I am a newly minted concealed carrier. We moved to Pennsylvania last summer from the communist state of Maryland. I really enjoy living here now and finally got to apply for my carry permit last week in York county. I applied on Tuesday and had an email first thing Wednesday morning telling me to come in for the permit. They said that they were processing a thousand applications a month. I found that interesting.

Anyway, on to my point. Coming from Maryland, carrying a pistol in public is new to me. I already have two kydex hybrid IWB holsters to use. (I had carried once or twice in Va. with my Utah non-res permit) I'm extremely self conscious now with a gun on my person. In the summer I think it will be easier to conceal with an untucked tee shirt or polo/golf type shirt. But right now with long sleeve shirts, I just plain old feel sloppy with my shirt out of my pants. Does anyone else feel this way? Younger fellows might not, as that is more their style. But I'm 65 and having my shirt out of my pants just doesn't feel right. So it's a personal issue, but am I the only one who doesn't feel 'put together' with their shirt out?

On a more technical note, is printing more acceptable where open carry is acceptable? I'm not going to open carry of course, but it is legal in Pa. as far as I know. So my logic is telling me that folks here in Pa. might not be too concerned if a gun was noticeable under clothing.

So far I have only worn the gun to the York fairgrounds gun show this past weekend. I was wearing a light jacket as cover.

Any advice on concealed carry is welcome.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: wbw,

Good for you!!

I often have to tuck in my shirts, and a tuckable holster works quite well. I often "blouse" out the shirt at the waist line to help mask the printing.

I use the Com-Tac brand holster, quite comfortable and the clips are unobtrusive.

As I learned from others on the forum, us carriers worry much more of printing than we should.

Well one nice thing about an open carry state. Whether printing is acceptable doesn't matter. Because it's not illegal. The thing about carrying us that the more you do it the less you worry about it.

I worked white collar all my life and untucked did seem sloppy at first.

Now retired, am 63, and seems fine. Some shirts are made to be untucked, like hawaiian, camp, or fishing shirts. With jeans, most shirts look fine untucked (imo).

My wife does think it looks weird when an untucked shirt is hanging out below something like a jean jacket.

Look at camp shirts, they are meant to worn un-tucked and come in many different patterns. I wear the Van Heusen camp shirts as soon as the weather gets warmer.

Good luck

I struggled with the idea of printing at first also. I "technically" live in an open carry state but you'd still get the PD called if someone saw it. You'd get hassled and then once your papers check out you'd be let on your way.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is, assuming you've found the carry method best for your body type and size, unless your pistol grip comes OUT of the shirt, you'll "print" a little per se but will hardly be obvious to the point that the general populous will notice. Be conscious of your immediate and close surroundings and you'll be fine.

And stop touching the damn thing!

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:
I worked white collar all my life and untucked did seem sloppy at first. Now retired, am 63, and seems fine. Some shirts are made to be untucked, like Hawaiian, camp, or fishing shirts. With jeans, most shirts look fine untucked (IMO). My wife does think it looks weird when an untucked shirt is hanging out below something like a jean jacket.

At 66, I have the same experience and I agree with your wife.

As you carry more, I believe, you will begin to chose your clothing with a view to how well it conceals. This is fine, but a problem, when people buy you clothing as gifts.

For instance since I carry about 100% of the time and generally conceal by untucked garment I always buy jackets with some length to body so my untucked polo shirt is not showing under jacket.

Also, when tucking in around an iwb holster, I find that pants like Lee jeans with the stretchy fabric works best. I think they are comfort fit or something like that. I have never worn Lee jeans before, but that's all I will but now.

They make stretchy khakis also.

There are alternatives to belt carry.
https://www.kangaroocarry.com/

Can hold a 1911 CMD comfortably through 18 holes of golf, or a night of league bowling.