How to avoid printing has three parts to it: (1) Clothing matters, and the clothing that is appropriate for one to wear depends largely on the weather; (2) Learn to overcome your worry that that your concealed gun is obvious; and (3) In my own experience, even persons whose responsibility it is to notice, never have.
Here’s some context. I carry a full size pistol – sometimes a Glock 17, sometimes one of several 1911s – in a slightly canted leather thumb-break holster on my right hip all the time. I’m 5’ 9", 170 pounds, no tummy roll, no love handles.
As to clothing…
In summer with temperatures circumstances appropriate to short sleeve shirts, I wear my next size up untucked. When I attend events appropriate for a suit or a sports jacket, I don’t button it.
When temperatures are appropriate for a windbreaker there simply is no problem with printing.
As to overcoming worry, it’s nothing but guilt. Get over it. Become confident.
As to my own experience, nearly 20 years of carrying concealed, never have I been aware of having drawn attention, not in the comings and goings of the general public, not by security guards, not by law enforcement. Not ever. And that’s with carrying a full-size pistol
FWIW, just putting it out there…I have noticed my fair share of not-so-concealed carriers due to printing, clothing riding up momentarily, or other ‘tells’ where I was “that guy probably has a gun”…and to my knowledge…none of them ever knew I was aware
Glock 43 with +2 magazine (no spare) carried in a Kydex belly band (no belt needed), Tactipac FusionPac IWB Concealed Carry Holster ($80) carried at 3:30 position. Can wear with shorts, jeans or business suit. Have to increase pants size by 1" to be comfortable all day long but I literally do not feel my pistol. Can easily tuck below a belt or waistband if there is a risk of someone “checking”. Shirt tucks in over pistol and holster if needed (pro tip: keep the two bottom buttons of the shirt tucked in but unbuttoned to easily and quickly retrieve pistol).
Never adjust your pistol holster in public…but if you must, I can easily reach around my back with left hand and make the necessary adjustments.
I will add that I am mostly in jeans or dress slacks now (Business Casual) so also wear a belt. On the belt is a small can of Pepper Spray (Sabre Red) discretely tucked in an older Leatherman Tool pouch, Leatherman Charge Titanium in a leather pouch which also holds a Thrunite Ti2 flashlight (1 AAA battery). Leatherman Pouch also hold a Leatherman Croc (flat tool for things like scraping, small nail removal, can opener, bolt removal…)
I pocket clip carry a Benchmade Phaeton out-the-front knife with a lanyard. If in jeans, also have a little Swiss Army Knife (probably Executive model) always tucked into the small change inside pocket on most jeans.
Be well.
My xds… i was using a verseacarry with spare mag… but if i was laying on the ground or lean over in the engine compartment of my boat it fell out…i found a new start up company…“warcat” they just got going and i ordered an owb and got an iwb half off… they havent got a full stock yet… but i wear the owb everyday… my weapon snaps into place… adjustable cant… height… and tension… love it… iwb same way fully adjustable… and their sister company alien Tactical…i think… alian something anyway… i got my extra mag carriers thru them…
Two holsters owb and iwb… for $30.??.. and i have bought just about every kind of holster i thought i might like and is conformable and have been disappointed by most… verseacarry is good but after it forms to the weapon it gets loose over time… i had no print with t-shirt but over time the weapon would fall out if i leaned over to look at something…and i have no print with the warcat either… xds very small and with 5 round mag it fits close…
They dont make holsters for all makes yet … but i read the reviews first and they are getting great reviews from the people that have gotten holsters from them… my neighbor seen it and he felt the tension and seen the iwb and ordered two for himself also…
Switching AIWB helped me a lot with printing because I can actually visibly see how much I print. I also don’t care much anymore. Like others have said, people are oblivious.
I do wear looser shirts, I use a quality gun belt, I use a quality holster with a wedge and a claw. I can get away with a T-shirt and carry a full-size gun no problem.
Yea but…if anyone wore clothes that were two sizes too big they would easily conceal almost anything. I don’t like to dress like that, so I find other ways to conceal. This might explain a lot of questions on the topic!
Are you saying you like wearing a tight sweater and jeans? Because I am 215 at age 50 - with a sexy Italian wife who doesn’t care if I dress up, I only dress when I have a date night. I still carry my full-size EDC.
That was so funny!
