Does a true "carry belt" really make a difference in al day carry?

Tallbald · August 30, 2013, 09:28:10 PM

Been quite a while since I've posted, but last several months have been busy with surgeries and family illnesses. Been lurking quite a bit though, and have a question I'm sure I can get answered here. I never owned a true holster belt, but I would like to. Aside from carrying my single action Rugers afield, including my heavy 7.5 inch Old Armys, I'd like to be able to belt carry for CCW. To buy a holster belt is very expensive, but I can't afford a full thickness hide just to make one belt for myself. Does Tandy sell pre-cut heavyweight belt blanks suitable for a true carry belt? Thanks all. Don

Trailrider · August 30, 2013, 11:06:36 PM

First, Tandy's belt blanks are generally 8-9 oz. (1/8"-9/64" thick). So far as a "carry belt" is concerned, when I was hunting, and virtually all of my customers in the last 38 years used similar thickness belts, rather than police-style belts that generally run about 1/4" thick. I recommend a 2" to 2-1/2" wide x 8-9 oz. thick belt worn reasonably snuggly over the outside of your trouser belt, in other words, high, not slung low. A much stiffer belt, such as those police numbers are really intended to pack the holstered gun, extra ammo magazines or speed loaders, perhaps a baton, cuff case, etc. These can become uncomfortable over long hours. The thinner belt tends to conform more to your body movements. Personally, I wore the holstered gun in my #961 Trailrider holster, twelve extra pistol rounds and ten rifle rounds, in loops sewn to the belt, and a small first aid pouch. The gun was a Ruger Blackhawk .44 Magnum.

knucklehead · August 31, 2013, 01:51:03 AM

i carry a ruger lcr 38 special plus p in a avenger holster that i made in class on the belt i made with the belt blank i purchased from tandy.

have no problems with it and very comfortable.
the lcr is a lightweight gun so im not sure how it will handle a heavier gun.

Cliff Fendley · August 31, 2013, 09:17:42 AM

The heavy ccw belts from Galco and others are doubled. About a 9oz and 4-5 oz sewn together. I make them from time to time and some people think they are better being that heavy.

I personally don't see anything much over 9-10 oz as being much of an advantage but I think it depends on how you wear your belt. If you wear your belt real snug like I do the thinner belts are fine and to me more comfortable. If you tend to wear your belt looser the stiff belt doesn't flex as bad when you draw your pistol.

1 3/4 is about as wide as you can make one to wear in pant loops. That's how I make mine, 1 3/4 tapering to 1 1/2 for the buckle.

Massive · August 31, 2013, 11:45:15 PM

I recently made a "real" gunbelt out of a Tandy 1.5" belt and I lined it with some too light veg tan. but the end result was pretty nice. One could get two pieces of belt leather, one larger than the other, and glue them together, but if one doesn't have anything the odds and ends would add up fast, and doing a professional job on the stitching is not so easy when there are so many feet of it. I think one would be well advised to pay up, rather than do it oneself, unless one was really mostly interested in the making experience.

I find the really thick laminated leather is surprisingly comfortable. I don't have to tighten the belt, for it to stay in place. I can't carry up here, so that isn't an issue. The belt is really thick and I didn't think it would be comfortable, say in the car, but it is a really comfortable belt.

One thing I notice about the Tandy belt stock I get, is that it is often cut from bellies. That is low grade material, but a carefully sellected blank is pretty nice for a belt, and my laminated one feels super structural. But it does give added push to the idea that there are quality levels that explain the price of more expensive belts. On my lamed one, the lining was cut from a back of a full hide.

Graveyard Jack · September 01, 2013, 10:17:18 AM

Are we talking about heavy pants belts or wide gunbelts worn over the pants?

Tandy's 2½" and 3" belt blanks are 13oz and usually at least a quarter inch thick at one end.

Cliff Fendley · September 01, 2013, 10:18:42 AM

He said ccw so I assumed a pant belt.

