Disappointed in first time trying to Conceal Carry

[Sdexcalibur]

After doing much research I picked up a HK vp9 and went with the Alien Gear core pack. After taken a pistol class on Sat. and running a few hundred rounds thru it. I finally decided I felt comfortable enough to take it out concealed.
I set up the Alien holster for appendix carry, paired it with a pair of carhartt jeans and long sleeve. The shirt was a little baggier than I would normally wear. I felt like the bulge was pretty obvious and printed pretty bad. I switched up the holster to IWB and same thing. I'm not sure if the holster or the the gun. I really like the idea of the holster, seems like it's made well and they put some real thought into it.
I don't have a lot of experience or access to a bunch of different holsters to try them. I'm on the fence of returning the holster setup and just getting a OWB holster for range/ class. Currently looking at the Springfield XDS mod 2 in 9 MM for a EDC or M and P 2.0 compact. Any thoughts on the setup, either what I have or looking into. I'm 5'-6". Happy Shooting everyone.

 

[enbloc]

Lol. I thought you were going to say you didn't get a chance to shoot someone...

Also, don't worry about your "bulge". You're the only one looking.

And good job, welcome to the "I am my own protector" community.
~Matt

 

[bottle-cap]

Give it some time. Wear what feels most comfortable. The bulge is just your cell phone or insulin pump. Nobody else looks or cares.

 

[headednorth]

Can only give you my experience which was I felt the whole world knew I had a pistol on my hip. Over time I learned that most people go through their lives mostly oblivious to whats going on around them. I would watch people and no one was looking at my hip or me in general. I became more comfortable as time went on and now I dont think twice about carring a Glock 19 iwb with a tshirt over it in the summer. No one knows shit.

The way youre most likely to give yourself away is to constantly be reaching around to check if its covered. Its more than likely all in your head. You look in a mirror and see a gun under your shirt because you know theres a gun under your shirt. Other people dont notice and if they do, theres a bunch of things it could be other than a gun. The more you do it the more comfortable youll become.

 

[Supermoto]

try carrying a 3-4 instead of appendix, see how that works out for you.

 

[Buck F]

Those who notice don’t care, those who care don’t notice.

Give it time and you’ll get more comfortable with it. You aren’t very big and you’re carrying a full sized duty weapon IWB, that may take some getting used to from a comfort standpoint but if you wear the right clothing no one will notice.

 

[PL-52]

If some other guy is looking at your "bulge" you have a bigger problem than printing a firearm. He probably wants to do the horizontal mombo with u.

 

[PL-52]

But then again I had a 2 way radio strapped to my hip working a road side job, some soccer mom called the local PD and said there was a man with a firearm in a holster at the jobsite. Local PD comes over and has a WTF moment.

 

[JDL]

Both those guns are bricks. Get a Glock the bulge wont be as big and as other are saying your the only one noticing the bulge. Once you get comfortable carrying you wont even notice and you wont even think about carrying once you do it enough to become comfortable.

 

[MisterHappy]

I don't habitually carry.

I went to Boston's Theater District with MsHappy, my 2 kids, my sister-in-law, and her 2 kids.

I told my more-into-it kid that I had the Walther at 6:00, when we left.

No comments from any of the others.

When we got home, and I tool off the iron, the comment was, "I thought you were sitting a bit funny at dinner."

As noted above, it's more you "knowing" that everyone sees your little friend, than others actually noticing.

Just know the laws for wherever you are - know where's verboten, and act accordingly. I don't mean ask at your local gun store, or your friendly neighborhood LEO - read the actual laws, so you don't start of with, "I was told...." when someone tells you that you can't do 'x'.

 

[MuzzleDiscipline]

It doesn't take long and you will overcome the self consciousness.
Appendix carry isn't the easiest for some to pull off and it has a way of constantly making itself known to you.

I frequently see people printing on the strong side hip but I am always looking and I have yet to see anyone else notice what I see.

 

[Sevenrats]

In Ma it is absolutely imperative that nobody notice. The snowflakes will freak out and call 911. I once was in a Papa Gino's and had my Glock 26 OWB but under a t-shirt and a zip hoodie and when I reached for my wallet I oopsie uncovered the gun for 1 or 2 seconds. I realized it and quickly covered it but I looked around and there was a guy sitting behind me at a table with his two kids and he looked like he was going to die. I mean like real fear in his eyes. Our eyes locked and I smiled and said "how ya doing, nice day huh?" and took my pizza and got the heck outta there. Since then I go IWB. That poor guy probably soiled his Fruit of the Looms.

 

[LLF]

Give it some time. Wear what feels most comfortable. The bulge is just your cell phone or insulin pump. Nobody else looks or cares.

Or maybe the bulge is a colostomy bag and could you please help me empty it? That'll get them to mind their own business.
BTW bottle-cap I like your avatar. Well said.

 

[drgrant]

This is the first time you've carried a gun and you went for appendix? jesus christ.

 

[Snora]

Smaller gun and a 4-5 o'clock carry might work better. Everyone here is going to have a suggestion but body types and personal preferences are going to vary wildly.

 

[Buck F]

This is the first time you've carried a gun and you went for appendix? jesus christ.

Go big or go home...

 

[Lucas McCain]

So is that bulge an insulin pump or are you just glad to see me?

 

[G19]

The VP9 is a nice pistol, but it's very tall (5.41"), so the handle will tend to "stick out" and print. It's also wide at 1.32", which can make it print more as well.

