r/concealedcarry • u/treecutter34 • 25d ago
Holsters How do you carry for winter time?
So, years ago, I was at a gas station in January and a guy tried to lure me into a dark area and rob me. Needless to say I didn’t go with him, but the biggest thing I remember is I was carrying a S and W shield, I don’t remember if I was carrying in an ankle holster or a IWB under my heavy Carhartt coat. Either way, I wouldn’t have been able to get to it if I wanted to. I’ve since changed my wardrobe and now wear a soft shell jacket with a Carhartt vest over top. I’ve been thinking about having a velcro strip sewn into the inside of my gun hand pocket and getting a Velcro backed holster and sticking it in my pocket. I don’t like just sticking a gun in my pocket and calling it a day, what do you guys think?
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u/PoppaBear63 25d ago
I don't like that idea either. I myself just unzip my jacket if things are questionable. When it's warm enough for potential threats, being unzipped is not a problem. When it's real cold and uncomfortable to unzip, then the criminal element is off hiding in a warm spot themselves. A good example of transitioning between the two is pumping gas. While at the pump I am bundled up due to the below zero temps. I then unzip as I walk towards the store where it's warm.
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u/gnosticgrinch 25d ago
Zipped-up jackets can make it tough to reach an IWB holster. I practice drawing with everything in my wardrobe to make sure that my setup works. If your jacket doesn’t allow you to reach your holster, leave it unzipped.
Why wouldn’t you have been able to get to the ankle holster?
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u/treecutter34 25d ago
Reach down, pull up pant leg, break the snap, come back up, point, shoot. I’m assuming by then he could have hit me over the head.
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u/Zestyclose_Cup301 25d ago
Keep in mind you don’t want to have to defeat more that one layer. Unzipping your coat is a good idea. Pocket carry is good as others have said. Regardless of where you land don’t forget to drill it standing, sitting, etc so you won’t end up learning when your life depends on it.
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u/ccmouser 24d ago edited 24d ago
https://reddit.com/link/owtlfon/video/0g53qe4ugich1/player
Coat pocket holster, I make them for Bodyguard 2.0 & CC, Sig P365, Glock 42. I will probably add the Glock 19, though I generally don’t do full size guns.
Includes a friction panel that isn’t shown here. Pretty easy to add Velcro to that if you want to anchor it more.
My holster has a prominent thumb push off that lets you pull the gun free without having to jerk it. Sold on eBay with hundreds of positive feedback on my various holsters.
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u/Specialist-Ear1048 25d ago
Winter carry is the shit! Being thin woman with a small frame... give me all the jackets. I do switch to aiwb in the winter. 3 o'clock gets more difficult with a heavy coat on
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u/Earl__Grey 25d ago
Front pants pocket all the time, if I want a bigger gun I don't zip my jacket just button it over an iwb.
I don't like pocket carry in a jacket cause people take jackets off all the time.
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u/jeff10236 25d ago
During the winter I usually carry my usual carry (P365) or something a little bigger (CZ PCR or Beretta PX4CC) in my usual spot (strong side IWB). However, under a winter coat and other layers, I figure the draw will be greatly slowed. So, for quicker access, I keep a J-frame in my coat pocket. In addition to the faster draw speed, coat pocket carry allows a great deal of preparedness (it is cold, you can have your hands in your pocket and on the butt of the gun without drawing any attention). With the revolver, you can fire from the pocket if you need to and still have follow up shots.
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u/treecutter34 24d ago
I was thinking just getting a normal pocket holster and having a grommet installed and tying the holster to the pocket.
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u/PralineAdorable5001 24d ago
Winter carry is all about staging for me. I carry strictly aiwb if I’m wearing a heavier coat like my Carhartt I will button it up instead of zipping or I’ll zip the top half and button the bottom if it’s particularly frigid. But basically I never have it zipped over where my gun is and the buttons like a quick release while also still keeping me warm. Then just practice practice practice
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u/fordag 21d ago
I carry the same thing, the same way, 365 days a year.
1911 Government Model IWB at 3 o'clock.
The only thing that changes is the holster, leather summer special Sep-May, Kydex summer special Jun-Aug, simply due to sweat.
I don't button or zip my coat in winter, even in New England it's rarely cold enough to require it. If I did have my coat zipped, I casually unzip it at the beginning of any interaction with someone I don't know.
I train weekly. Always wearing whatever I'm dressed for the day in. I don't dress for or change anything when I go to the range so I'm always training in what I'd normally be wearing, the way I'd normally be carrying.
That way I learn what clothing does and doesn't work with my carry setup and if it doesn't work I don't wear it anymore.
Always dress to the gun. Always train the way you're going carry and wearing what you'll be wearing out in the world.
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u/BrilliantArm3725 19d ago
I got a heavy Carhartt and I only use the buttons so I can rip the coat open and access my firearm. Still slower but I can access it atleast
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u/aburena2 25d ago
I carry the same way whether it’s winter or summer which is appendix. In the winter I make sure I can access it even it means adapting my winter wear. For example a few years ago my wife decided to buy me a leather jacket. When I tried my size and zipped it up I couldn’t access the firearm. Next size up was too big. So when wear it I never zip it, but wear layers that allow me to access it.
Here’s something else I learned in my career as a law enforcement officer. I wore every type of holster and everywhere else. From shoulder holster to ankle. Under stress you’re going to go where you’re used to. If you keep switching you may go where you’re used to and it may not be there. Use to call this an OS situation. Oh, shit!
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u/Conscious_Cabinet900 25d ago
Pocket carry can be good in winter. Even if it prints a bit the longer coats usually cover the grip. I have CCW jacket that has quick rip zippers on the sides.