Snub-nose Pocket Carry?

J

jdhermit

New member
Howdy. Keep reading about folks carrying a snubby in their front pocket. How in the world is this possible? I put my SP-101 in the front pocket of my jeans, and (after picking my pants up off the floor) see that its way too bulky.
The weight I can see, I'd be happy to trade for an airlite or something, but I could never carry something that thick in my front pocket for long.
Am I doing something wrong or is the SP a LOT thicker as well as heavier than these lightweights?

jdhermit
 
well i was at the range today and put a s&w in my front pocket it seemed fine but my pants were a bit baggy. i also tired it with a taurus 85 light weight in baggy jeans and it was fine also. now i am in the market for one.

james
 
The SP is the same thickness as the J frame at the cylinder..the thickest part of the gun.
Its a couple of OZ's heavier than the 60LS I carry daily. I have and carry both in a pocket holster.
Its a pretty stout snubbie...but think the weight/357 is worth it.
What helps the SP the best for PC is a very small boot grip...Ive got a Butler Creek and its even on the large size for PC...great for IWB though.
Shoot well
 
I too have tried carrying the SP in the pocket. The bulk, not the weight is more of a downside for me. Also carry a Barretta .25 that way sometimes. It's less than 12 oz. loaded, but in light pants (not jeans) there is obviously something more than loose change and car keys bouncing around in there. Though I really like the simplicity and reliability of the revolver - and the slim light weight of the little auto - pocket carry just doesn't work for me unless heavier fabric pants are worn (IE jeans). It works in a pinch, but not all day carry.

In casual clothes, where the shirt may be left untucked, an IWB holster carries the SP fine (shorts or slacks). In cooler weather (rare where I live) a jacket or long heavy sweater would work for a belt rig. But for dress slacks and a tucked in polo shirt though, an ankle rig is about all I've found that works really well. Not ideal, but at least it's somewhere within reach without the worry of "printing" in the pocket.

As a practical matter for me though, carry is usually "off body" in a soft side briefcase or fanny pack. Above all though, I try to avoid going into places where I think I "need" a firearm.
 
To stay on topic

You really need to check out a J-frame Smith. Particulary the internal, or shrouded hammer models. There's a lot less overall bulk to deal with, as Eric said, regardless of the size of the cylinder. Now, check out the ones in Airweight configuration. Nice.:cool:

Nick, welcome to the board, as I see your are pretty new.:) I would submit to you that you never know when you may need a gun. That's why it's best to have it with you at all times. Just ask the survivor's of:

Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen, Tx
McDonald's in San Ysidro, Ca.
Columbine High School in Colorado
and so on and so forth, WAY too many times.:(
 
The issue of snubbies being too bulky and obvious has come up before and I agree that ONLY in the right pants can you really conceal them adequately. I have found that because I want a gun with me all the time, other than in those restricted places - where I work for example, I have resorted to the small .32 autos for constant protection. I have the KelTec P32 and the NAA Guardian .32 both of which I can conceal in an Uncle Mike's pocket holster with any pair of pants, regardless of style or make. I was really happy, to say the least , when these guns came out as I've never liked the .22's or .25's at all. Just offering this suggestion as an alternative to your dilemna. As Victor Louis said you should really look at the S&W J frame airweights, I've got a model 37 and it does conceal well in "some" of my pants but certainly not all.
 
Excellent question!

For all of those times I just don't want to carry a gun I've gone to carrying an airweight 642-1 in a pocket, using the very inexpensive Uncle Mike's cloth pocket holster ... baggies Docker-type jeans seem to work best for me ... jacket pocket ... vest pocket ... and the occasional small camera-size mini belt pack.

My partner is large and also bought a 642-1 so he could carry it in his front shorts pocket. Another partner has a Ti .38 that he carries in a Kramer holster in his front jeans pocket. And another guy carries a Scandium .357 in his front pants pocket ...

You get the idea. And believe it or not, all of us have carried larger, "more powerful" caliber pistols & revolvers for years. It's just that the current crop of lightwieght & ultra lightweight snub nose revolvers is incredible ... and make for really convenient carry.

By the way, the only pocket I was ever able to carry my SP-101 in was an insulated vest pocket, and it sagged noticeably ... Great little magnum revolver, but just too heavy for comfortable pocket carry ... for me.
 
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I have been able to carry a 342PD in an Uncle Mike's quite unoticeably in either jeans or kahkis. I became a little uncomfortable when wearing the khakis when a friend of mine, a former LEO, noticed the piece. (He also knew I had a CCW so he may have been looking for it). Hot days with dress pants and no suitjacket to put it in; I wear a "Renegade" 500 ankle holster and switch it to pocket carry when I am heading to the car late at night etc.
 
Hmm...

Different answers...guess its a personal thing. I've thought about trading in for a .380 semi auto (Keltec or NAA), but would prefer if I could keep a revolver as the second gun. (First carry when possible is semi auto).
Guess I'll go handle the Taurus and SW lighter guns and see the differences. Or just stick the SP101 in a tuckable and hope that works!

thanks,
jdhermit
 
It's possible with some snubbies, but IMO the SP-101s are a little too big for front-pocket carry for most folks.

