How to Carry a Full Sized 1911

When it comes to choosing the “right” gun to carry, you will find that there is no “right” gun.  It depends on so many factors: your size and shape, where you carry, ammunition availability, recoil, ability to be concealed, state and federal laws, and so on.  For me, the choice is a full sized, full weight 1911.  Now let me get two things out of the way: what the firearm is, and why I carry a 1911.

The firearm is a Taurus PT1911, and before you get on me about choosing a Taurus, I like getting things at lower prices, and after hundreds and hundreds of rounds, I have had no issues that were not ammo related (see my issue with PCM Starfire).  My reason for a 1911?  Well, no other reason than the fact that I love 1911s, and I like the .45 round.  I am not getting into a caliber debate, because with modern ammunition technology, I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of a .22, .380, .38, 9mm, .45, or anything.  It’s all deadly, and it will all hurt.  So, moving on…

So how do you conceal a 1911?  No matter how you look at it, it’s a big and heavy gun.  Let’s take a look:

She’s a beast, but with the right holster, the problem is solved.  First off, carrying a 1911 inside the waistband is probably your best bet at concealment.  What I use is the Galco Kingtuk.  A good friend of mine said that a carry gun sometimes can only be as good as the holster it is in.  He is right.  With a quality holster like this one, you can feel confident in knowing your draw will be the same each time.

Glaco Kingtuk

Now it’s time for me to review the holster.  Now, I haven’t been wearing this for a few days and now I think I’m qualified to review it.  No: I’ve been using this holster exclusively for over a year.  So here it goes…

First off, let’s address the weight (about 2.8 lbs loaded [1.27 KG]).  The two, one inch wide clips on either end do a fantastic job of spreading the weight out over a great surface area.  You don’t even need a fancy gun belt to accomplish this.  I wear a $10 belt from Walmart where the leather is separating and the stitching is coming out, but it still works just fine.  Just make sure your belt is tall and somewhat thick.

The leather itself keeps most of the firearm off your body except for the grip.  So you don’t have to worry about the safety digging into you.  The small piece of Kydex really does a good job at firearm retention.  I have run a few times with this holster on, and I felt confident the 1911 would stay in place.  For a full on sprint, I would hold the gun down just to be safe.  To help keep the giant firearm concealed, the holster has about a ten degree cant which keeps the butt of the gun from sticking out.

The holster is very comfortable, and easy to wear.

Back to main topic…

Now that we’ve covered the holster, let’s get back to concealing the firearm.  As you can tell, it really comes down the holster.  You also want to wear a shirt that is the correct size for you.  Something too tight will cause a 1911 (like any firearm) to print.  Depending on where you live, that may not be a problem, but that could get you in trouble in some states.

Since a 1911 does have a long grip, do be careful about bending and reaching.  When I do that, I have a problem with my shirt finding its way to a resting position on the back of the grip, exposing the firearm.  Depending on where you live, this could be illegal, as it is for me.  A quick exposure by way of everyday activity is “legal” here (in Florida), but if I don’t correct the issue after noticing, or fail to notice and don’t pull my shirt back down, I could be in some serious trouble.

So how about a 1911 while driving/sitting?  In all honesty, it’s not too bad.  Now, with a long barrel, when you sit, it may poke the seat.  With your body pressed against the holster, the firearm remains “locked” in the holster, but it is tight.  A firm sit down could push the firearm out of the holster, but the likeliness of that happening seems very slim.

When driving, it can be annoying.  I have bucket seats in my car, so they tend to try and cup your body.  With a 1911, the seats do push the firearm more into your side, but anything around 30-45 minutes of driving is quite tolerable.  I’ve driven as far as an hour and forty-five minutes with it, and it didn’t bother me too much.  You just may have to move the holster up a little more.

All in all, it is easy and comfortable to conceal a full sized 1911.  If you love 1911s, this may be something you are interested in doing.  I do each and every day.  Just make sure you get the right holster, dress appropriately, and you’ll be fine!

How do you carry your 1911?  Let me know in the comments below!  Don’t forget to check us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!