Concealed Carry in Cold Weather?

[OkieStubble]

What type of coats do ya'll wear in cold weather? But not just to hide your carry pistol, but what mode do you carry in cold weather which allows for easier or quick access?

It's only a high of 34 here today, so I dug back into the coat closet, in order to assess how, what when and why, I can or should carry each pistol and with what type of coat? Usually, us gun guys use the logic of carry the biggest caliber, your dress will allow? I would think in colder weather and bigger coats, this would mean we can pack a bigger pistol around, am I right?

Not as easily done as it sounds? The bigger the pistol, most would carry it on a hip? But how do you access or draw it quickly and efficiently, when it's under a barn coat? Or car coat? Or a Parka for you guys up in the north midwest and eastern U.S?

So I dug everything out, coats and pistols and tried to 'logically' mix & match? Here are some of my ideas & concerns along with pictures and a healthy dose of debate, advice and personal concerns (given and taken)

First up, a vintage leather bomber jacket.

I have had this at least 30 years? Sturdy, great condition, heavy zippers with leather elastic waist band and leather sleeve cuffs. Since it's kind of a cross between a moto jacket and a cafe jacket, it fits snugger to the body in the chest, but it does blouse or puff at the waist which would allow a hip carry? However, the tight elastic waist band snugs it up high & tight on the waist. A hip carry bigger pistol would definitely show.

I have been practicing wearing it today, and the only pistol that makes any sense to me for it is my Ruger LCP II in the large front flap pocket and an extra mag on the other side in the other side pocket. They don't make a holster to fit a pocket like that and the hammer on the LCP II isn't 'quite' a double action trigger like on a revolver, so, I wouldn't want it in the pocket without a holster. In order to get the Ruger soft pocket holster to stay in the pocket and not come out with the gun? I have to pull the back edge of the holster and rub it against the back edge of the pocket as I'm drawing the pistol so it will come off and stay in the pocket. It works and is doable, but not ideal.

Any advice from you fellas? Observations and points you can give me? I'm all ears.

2nd up,

Schott's 740N Pea Coat

Great cold weather winter coat. Pea Coats are classic. This fits me more like a Car Coat and the bottom of the coat seam hits me right below the front pockets of my pants and just below my back pockets. It isn't ideal to carry a full sized pistol on the hip and attempt to pull this thick coat of 32 oz melton wool along with an underneath sweater up above your waist line in an self defense action? So here is what I'm thinking my 3 options would be?

1. The 1911 in a shoulder rig with the top button or two buttons left undone and a scarf around the neck? The scarf would keep the north wind from blowing in at the chest area and the top undone buttons would allow a hand stuck inside to grasp the pistol.

2. Glock 43X appendix, with the bottom 1 or 2 buttons left undone, so access is easier? I dunno, what do ya'll think?

3. And third, The ruger LCP II in one of the deep coat pockets.

3rd up,

Vintage 90's Leather Car Coat from the GAP.

Love this jacket. Makes me feel all ‘Gangsta’.

It’s conceal carry logic matches up with the pea coat above. Probably an LCP II in the pocket, G43X appendix with the bottom button left open or my Ruger SP101 in a shoulder rig. Am I missing anything?

4th up,

Here is a smaller pea coat from Levi Strauss, it's more of a everyday beater pea coat. I usually double it up with a black hoodie underneath it. What I like about it is, it is thinner and more flexible than the higher quality Schott's 740N and it only comes to the bottom of the waist, which allows for an easy tug and pull up to expose a full sized pistol holstered on the hip.

 

[OkieStubble]

What coats do you guys wear in cold weather; and what pistols do you carry under them and what is your plan on accessing and drawing them if/when needed?

 

[OkieStubble]

Here are a few other everyday beater jackets I wear for getting dirty around the house or just daily routine errands and stuff. All of these I just carry my G43X appendix or on the hip.

All of these are flexible enough and stop at the waist which makes just lifting up the edge of the jacket in order to draw from the hip or appendix.

The last pic of the non brand Colombia slash North Pole jacket is What I have been wearing the last week. I’ve carried the Springfield under it on the hip while it’s been in the low 50’s.