FWIW, I was barely able to get a 2.25" SP-101 in my front jeans pocket in a pocket holster (and draw would have been a real concern), whereas a j-frame works fine. My recollection is that the longer grip frame and general all-around thickness & massiveness of the SP were the problem, not the cylinder thickness. The cylinder is pretty darn close to the same diameter as a j-frame's, and it turns out to not really be the problem for pocket concealment. I do agree, though, that most folks are not going to get an SP concealed effectively in most pants pockets.

But, hey, not to rip on the SPs at all. If I were looking for a short .357, that's the one I'd want (though I was only comfy concealing it IWB behind strong-side kidney). I'd feel secure that an SP would shoot full-house .357 magnum loads all day, forever, without coming apart. I can't say that about the j-frame .357s.
 
For pocet carry,

I would have to agree with my friend WE SHOOT2's choice
of a "pocket gun". And that would be a Airweight S&W
model 38. Seems like the Ruger SP101 would be just too
darn heavy?

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
Ok, just got back from the gunstore on my lunch hour. The S&W and Taurus lightweight guns (sorry, not sure exactly which models...Scandium, I believe) are a LOT lighter and seem smaller/thinner too.
Much better for concealed...still don't know about pocket, but I could do a tuckable EASILY with any of these.
Actually, thinking on it, I'll bet with the S&W scandium's, I'll bet I could manage pocket, w/ the right pants.
Ruger's great, but not light.

Hmmm...maybe trading in on Monday.

jdhermit
 
Taurus 85 UL Police

I just purchased -- haven't fired yet -- the Taurus 85 Multi-alloy "Police" model. It is a titanium cylinder and barrel with an alloy frame -- its Taurus' lightest .38 at 13 oz. unloaded.

You can pick out this gun easily because it is two-tone -- darker matte on the titanium parts and a stainless finish on the rest. Although I havent shot it yet, the size and weight are fantastic. The hammer is "concealed" -- not hammerless. Its DAO, but I like to be able to see what my hammer is doing!

The Taurus 85 Police is cheaper than the 85 in all titanium (and lighter) and much cheaper than the scandium Smiths.
 
DDGator:

I actually held that one...pretty nice. I'd lean towards a S&W if I had more money, but am leaning towards one of the Taurus b/c I'm trading in two lesser guns for this...If you shoot it soon, (before I get one next week ;) ) let me know how it shoots!

jdhermit
 
For Pocket carry.......

The Smith has the edge both dimensionally and weight-wise. Having owned both Smith and Taurus 2" snubbies, the grip on the Taurus, while superior ergonomically, is quite a bit thicker than the smaller Smith grips that do not cover the back strap. I "shrank" my Taurus M85 Ultralite by ordering Taurus' own slick rosewood grips and putting the stock M85 grips on my mod 605 .357 mag, AND ......putting the longer 605 grips in the drawer! How's that for a switcheroo? Weight-wise, the Smiths have it all over the Taurus snubbies. The Taurus "CIA" enclosed hammer models weight in at approx 23 oz while the Smith 342PD weighs in a 11 oz empty.

Personally, the only snubby I could carry for any length of time was my model 638 "bodyguard" with the humpback shrouded hammer. Anything much over a pound gets heavy in the pocket for me.
 
The Smith J frames and the Taurus 85s with the two inch barrels are almost exactly the same size and the same weight when you compare the two with the grips removed. To be an honest comparision you should also compare guns of similar alloys when discussing weights.

Taurus 85 and Smiths J frame snubbies are clones of each other when it come to weight and size and this is by design.

Smith now sells their guns generally with smaller & lighter grips. Taurus with bigger and heavier ones. You take your choice, this is where the advertized weight difference is. After market grips are about $10.

Elliot
 
Apples and oranges

I agree -- you can't compare the CIA -- which is an all steel gun -- to a scandium Smith. The lightest Smith is 11 oz. while the lightest Tarus is 13 oz. and hundreds of dollars cheaper.
 
I never could carry the j-frame in my front pocket. I have carried it in a jacket pocket. For pants pocket carry it is the kel-tec p-32.
I keep it in a pocket holster and it looks like a wallet.
 
When I tried to carry my SP-101 in my pocket (regardless of the type of pants), it always weighed to much, and showed an imprint. Now with my S&W 360Sc, I have no problem with weight, but I still have a problem with imprinting in pants pocket. :(
 
I tried a CIA a couple of days ago...with a Mikes/Hogue its smaller than my J frame for pocket carry. My LS had a 2 1/8" barrel and was almost as long as my SP...the CIA is much more compact than either and welcome to trigger heavan....outa the box triggers I mean. I see a SS one in my future...just for pocket carry......I dont mind weight....that way I can shoot real bullets at the BG's :D
Shoot well
 
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