Thoughts On Pocket Carry

I don't really like it, but I do it sometimes. Because I don't know when I'll be doing it, I mostly wear Carhartt cargoes, about 2 sizes too big. There is NO problem getting my hand in my pocket, sitting, standing, in the car, or any other position. Try Carhartts, as the pockets are slit at an angle, instead of the semi circle of most jeans. And as for seat belts, I live in NH, so I generally don't wear one except on the highway, or on long hauls up to Jackson.
 
Well, it's better to have a gun, then not have a gun in a gunfight, even if it's 22 short.

I look at certain stuff as nothing more then a can of mace, stun gun, keys, wallet, etc.

Is it ideal? Sometimes, sometimes not. A 340PD, or hammerless gun, has major advantages, since you can fire from inside a pocket, without revealing the gun, either to LEO, in Washington D.C. instant arrest, or to the bad guys, if lots of them.

First lesson of a gunfight:
Don't bring a knife...:D
 
There are many reasons not to carry your little gem in your pocket, one reason is pocket lint (we all have it)
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As Bill stated, pocket lint isn't a problem if you properly clean your gun...I wipe the lint off every other day on mine.

Imagine being relaxed in your easy chair watching your TV and a BG kicks in your front door. Will you be able to rapidly draw your gun from your pocket?
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Not from my pocket, but the gun in the pocket of the chair sure is quick and accessible enough.

Let's say you're in your car with your seat belt on and your gun is stuffed into your pocket, while stopped at a traffic light or stop sign a BG yanks your door open or puts a brick through your window. Will you be able to get to your gun in an attempt to defend yourself ?
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Again, not the one in the pocket but the one in the console.

Yes, I pocket carry alot but it's not the only gun I have around. If I'm in the house or truck, there's always another one within reach. ;)
 
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Let me start by sayin' that the author of this thread knows what he's talkin' about. I teach self-defense pistol combat classes,and as of late more and more of my students show up to class with these pathedic little .32's and .380s' or pocket guns. And without fail,in every class when we come to the "Quick draw and burst fire" part I always have at least 1 or 2 people who can't get their gun outta their pocket or the holster comes with the gun. In any case those who pocket carry take a ridiculous amount of time to draw and fire,so I end up failing them.
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I think this is interesting. I full magazine of .32 or .380 in my guts would spoil my day. I presume that works the same on criminals. People who can't draw their pocket gun have failed to get the right equipment and train with it. I know lots of folks slow out of their shoulder rig, slow on their OWB rig, and slow on the ankle draw. Not the method of carry that is flawed, but the person (mis)using it. Personally, I can get a little over-attentive in bad areas. I like the opportunity to leave my hand on my piece without drawing attention to myself.

Another thing that really gets to me is alot of people have no problem dropin' $700 or more on a gun but then for reasons I can only fathom they buy the cheapest run of the mill holster they can find. I myself own 8 hand guns(4 autos and 4 revolvers) and for every gun I own I have custom made to the exact specs' of the gun holsters,for some guns I have multiple custom holsters for different carry positions depending on the season and what I'm wearing. Do custom holsters cost alot? Yes,they do. I paid $180 for a shoulder holster set up,and the the quick and easy draw from that tailored holster makes it worth every penny. Don't settle for the "good enough" holsters,shop around;you'll be glad you did.
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Most first-time gun buyers don't realize the ancillary costs of owning a gun: Cleaning supplies, ammo, range time, case, and holster. The price they spent on their gun is generally indicative of the upper limit of free cash they had at that point in time. Additionally, some folks carry what they can afford, not what they want. I'd take a .25 in my pocket holster (And I do, a lot of the time!) than the gun I couldn't afford sitting in the shop window because I am saving for it. This just boils down to how big a part of your life you make defending yourself. We all have choices to make.
 
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Hello Govmule84,

I read your post and you make some very valid points. I can be a little critical sometimes,and I thank you for reminding me of that. At least you Sir are more tactfull then others(who will remain nameless for the moment)on this page who are quick to make snap-judgements and resort to third grade name-calling. Take care friend.
 
I pocket carry a PF9. It is the most convenient for me. I do not foresee a situation where the fastest draw wins. I often have a hand in my pocket on the gun, so if necessary it is probably quicker than a IWB.
 
"If your piece is properly lubed, it will attract lint like metal shavings to a magnet."

I see you haven't tried TW25B. I've been using it for many years and you can just blow th dust off. Or maybe you just use too much lube, because I haven't found lint to be a problem during the past 9 years of daily pocket carry.