In the upper 40’s I can layer it with a black hoodie, but temps have dropped already into the 30’s.

Well, I give everyone a warm welcome to chime in and share your experiences and tips. Very much needed.

 

[Acmemfg]

The Carhartt canvas jackets are order of the day when it gets cold here in Pig Knuckle, TN.
I‘ll usually carry a large frame auto (like 1911 or High Power in a shoulder rig or an OWB. Something along the lines of an Andrews Saddle Holster; perhaps a Milt Sparks 55BN.

 

[OkieStubble]

Does that keep you warm in the really cold stuff @Acmemfg ?

 

[Acmemfg]

With a sweatshirt and long sleeve Duluth Trading flannel shirt underneath, oh yeah. Warm as a mother‘s love when the weather is as cold as your ex’s heart. It’s all about the layering. This was the temperature this morning. There is snow west of here on Big Frog Mountain. Brisk indeed

 

[ColtRevolver]

I carry on my hip and just put a coat or vest on. Nothing special there. If we are out at night or in a questionable area, I sometimes put a snub in my coat pocket and walk with my hands in my pocket. I sometimes do the same with jeans or pants if they are loose like carpenters. I carry a snub in my pants pocket.

 

[simon1]

I had this conundrum when I worked armed Security in downtown Tulsa in the mid '80s. It wasn't a problem when we were in regular uniform as the Tuffy style jackets fit in between the holster of the Sam Browne rigs (no shoulder strap) and the firearm, and it also had the slit in the pocket where you could reach all the way through if you had something above waist high.

Then we went to the "soft look" of slacks, blazer, white shirt and tie. In winter we had a full size overcoat that went to well below the knee with no slit in the side pockets. When you put the overcoat on against the vicious winds through the concrete canyons your issued S&W Model 65, in the issued OWB holster, was buried under clothing. I remedied it with a .38 Derringer in the coat pocket.

Now days I usually wear a Bomber jacket but almost never zip it up, so a IWB holster for a .38 or a 1911 Mexican carry is no problem. I carry a .38 snub or a .44 Special in my front jeans pocket, side Bomber jacket pocket, or in the IWB holster quite a bit.

Sounds like you have a handle on it. Shoulder holster for larger bang bangs, and pocket carry somewhere for something else. You could always go to an ankle holster.

 

[Rob72]

I'm pretty warm blooded, so when I lived in OK, I would layer- heavy Tshirt tucked in with a long sleeve of variable weight buttoned up, but untucked, then the outer layer.

Dressed in layers, and not out for a nature walk in 20-40 degree weather, it didn't look unusual having my coat open, so AIWB was only slightly more flipping & pulling than warm weather.

I have been known to have a Seecamp in a cargo pocket, along with the full size, if I would be out in iffy parts of town (OCU campus).

 

[Rob72]

You could always go to an ankle holster.

You assume that I can touch my toes...

Kidding! I'm not there...yet!

 

[ctr]

Rarely carry owb mostly pocket carry. I favor wool, longer coats, a barn coat with layers, or a waxed jacket. Usually move the ccw to one of the coat pockets like a hand warmer pocket.

More difficult is dealing with winter gloves. Highly recommend shooting practice with winter gloves so each can work it out for himself. It is different.

 

[nortac]

I don't generally have to deal with really cold weather. I don't own a Pea coat or similar length garment. My heavy coat is a leather bomber jacket, slightly oversized. I also tend to layer as well and often wear a fleece jacket. Most of my CCW holsters are IWB. While I may carry a larger pistol in colder weather, my mode of carry does not change much.

 

[OkieStubble]

I carry on my hip and just put a coat or vest on. Nothing special there. If we are out at night or in a questionable area, I sometimes put a snub in my coat pocket and walk with my hands in my pocket. I sometimes do the same with jeans or pants if they are loose like carpenters. I carry a snub in my pants pocket.

Hands on your pockets with a snub in there is a pretty good idea.

 

[OkieStubble]

I had this conundrum when I worked armed Security in downtown Tulsa in the mid '80s. It wasn't a problem when we were in regular uniform as the Tuffy style jackets fit in between the holster of the Sam Browne rigs (no shoulder strap) and the firearm, and it also had the slit in the pocket where you could reach all the way through if you had something above waist high.