I have an XDS 9mm 3.3" (mod 1), and it disappears with the 7-round mag (4.4" height) and is easy to conceal with the 8-round mag (5" height). It's only .9" wide. You lose only a couple of rounds in capacity and gain a lot in concealment.

I am 5' 11" and 210 lbs. I would find a VP9 tough to conceal. I only carry IWB. Just reaching up to get something from the top shelf at a supermarket could be dicey otherwise.

I hope that helps. Good luck.

After doing much research I picked up a HK vp9 and went with the Alien Gear core pack. After taken a pistol class on Sat. and running a few hundred rounds thru it. I finally decided I felt comfortable enough to take it out concealed.
I set up the Alien holster for appendix carry, paired it with a pair of carhartt jeans and long sleeve. The shirt was a little baggier than I would normally wear. I felt like the bulge was pretty obvious and printed pretty bad. I switched up the holster to IWB and same thing. I'm not sure if the holster or the the gun. I really like the idea of the holster, seems like it's made well and they put some real thought into it.
I don't have a lot of experience or access to a bunch of different holsters to try them. I'm on the fence of returning the holster setup and just getting a OWB holster for range/ class. Currently looking at the Springfield XDS mod 2 in 9 MM for a EDC or M and P 2.0 compact. Any thoughts on the setup, either what I have or looking into. I'm 5'-6". Happy Shooting everyone.

 

[golden chicken]

I tried my VP9 appendix and couldn't do it. The OAL is too great to work with my tactical dad bod. I comfortably carried it at 4:30, right above my back pocket, but then it got in the way of pulling out my wallet and it also stuck out badly every time I bent forward--which is a lot since I fix cars for a living.

Traded my VP9 for a VP9sk and am experimenting again with appendix. It's much more comfortable with the shorter OAL. I can push everything down so the gut sort of sits on top of the back of the slide. It prints far less like this even for a new paranoid concealed carrier like myself. It still jabs me in the gut a bit when bending forward or sitting in a car, but it isn't exposed or so uncomfortable that you couldn't bend or sit. "Bonus": as a MA resident, there is no loss in mag capacity going down to the VP9sk or P30sk because you only get 10 either way.

Of course, now I have to consider things like belt buckle placement.

 

[Lucas McCain]

Or tell them you just had a big meal and your colostomy bag is getting full.

 

[Racenet]

Give it some time. Wear what feels most comfortable. The bulge is just your cell phone or insulin pump. Nobody else looks or cares.

Or it's just "None of your f***ing business". It's not a damn insulin pump, so don't say that it is.

 

[MisterHappy]

So is that bulge an insulin pump or are you just glad to see me?

Depends if you're a donut, I guess!

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I set up the Alien holster for appendix carry

While I cannot recommend appendix carry for most situations (and no I don't have any been there done that bonafides from the mean streets of suburbia to give this personal opinion any special credibility), one advantage of that location is the explanation of "colostomy bag" is consistent with the placement.

 

[yogi]

The first time I carried I thought everybody was staring at me. Seriously, I was totally paranoid and expected the police to arrive at any moment. Once you get the right rig, took me several tries, you will be fine and forget it's there. I carry 3-4 and find it an easier draw.

 

[TheRoland]

Don't carry appendix until you know exactly what you're doing with the gun, the holster and your belt.

Holstering a gun is the most dangerous thing most people will ever do with a firearm, and until you know this, you shouldn't point a gun at your femoral artery. You /especially/ shouldn't do it with a striker-fired gun in a 'jack of all trades' holster.

 

[FrankNA]

Pretty much what everyone else has already said - unless someone actually see's your gun, nobody will notice that you're carrying. When you first start to carry, the paranoia level is off the charts. It's a constant, OMG that person is looking at me cause they know I'm carrying a gun!!! Reality - no they don't... Most people are lucky to be aware of where they are than notice someone CC'ing a firearm.

 

[Eugenio.FV]

What are the negatives of apendix carry? I just got a carry gun (p365 + vedder holster), never having carried before, and chose appendix. Mostly because im a big guy and feel like side carry wont work, and id be paranoid having it at 5 or 6, where I feel someone, if they knew, they could easily reach for it.

So far tho, I make sure to take off the holster to reholster, last thing I need is to shoot my nut into the floor.

 

[McReef]

try carrying a 3-4 instead of appendix, see how that works out for you.

I agree 100%! Try carrying 3 or 4 at the same time, that way when you just have 1 it will seem like a cakewalk.

Seriously though, as long as you know it is secure, just do it. No one else is going to notice, and if they do, then what? Worst case, a cop will want to see your card. Relax, you aren’t doing anything wrong. Hell, at least you did some practice before strapping up, you are way ahead of the curve b

 

[headednorth]

I want to like appendix, but I could never get it to work for me, at least with the G19. Constantly having to adjust it, especially going from sitting to standing and vice versa. Tried to give it some time but never really was comfortable. Like the idea of having it in front of me but just couldnt make it work. Maybe Ill try a different holster design at some point but as of now I bailed on it.

 

[MuzzleDiscipline]

What are the negatives of apendix carry? I just got a carry gun (p365 + vedder holster), never having carried before, and chose appendix. Mostly because im a big guy and feel like side carry wont work, and id be paranoid having it at 5 or 6, where I feel someone, if they knew, they could easily reach for it.

So far tho, I make sure to take off the holster to reholster, last thing I need is to shoot my nut into the floor.

Shooting your nut into the ceiling isn't recommended either.