St. George · September 01, 2013, 10:53:40 AM

A thing to think of is the fact that a heavier belt can be an immediate tip-off that the user's carrying a piece. - something to be avoided in 'concealed carry'.

The Tandy belt blanks are heavy enough and can be easily tooled, yet look inconspicuous.

Scouts Out!

Massive · September 01, 2013, 12:05:31 PM

1) You can have a laminated belt that is low profile and has better structure as a result of being double top grain. The sewing might be a tip-off that it is a gun belt, but there are a lot of sewn belts. And a lot of the carry options don't show a belt at all. And a single layer belt of good quality is a pretty good belt also. While a sewn gunbelt is a premium product, sewn belting is common place at all price point in the fashion, or mainstreet world.

2) The question is a good one, but the belt described is at either end of the spectrum. CCW has driven a culture of micro/light guns the likes of which we have not seen before. Carrying a large single action is pure gunbelt territory. So this could be two belts really rather than one. And certainly the consensus since the post war period is that a hefty laminated belt holds up and works better, for full size guns.

Bugscuffle · September 01, 2013, 02:00:14 PM

For a "carry" belt I like a really heavy belt. I do not carry concealed however. I do have the permit to do so, I just don't have a real need to. When I got my first permit several years ago I carried a gun all the time, but now I just do not feel the need to carry. But I digress. For a carry belt, and I have a couple of them, I use a 5-6 oz., 1 ½" or 1 ¾" leather strip and reinforce it with a rawhide, 1" or 1 ¼"strip. I then line the belt with some kind of 2-3 oz. If you want a really comfortable belt and aren't too concerned with disclosure, i.e while hunting, then you can roll the lining over the top of the belt, around the edge. I made my favorite and most comfortable belt this way. I can wear it all day in the field and never feel it. I wear a buckleless belt (Velcro closure) under it to hold my pants up.

Twitchy · September 01, 2013, 07:12:42 PM

The old adage "there is no free lunch" applies to all gun belts. If in this case we are referring to ccw belt, I think the OP was referring to comfort, and in ccw this depends on the holster. Where a thicker belt helps in ccw is in keeping the holster closer to the body and from "flexing" during carry and draws. The belt is less flexible and usually less comfortable. If you are carrying an outside the waist band conventional style holster you will be better served by the thicker less flexible belt. It will keep the butt of your gun from flopping out from your body during normal movements. It is also more noticeable to the more informed that it may be a gun belt. Hence, the lack of the free lunch time repast.

If you are wearing an inside the belt holster, the thicker less flexible belt doesn't hurt anything, but is it helpful? Not so much. The method of anchoring the holster and keeping it from sliding back and forth is more important. This is more a design feature of the holster than the belt.

Just my .02. I have worn a gun in uniform and concealed every day of my life for the last 29 years. It is truly a pain in the a$$, especially if you don't do it right

, and more so if you don't have gear that matches your body, and style of dress. Twitchy

Tallbald · September 01, 2013, 09:36:49 PM

Thank you everyone for the insight. To be a little more specific about my reasons for asking,years ago I loved carrying my Ruger old Army, Blackhawks and Super Blackhawks (one at a time of course!) in the field in an inexpensive holster on an inexpensive work belt To date my CCW has been pocket carry of a Bond Derringer .45 Colt or a more modern double action short barreled revolver. As I age, my bones ache more, my hips ache and my shape has changed. Belt carry looks to be becoming more necessary for CCW with these changes. No longer though could I be satisfied with a department store belt and I would like a stiffer, non-rolling belt to help do the job. As I had said, commercial gun belts are expensive. I Found myself wondering if making my own would be possible for me while saving money. The ideas her will help me in the deision making process and again I thank everyone. Don

Tallbald · September 03, 2013, 03:15:52 PM

It occurred to me the other night that several USA manufacturers of work accessories such as, I think, Nicholson, Dickies and Klein make and sell heavy duty leather work belts with nickeled buckles and rivets. Some I have seen at Home Depot and Lowes are tanned but not dyed or ornamented. Having vinegaroon dyed the factory sheaths of three Estwing hand axes that my wife and I gave as gifts a couple years ago to family, I may investigate buying a heavy weight leather work belt, and dying it to match a holster I might could improve the belt and turn it into a "gun belt". Kinda cheating I guess, but not much more than buying a belt blank and buckle from a supplier. Hmmmm. Don.