If I can, I'll carry a larger gun IWB, but I don't leave the R9 at home.

Here's a good article on lubes. http://vickerstactical.com/tactical-tips/weapon-lubrication/


"in every class when we come to the "Quick draw and burst fire" part"

Where can I get a handgun with a burst setting? That would be fun. :) Or do you mean controlled pairs or just a plain old simple mag dump? I bet that's heck on accuracy and really tears up the target holders.

John
 
Forgot something...

"while stopped at a traffic light or stop sign a BG yanks your door open"

Well then you're just stupid and out of luck because they've been teaching people to lock their doors since I took driver's ed in 1965.

John
 
My doors lock automatically .......

But wait.....what if the bad guy disables the locks, then follows me down to the traffic light to rip my door open:eek:

WildimtoastAlaska TM
 
Here's a list of advantages and disadvantages of pocket carry:

Advantages
-ease of carry
-few clothing restrictions
-good concealment
-casual "ready" access (Attracts less attention to place you hand in your pocket on your weapon compared to reaching back on your hip).
-affordability

Disadvantages
-Speed of Draw (Although this is dependent on the kind of pockets you have)
-Restriction in gun size/magazine capacity
-Inability to Access the Gun with the Weak Hand

As long as you clean your gun every so often, you shouldn't have a problem with lint or dust.
 
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And without fail,in every class when we come to the "Quick draw and burst fire" part I always have at least 1 or 2 people who can't get their gun outta their pocket or the holster comes with the gun. In any case those who pocket carry take a ridiculous amount of time to draw and fire,so I end up failing them.
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Then perhaps YOU may need to rethink the way you're teaching folks and adapt your methods to include this new-fangled thing called pocket carrying of mouse guns. You seem to think that your method, and only your method is acceptable. Glad you don't teach kids in school........
 
Perfect, no. Darn convenient, Heck yeah. I will not even justify the denigration of the small calibers (in my case a baby beretta .32 auto) with a response (oops!). Sometimes you just don't want a big ol' pistol on your hip; I personally prefer either big and powerful or tiny and mild to mid-size and hard to control.
YMMV.
 
Thanks Bismarck.

The reality is, pocket carry fills a niche. I can't be seen carrying at my job, or I'll lose it. But I can carry discreetly that way, and I always remember to take my tiny terror with me.

And it's cheap! You can get a little pocket rocket and a Galco pocket holster for a few hundred bones, for GOOD stuff.

Tis what it is.

But between you and me, I'll take a .45 or a .357, comfort be damned :-)
 
If you see me standing there, looking relaxed, hands in my pocket, totally unprepared..
I probably already have my pistol in hand, grip set and my finger along the trigger guard.

pocketpistolsnemesisuse.jpg
 
If you see me standing there, looking relaxed, hands in my pocket, totally unprepared..
I probably already have my pistol in hand, grip set and my finger along the trigger guard.
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Bingo. Im a back pocket guy..."O sir please dont hurt me please dont hurt me, heres my wallet:p"

WildbeticangetitoutfasterthanmostfolkscandrawtheirIWBsAlaska TM
 
I've been carrying a Smith Centennial Airweight in a pocket holster for years in my left front pocket.

Never felt particularly handicapped by it.

The advantage there is even when it's properly lubricated the Centennial is FAR better sealed against external contamination than are most other guns.
 
It seems many of you homed in on pocket lint which really is the very least of my concerns--simply meant to be a point to ponder.
Several agreed with what I wrote and how I carry my CCW.
Locked car doors and locks that close automatically have done very little to reduce the numbers of car jackings that take place in many major cities every day. Most car jackings and home invasions are very brazenly carried out resulting in extreme surprise and fear which the perp bargains on. The general rule when being robbed is to "give it up" rather than die for a billfold or car.
WILDALASKA may take a cavalier attitude towards what is a very real problem in the the more populated urban areas of the lower 48--that is, car jackings and home invasions take place many times each and every day. There have been several home invasions in my little city recently which have resulted in the innocent being shot and killed and in at least two cases where the perp has been shot by the home defender.
We on this forum are, for the most part, are gun carrying folks but I would guess that fewer than 1% of us has ever been in a civilian situation which required us to draw and shoot to defend ourselves. It's easy to say what we think we would do when TSHTF.
The point of this thread was not to slam each others opinions nor was it to discuss the merits of small caliber mouse guns. The point was to get folks thinking about how they carry their CCW and the pros and cons of the methods they use.
I still maintain that there are better carry options than pocket carry. This my opinion to which I am entitled.
 
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