Open Carry In Winter

imported post

So all winter I haven't been carrying at all. I don't have my CCW yet, and all of my winter coats are parka style, real long, real warm, and each of them would cover my pistol.

I tried walking the dog once with the coat hiked up and attempted to tuck behind the holster and all I achieved was a consistent cold breeze on my ribs and the coat keeps falling over the pistol making me illegal.

It's difficult yeah.

I don't wanna look like some kind of swat wanna be psycho with a drop leg tactical holster wandering around my neighborhood with a dog on a leash LOL.

So what do you do? Cut a big V slice out of my coat???

What do you do???

imported post

The only thing I could suggest is wear your belt just a tab bit looser so as to pull part of your coat between the belt and your pants. Or just wear a sweater with a hooded sweat shirt over that, it's what I did until I got my drop leg.

That or give the gun to the dog, train him to shoot on command and hope he doesn't spot a rabbit or cat on your walks.

Seriously, just get the drop leg holster. You'll be glad you did, I was.

imported post

I had been pondering the same issue and then I ran across what is commonly known as a Tactical Thigh Holster or just a thight holster. It allows for the sidearm to adopt a lower carry stance and in most cases, be lower than most regular length jackets.

An added bonus to the thigh holster, it places the sidearm at a much more comfortable distance making the draw, if need be, more natural than the standard belt holster. I currently use 4 different holster systems (horizontal should rig, standard belt holster, paddle holster (SIG), and now a thigh holster) based upon the situation.

The only major draw back to using a thigh holster is that due to common "sheeples" POV, thigh holsters are seen as a "military" thing and therefore, they do tend to draw alot more attention than a regular holster. While we want and have to make sure that out sidearm is seen when we OC, there can be some negative stigma unjustly attached to this mode of carry as well. So, to each their own I guess you could say.

imported post

I personally wear a short jacket and layer my clothing. That works great!

imported post

Ivan Sample wrote:

I personally wear a short jacket and layer my clothing. That works great!

Click to expand...

That works as well as long as you can keep the gun fully below the bottom of the jacket. Very good.

imported post

I can relate, I had an issue with this as well, I just went last wednesday and qualified for my CCDW... waiting for the certificate now to take to the sheriff...