Does an IWB holster print less than Mexican carry? - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

wakeboarder141 · 07-12-2006, 04:05 PM

I am thinking about getting my CCW and am wondering how much better a IWB holster will hide the gun over mexican carry. I am about 40 pounds overweight and without a holster the gun prints very badly. I live in Florida so I wear light, untucked T-shirts everyday. Will a good IWB holster hide the gun a lot better than without a holster? I am just trying to figure out if IWB will even work for me. Thanks.

Shade Angel · 07-12-2006, 04:17 PM

The main thing a holster will do is keep the gun in place, so If you can find a place where the gun will not print, it will keep it there. I really don't see the holster helping directly with the printing issue. Bigger shirts in dark colors with patterns would probably help though.

Edit: But after some more thought, that depends a lot on where you are putting the gun and how it is printing. Some more details would be handy.

TA · 07-12-2006, 04:52 PM

I think a good holster would definitely help in concealing your firearm. A holster keeps the gun tucked up to your body. It keeps the gun positioned correctly and will tighten the grip up to you. Some designs work better than others, but I believe any holster works better and is a safer way to carry.

tec · 07-12-2006, 05:07 PM

To hide the "printing" you need a bigger shirt. I carry mexican style with a clip draw and I am pushing 245, ok 250. I have no problem with the gun staying tucked tight up against me, I just have to wear bigggerrr shirts to hide any printing issues. When I tried a IWB holster, it was 'more' in the waist band then I cared for. But, thats just me.

**Old School** · 07-12-2006, 06:11 PM

Remember, holster or not, your grip will be above the waistband and that is what prints. The only way to be sure you are not printing is to put your gun in a pack of sorts.

T-Shirt don't do a good job of covering a gun; they are too light. You need a heavy shirt, vest or jacket. If you are going to carry IWB, you are going to need to buy bigger clothes. For big guys, IWB is very tough to pull off. An ankle holster may be a good option for you.

Wilderness makes some nice packs...

danp · 07-12-2006, 06:41 PM

Move the gun around on your waist. I carry my 1911 "Mexican Style" just behind my right hipbone and it conceals well. On the other hand, when I carry my J-frame S&W, I carry it in a holster at the appendix position.

drewesque · 07-12-2006, 06:46 PM

With an Uncle Mike's holster behind the hip with a heavy cant, I can get less printing than mexican carry (can't quite get the cant to stay without a holster). Of course, if I had a better holster, there'd be more of a blending of the bulge and the gun would be held against me better.
As for how good my concealment is, I don't know for sure. I do know that my roommate (who is admittedly not gun-savvy) didn't notice it (under a t-shirt) until I showed him. I still don't want to wear it out and about until I have a slightly better holster...but I might.

**mtcraigco** · 07-12-2006, 09:51 PM

Howdy all,

I have to pipe up a bit here. Yes! A good holster WILL help keep a gun from printing. A good IWB will "pull" the gun into you more evenly than mexican carry ever could. A good pancake style OWB will do the same thing.

As far as comfort, some like IWB and some don't, a quality holster will provide plenty of comfort for most folks. Even big guys. I ain't exactly emaciated myself.

Yes, I make and sell holsters so you can take this with a grain of salt, but I've carried in lots of rigs and lots of ways (even mexican) before I got in the holster biz. You are always better off with a good holster of some sort. (((Unless you anticipate having to ditch your gun and don't want to have anything extra to ditch. I don't think that applies in any civilized situations though.))) Find what works for you and then stick with it.

I tend to go IWB in hot weather under untucked print shirts and then OWB for winter under sweatshirts and medium weight jackets. If concealment is a concern with OWB carry, I always use a pancake style rig.

thanks fer listenin'

lance22 · 07-13-2006, 07:52 AM

Just want to add my .02 to the notion that it is a mistake to do 'mexican carry'. The trigger is fully exposed. In order to make mex carry safer, the gun is sometimes carried 'cold' which lessens your ability to respond quickly to an attack. 'Hot' carry mexican style is an invitation to blow your b**** off.

Wu Wei · 07-13-2006, 11:06 AM

I read somwhere that some police dept. approved/suggested the XD for undercover agents (who often need to look "street")because of the grip/trigger safety design. I think it is still only slightly less dangerous than being pegged as a cop!

07-12-2006, 04:05 PM	#1
wakeboarder141 XDTalk Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Medford, OR Posts: 47	Does an IWB holster print less than Mexican carry? I am thinking about getting my CCW and am wondering how much better a IWB holster will hide the gun over mexican carry. I am about 40 pounds overweight and without a holster the gun prints very badly. I live in Florida so I wear light, untucked T-shirts everyday. Will a good IWB holster hide the gun a lot better than without a holster? I am just trying to figure out if IWB will even work for me. Thanks. __________________ XD-9 Service Remington 700 BDL .243 Remington 870 Express 12GA More XD's to come Last edited by wakeboarder141; 07-12-2006 at 04:08 PM.

