I just wanted to share my brief journey with successfully concealing a subcompact handgun inside the waistband (IWB).
At 5' 8" with a 38" waist, I found that even a Ruger LCP didn't hide well because the excess "energy storage" around my middle was pushing outward on the grip and printing through my T-shirt. Wearing a larger pants size didn't help, because the handgun would still ride with the grip angled away from the body. A looser shirt helped some but just didn't look right. A tight, stiff belt helped keep the handgun more vertical but pressed hard against my energy reserves; that was uncomfortable and unsightly!
I decided to push hard to lose some weight, partly to achieve a better score on my military PT test, partly for my health, and partly to improve handgun concealability.
The result? At 36.5" now, the Ruger hides much better appendix IWB than before! Another inch or two will be perfect for a larger firearm like the Walther PPS (I know, still a small handgun by many standards). It is amazing how much a flatter belly will contribute toward one's ability to conceal.
If you suffer from the "dunlap" syndrome and have trouble concealing comfortably, give this a try--you might be pleased with the result.
Kwc
At 5' 8" with a 38" waist, I found that even a Ruger LCP didn't hide well because the excess "energy storage" around my middle was pushing outward on the grip and printing through my T-shirt. Wearing a larger pants size didn't help, because the handgun would still ride with the grip angled away from the body. A looser shirt helped some but just didn't look right. A tight, stiff belt helped keep the handgun more vertical but pressed hard against my energy reserves; that was uncomfortable and unsightly!
I decided to push hard to lose some weight, partly to achieve a better score on my military PT test, partly for my health, and partly to improve handgun concealability.
The result? At 36.5" now, the Ruger hides much better appendix IWB than before! Another inch or two will be perfect for a larger firearm like the Walther PPS (I know, still a small handgun by many standards). It is amazing how much a flatter belly will contribute toward one's ability to conceal.
If you suffer from the "dunlap" syndrome and have trouble concealing comfortably, give this a try--you might be pleased with the result.
Kwc