IWB is inside the waistband, and inside the pants, too. Some holsters will allow you to tuck in your shirt over the firearm. Note that with tuckable holsters, if the holster clips to your belt, you’ll still see the clips.

OWB is outside the waistband. This will typically require a longer, baggier shirt to conceal.

Open carry colloquially means that part of the firearm is exposed and visible, but it's important to understand your state law's definition. They vary in ways that can affect open and concealed carriers' decisions in how to carry and behave.

Concealed carry again depends on state law definitions. It generally means a firearm that is hard to notice or blocked from sight, but it can automatically apply to firearms just for being inside a vehicle in some states.

Open and concealed carry laws work together to both help and hinder lawfully armed people. An argument in favor of open carry laws is that it protects concealed carriers from problems if their shirt accidentally lifts up to expose the firearm.

“One in the pipe” describes a cartridge in the chamber. Sometimes people decide to carry a semi-automatic pistol without racking one into the chamber because it will reduce the risk of a negligent discharge. Gun people get really inflamed when someone suggests this strategy. They will deliberately try to insult your firearm proficiency and sense of bravery. The truth is, guns are very safe, and you should always be reverent and safe about their administrative handling. If you are, there are very few reasons to carry without one in the pipe. There are, however, plenty of situations when having to rack the slide can cost you your life. They say “you may spend the rest of your life racking the slide.” And in probably most defensive gun uses, having to rack the slide would be really hard to do. You may not have the time, the spare hand, the friction, or the dexterity needed.

A chambered firearm with no manually operable safety or with the safety disengaged is known as “condition zero.” There are five conditions a firearm can be in. Condition 1 is known as “cocked and locked,” and can only be done by firearms with a manually operable safety. Condition 2 is how revolvers are carried, but it can also apply to slide-operated handguns that can be decocked, especially for double-action-capable handguns. This is hammer-forward and one in the chamber. Condition 3 is a slide-operated handgun with a loaded magazine but an unloaded chamber. This is still a loaded firearm for the purposes of any state law I’ve come across. Condition 4 is an unloaded handgun with no magazine in the chamber. Interestingly, in some states, if the magazine is anywhere near the firearm, that’s a loaded firearm. 

“You can have concealability, access, and comfort. Of those three things, you get to choose two. Sacrifices are going to be made.” That’s a quote from a guest on Gun Guy Radio. Possibilities vary by body type, preference, and lifestyle. Because of cultural fashion expectations, people may find that their options may be affected greatly by their gender. Let’s go from most common to least common.

3:30, 4 o’clock, 4:30, five o’clock, 5:30

If you think of your belt as the circumference of a clock, these positions are behind the hip of a right-handed person. For a lefty, it’s 6:30 to 8:30. The exact position behind that hip will depend on your holster and body shape. Comfort and manageability will make that decision for you.

This position conceals firearms well unless you bend over. A good holster will conceal it better, keep it stationary and provide for a fast and consistent draw. Bending with your knees instead of your back will also help. People tend to turn away from others before bending over. It’s not as inconvenient as it probably sounds.

Six o’clock

For two reasons, this location is recommended against. If you fall hard directly on a gun at your spine, it hurts a lot, and it can paralyze you permanently. The other reason is that it’s hard to access the firearm if an attacker has you on your back. 

3:00, 9:00

This is where cowboys and cops carry because it works well for OWB.

Appendix (AIWB)

Appendix carry is always done inside the waistband. This is one of the most concealable options, but it can be physically uncomfortable for most, and it can be emotionally uncomfortable for others since the gun is pointing at very delicate parts of your body … like your femoral artery. Again, with a modern firearm and a proper holster, guns are safe. If their owners are.

There are cloth AIWB holsters designed mostly for joggers and people who wear traditionally female clothing. They’re made of tight fabric that goes all the way around your waist. They get mixed reviews with regards to keeping the trigger guard protected and the firearm’s accessibility. It seems to me the problem of the unprotected trigger guard can be mitigated with a trigger sheath which will be described in the next section about pocket carry.

Pocket carry

Backup guns (BUGs), pocket pistols, mouse guns, etc. can be carried in front, rear or cargo pockets of pants in holsters designed for pocket carry or with trigger sheaths. A trigger sheath, which can be known by several different names, is a holster that covers only the trigger and trigger guard. It holds very tightly, and it’s secured to a bag, pants, or other garment with a short string so that when you draw the firearm, the sheath stays behind and exposes the trigger guard.

The pocket carry draw can be a little slow except when you’re able to covertly pre-stage your draw by simply “placing your hand in your pocket.” This makes the draw faster than other methods, but the occasion for this will be rare. If you know an attack is coming, maybe do something to avoid it.

With pocket carry, you’ll have to dedicate the whole pocket to the gun, and for some people and some clothing styles, it won’t be very concealable.

Bra carry

There’s a bra with a holster. The gun rides just under and between your breasts. The company that is most prominent in offering this product is called Flash Bang - memorable for your future searches.

Ankle carry

The draw is slow, you can’t always access your ankle in hands-on self-defense situations, and it will have to be a very small gun. For all of its downsides, many people will find that their ankle is the only place they can carry, and that’s fine. I often hear people being forced into this option because of the type of work they do. In those cases, their threat model is far less about hands-on self defense from attackers that have closed the gap, and that’s really the biggest drawback to this method. If you’re picturing the need to duck behind a desk or a forklift before drawing your firearm, then this can work very well. It also works well for a second firearm. Carrying two firearms is known as a “New York reload,” and it has some important advantages over carrying just extra ammunition. 

Shoulder holster carry

It may look really sweet, but it’s only concealable if you’re wearing a coat, and it isn’t as comfortable as you might imagine. I also wonder about the increased risk of rib injuries from having a piece of steel touching and protruding out from your ribcage, and I apologize for the visual to anyone who has had rib injuries and understands how easily they can happen and how long they take to heal. I mention this because a lot of sports may make shoulder holster carry seem like a good option while also increasing your risk of smashing your gun against your ribs.

An interesting variation to shoulder holsters for people with a tactical belly shelf

The jogging holsters mentioned above in AIWB can be used in a unique way for some body types. It can be worn around your chest. It will of course only stay up if your belly is larger than your chest. This is a perhaps more comfortable and concealable alternative to shoulder holsters. It carries in a similar way, but it’s pressed closer to the body, allowing you to wear a snap-up shirt that can be pulled open.

Off-body carry

Ok, so off-body carry should have been listed well before the Flash Bang in terms of popularity, but it opens up another discussion, so I’ve listed it last. This is typically purse carry, backpack carry, in the car console, under the dash board, or in the desk drawer.

Should I ever off-body carry?

Look, a lot of people will give an adamant “no” about a lot of things related to firearms. Just understand the problems with off-body carry. Obviously it’s easier to lose track of the firearm or to get your bag stolen or for some child to go rifling through your bag. On top of that, you may not be near your bag when you need your firearm. And your draw will usually be considerably slower than if it’s on your person. If you’re not putting people at risk or risking adding your gun to the “street,” there are times that it’s better to off-body carry than to leave your firearm at home.

“You should just leave your gun at home.”

This is an all-too-common response to all-too-many things. People will spout this line to the following comments and questions. It seems like I’m going on into unreasonable hyperbole, but I promise I’ve seen this response to every single one of the following prompts. 

Off-body carry

Carrying without a round in the chamber

Carrying with the safety on

Carrying a 1911 uncocked

Carrying a cheap gun like Hi-Point, Taurus, etc…

I think the important consideration is: How long will it take me to get my firearm in action, and what could go wrong with the draw? Now, what are my chances of this firearm helping my situation vs. becoming a liability?