Can Pocket Carry Be Beat? Observations from the Laser Range.

You know, I’ve been pocket carrying for awhile now and haven’t had the difficulties some of you seem to be having. Even in places where being made would have been a big professional faux pas, nobody commented.

In at least one case, I told the person I would be carrying (showing a new CCW some tricks) and even though he could see I had something in my front pocket he didn’t recognize it as a pistol despite being prewarned.

But again, style of clothing is an important factor in pocket carry.

hagar said:
Mexican carry is so much faster, quieter and smoother.
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Quieter? My experience is Mexican carry has its own problems, particularly when it comes to retention of the pistol in anything but ideal conditions (and that’s modified Mexican carry with a string holster even).
 
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I've seen people open carry on private property and no one said anything. Just because people don't say anything doesn't mean no one noticed. And yes some people are oblivious. But just because some people are oblivious doesn't mean everyone is. If it's just in your pocket sure could be anything, depending on the size (at some point it gets a bit odd). But if the argument is you can walk around with the pistol clasped in your hand while in the pocket and no one will be the wiser, I just don't think it holds true.

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Some of you have massive pockets. Gun belt + loose clothing = I assume you have a gun. Clothes that hang to one side because you decided to carry a heavy pistol without a gun belt is the same assumption. Its not nearly as discrete as some people want it to be when you get past the small .380 class of guns and even those are sometimes pushing it.
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News flash....Nobody is looking at your pockets, or pants. Even if they are they don't really "see", and if they do they don't know what they are seeing.
 
Assume pocket carrying in your dominant hand pocket, what if dominant hand is "unavailable" for whatever reason, can the pistol be quickly drawn with weak hand.
Probably not.
That problem could apply to strong side IWB as well.
A solution would be have a 2nd pistol quickly accessible to weak hand, like weak hand pocket. :)

Not directed toward OP:
Yea, I know, you're not living in a war zone, not a cop, statistics, not carrying two pistols, aint gonna happen ... there I saved hitting quote to tell me that. ;)
 
Tactical bacon!

To the topic. Pocket carry is not for me, but that does not mean others may find that the best solution for them. Just make sure you practice actually drawing it out from a variety of positions and quickly.
 
Yankee Doodle said:
A properly made and properly fitted pocket holster will NEVER come out with the gun. I repeat, NEVER.
Get in touch with Robert Mika Holsters, and order one with the square bottom, and one with the round bottom made for the gun you will be carrying, and the shape of your pants pocket. Your problem will be permanently solved.
I Have been using them for 10 years and have never had one draw with the gun.
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These look like good products. So the grip of the weapon doesn't print? I'm sure it depends on the pants, but it often seems like the pockets on dress pants will flare open a bit on the top and could give a pretty clear view of the grip of a gun.

I have a minuscule Beretta Pico and it would seem like a great choice for a pocket holster, but I haven't found any I especially like
 
I carried a Kahr PM9 in a Desantis Super Fly. The tacky surface on the outside of the holster makes it "stick" to the pocket while the gun comes out. When you get too much pocket lint stuck to it, toss it in the was and let it air dry. It also has some extra material to break up the outline of the gun and to catch on the bottom of the pocket.

I ended up switching to a Glock 43 and I carry inside of the waistband now. It is much easier to conceal now, faster to draw from, and more comfortable. It helps to have love handles. LOL
 
My biggest issue with pocket carry is... I already use both pockets. I carry around enough stuff in my front pockets that I need both. Wallet (I long ago moved away from putting my wallet in my rear pocket -I have too bad a back to sit on my wallet anymore), house keys, car keys, work/classroom keys go in one pocket. In the other I have a pen (I'm a teacher, I always have a pen or two), Kleenex (I'm a teacher, I always have a pocket pack of Kleenex), knife (when not at work), pill box (for Advil, Tylenol, and diabetes meds if it will be a long enough day that I'll be out when I need my evening dose), and lip balm in the winter. I already carry a bag/case for my insulin and blood glucose monitor. So, I have to leave a lot back at home, or get a fanny pack, when I want to do pocket carry. I can do it occasionally, but it will never be my regular mode of carry (currently, when in a state that honors my UT non-resident permit, and hopefully soon, when the courts force MD and the rest of the may-issue states to go shall issue).
 
