Considering a pocket revolver -- but do they actually fit in pockets???

I pocket carry all the time, however, I wear cargo pants/shorts or Docker style (pleated waste, full cut) pants most of the time. I do not pocket carry with blue jeans. If the OP is a Millennial and wears the current style slim cut pants and jeans then pocket carry may not be practical. I don't see many younger guys wearing the style docker I wear anymore.
 
My Carhartt jeans have pretty deep pockets. I didn't like pocket carry with 2" snubs. It was ok but they didn't stay put too well in an Uncle Mikes pocket holster. Same for my Ruger LCP Custom. The revolver that seems to always be close at hand in a pocket is of all things, a 3" Bulldog. The top of the grip rides just below the top of the pocket, again, in an Uncle Mikes. A 2 1/2" might work a little better with less chance of getting exposed to the light of day. It's my favorite pocket carry and when the weather gets cool enough for a cover garment, I put it in a Mernickle belt holster.
 
Just get some Duluth Trading jeans and you can pocket carry practically anything short of a duty size gun. They have huge pockets.
 
Another 642

Academy Sports store brand denim jeans along with a S&W 642 has worked for me for a few years now. I too had .380 problems until I landed on the Glock 42. It had break in issues, but, is now rock solid. I carry it in place of the 642 sometimes. They both fit in the right front pocket.
 
The OP last posted here in this thread in late July, so OhioGuy did you decide what you are going to do, or are you still on the fence about trying a snub?

If you are still thinking about it (and for others who are too), yes, a snub is a big pocket gun. However, note that I called it a pocket gun, that is its main use when I use one. In suit pants or dress pants which can have small pockets (and the material is thin even if they have substantial pockets), you probably can't pocket it. No problem though, since a small framed snub revolver can completely disappear with IWB tucked carry. In khakis and chinos, as long as the pockets are a decent size (some are large, some are more like dress pants) you'll be fine. In jeans (when not at work), they are perfect.

It may not be my favorite gun. It may not even be my favorite carry gun. Pocket carry is definitely not my favorite carry method. However, since I got it, my new 6-shot Taurus 856 has become my most carried gun when I'm in a state where I can carry, and usually pocket carried (when not pocket carried, it has been off-body carry in my Maxpedition bag, and I like off-body carry least). It is just so darned convenient, and with the 6th round (in a gun roughly the size of most 5-shot snubs) I have much more confidence in it than I do a 5-round snub.
 
OhioGuy said:
....For deep concealment, I love the idea of a revolver. I'm especially drawn toward the Smith 442 and the Ruger LCR. I'd consider something from Charter or Taurus. But when I actually handle them, the smallest of the bunch are still pretty big and I can't see actually pocket carrying them in the kinds of pants I wear -- suit, khakis, etc....

Anyways, to the revolver fans out there -- what about a small, lightweight revolver could make it better suited to my needs? If I could effectively conceal one in a dress pants pocket -- or some other method that's easily accessible -- it would replace a .380 pocket-rocket in a heartbeat. I just don't have faith in those tiny auto pistols.

Thanks!
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My work wardrobe involves suits & khakis and for pocket carry, I've had an LCR for about 5 years now. Here's what I can tell you about the intersection of those two facts:
  • Cargos have bigger pockets than khakis.
  • Khakis have bigger pockets than suits.
  • I don't like to pocket carry in jeans because the angle of the pocket 'mouth' makes getting to my pistol difficult.
  • You can get an LCR in the pocket of a suit, but it's a pretty tight squeeze.
  • As noted, suit material is pretty thin.
  • A pocket holster goes a long way towards disguising the outline of a gun.
  • When my wardrobe actually involves a suit or jacket, I prefer to carry a semiauto on the belt.
  • Nonetheless, I'm very fond of my LCR and pocket carry it frequently on weekends.
  • If you look around, you can probably find some cargos that can pass for khakis, as long as nobody looks very closely.
 
I carried a S&W 442 for a while. I switched to an LCR and never looked back. The trigger is good right out of the box. Pocket carry is easy in a pair of Wranglers. With that cushy stock grip, it's surprisingly comfortable to shoot for the size and weight.

It eventually upgraded from the 5-shot .38 special to the 6-shot .327 Federal. It offers a good balance of power to recoil and having a six-shooter that rides comfortably in a pocket holster is nice.

I've used the Elite Survival Pocket Holster for both of my LCRs. Mine has held up to EDC for at least a thousand days now. I recommend it.

https://www.elitesurvival.com/concealment-holsters/elite-pocket-holster
 
I love my revolvers on the belt, but for the pocket I use a .380 pistol. I tried pocket-carrying a small revolver for years, but it was always just a little too big and a little too heavy. Once I switched to a Taurus TCP, pocket carry worked for me.
 
Just a suggestion that may help. Years ago I did outside maintenance work in the wee hours - often by myself. Some very bad neighborhoods - carry was a must. A lot of crouching, bending, reaching, lifting, etc. IWB is ruled out - it WILL eventually work loose and fall out. Rain and wash operations disallow pocket carry. Tool belt forbids belt carry. Can't access waist pouch opener with cold fingers. I finally discovered high cross-draw belly band. Small auto against ribs does not move, fall out, get wet, can present from seated, and is instantly accessible. Can easily make your own with 4" velcro - costs about $3. The only drawback is it is limited to small, flat, light autos like the LCP or 3AT.
 
Taurus did make a 327 caliber snub revolver. It is called the 327 of course. :)
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...15A38A64CEEE10FCEAC115A38A64CEEE10F&FORM=VIRE

I own one. The Taurus 85, no longer offered in the USA by Taurus, is on the same frame as the 327. The 327 does have 6 shots. I find the 32 calibers to be user friendly as the .327 magnum,. 32 H&R magnum, .32 S&W Long, and the .32 S&W can all be used in the Taurus 327. Pick the ammo for what you need done. Good versatility there.
Tuff strips carry spare ammo. Taurus 327s are rare.
 
"or sewing the pocket around the holster to hold the holster firmly".

Wouldn't that present a problem when washing the trousers?
An alternative might be to use velcro rather than stitching to retain the holster.

I learned to shoot using SA revolvers about seventy years ago, so have a strong preference for exposed hammers. When pocket carrying, I use my thumb first to keep the hammer from snagging, and then to cock the pistol as I bring it level. It is slower than OWB, but not by much. I pocket carry an Airweight 637-2 with 9mm titanium cylinder to reduce weight to 11.5oz. An Altamont combat grip brings it back up to 12.5, and still fits most pockets without showing. It is as light as my Kimber Micro .380 and just as easy to carry. A bit lighter than my Kimber Micro 9.
 
SATRP said:
There are too many much better substitutes for the J-Frame to consider one for self-defense.

My friend owns this: https://www.sigsauer.com/store/p365-nitron-micro-compact.html

His J-Frame has been retired to his gun safe.
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Really? I haven't tried the p365 but I have tried other small 9mm semi-autos in pocket holsters. Popular options such as the Shield and PPS M1 were more awkward to carry and draw from a Wrangler pocket than my LCR. It has to do with the more rounded shape and overall profile of the small revolver.

It was enough for me to choose the LCR in .38 special over the small 9mm semi-autos. With the six-shot version in .327 Federal, I do feel better about the compromise that comes with pocket carry.
 
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