One reason I chose both the Bodyguard 2.0 and the Hellcat OSP is because both of these handguns are about 4″ tall and 6″ long. They’ll fit into a front pocket.
I have a long torso. This means that nearly every shirt I own is too short to cover my belt line. Should I raise my arms, nearly every shirt I own comes up above my navel.
When concealing a handgun in the waistband, I’d need to buy shirts with about 6″ more length, which is hard to find. Typically it is only possible if I can find tall sized t-shirts or size up from a large to an xtra large shirt. Those are often quite baggy.
I also live in California which is a non-permissive environment. I want to make sure that if I conceal my weapon that it stays concealed. Beyond the issues with clothing, I live in a warm climate, so wearing heavy denim or long, thick shirts is honesty not very comfortable in summer heat. I’m usually in soft cotton shorts and a thin t-shirt.
For that reason I bought two guns. The Hellcat will be my winter carry, or what I take with me at night. The Bodyguard 2.0 will be what I carry when I’m in less clothing since this gun is less than an inch thick and weighs under 10oz when unloaded, it’s a lot easier to conceal than a hellcat, which is exactly 1″ thick and about 17oz unloaded. That’s basically half a pound heavier, which doesn’t seem like a lot, but is, when it’s riding in your pocket.
I’ve decided that rather than carrying a full sized gun or even a compact in the waistband, I would benefit from a sub compact or micro sized gun, riding in my front jeans pocket.
While this is feasible, the jeans must have enough room to fit both my hand, and the grip of the gun. I usually wear Levi’s 511 or 514. These jeans are stretchy and comfortable but the pockets are not going to work for the hellcat. They will work fine for the BG2.0. I have decided to try a “tactical” jean from LA Police Gear.
If these jeans don’t work, I may try 5.11, Dearborn Denim, or ultimately bite the bullet and get some CCW Breakaways which have a hidden flap that covers an enormous pocket, that allows the wearer to conceal fairly large firearms. CCW Breakaways run about $85 a pair, not too far off from a normal pair of jeans and actually well below what nice denim costs. They look fairly normal until you get up close and then you can tell there is something going on with the pockets. It’s not a deal breaker for me but I’d like to just wear normal pants with the fit that I like. Ultimately I know that to some extent, you have to dress around the gun.
I’m sure I’m not the only person that wants the option of stuffing a gun in their pocket – so I’m going to do my best to share what I learn about deep concealment, probably right here on this blog.
Other Carry Options
In winter, if wearing a jacket, a shoulder holster is another way to conceal a firearm. That’s an option I might try.
For small guns, like the bodyguard, Kahr p380, or even the hellcat, ankle carry is a viable option. With ankle carry, you do have a better draw from a seated position, say driving or working at a desk. However if you’re out and about, an ankle holster is an incredibly slow draw, if the concern is a parking lot mugging or car jacking.
Another option beyond inside the waistband, pocket carry, ankle or shoulder carry, is off body carry. My hesitation with off body is that once your gun is in your bag, that bag cannot leave your body until you are able to return the firearm to it’s safe. I’ve mentioned it a little in this blog, but I have a baby girl on the way, and I know as they grow they get curious about mom and dad’s stuff and start to go through it. I don’t feel comfortable with a gun on a bag, even if it never leaves my body, because all it takes is one time of needing to remove it for a irreversible tragedy to strike. While it may be completely safe for 1-3 years, the day it becomes unsafe is not predictable and I don’t want to ever realize that the window closed and I missed it.
So for now I’m going to stick with on body carry only.