Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

CHL discussions that do not fit into more specific topics

Moderators: carlson1, Charles L. Cotton


Topic author
Crash
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 2
Posts: 496
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 11:13 pm

Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#1

Post by Crash »

I was reading the TX DPS regs regarding concealed and open carry and I couldn't find anything that told me whether or not concealed carry has to be IWB. So, if I'm carrying OWB does that qualify as legal concealed carry as long as I have the gun covered by a shirt, sweater, or jacket? I know that OWB is more likely to make a gun print, but with the proper holster that can be mitigated. I've had a CCW license (and now an LTC) for a long time and have always carried IWB covered by a shirt or jacket, but I never thought about whether IWB is required for concealed carry.

Input appreciated.

Crash
User avatar

Grayling813
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 2326
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2019 11:18 am
Location: Arlington

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#2

Post by Grayling813 »

Concealed carry means your firearm is concealed from view, regardless of the type of holster it’s in.

kayt00
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 2
Posts: 406
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:15 pm
Location: DFW Area

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#3

Post by kayt00 »

Paraphrasing, inside or outside the waistband is fine as long it's in a belt holster (technically I don't even think it needs to be in a holster if you felt so inclined to jam it between your belt and pants, though not a good idea for obvious reasons, there are plenty of threads about why not). Shoulder holsters are also good, open or concealed, plenty of members here that do this as well.
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Nevermind...
All lost in a tragic kayaking incident.
Bring back BitterClinger
User avatar

jrs_diesel
Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 178
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2015 10:12 am
Location: League City

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#4

Post by jrs_diesel »

AFAIK, so long as it is concealed, it doesn’t matter much what holster it’s in. OWB, IWB, shoulder rig, ankle holster, fanny pack, the many varieties of ladies holster’s, etc.

For open carry, the law requires a belt or shoulder holster, but does not get into any specifics on holster types beyond that.
J.R.

SigM4
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 861
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 11:14 am
Location: Wichita, KS…for now (always a Texan)

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#5

Post by SigM4 »

CC does not have to be IWB. Many people, myself included, have carried concealed OWB long before OC was a thing.
Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.

cmgee67
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 1914
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2015 2:45 pm

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#6

Post by cmgee67 »

As long as it is covered it is concealed. Wether you IWB or OWB.

If you print, or even if your shirt comes up and somebody sees it, you no longer get in trouble. To open carry it must be in a belt mounted holster or a shoulder holster. Concealed can be in your pocket, on your ankle, iwb, ect

kayt00
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 2
Posts: 406
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:15 pm
Location: DFW Area

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#7

Post by kayt00 »

kayt00 wrote: Sat Aug 29, 2020 5:18 pm Paraphrasing, inside or outside the waistband is fine as long it's in a belt holster (technically I don't even think it needs to be in a holster if you felt so inclined to jam it between your belt and pants, though not a good idea for obvious reasons, there are plenty of threads about why not). Shoulder holsters are also good, open or concealed, plenty of members here that do this as well.
If you're going for concealed carry, IWB, OWB, whatever works for you.
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Nevermind...
All lost in a tragic kayaking incident.
Bring back BitterClinger
User avatar

Liberty
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 6343
Joined: Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:49 pm
Location: Galveston
Contact:

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#8

Post by Liberty »

Concealed is concealed. Can be in a pocket, IWB, OWB on a belt in a purse, in a backpack or in a fanny pack.

I am Sam I am.
Liberty''s Blog
"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom." John F. Kennedy
User avatar

Flightmare
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 3088
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:00 pm
Location: Plano, TX

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#9

Post by Flightmare »

Conceal carry is just that, concealed. The manner in which best conceal it is up to you. Some wear IWB holsters, some wear OWB holsters, some pocket carry, some ankle carry, there are even those who conceal carry in a shoulder rig under a button up shirt. As long as it is concealed from plain view, it is considered concealed.