I carried my wallet in front of my gun to break up the outline. Make sure you aren't wearing tight fitting pants and have big pockets. Wearing dark colored pants helps hide bulges better than light colored pants too.
 
chaim said:
My biggest issue with pocket carry is... I already use both pockets. I carry around enough stuff in my front pockets that I need both.
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That is one of my big issues with pocket carry as well and why it tends to get relegated to “around the house” carry and cargo shorts with lots of pocketses.

To help mitigate this, I’ve taken to what I call my “utility keychain” (inspired by Batman’s utility belt; but focused on a more compact EDC size ;)). I’ve got a tiny carabiner (to add/remove quickly) with a Roxyvon Aurora flashlight, a Leatherman Mini or M4 Sebertool, and a Swiss Army Cadet. So, on a keychain I have a multitool, 500 lumen flashlight, and a pocket knife.

As a bonus, I’ve been to a couple of sporting events with “no knives” policies and while they’ve insisted I check my 3” pocket knife, they’ve never given me grief about the multitool or Cadet. Which I’m thankful for since I generally regard a knife as a useful tool rather than a weapon and this fetishism to “protect” people by denying them commonly used tools annoys me greatly.
 
stephen426 said:
I carried my wallet in front of my gun to break up the outline. Make sure you aren't wearing tight fitting pants and have big pockets. Wearing dark colored pants helps hide bulges better than light colored pants too.
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I don't wear tight clothes, but what pants are you wearing where the pockets are big enough for a pistol and a wallet?

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I don't wear tight clothes, but what pants are you wearing where the pockets are big enough for a pistol and a wallet?
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A wallet on top of a LCP or similar in a pocket? I was a bit puzzled by that comment too. Overalls or maybe overalls and a cape?
 
Some guys have huge pockets, apparently.
"I carry a Beretta 92 in my pocket."
"I carry a J frame in my pocket."
I carry an LCP in my WATCH POCKET."
 
Eh, TFL appears to be a forum populated by mutants. They are 6’4” and 275 pounds with Mickey Mouse hands that are too big for a P365; and yet they can’t possibly pocket carry a Glock 26 like I’ve been doing for a decade now.
 
Some guys have huge pockets, apparently.
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I remember Jan Libourel writing about carrying a full-sized pistol (I think it was a 1911) in his pants pocket wrapped in some kind of rag to break up the outline.

Either another gunwriter, or maybe someone who wrote in with a letter, commented that although people might not be able to tell that it was a gun in his pocket, they might think he had a can of pork and beans in there. Obviously deriding him for his less than practical carry solution.

I use all my pockets for things I can't carry other ways, so pocket carry isn't a good option for me.

Also, although no one would accuse me of wearing tight clothes, I don't wear my clothes anywhere near loose enough to carry a gun in my pocket in such a way that I would be able to reasonably access it in anything like a semblance of alacrity. I also don't wear them loose enough that I could reasonably easily walk around with my hand in my pocket on my gun to try to make my draw a little faster.

I have carried in a coat pocket, but I wasn't happy with that for a number of reasons--not the least of which, I can't reasonably wear a coat for most of the year, and I take my coat off inside because it's uncomfortably hot.

Maybe if I switched to wearing some other kind of pants with much larger pockets, things would be different.
 
Glock 26 with Galco pocket holster and Duluth Trading Fire Hose cargo shorts. These pictures show the pistol concealed, me with a master grip, and view looking down into the pocket just in case Joe Biden stealths up behind me.
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"Pocket carry is one of those things that tends to work out well on the range and not so well in reality."
Well, there it is. Someone actually knows what he's saying.
 
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