Then we went to the "soft look" of slacks, blazer, white shirt and tie. In winter we had a full size overcoat that went to well below the knee with no slit in the side pockets. When you put the overcoat on against the vicious winds through the concrete canyons your issued S&W Model 65, in the issued OWB holster, was buried under clothing. I remedied it with a .38 Derringer in the coat pocket.

Now days I usually wear a Bomber jacket but almost never zip it up, so a IWB holster for a .38 or a 1911 Mexican carry is no problem. I carry a .38 snub or a .44 Special in my front jeans pocket, side Bomber jacket pocket, or in the IWB holster quite a bit.

Sounds like you have a handle on it. Shoulder holster for larger bang bangs, and pocket carry somewhere for something else. You could always go to an ankle holster.

You can keep your jacket unbuttoned in Texas. I just got back from Braum’s before I typed this. It’s a cold 29 degrees with a stiff Artic wind from the northwest.

I wore a hoodie and layered it with a Columbia sport leisure jacket and still freezing my balls off. I should have worn something bigger.

How do you carry a .44 in your pocket?

 

[OkieStubble]

I'm pretty warm blooded, so when I lived in OK, I would layer- heavy Tshirt tucked in with a long sleeve of variable weight buttoned up, but untucked, then the outer layer.

Dressed in layers, and not out for a nature walk in 20-40 degree weather, it didn't look unusual having my coat open, so AIWB was only slightly more flipping & pulling than warm weather.

I have been known to have a Seecamp in a cargo pocket, along with the full size, if I would be out in iffy parts of town (OCU campus).

Yeah, I like to layer a hoodie under the jacket to keep the jacket open, but if your going somewhere a bit nicer or formal, layering a hoodie is a bit too casual?

 

[OkieStubble]

I don't generally have to deal with really cold weather. I don't own a Pea coat or similar length garment. My heavy coat is a leather bomber jacket, slightly oversized. I also tend to layer as well and often wear a fleece jacket. Most of my CCW holsters are IWB. While I may carry a larger pistol in colder weather, my mode of carry does not change much.

John, I know you are in a dress shirt and slacks every now and then? Bomber jacket then also? Most coats for not necessarily formal, but business casual, seem to be a bit longer? Even a heavy wool suit jacket is below the waist line.

 

[nortac]

I actually don't currently have a long dress outer coat. I rarely wear a sport coat/suit jacket, and when I do, it's not buttoned up. My bomber jacket is a bit oversized, so its longer than waist length, but shorter than a sports coat. Fleece jackets about the same. If I'm wearing a suit, I'm at a funeral or a wedding and probably not carrying a firearm. In these occasions, I'd appendix carry a tactical folder with the belt clip behind the belt. On occasion I wear a military field jacket or a shell parka, but I really have not given any special thought to any other mode of carry other than IWB hot or cold. I sometimes carry my SIG P365 or, on rare occasion, my S&W 2 1/2 in. M 66 OWB in leather, both being short handguns are not hard to conceal. If I were to travel up north in brutal weather where I was bundled up tight, I'd probably have some pocket pistol in the right front pocket of my outer jacket. While I have OWB holsters for my larger handguns, they are mainly more for range or field use rather than CCW. I have a nice Milt Sparks pancake style holster for my 1911, which would be good for CCW with a jacket, but it rides high enough to make my draw slow and awkward because of shoulder issues. It was primarily for this reason that I adopted IWB almost exclusively for CCW.

 

[OkieStubble]

You don’t carry at funeral’s? Well, I’m from the hood. Everyone else is packin’ I might as well too.

 

[simon1]

How do you carry a .44 in your pocket?

Just stick it in there. My Lee jeans have front pockets that are deep enough for a 3 inch barrel, but my Wranglers have to have a 2 inch snub.

 

[Ad Astra]

Safariland had a neat rig, a shoulder holster that hung the gun upside down... Had elastic to keep it shut. User could draw the gun from under a zipped jacket with practice - down and out. Even a 4" bbl.

AA