Pocket pistols. Comfort and concealed.

[SheepDog223]

I've been unhappy with the "printing" my keltec 3at has been showing through my pocket in my jeans.

Through experiment I've so far come up with this... Bubblewrap. No, that's not Joey's automated curs word censor. Bubblewrap! Bubblewrap! Bublewrap!

My wife ordered a book and it came in a bubblewrap envelope. I cut it's height and folded it's width. I wrapped a desantis pocket holster in bubblewrap and presto. I don't know if it will last or wear out to start printing again but, it seems to take the printing away and now I have rebock pump comfort with my little 3at. I don't even go krinkle, wrinkle, pop when I walk so please no references to the rice crispy guys.

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[Sun195]

I use a holster like this one w/ a panel:

I normally carry it in my back pocket & it prints like a wallet. Carrying it in my front coat pocket makes it look like a cel phone or whatever. Obviously, won't work for front pocket carry very well, but an option for you to consider.

 

[OFADAN]

FWIW...I've tried a bunch of pocket holsters over the years and the only two that have worked for me are; for Jeans the Kramer Pocket holster (for both J frame revolvers and sub compact semi-autos) and for 5.11 type, Dockers or other pants with looser type pockets the DeSantis Nemesis.

The Kramer doesn't work as effectively in looser front pockets as the footprint is too narrow and the holster wants to move and rotate inside the pocket.

The Kramer style works extremely effective in the tigher narrower pocket of jeans...just disappears.

The one Sun is showing would probably work just as well for Jeans as my Kramer - same basic design with the flat panel.


Kramer holster with J Frame revolver carried on strong side with panel out and a Bianchi Speed Strip pouch carried on strong side.


Same Kramer holster only rotated so you can see the back side of holster. It can be worn support side but the panel doesn't display.


J Frame in Desantis Nemesis - works better in wider pocketed pants.

 

[Weebs]

My pocket holster:

 

[Sun195]

I also use a DeSantis Nemisis for my J-Frame (642) - works pretty well for a "cheap" holster. I'm surprised at how well it works with jeans pockets.

Another thing I've been thinking about in regard to CCW/printing - and I'm not saying this is a great attitude to live buy - but, most people don't know what a gun print looks like or are even looking for it. Who's to say that thing on your belt under your jacket isn't a PDA or insulin pump? People carry all sorts of junk around with them & most people mind their own business. Not to say you shouldn't strive for better concealment, but you also shouldn't live in fear that you may be printing at times.

 

[Bello425]

I know its skirting the subject, but with the holsters shown above when you "draw" the weapon are you pulling the whole thing out (holster/gun)? Thanks

 

[Sun195]

I know its skirting the subject, but with the holsters shown above when you "draw" the weapon are you pulling the whole thing out (holster/gun)? Thanks

No - usually these pocket holsters have some kind of "grippy" material on the exterior that makes them stay in the pocket during the draw.

 

[Bello425]

Thanks SUN195. I guess it will take a lot of practicing to draw the gun from the pocket holster seeing how tight/snug they look when inside the holster.

 

[OFADAN]

Another critical key is when you reholster!

There is an actual process to do this safely so you're not pointing the muzzle at your own hand when reholstering! I'd say conservatively a good percentage unconsciously point their pocket gun at their own hand/forearm during the reholstering process and are totally unaware of it until it is brought to their attention and then they're shown the correct way to reholster safely - usually most people have an epiphany once they realize what they've been doing incorrectly.

On the list of "good things" and "bad things"; pointing your own weapon at yourself during reholstering is an "ugly thing!" Yet, unfortunatetly many of the You Tube video demostrations show people pointing the gun at their own hand during this process...I've even seen some gun & holster manufacturers show still photo shots of the model doing the same thing. It is unfortunately all too common and yet so simple to fix.

Don't ask me how I know this

 

[Joe Link]

I keep a lot of stuff in my pockets so pocket carry wasn't really an option unless I wanted to carry it in my back pocket. Growing up in a bad neighborhood we knew better than to keep anything back there in case it got lifted, so I've always been a bit paranoid about that.

I don't have any pictures right now, but I carry my P3AT in a custom K&D IWB holster. It may seem silly to carry such a small gun IWB but it really works well for me, and after almost 5 years of use the holster still looks new.

 

[Natty Bumpo]

As a life-long fan (owner, collector and carrier) of smaller pocket pistols, I pocket carry most of the time. And I own quite a number of pocket-holsters in leather, fake-leather, fabric and kydex. Some expensive, some cheap. For me, price is no object when it comes to getting what I want in a holster. And I will try almost anything once because I am always open-minded to the possibility of a "better" holster. The one I now prefer (and keep coming back to after trying many others) is the Mika:

http://www.frontiernet.net/~akim/

By the way, it is really cheap.

It consists of some sort of fake-leather with a grippy material sewn on the outside. It presents less of a "hard bulge" in the pocket, I think, than any hard surfaced material, like stiff leather or kydex. While it isn't quite bubblewrap, it is rather spongy. It does not require wings or hooks to stay in the pocket when drawing, like many leather holsters do. The somewhat loose fit and the grippy outer material keeps it in the pocket. It might not do so well for someone turning cartwheels or doing acrobatics, like James Bond. So some might consider the loose fit of this holster as a liability over the tight "boned" fit of a leather holster.

