Pocket carry

[Dave Nowlin]

Actually I'm very happy with my Shield 9mm.  I carry it in my cargo shorts and nobody pays any attention to it.  It is obvious that something is in my pocket but it doesn't scream gun.

[tnhawk]

.....As far as holsters go...  I am 100% comfortable with no holster on guns with a long, heavy trigger.  When I had hard to pull guns, they went in the pocket naked.  Now that I have moved to the micro 1911s, I have a holster as I am not comfortable with a light trigger sitting uncovered in the pocket.....

 

I am not comfortable with a pistol in my pocket without a holster.

[Keyless]

I have had a PF9 and the 380 in kel tec . To me the PF 9 was bigger than I like in a pocket . I did carry the 380 for a long time and then when I quit working , sold it thinking I no longer needed a pocket gun.

 

 However for the quick trip to the corner store and so on , I am now looking to buy another one. I am looking at the Taurus I think it is a 738 in 380 and the one thing I do like is the slide stays back on the last shot. This is something that most of the small 380's don't do . I currently have a Smith & Wesson , Sigma  380 but it is a little bigger than the Taurus but it does the job for now.  

[Guest PapaB]

I am looking at the Taurus I think it is a 738 in 380 and the one thing I do like is the slide stays back on the last shot. This is something that most of the small 380's don't do.  

Sort of, sometimes. My wife was shooting our daughters Taurus TCP (738) yesterday. She went through 4 mags of ammo and the slide only locked open on 2 of them.

[Moped]

I think any pistol or revolver over 20oz .requires a holster of some sort and is probably not conducive too pocket carry.  I've  had several Ruger SP101s and it's a pretty small revolver but hefty, but it would pull you pants off, if carried in a pocket, unless you had a butt, which most men don't.  My favorite concealed carry piece is a Colt Agent .38 and it fits ok in a pants pocket without a holster, but fits better in a jacket pocket and in the winter time, that's exactly where it rides, with 2 speed loaders on the other side. 

 

I've also noticed the "snappiness" of smallish .380s.  The last one I had was a SIG P230.  A couple of mags was all I could stand to shoot from it.  My hand was shaking.  I didn't like shooting it much, so I got rid of it, and stuck with my old fashioned Colt Agent.  Loaded with Federal Standard pressure Nyclads, it's a tack driver at 25 yards. 

[safetyfast]

I'm still experimenting with holsters for pocket carry. I would live to carry my Glock 23 all the time, but it's too hard to conceal, particularly I. The summer.


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[TMF]

Sort of, sometimes. My wife was shooting our daughters Taurus TCP (738) yesterday. She went through 4 mags of ammo and the slide only locked open on 2 of them.

 

Huh, my mom's and mine both lock back with our factory mags.  Your mags are both Taurus?  I sure do like my TCP.

[Patton]

There are a lot of complaints online about the TCP not locking back all the time. To me it is a moot complaint, since the competition doesn't ever lock back.

[Guest The Itis]

There are a lot of complaints online about the TCP not locking back all the time. To me it is a moot complaint, since the competition doesn't ever lock back.

 

That's the right attitude. Any gunsmith can adjust the springs on the TCP to make sure it locks on last shot as well. Typically just a matter of the slide lock lever spring being too strong for the mag follower to overcome.

The Ruger LCP actually does have a slide lock, but does not stay open on last shot (by design)- it is merely there for handling or disassembly. :squint:

Edited September 22, 2013 by The Itis

[Guest PapaB]

Huh, my mom's and mine both lock back with our factory mags.  Your mags are both Taurus?  I sure do like my TCP.

 

Yes, factory mags. I've no complaints about the gun, it's a good pocket gun imho. I wouldn't recommend it for the locking back feature, I'd recommend it if you like the way it feels in your hand.

[nightrunner]

I pocket carry a Kahr P380 and love it. I have had a PM40 before and its just a little big for some of my jeans. The P380 fits in anything

It locks back on the last shot also. Every time.

[Sidewinder]

I have a XD 3" Subcompact but it is to thick to pocket carry (I love the gun though). I would like a Pocket carry and would love to stick to 9mm(if I go down to 380 I will go LCP). Any suggestions? I was thinking Kel Tec PF9. Can I pocket this gun? Any real life experience?

I have a Kahr CM9 and pocket carry in a soft DeSantis holster. Obviously, it works great while standing, not so much while sitting and driving.