TwoWalks Baldridge · September 03, 2013, 05:30:22 PM

Quote from: Tallbald on September 03, 2013, 03:15:52 PM
It occurred to me the other night that several USA manufacturers of work accessories such as, I think, Nicholson, Dickies and Klein make and sell heavy duty leather work belts with nickeled buckles and rivets. Some I have seen at Home Depot and Lowes are tanned but not dyed or ornamented. Having vinegaroon dyed the factory sheaths of three Estwing hand axes that my wife and I gave as gifts a couple years ago to family, I may investigate buying a heavy weight leather work belt, and dying it to match a holster I might could improve the belt and turn it into a "gun belt". Kinda cheating I guess, but not much more than buying a belt blank and buckle from a supplier. Hmmmm. Don.

In the hardware department you can find heavy leather tool belts and one company the name of I can not remember even has one with basket stamping. Would probably work really well.

Tallbald · September 03, 2013, 07:30:21 PM

TwoWalks and excellent idea. Looking online I see photos, but of course no weight listings for the leather. Thanks. Don

Shotgun Franklin · September 03, 2013, 07:41:23 PM

I carried a gun on and off duty for 35 years. IMO, the bigger the gun the bigger the belt, in thickness and as in how wide, usually. The most comfortable gun belt I've ever owned is made of English Bridle Leather. It isn't thick but really holds it's shape and stays where I put it. I've been using this belt since '97 for CAS, hunting and occasionally for off duty jobs. BTW, it has a matching Slim Jim to fit my SAA. It's is by far the best gun belt and holster combo I could have hoped for. I suspect it will last me another 10 years.

Doc Arroyo · September 04, 2013, 03:00:32 PM

The best deal I have found for a CCW belt is from http://oldfaithfulholsters.com/

The have a gunbelt "kit". Laminated, sewn, cut, with roller buckle. Dye it yourself, screw the buckle on and save $30.

Yes, it is comfortable, I wear one whether I am carrying or not. The thick laminated leather prevent the gun from rolling.

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · September 05, 2013, 11:57:22 AM

I'm not moving this topic to the none cowboy stuff, because some of us carry our cowboy guns concealed and this topic can cover both...

Well there is a lot of great ideas here, and thank you Doc for the link http://oldfaithfulholsters.com/ this is a great way to go and for the beginner a good look at how this type holster is put together, myself, I'm always looking for a comfortable way to carry my CCGuns, lately I've gone with the Ruger LCR and LCP, for the light weight and easy to carry aspect, but also like to carry my heaver guns at times to, so I know there are a lot of offerings out there to choose from, I've made a few and I'm very happy with them, as for a thick belt, I Feel as others do, a thick belt can become very uncomfortable after a short time of wearing it, and I prefer an IWB type holster anyway, so a thick belt is not needed IMHO, hope this info will help...

tEN wOLVES

dangerranger · September 13, 2013, 08:40:12 PM

For the price these are a very good CCW belt the stiffness helps distribute the weight of the gun around your waist making it easier to carry all day without any discomfort. Running with a single layer belt will convince you of why a double layer works so much better. I also wear the Conture Better belt. It adds a little give at the back. DR

http://www.abetterbeltusa.com/rough-rider-dual-layer-belts/

http://www.abetterbeltusa.com/contour-belts-the-perfect-fit-belt-99-95/

and a belt kit!

http://www.abetterbeltusa.com/do-it-yourself-dual-layer-gun-belt-kit/