Pocket Carry. Really?

Jacket pocket.

On the other hand, if the BG was, say, twenty yards away and coming at you, when would you start shooting(lets say he has a handgun).

Click to expand...

at what point is your life threatened? Seems 20 yards would be a tough sell, but even if not it sounds like you didn’t have proper confidence in your skills with a pocket gun.

J-Frame in a back pocket is really pretty good. Front pocket is harder (for me, anyway) to get the gun out of in any reasonable amount of time. I usually have one OWB on my right hip and another in the left back pocket.

If you are carrying a small revolver in a coat or jacket pocket you can just shoot through the pocket. Won't hurt the gun but you can't do that with an automatic because it will jam.

I often carry a Colt Agent in my front pants pocket. I also often stand or walk with my hand in my pocket.....If a stranger walks up to me or I'm going down a dark street or thru a parking lot, my hand is usually close to the gun. I just consider it part of being ready for a situation.

I only pocket carry (occasionally) an LCP 380 in a coat or vest over sized pocket
if you are in a real big hurry you can shoot thru pocket with the DAO auto, at least the 1st shot is pretty much a given, probably several
mostly be aware and if feeling worried, put your hand in that big pocket, and you can get it out as quick as you (me) could draw from an OWB

but I would myself not choose to pocket carry any "primary", I generally do IWB
the LCP is a convenience item, and only for derringer distance for me

PS
if the guy is 20 yards away, and I had only the LCP I would strive to find some cover if possible
at 20 yards and coming fast, I would start shooting ASAP, (which implies a good bit closer than 20 yards at my speed anyway)
but at arms length, if his weapon is already out and yours is not fire ready, you are real likely a dead man, even at your speed, even if you get shots off
one second is a long time at arms length, and if he puts a hole in you before you put a hole in him, it can sure mess up your focus

At 20 yards if you practice, you can hit the target with a jframe

I carry a DE .44 mag in front left pocket

If it's a Centennial or a shrouded-hammer revolver. A conventional "exposed" hammer will likely hang up.

Of course my .357 Magnum Centennial is likely to set my pocket on fire.

(This was in regards to the post about being able to fire a J-frame revolver from inside a pocket. I messed up on the quote.)

i think you're discounting the fact that with some situation awareness, you can hopefully be beginning your draw with the gun already securely in your hand. If I'm pocket carrying and walking through a parking lot at night, my hand will be in my pocket already gripping the gun.

I carry a small semi auto in a front pants pocket when it's T shirt and jeans weather and yes it does concern me that drawing is awkward. I switch to a jacket pocket in cooler weather. For concealed carry I guess slow draw speed is just a trade off, for me IWB carry is just too restricting.

I carry a moneybag at night for a night deposit. I put the money in, then hold my jframe in my hand and zip my hand in the bag. So basically I walk with my hand stuck in the bag. If needed, God forbid, I'll shoot straight thru the bag. " Gimme whats in the bag" is the last thing I wanna hear.

I carried a regular taurus 85SS for 20 years + in my front pocket. Then a pf-9 for 2 1/2 years and now a kahr cm9. Don't know about being slow. No shirt to untuck, lift up or sweep back. Just pull the handgun. I do sometime carry a cw9 appendix but not often and surely not faster when shirt is tucked. Only need one hand from the pocket.

Situational awareness is essential, but even the most vigilant among us might be surprised 1-3% of the time. (if you think you're at 100% 100% of the time, you're fooling yourself)

Hand on gun in pocket? Sure, when you can do it.....but how do you draw from a pocket holster quickly when your arms are full as you go about your daily routine? How fast can you draw from a pocket while seated?

Gun in a coat pocket? Have you noticed the hot 100 degree days this summer? If you can wear a coat, you can conceal a gun on your belt.

Back pocket J-Frame? That wouldn't conceal worth a hoot in my back pocket, unless it was in the ultra deep EOTAC back pocket. Good luck getting that out in a hurry.

The deadly threat at 20 yds begins when they point a gun at me or a loved one ( who may be much closer to the badguy than me) making a hit with a J-Frame, no problem. Making a hit with a near sightless DAO .380? Not confident in making an incapacitating hit at all. If I was the only focus of the badguys evil intent, that is one thing Having my wife or daughter being the focus is quite another when I'm 20 yds away with a sightless .380.

Pocket guns have their place, but they have severe limitations as well that should be honestly addressed.

You're optimistic if you think the vigilant person only gets surprised 1-3% of the time. There are more ways to surprise someone than there are ways to avoid being surprised.

It doesn't matter where you carry the gun, if you have your hands full with an armload of stuff, you'll have to address that problem should the situation come up.

The whole process of drawing a gun to address a threat is more complicated that just drawing a gun and shooting. You have to first recognize the possibility of a threat, ascertain the reality of a threat, compute the level of the threat, determine the response to the threat and, then, start the draw if required. The draw will first require accessing to the weapon. If you carry concealed IWB or OWB under a cover garment, you will need to get to the gun underneath that garment, remove the firearm with a proper grip and, while doing all of this, further determine if the threat warrants you firing the gun.

It's the same process whether you pocket carry or concealed carry under a cover garment.

There are times when pocket carrying simply is too slow for a decent response to a threat. Mainly, when seated. There are times when pocket carrying can be a better alternative. The one scenario mentioned in which pocket carrying is a better option would be the ability to have the gun in you hand while your hand is nonchalantly in your pocket before a threat ever develops.

Nothing works 100% all the time and every situation will be different.

ATAShooter said:

I carry a moneybag at night for a night deposit. I put the money in, then hold my jframe in my hand and zip my hand in the bag. So basically I walk with my hand stuck in the bag. If needed, God forbid, I'll shoot straight thru the bag. " Gimme whats in the bag" is the last thing I wanna hear.