Open carry is the only one that defines that it must be in a belt or shoulder holster, if I recall.
Deplorable lunatic since 2016

Topic author
Crash
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 2
Posts: 496
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 11:13 pm

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#10

Post by Crash »

Thanks to all for the input. I checked out my OWB holsters today and, even when concealed by a shirt, they do print more than my IWB holsters, so I guess it's IWB carry for me.

Thanks for the info.

Crash

grim-bob
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 274
Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 10:04 pm

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#11

Post by grim-bob »

Just to add. printing doesn't matter either. You could tuck into some yoga pants with a perfect outline and it is still technically concealed if you can't see the gun itself... Do what you wanna do so long as it is safe and don't worry about it. Hardly anyone will ever notice regardless of how you carry.
Josh

Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue.

"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Benjamin Franklin
User avatar

Teamless
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 3241
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 9:51 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#12

Post by Teamless »

And of course - in Texas
You can OC or CC...
League City, TX
Yankee born, but got to Texas as fast as I could! NRA / PSC / IANAL

NotRPB
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 1351
Joined: Tue May 05, 2015 8:24 am

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#13

Post by NotRPB »

Crash wrote: Sat Aug 29, 2020 11:36 pm Thanks to all for the input. I checked out my OWB holsters today and, even when concealed by a shirt, they do print more than my IWB holsters, so I guess it's IWB carry for me.

Thanks for the info.

Crash
no law against "Printing"
If someone is bold enough to ask what that bulge under a person's clothes is, they must be offering to help change a colostomy bag or check that person's insulin pump.

My bulge under my shirt contains a blood pressure lowering device to drop the blood pressure of anyone attacking me.... Also a portable ventilator which ventilates the attacker with numerous holes.

Concealed is concealed ..EVERYTHING concealed under my clothes is my business. I do USUALLY carry more than one because while it's the size matters thing & .45 is a bigger caliber it's only 15+1 rounds so my my 9mm carries up to 20+1 rounds for when you want more is bettah, but if they/it's under my clothing, it's my business only, bulge or no bulge it's concealed.
If there was a law against bulges I'd have been in trouble since the 1960s with multi-tool scabbards, knife scabbards, keys on a belt, belt clipped radios etc etc etc
grim-bob wrote: Sat Aug 29, 2020 11:56 pm Just to add. printing doesn't matter either. You could tuck into some yoga pants with a perfect outline and it is still technically concealed if you can't see the gun itself... Do what you wanna do so long as it is safe and don't worry about it. Hardly anyone will ever notice regardless of how you carry.
:iagree: :thumbs2:

If one desires to conceal he/ she can pocket carry, ankle carry, bellyband carry, Wilderness Tactical Safepacker carry, Brassiere holster carry, Carry in a stuffed Animal you claim is a stuffed "support animal" or Terrycloth Towel carry, Grocery Sack carry, or any number of other methods of concealed carry.
Open carry must be in a belt or shoulder holster.

chasfm11
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 2
Posts: 4140
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:01 pm
Location: Northern DFW

Re: Does Concealed Carry Have to be IWB?

#14

Post by chasfm11 »

Crash wrote: Sat Aug 29, 2020 11:36 pm Thanks to all for the input. I checked out my OWB holsters today and, even when concealed by a shirt, they do print more than my IWB holsters, so I guess it's IWB carry for me.

Thanks for the info.

Crash
Back when we all worried about printing too much, I only used my IWB. Then there was OC. since then, I've been getting less and less worried about printing. Now, I use my OWB with t-shirts. In the old days, the t-shirt had to be loose fitting at the waist or I didn't use it as a cover garment. Now, it can clearly show the outline of the holster and gun and, if it is a little short, the physical bottom of the holster. As long as it looks like I'm at least making an attempt to conceal the butt of the pistol, I consider it concealed carry.
Last edited by chasfm11 on Sun Aug 30, 2020 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
6/23-8/13/10 -51 days to plastic
Dum Spiro, Spero
Post Reply

Return to “General Texas CHL Discussion”