Urgent Pocket Carry Question...

J

jdhermit

New member
Ok, yesterday I picked up a Taurus CIA 850 SS. Nice little gun in .38, not as light as some, but I held the Titanium and the S&W Airlites, they just didn't feel right to me.
So, I thought I'd wear it in a Galco Deep Cover IWB holster. Yeah right! :( It makes me look like I have a tumor on my hip.
So, I could probably return it today and get something else.
Is there any real way to carry a revolver that works? My friends are recommending a NAA .380 in a back pocket holster. The only thing I can think of for the .38 is Thunderwear.
But I'd have to return it today...so
What should I do? Any/all comments are appreciated. I'm tired of thinking about this and just want to carry!
PS- I wear jeans mostly, Dockers sometimes. Kind of makes me think I shouldn't do a front pocket with the .38 revolver.

:confused:
jdhermit
 
Those little autos aren't reliable enough

nor powerful enough to protect yourself with. You bought a decent revolver, and that's as small as they come. I know that IWB felt awkward, but that's just because you are not used to it. Trust me, your hip will break-in quickly and become acclimated. Keep it, and keep wearing it.:)
 
I've had good luck with a stainless steel J-frame in a DeSantis front pocket holster, carried strong side. It depends on the fit of the jeans - I'm not going to cram it into the pocket of my rodeoing Wranglers, but it works great with looser fitting jeans (that better accomodate my jumbo thighs anyway).

I find IWB carry (even with a cheap-O Bianchi suede holster) behind strong side hip works well with small revos (this is how I carried my first gun - a stainless Taurus 85 back in the mid-'80s). You need to buy one of the "cover-up" holsters (which, in my experience, do give you a colostomy bag/tumor look) or else just wear a guayabera or other shirt with a square bottom hem that's not designed to be tucked in. (Fortunately for those of us who are still carrying a few extra pounds from the winter holidays, these untucked shirts are in style nowadays.)

I hope it works out for you. I really think you're a lot better protected with the .38 spl snub than you would be with the micro-.380.
 
My recommendation is to wear pleated cotton trousers, the ones that have pleates just forward of the front pockets. I prefer Haggar Black Labels over those anti-gunner Levi Dockers. Haggers Black Labels are of fuller-cut providing ample room for concealment.

Also my trousers are 1 or 2 sizes larger than necessary. This enhances pocket concealment while providing enough room for an IWB type holster which I carry after work hours.

On the other hand, I've never carried a .38/.357 revolver in my pockets. I carry my NAA 22Magnum Mini revolver because it is totally concealable and you really forget it is there. I guess it would be possible to live with an extremely lite-weight .38 revolver, but once loaded it is no longer lite. Maybe someone should introduce a titanium bullet ammo. Speer could easily do this with the aluminum cased Blazer ammo & call them Tit-Blazers!

As to pocket carry, if it does not feel right it isn't right.
 
I am concerned...

about reliability and power!
That's why I hesitate to get the .380's...Reliability was why I bought the H&K USP as my main semi-auto...don't really want to compromise when I use my backup!
But I don't want a tumor! ;)
 
Dont give up

I just got a Taurus 85 Police multi-alloy -- a lot lighter than the CIA SS. With a cheap Uncle Mike's I found it will go into a pocket of my jeans so long as my shirt covers the top part of the pocket. Same for rear pocket carry.

I haven't tried Thunderwear/Smartcarry yet, but I will. The Smartcarry has a 60 day money back guarantee so all you risk the the shipping costs... I have a friend that carries a Glock 36 and a spare mag all day every day in one.

If you don't like IWB, you can get a paddle holster by Galco or Fobus or Uncle Mikes -- but that will probably require a second shirt to cover it reliably. Finally, the last option is an ankle hoster -- but I have no experience with that either so I don't know.

Keep the CIA and buy an ultra-hideout for your next gun!
 
Silly question...are you wearing it BEHIND your hip? I'm about 6' 180 and I can easily carry a Ruger SP-10 like that. If you try and wear it on the side of your hip, it will indeed stand out. Try and find the spot behind your hip bone where it sits comfortably...
 
Have been experimenting...

with behind the hip, in front of the hip and on the hip. On the hip is VERY conspicuous...in front (about 1:30 or 2:00) is not bad, just hard to sit down...:eek:
I'm 5'6" and 190 lbs. with a small waist...not too hard to conceal usually, I just think the combo of the revolver cylinder and leather is too much...
Anyone think a Kydex like Blade-Tech would work better?

I know, I'm beating this to death!

:rolleyes:

jdhermit
 
Keep the gun. Just keep trying different holsters until you find one that suits you. SOB, Crossdraw, IWB, whatever. You may or may not have to alter your dress accordingly.

You should see my extra holsters, big drawer full of em'! At 50 to 75 bucks a pop it adds up quick but is worth it in the long run.
 