Click to expand...

I gotta hand it to you: when the bag also happens to contain 5 rounds of cylindered-up 158 gr +P LSWCHP, "Gimmee what's in the bag" is probably the last thing someone wants to ask, too.



Any reason the bag isn't hidden from sight? Too big to fit under your coat?

Dogguy said:

You're optimistic if you think the vigilant person only gets surprised 1-3% of the time. There are more ways to surprise someone than there are ways to avoid being surprised.

Click to expand...

Yes, I know it was optimistic, but I thought the supermen among us might admit to possibly being surprised 1% of the time.

It doesn't matter where you carry the gun, if you have your hands full with an armload of stuff, you'll have to address that problem should the situation come up.

Click to expand...

Yes, it'll have to be addressed, but the point is, drawing a gun from a holster is faster than plunging into your pocket.

The draw will first require accessing to the weapon. If you carry concealed IWB or OWB under a cover garment, you will need to get to the gun underneath that garment, remove the firearm with a proper grip and, while doing all of this, further determine if the threat warrants you firing the gun.

It's the same process whether you pocket carry or concealed carry under a cover garment.

Click to expand...

Pocket carry does not allow as fast or as sure a draw as a belt mounted holster does, so it is not "the same."

There are times when pocket carrying can be a better alternative. The one scenario mentioned in which pocket carrying is a better option would be the ability to have the gun in you hand while your hand is nonchalantly in your pocket before a threat ever develops.

Click to expand...

Hard to do the majority of the time, but an option when a "possible" threat is identified. This is a great technique to use with your backup gun.

Have the proponents of pocket carry ever actually timed their draw with a shot timer? That should prove interesting. I might be able to do just that tomorrow.

Pocket guns have their place, but they have severe limitations as well that should be honestly addressed

Click to expand...

Well said.

Personally I do not know how people carry in pants pockets. I would print horribly when walking.

Cargo or jacket pocket I can pull off.

Guillermo said:

Personally I do not know how people carry in pants pockets. I would print horribly when walking.

Click to expand...

If you carry a small semi auto or derringer in a simple sleeve type holster no one can tell you're carrying no matter what activity you're engaged in.

"This is a great technique to use with your backup gun."
"Cargo or jacket pocket I can pull off."

yup, advantage old redneck

HOT summertime down here, it is still easy and not too hot to wear a big loose mesh camo turkey vest over a light tee shirt when on a casual stroll around town, and it won't even get you a 2nd glance in down south Georgia, shucks, it's always in fashion. You can even wear a blaze orange tee shirt under, if so inclined. Big pockets in those things. You can camo an IWB without even trying, plus have a 7-shot derringer in one hand in a front vest pocket at the same time, and nobody will notice. Don't even matter which popular camo pattern you favor, RealTree or whatever.

True, the IWB is usually under a tee shirt under the vest, but that's why my tee shirt size is XL, while I wear one XXL.
Sort of better matches always fashionable decor of an extra large size camo vest, you know.

I keep mine on a door hook (camo vest that is) to throw on when I walk out the door.
and I don't even turkey hunt

tight jeans ain't comfy nohow for a fat old guy, shorts will do, even shorts without many pockets
(it ain't the size of the dawg.. er, pocket.. in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the pocket, you know)

PS
I have also been known to park a S&W snubbie in my right rear hip pocket, when the dawgs sound like there might be something more exciting than ol' possum out there in the back yard, just to go have a look... but do I have the other half of my SWAT Team (milady) on standby backup, with a 357 carbine in hand nearby
(teamwork, there is no substitute)

If you carry a small semi auto or derringer in a simple sleeve type holster no one can tell you're carrying no matter what activity you're engaged in.

Click to expand...

I have tried it with a NAA Guardian and a Kahr PM9.

advantage redneck

Click to expand...

Yep...and self employed.
My idea of dressing up is an untucked shirt over slacks. Because of that I carry OWB.

I have tried, repeatedly, pocket carry. I gave up.
If I have to tuck I Kangaroo.

sadly me not self employed
and they frown mightily on guns on-site
(but at least they don't ask about what rides with me in truck)

Weekends and off work days (like today) though, casual day every day
Even work days, I do get to wear my shirt untucked and "could" get away with it, but having chalked up 32 years there as of yesterday, ain't willing to press my luck at this late date
some risks you just are obliged to accept in the interests of other important stuff

Its takes me all of about 2 seconds or less to pull my Seecamp out of my pocket in the shorts I am wearing right now, some pairs of pants are a little bit tighter so it takes me about 3-4 seconds tops...

I am not sure I understand what the hangup about pocket carry is here, sure it is slower than an OWB holster (what apart from OWB cross draw or already having the gun in your hand would be faster?).

What about IWB with a tucked in shirt (like those "supertuck" holsters)? I would rather pocket carry, seems like pulling a gun out of my pocket is faster than digging a gun out of a tucked in shirt. Advantage of pocket is I can already have my hand on the gun before I have to commit to pulling it out.

I only carry the seecamp, and I'll either pocket carry or IWB if my shirt/pants work better for that (pockets too tight = IWB time but I much prefer the pocket). All I ever wanted get a gut gun/Get off me gun, for that role it fits perfectly and pocket carry works perfectly for it as well.

Also, when someone pocket carries I would hope they are using a pocket holster, if they were then first there would be no printing issue, and second the gun would be lined up to easy grab and pull out.

Also as far as drawing when the attacker is right there, 1-2feet distant, I would move my strong side away from the attacker, put hand in pocket (if it wasn't already there), draw, point at gut and pull trigger. This doesn't seem any more complicated than drawing from OWB or IWB.

Caveat, the bigger the gun the harder pocket carry is. Thats why I picked the smallest one I could find.