I had an interesting weekend in Victor, Colorado, and saw some things that I thought I would discuss with the Concealed Carry Permit flock. Some Concealed Carry Holders are choosing to carry pocket guns and while this is a personal choice, I am seeing more and more people do it unsafely.
One person I recently met pulled the concealed carry firearm out of his pocket with his fingers in front of the muzzle. When I asked him about it his response was it’s a long trigger pull it can’t go off!! (See the video I posted on Facebook) I then questioned him about his pocket holster because I am curious about such things and he responded I don’t need a holster it’s this only thing in my pocket. Well, he got part of it right.
First of all most of you who know me know that I’m not a fan of little concealed carry guns. Yea I know the only gun that counts is the one you have with you when you need it. I think with a little training and wardrobe management a person can carry a reasonable size gun in a decent caliber and be comfortable and safe. With that being said a few things we should all remember about pocket carry for concealed carry. Remember if used as a backup gun, some states do not allow a second gun to be carried.
Why Use a Holster
1) Use a holster
a. Cover the trigger guard, reducing the chance of a negligent discharge
b. Protect the gun against lint and dirt, pocket carry guns need cleaning and maintenance more often
c. Protect the pocket against the gun’s sharp edges and oil
d. Keep the gun positioned correctly in the pocket, an upside-down gun is dangerous and inaccessible
e. Prevents the gun from falling out of the pocket during vigorous activity
f. Allows a simple and rapid draw, with some provision to keep the holster in the pocket when the gun is drawn
Just the Gun in the Pocket
2) NOTHING should go in the pocket that holds the gun except the gun and the holster.
Pocket concealed carry need not be limited to a small, subcaliber handgun in the side or back pocket of slacks. Various pants, jackets and even some shirts provide many possibilities for the effective pocket carry of small, medium, and large concealed carry handguns.
Advantages of Pocket Carry
Pocket carry has several major advantages:
Comfort,Convenience,Concealment,Retention,
Safety in holstering (take the holster out of the pocket face in a safe direction while holstering the firearm and then replace it in your pocket.
Pre-staging the draw is one of the biggest advantages of pocket carry compared to other concealed carry methods.
If trouble may be brewing, the aware concealed carry permit holder may place his or her hand on the gun in a firing grip. A practiced individual should be able to draw and make hits out to seven yards. Be careful where you practice this, it is against the rules at one of our favorite ranges.
In all cases, the handgun in question must be:
Reliable and durable under extreme circumstances. Simple and intuitive to operate. Quick to grip and draw. Well fit to your hand, and naturally pointable. Shootable, and controllable enough for you to keep multiple rounds on target at cyclic speed (as fast as you can pull the trigger) at close range, with one hand. Powerful enough to consistently penetrate a big guy’s vital organs through commonly worn clothing from all angles with expanding bullets.