I found out this las weekend in a Facebook Gun Page. And we are not talking Pocket Carry with some sort of gripping holster but just dropped in the pocket without a round in the chamber and out I go By The Grace of God.
The logic seems to be something like this: I don’t want to carry in a holster (IWB, OWB or Pocket) so I got me a small semi with a heavy Double Action with an empty chamber so it is safe to carry.
Short of having your gun locked in a case, Pocket Carry I think it the slowest when it comes of drawing a weapon from concealment. You do not add to the timer by carrying a gun that will flip upside down once it settles in the pocket and then and after all the monkey pawing getting it out, you still need to rack it to defend yourself.
Good pocket holsters are designed to carry the gun safely by covering the trigger guard, maintaining the pistol vertically and keeping lint and assorted small crap from fudging the gun. They are bunches of them and by great manufacturers to cover all budgets.
If you carry pocket, do it smart: holster and loaded chamber.
If you’re gonna carry a gun in your pocket without a holster, why not go all in: Just shove the damn thing in the waistband of your underwear?
That was the other group of idjits
Even *with* a pocket holster, I sometimes find my carry piece has turned 90 degrees in my pocket.
The effectiveness of pocket carry depends on your dress. If you’re wearing tight jeans, its a problem, but if you’re wearing something with nice big openings, it can be quite quick. Sitting is almost impossible to access. Hands in or near your pockets is a natural gesture. In cold weather it is much easier to access a gun in your jacket pocket than you get under your coat. The J-frame or detective sized revolver is the king of side pocket carry. If you get the right holster, the revolver breaks up its own outline better than a semiauto does. Out of personal experience, I recommend Mika’s Pocket Holsters.
Relevant quote”carrying a gun with an empty chamber is like believing you can put on your seatbelt before your car crashes”
Full disclosure, I carry in a kydex holster, condition zero.
I’ve toted guns in my pockets for ages- current rig is a Shield 9mm in a Brand X leather pocket holster. Best to get a holster that is of a fairly firm material, as they break up the outline better.
And it’s not like they’re expensive! I’ve seem some folks make pocket holsters out of milk jugs & duct tape.
I often carry my LCP in a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster always with a loaded chamber. Federal HST. I’ve had no issues.
If pocket carry is yer druthers…. Border Patrol Quick Draw (attrib, unknown gun is out FIVE minutes before anything happens) becomes the operative mode. That heavy double action with a round in the chamber might work if nothing else is in the pocket and it is sitting with the muzzle up at the back of the pocket. Trigger finger hooks the trigger guard, pull up and forward. The little blaster swings up into the firing hand, ready to roll… Test with an empty gun, have a very heavy trigger pull, maybe good, maybe bad not sayin this was a used carry mode or not… YMMV