Of all the holsters I've tried, the Deep Cover for my Kahr P9 was by far the biggest disappointment - looked and felt just terrible any way I tried it.

For snubbies, I carry my 642 predominantly in a Kramer pocket holster. It's fine w/jeans and docker-type pants, tho the S&W Airweights are admittedly a good deal lighter than the CIA. Still, lots of folks carry steel J-frames in the pocket. I have a Milt sparks Versa Max II on the way for my mid-size glocks, and if that works I may try it for my J frames. For OWB belt holster, look at the Don Hume (SOB?). It works either SOB or strong-side, and appears to be a nice little holster. Hume has good products. For IWB you might also try one of the Kydex manufacturers, tho I don't have a specific recommendation, as I only have leather holsters at present.
 
I'm with treeprof. When I carry my S&W 642, I carry it in a pocket holster in my right front pocket. It works best in pleated Dockers. I can get away with it with loose jeans, but tight jeans are out.

I don't have any direct experience with Taurus, so I won't comment on the gun itself.

M1911
 
Jdhermit...

When I have to carry a J-frame or my Taurus UL in a front pocket, I use a De Santis "Nemesis". It's a really great, comfortable pocket holster made of something that is kind of sticky on the outside and lined with slick pack cloth. Also has a moisture barrier. It's light and makes for a fast draw. It costs less than $20.00. I purchased a Don Hume "First Agent" for when a belt holster will work under an untucked polo or T-shirt. The price on that one was about $26.00. It rides high and tight. Your friends are wrong about the NAA .380 in a back pocket holster. I talked to RJ Hedley last week about back pocket carry for the little .380. He think's it's too fat! If you think the Galco made you look like you had a tumor on your hip, you'll think the little .380 in a back pocket holster looks like you have a tumor growing on your butt.:D

KR
 
TFL was down for me until recently...

and at lunch, I decided to keep the CIA. I really like it...and really don't want a .380.
So, following ya'll's good advice, I'm going to try a couple different holsters and carry methods. Ordered a SmartCarry this afternoon, and will order a Desantis pocket holster this evening.

I like this whole Revolver thing...I really like my HK USP, but something about dropping rounds into a revolver is satisfying...does that make ANY sense?

thanks for reply's! :cool:

jdhermit
 
Right on!

I like the De Santis "nemesis" for the smaller guns, but I went with their leather pocket holster for the revo and have been very happy with it. It's not a lot more bread, but I think it conceals the cylinder bump better.

Your call!
 
Jdhermit...

If you're going to order a Nemesis tonight, I presume you're going to order it over the 'net. I was just looking at my De Santis catalog and they now make THREE Nemesis models. So, be sure to tell them for which pistol you're ordering the holster. I think you made a good decision. I'm in Kentucky and it's hot enough to fry an egg outside. I notice you're even farther south. You'll need the moisture barrier. I ruin leather pocket holsters with sweat during summers like this one. When you get the holster, let me know how it suit's you. I have two. One for J-frame sized pistols and one for .32 caliber pocket pistols.

KR
 
Kentucky Rifle:

Thanks for your input! Yes, it's sweltering here sometimes...right now its pretty warm.
I'll try the Nemesis...looks nice, and amazingly inexpensive. I'm not big on leather right now, but I probably shouldn't judge all leather by the Galco Deep Cover. What a disappointment.

Man, you revolver folks are a great help. Dunno, the HK could be my last semi...I see lots of revolvers in my future!

jdhermit


:)
 
A few weeks back I was looking at a NIB Airlite .38 Taurus and I thought seriously about buying it. I could have bought it for $200.00 out the door. But I checked around on the web and found out that Taurus still uses the same lock work that they used back in the 80s, so I passed on it. I also asked a friend who owns a gun shop about their new generation of snubbies and he said that their lock work had not changed. He also said that he had had some prolbems with them so I passed on the Airlite and bought a Keltec P11. Which gave me over double the number of rounds of +P+ 9mm, in a comparable weight gun which is also flatter for easier pocket carry. There are just to many unhappy current and former Taurus owners around for me to invest in one of their guns. I posted an inquiry on five different gun boards and the consensus was to pass on it.


7th
 
I succumbed to the "siren song" of the lightweight snub. Picked up a S&W 642 Airweight.

A lot of the time it goes in the right front pocket of loose fitting jeans but often gets carried on the belt under an untucked polo.

I got lucky and found a DeSantis black leather holster for a Charter Arms .38 snub that holds a J frame Smith just fine. It was in a "bargain" box of brand new "close out" holsters all priced at $10 each.

I also found a shoulder rig in the same box that fits my 4" 686 perfectly. $10 for that one too.

So if any of your local shops have a "bargain" box or "junk" box, it may be worth spending 15-30 minutes pawing thru.

Wise decision, I think, to keep the CIA.

Bruce Foreman
 
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