Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Is there anything wrong with pocket carry?

Ditto.. The only 'pocket-carry' I do is place one in any of my coats that have an inside pocket designed for a handgun. On occasion I'll carry a Kahr P-380 in an outside coat pocket but it's rare..

Here in S/E Texas, shorts and boat shoes are the official dress. I am large enough to have large pockets. I carry either a j frame or Sig 938 in my front pocket. I also use EEZOX , a dry CLP which cuts down the amount of lint picked up. Hasbeen

If the gun isn't a collector and you like it, bob the hammer.

Or get a 442 or an old M38 if you like J frames.

Just carry the gun.

Nothing wrong with pocket carry.

I've always liked hammers and shoot single action way better than double action. One of the reasons that I switched away from my little .380 1911 style Colt Government was it is single action only and well "only" a .380. I got a line on a pre-lock J frame S&W 337 PD for .38+P and at only 10 ounces it can be both single or double action and hits harder. It is so light that I can forget that I even have it along. Probably not a collector piece, but I'm not about to grind on it. I did that to the front sight of a stainless S&W M60 front sight to get it on point of aim with 125 hp ammo and it wrecked the resale value.

Model 38 then. Shrouded hammer for single action, but the hump back gives no snag on draw.

modern equivalent is the 638 if you want new(er)

Resale value is the last thing on my mind when I'm thinking personal protection.

Random thoughts----there's no such thing as a "fast draw" from a pocket holster or an ankle holster. If you decide to pocket carry, don't do it "occasionally" make it a daily habit so that you feel "unusual" when you don't have it in your pocket. Don't "suppose" that your hammer will snag, assume that it will--practice drawing from your pocket to confirm that a hammer gun is generally a poor choice, you'll ruin a number of trousers proving it to yourself-----pocket holsters are distinctly unserviceable to people that are seated and have limited space for mobility, in those cases ankle holsters, cross draw and shoulder holsters are far more accessible, i.e. if you're driving on a cross country vacation or you're a truck driver or in theater seating at a movie, in a pew at church, etc. then pocket carry is probably not your best choice. It requires a change of mindset but get your clothes to fit the gun, not a gun to fit your clothes. Go to Goodwill and get a couple of old jackets that fit you, try shooting thru the pocket to see how and if your gun will function with more than one round.

In the early 80's when I worked for Bianchi, we sold a set of J-frame grips that extended up the back of the frame and acted as a hammer shroud. It basically turned a model 36 into a model 49. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any for sale at gun shows for years, but they were a good attempt at making hammer guns less likely to snag.

JMO-YMMV.

An LCR is holstered in my pocket most days. Right pocket if it's the only handgun. Left pocket if I have something on my right hip. Some pockets and jean cuts work well for it, some don't.

I remember those, they were called "Lightening" grips and versions were available to fit J & K-Frame RB revolvers and Colt D-Frames. I had a pair on a Mod 36 for a while but the grip was larger than it needed to be and the rubber composite material was a bit too "sticky" for pocket carry.

Yeah, something like that should be made of hard, smooth, plastic.

I wish someone would make a modern stainless version of the late 19th century tiny breaktop in 32 S&W.
Barring that, if you like wheel guns, get yourself a LCR in 22LR.

Learn to shoot.

I have pocket carried but honestly I've found I much prefer an IWB holster. A pocket carry seems to be an invitation to fumbling with the gun or holster when seconds count.

Yeah, it's really mainly for when you have advance warning that something is up. For a sudden need to shoot to defend your life, when you get little or no warning, you need one on your belt.

I only carry when I am away from the house, and then it is a 380 pocket gun in a pocket holster in the right front pocket of my cargo pants or shorts.
Keeps my big fat fingers and other things off of the trigger and pocket dust out of the gun.
I'm thinking that the hammer on a small revolver could wear out a pocket pretty quickly.

Pocket carry is a pretty poor plan....but its a damn sight better plan than not carrying at all....which in and of itself is only moderately worse that "only carrying occasionally."

I don't know if you're aware of this, but almost ALL home invasions happen………………………..AT HOME! :-)

Maybe like a couple of you have written that placing your hand in your right front pocket eliminates the need to produce the gun in the first place and makes a bad guy think twice about you as a victim. I was visiting a buddy last week and he said that he has four loaded guns stashed around the house. I think that I'll stash a couple more myself. Four years ago September 23 I didn't know that my kid had $5,800. stashed in his room because the bank was charging him a service charge. Some distance acquaintances knew about it and three of them decided to don ski masks and come in to find it. I'd never been robbed before so I wasn't as well behaved as they figured a retired guy should have been. I got 15 stitches out of the deal from a paving brick, plus some other injuries from a floor lamp and bar stool, but the guys left when they heard the shuck, shuck of my .45 going into condition one. The police dog tracked them a quarter mile to where they dropped their bloody jacket and ski mask and DNA did the rest. The one kid had prior burglary and got ten years, but he wouldn't rat out his two buddies. A real exciting evening. It happens.

Keep your weapons locked up. Except for the one you carry.

Why arm the bad guy?

Exactly. I carry at home at all times I'm not sleeping, at which point it's right next to me.

Well, that's good advice IF you carry 24/7...