I usually wear slacks, so the "round cut" bottom profile of the Mika holster is best for slacks as it fits the shape of the pocket very well. The shape of the holster orients the grip of the pistol where you want it and keeps it oriented.

For other types of pants, sometimes a "square cut" to the holster bottom works better. Depends on how your pocket is shaped. For coat pockets, particularly rectangular sewn on pockets like those in an army jacket, a square cut flatter pattern like the DeSantis is a good choice as it orients the firearm well and keeps it that way in that type of pocket.. The Desantis is very grippy, but, IMO, because of its flatness and width, tends to "show" (not print) a little more in slacks than does the Mika. Hard rigid leather and kydex also tends to show more in slacks, I think. Holsters of these material can move around more in the pocket than I like. I want the holster to stay put and the only firearm to move when drawing. I don't like any holster that moves along with the firearm until it hooks on the pants before it releases the firearm.

Any decent holster will not allow the firearm itself to print.

And as a long-time pocket carrier, I have gotten into the habit of never, ever, carrying anything in my right pants hand pocket, regardless of whether it contains a firearm or not.

 

[Gunner3456]

Here's something I want to see. I grabbed this pic off the net - not mine.

It's a "Sam Gray Grip Holster" I'm told. I believe that's a P-3AT in there.

 

[ORBrit]

is the idea that you don't remove the gun from the holster there?

 

[4Freedom]

I never understood the challenge with pocket pistol concealment. I got S&W 442 snubby and I have a Mika pocket hoslter, but the Uncle MIke one works ok too. It obscures the shape plentyu and I ahve found rounds of .38 spl in the gun. I have carried that pocket pistol everywhere, even to places where I know people are freaked of guns and no one suspected me of anything. I do carry a wallet in one pocket and my snubby in the other. People are not going to freak because of a bulge in ur pocket..

I think the Snubnose is the way to go for pocket carry since it is way easy to put in and pull out of hte pocket. I can see a semi auto or sqaure shape gun getting caught in a pocket. also the snubnose in a holster has a very obsscure shape and nodoby will think of it as being a gun unles your handle sticks out of ur pocket...

 

[Gunner3456]

is the idea that you don't remove the gun from the holster there?

Up real close, quick and personal, apparently so. I want to see one. I'm not sure I like the idea of an unshrouded trigger, but that pic comes from a real gun guy who swears by the holster.

 

[elsullo]

I carry loose in the front pocket, no holster for small auto or snubby, for an easy sure draw. In front of the gun I place a "credit-card-wallet" which is the only thing that prints to the public. Even a sharp eye sees only the rectangular wallet bulge......................elsullo

 

[4Freedom]

My life depends on this



As well as my S&W M&P 45 which i Carry IWB..

 

[Sun195]

I never understood the challenge with pocket pistol concealment....

I think it depends on your build & type of clothes you wear. There are some pants I wear that do very well with pocket carry; others are terrible for it.

I'm not sure I like the idea of an unshrouded trigger, but that pic comes from a real gun guy who swears by the holster.

I agree - it makes me uneasy.

 

[4Freedom]

I got muscular legs and wear some tight pants.. You would think I would have the worse scenario possible, as you can easily see that bulge in my pocket. Yet, I have not had one person say a thing to me. I have walked past police, ultra gun hating liberals, bars, walked through park with kids and cautious parents, even in church bible studies. YOu would think if someone suspected a gun they may be nervous or say something.

THe trick I find is effective is to put a fat wallet in one pocket and the gun in the other. WIth two bulges in your pockets people will not suspect, they will just think this is a guy who loves stuffing junk in his pockets. With all the kinds of portable devices and junk we have today, people are not amazed to see people with bulges sticking from their pants or pockets. If anyone does ask me, I will tell them its a personal notebook/diary. Diaries, notebooks are personal.. I avoid saying its a little computer or something that may make someone ask if they can see it. NObody, is going to say can I see your diary please. Of course, I am yet to have anyone ask me whats in my pockets.

I have carried my pocket pistol with every types of pants imaginable, tight jeans, loose jeans, slacks, khakis. Some pants have short pockets, others deep. True if you have a pair of pants with very short short pockets, it is useless to pocket carry. However, most pants I have used don't have too short of pockets. If I have a pair of pants with short pockets, and, assuming you carry in your right pocket, I tilt my snubby so the barrel is facing bottom front part of my pocket and the handle is hooked (snug) with the rear side of the top part of my pocket. The gun is in a diagonal like position (about 45 degrees). IN this position it is easy to grab, yet will prevent the handle of the gun from sticking out. It does take a little bit of fidgeting, but I think its not hard to figure out. With a pair of pants with short pockets, like those I am wearing now, I tend to tilt the gun slightly diagonal, which really obscures the shape.

Pocket carry for me was really simple.. Nobody has caught me yet

Now concealing my 4.5 inch barrel .45 S&W M&P was a real challenge, but I am doing well with it. Thank God for fleece vests.

 

[cwegga]

Here's something I want to see. I grabbed this pic off the net - not mine.

It's a "Sam Gray Grip Holster" I'm told. I believe that's a P-3AT in there.

Before people go this route they should research. I believe holster that you can fire the gun from are catagorized as AOWs by the ATF. You could get in legal trouble. Here is an interesting thread on the subject.

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49909