[PackinMama]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the Kimber Solo. It's smaller than my PF9 and fits in my pocket nicely. The only bad thing about them is that they will only (reliably) shoot high quality 124 or 147 gr. ammo. That's ok with me since it's not a range gun. If I want to go burn through some ammo, I'll take my Glock. ;)

 

Since many of you really seem to like the Sig P938, I looked up the specs on both the P938 and the Solo. I  found that the Solo is shorter in overall length by .4" and narrower in width by .105"

The height is the same, and the Solo is 1 oz. heavier.

Edited September 26, 2013 by PackinMama

[TMF]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the Kimber Solo. It's smaller than my PF9 and fits in my pocket nicely. The only bad thing about them is that they will only (reliably) shoot high quality 124 or 147 gr. ammo. That's ok with me since it's not a range gun. If I want to go burn through some ammo, I'll take my Glock. ;)

Since many of you really seem to like the Sig P938, I looked up the specs on both the P938 and the Solo. I found that the Solo is shorter in overall length by .4" and narrower in width by .105"
The height is the same, and the Solo is 1 oz. heavier.

Probably because their cost prohibitive; not just for people who can't afford it, but for folks who aren't willing to pay that much for a pocket pistol. Nice guns though.

[PackinMama]

I have to disagree with you TMF. The MSRP on the Sig P938 is $823. The MSRP on the Kimber Solo is $815. Lots of people seem to be willing to pay the higher price for the Sig. Why not the Kimber?

[jgradyc]

I just ordered a couple of the Ace Case slipless gripper holsters. Supposedly, they stay where you put them between your pants and briefs without a belt clip. I'm skeptical, but for $33 for 3, it's worth the money to experiment with some different sizes.  Here's a link. http://acecase.com/   I'll let you know if they really work.

[Jonnin]

I have to disagree with you TMF. The MSRP on the Sig P938 is $823. The MSRP on the Kimber Solo is $815. Lots of people seem to be willing to pay the higher price for the Sig. Why not the Kimber?

 

Agreed.  I know a lot of folks bought the sig 380 or 9 at well over $500, some paid over 600.   The price tag on my 380 was over 600, as I recall, but I traded so my price cannot really be listed in dollars.  Far as price tag goes, the colt defender has a following as well, and there are some other small pricy options like the roughberg or whatever its name is.   But price does matter.  For every sig, kimber, etc there are probably 50 p3ats or clones that have been purchased.  The vast majority of pocket pistols being carried are probably sub $400 in price range.

 

I considered the solo, but could never find one in stock and had heard too many "picky ammo" reviews.  (And it turned out my sig was just as picky, so that complaint is not really justified in hindsight).   The sig cleared up after a few hundred rounds, dunno if shooting the kimber more may help you or not.    Here, I disagree a little: whatever you carry, if you cannot stand to practice with it (ammo cost, recoil, whatever) then it may be a bad choice.  I have surely, by now, put 1k rounds thru my sig, probably more since it had a lengthy break in, and I try to work 50 through it every month.  So whatever you carry IMHO should be a "range" gun (or at least, shot frequently at the range).

Edited September 26, 2013 by Jonnin

[TMF]

I have to disagree with you TMF. The MSRP on the Sig P938 is $823. The MSRP on the Kimber Solo is $815. Lots of people seem to be willing to pay the higher price for the Sig. Why not the Kimber?

Wow, I didn't know the Sigs went for that much now. I thought I remember the price tags being a lot lower than that when they came out. I've only seen a Solo on the shelf once and that was around the MSRP mark.

[Jonnin]

Wow, I didn't know the Sigs went for that much now. I thought I remember the price tags being a lot lower than that when they came out. I've only seen a Solo on the shelf once and that was around the MSRP mark.

 

They don't go for that.  That is the MSRP -- which is *always* about 15% or more above actual retail.  A sig 938 today is going to cost you $600 - 650 roughly.   Kimber solo is 700 at buds today.   The sig 380 is below the $500 mark now at most places, the price went down fast when the 9 came out.

Edited September 26, 2013 by Jonnin

[kesava]

Same for me.

Ditto...

CM9. 

[Pcdokk]

When it's a pocket carry day it's either my Sig P238 or Taurus PT738.

Edited October 3, 2013 by Pcdokk