Pocket Carry Questions

C0untZer0 said:

Man carrying a pistol, with no holster, in his pocket with a bunch of other junk. Reaches into his jacket pocket to pull out his wallet and his gun falls and discharges when it hits the ground (no drop safety).



http://myfox8.com/2013/12/27/handgun-accidentally-discharged-at-kernersville-restaurant/



surveillance video:



http://link.brightcove.com/services...qDg6TacBIKl94NQkAw9R_LQ2J&bctid=2983833234001



It doesn't look like the guy fesses up... just pays his bill and leaves

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The dude who dropped the gun is all "play it cool....play it cool...."

Pocket carry

I have nearly exclusively pocket carried for about the last eight years. I'm a bit too round to comfortably carry IWB, and pocket carry works well for me.

I have a light pocket load:
- Gun + holster right front
- Keys and change in left front
- Wallet in left rear
- Mobile phone in left side belt holster
- I don't typically carry a knife, but when I do, it is the type with a clip on it and I clip it on the inside of my left front pocket (clip on the outside, knife in the pocket).

My daily carry is a Ruger LCP in a DeSantis Nemisis pocket holster. It carries well for me both in jeans and dress casual. It prints somewhat when sitting, but isn't too obvious and is invisible when standing. I used to carry a Kel-Tec P-32 (purchased back when it was essentially the only polymer frame in that class), but it was stolen from the (closed, but not lockable) center console while I was conducting business in a legally enforceable gun free zone. I replaced it with the LCP.

Get the belt holster for the phone. I find it easier to get to, no scratches, and more comfortable than in my pocket anyway.

One of my favorite things about pocket carry is you can "pre-stage" access without drawing attention. If I am, say, walking through a parking lot at night, I can place my right hand in my pocket and have a good grip ready to draw. No-one thinks it is particularly odd for a man to walk with one hand in his pocket.

Since having the P-32 stolen, I have added a little pistol safe with a cable that attaches to the seat support in the vehicle. Now, I can lock up the gun when I have to leave it.

OK for specifics then:

RF pocket holster with LCP
Keys dangled from carabiner clipped to belt loop and tucked in LF pocket.
Wallet in RR pocket.
Phone in cargo/carpenter leg pocket of pants/shorts.

What's nice about pocket carry is you can descreetly pregrip the gun if something looks sketchy til you leave the area.

Kel-Tec P3AT in right front pocket, inside a sleeve holster.
Small Pocket knife also in right front pocket.
Coins in left front pocket
Wallet in left rear pocket
Right rear pocket holds handkerchief.

My left pocket carry line up constantly changes. With the exception of the right.
I have a leather snap key strap that goes on the belt. Works great as everything isn't at the bottom of the pocket. Also my cars don't have keys so hanging the fob is great.

ETA:

Thanks for your replies guys. Let me tell you though, you don't all have to keep telling me that nothing goes in the pocket except the pistol. I get that...

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So I'm one of THOSE guys that won't always read a multi-page thread before replying.

So, what do you carry besides your pistol? Did you have to change habits to be able to pocket carry?

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Change habits? YES. Because I would absolutely not recommend carrying anything else in the gun pocket besides the gun and holster.

Just re-arrange how you carry things. Go with cargo pants, or use jacket pockets, for instance.

Me, I moved most of my EDC stuff (keys, contact lens rewetting drops, Swiss Army Knife, ...and calculator when working!) to my left pocket. CRKT M16 Knife clipped to rear hip pocket. Cellphone either in jacket, cargo, or "not really a cargo pocket, but just the right size for cellphone" pocket I have in some pants.

I guess your size and the cut of your pockets will also affect where you stash your regular EDC gear too. I have one pair of cargo shorts where EVERYTHING goes in the cargo pockets. Got them from a catalog. Regular pockets are pitifully tiny and shallow....

- What pistols do you carry?

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Depends on your size, and the type and "cut" of your pockets I suppose. I favor jeans when not working, and can manage a Ruger LCR in all of the ones I own. And I would wager a Glock 26 in most of them.

I have one pair of pants that, if I were so inclined, I could actually manage to pocket-carry a Glock 19!

I've never handled (outside of a gun store) a Walther PPK....but I own a fine clone of it, the Bersa Thunder .380. Its NOT a great pocket carry gun for me. Maybe it's the extra-thick grips. I just know I see the PPK referred to as a "pocket gun" sometimes an thought I'd throw that in here.

Frequent practice (as with any other method) is a good idea. I like to use the "draw at the beep" drill from this site: http://www.predatortactical.com/cart.php?m=knowledgebase_detail&id=5

J-Frame in right pocket. Everything else goes somewhere else. I never wear jeans, usually cargo type pants or Carhart carpenter pants or similar. Unless they're baggy as hell I find jeans tend to print too much for me.

I buy shirts with pockets in them. That's where my phone goes. I carry a .380 in my right front pocket sometimes "always" in a holster and with nothing else in that pocket. Keys and pocket knife go in the left pocket along with 2 spare mags.

I carry a S&W J frame in my front pocket. I usually wear lose fitting dress slacks or cargo pants, very rarely jeans, and when I draw the gun from the holster, the holster usually comes out with it turning the pocket inside out. I solved that problem by carrying my (over loaded) key ring in the same pocket. The holster keeps the keys and gun insulated from each other and the weight of the key ring keeps the pocket and holster in place when I draw the gun. Just food for thought.

gun, holster, and lint.

DAdams, we speak the same language.

Nothing else should go in whatever pocket is carrying your gun. Things like keys, coins, pens, etc. can get wedged in mechanisms. Pocket knives that clip to the pocket can also partially block quick access for your hand. Move the other stuff to different pockets if you have to. Perhaps, for example, the cell phone could move to a belt pouch.

The cargo (thigh) pocket of cargo pants is not very useful for carrying a gun, either, IMO. The gun will flop and bang against your thigh with every step. More importantly, an advantage of pocket carry is that you can go around with a hand casually and nonchalantly in your pocket, already on the gun. You can't do this with a cargo pocket.

As for the size of gun? I carried a Kahr PM9 in my right front pocket, in a Mika holster, in the deeper pockets of slacks and cargo pants. It was a pretty tight fit in the smaller pockets of jeans. Much bigger than that and you'll run into problems. There is a difference between being able to stick a gun in your pocket for a short time and leaving it there.

I've only carried single-stack 9mm's, but I do wear casual pants and shorts most of the time. I also bring my cel, keys, and wallet. Sometimes a pocket knife and flashlight if I know I'll be more outdoors. My keychain already has a flashlight so I don't always bring a full size light.

When I am only carrying a gun in a pocket, it goes in my weak hand front pants pocket. It is normally an S&W 442. When I carry the 442 as a BUG for my IWB XD45 compact, it goes in the same place. Makes training easier.

Mojo-jo-jo, we think almost exactly alike. Same problems, same pocket load.

I usually carry a J frame in RF pocket, or sometimes a Keltec PF9. In cooler weather when I am wearing a coat, sometimes in the coat pocket.