, I'd think twice about my actions. On the other hand, if I thought nobody would be capable of stopping me, I might be more brazen and actually act. 

What kinds of situations might one be faced with in an open carry scenario?


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

I have found that the longer full-size butts stick you in the back when sitting in the car when CC and will stick out and "print" easier. My XD45 Service is (_surprisingly!_) narrow enough so that it isn't much different than my 4" 1911, but both can stick you in the back a bit when seated and the XD is worse than the 1911 for that. 
I think that the XD45 Compact is the ticket for a guy that wants to carry, but is not comfortable with short grip CC guns because you can use the 13-rd with spacer grip extender - at least until you get comfortable with the short 10-rd in shooting. Perhaps you are big enough to be able to just use the Service, but I have no experience with that. 
I would stick with a 4" barrel or less for CC. The XD Service or Compact both are 4".

I think that when you are looking at a concealed carry handgun you need to realize that you will have to make compromises with the gun itself. Full-size guns feel very good in the hand and are pleasant to shoot but size (and weight on some) makes them much harder to carry concealed for a long period. However chop off some butt length for concealability and you will have a gun that feels a bit less secure as to grip but carries nicer. Hard to have your cake and eat it too. You need a gun that is light weight and comfortable to carry all day or else you won't want to pack. It is human nature. When I got a Glock subcompact G27 I had to learn to shoot with the little finger under the short butt. Took a bit to get used to, but I have no problem now with the practice I've had. Sure carries sweet in my IWB holster! Same with a friend with a S&W M60 .357 revolver - doesn't feel as good as a 686 but conceals much better. It takes practice with the little guns. So I think that you can get by with the XD45 Compact and its two different magazine setups if you get a "I will master this" mindset.

BTW - the Fobus holster that comes with the XDs is a poor CC holster. There are a lot of better rigs out there, both pancake-style and IWB, but plan on spending some $$ for a quality rig. Make sure the holster pulls the gun butt fairly tight against your body for maximum concealability. Make sure the IWB rig's mouth stays open when the holster is withdrawn. Cheapies collapse and make re-holstering difficult. And make sure they won't pull off your pants/belt with the gun attached.


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