07-12-2006, 04:17 PM	#2
Shade Angel XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 141	The main thing a holster will do is keep the gun in place, so If you can find a place where the gun will not print, it will keep it there. I really don't see the holster helping directly with the printing issue. Bigger shirts in dark colors with patterns would probably help though. Edit: But after some more thought, that depends a lot on where you are putting the gun and how it is printing. Some more details would be handy. __________________ "You can't shake the devils hand and say you were only kidding" Last edited by Shade Angel; 07-12-2006 at 04:35 PM.

07-12-2006, 04:52 PM	#3
TA XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: N.E. Ohio Posts: 115	I think a good holster would definitely help in concealing your firearm. A holster keeps the gun tucked up to your body. It keeps the gun positioned correctly and will tighten the grip up to you. Some designs work better than others, but I believe any holster works better and is a safer way to carry. __________________ http://www.topgunsupply.com

07-12-2006, 06:11 PM	#5
Old School XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 7,696	Remember, holster or not, your grip will be above the waistband and that is what prints. The only way to be sure you are not printing is to put your gun in a pack of sorts. T-Shirt don't do a good job of covering a gun; they are too light. You need a heavy shirt, vest or jacket. If you are going to carry IWB, you are going to need to buy bigger clothes. For big guys, IWB is very tough to pull off. An ankle holster may be a good option for you. Wilderness makes some nice packs... __________________ Visit www.pistolgear.com for all of your XD needs!

07-12-2006, 06:41 PM	#6
danp XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 1,435	Move the gun around on your waist. I carry my 1911 "Mexican Style" just behind my right hipbone and it conceals well. On the other hand, when I carry my J-frame S&W, I carry it in a holster at the appendix position. __________________ God made cops so that firefighters could have heros too. "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Nietzche

07-12-2006, 05:07 PM	#4
tec XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Holland Ohio Posts: 8,707 Blog Entries: 1	To hide the "printing" you need a bigger shirt. I carry mexican style with a clip draw and I am pushing 245, ok 250. I have no problem with the gun staying tucked tight up against me, I just have to wear bigggerrr shirts to hide any printing issues. When I tried a IWB holster, it was 'more' in the waist band then I cared for. But, thats just me.

07-12-2006, 06:46 PM	#7
drewesque XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fife, WA Posts: 281	With an Uncle Mike's holster behind the hip with a heavy cant, I can get less printing than mexican carry (can't quite get the cant to stay without a holster). Of course, if I had a better holster, there'd be more of a blending of the bulge and the gun would be held against me better. As for how good my concealment is, I don't know for sure. I do know that my roommate (who is admittedly not gun-savvy) didn't notice it (under a t-shirt) until I showed him. I still don't want to wear it out and about until I have a slightly better holster...but I might. __________________ Some people list their guns in their signature. Why give the gungrabbers an inventory before they come looking? You want my guns? Molon labe.

07-12-2006, 09:51 PM	#8
mtcraigco XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Missouir Posts: 780	Howdy all, I have to pipe up a bit here. Yes! A good holster WILL help keep a gun from printing. A good IWB will "pull" the gun into you more evenly than mexican carry ever could. A good pancake style OWB will do the same thing. As far as comfort, some like IWB and some don't, a quality holster will provide plenty of comfort for most folks. Even big guys. I ain't exactly emaciated myself. Yes, I make and sell holsters so you can take this with a grain of salt, but I've carried in lots of rigs and lots of ways (even mexican) before I got in the holster biz. You are always better off with a good holster of some sort. (((Unless you anticipate having to ditch your gun and don't want to have anything extra to ditch. I don't think that applies in any civilized situations though.))) Find what works for you and then stick with it. I tend to go IWB in hot weather under untucked print shirts and then OWB for winter under sweatshirts and medium weight jackets. If concealment is a concern with OWB carry, I always use a pancake style rig. thanks fer listenin' __________________ Mark Craighead Owner CrossBreed Holsters LLC http://www.crossbreedholsters.com

07-13-2006, 07:52 AM	#9
lance22 XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: MN Posts: 616	Just want to add my .02 to the notion that it is a mistake to do 'mexican carry'. The trigger is fully exposed. In order to make mex carry safer, the gun is sometimes carried 'cold' which lessens your ability to respond quickly to an attack. 'Hot' carry mexican style is an invitation to blow your b**** off. __________________ lance22 Minnesota

07-13-2006, 11:06 AM	#10
Wu Wei XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 658	I read somwhere that some police dept. approved/suggested the XD for undercover agents (who often need to look "street")because of the grip/trigger safety design. I think it is still only slightly less dangerous than being pegged as a cop! __________________ "Since when do lyrical skills have to do with killin' a cat? / What kind of chitlins is that?" -MF Doom Humans have always carried a projectile weapon, a blade, and fire. Who am I to discard my humanity?

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