Pocket Carry - Which gun?

Only reason i dont carry the 19 in summer is cause when i went to the coin op laundry bending over and reaching into the side loading washer and dryers.. guess my glock's grip became open carry lol someone noticed and called the pd lol, next thing i know , i have 2 cruisers pulling up lol, so within a month i said **** this and got a 42 to fit my wardrobe.

The glock 26 might be slightly, and i say slightly better than a 19 for concealment but honestly it is just 1inch difference in the grip length, it is still chunky and the slide and grip would have probably done the same
 
Thanks for all the feedback so far. Lots of interesting perspectives. I'm really looking for the easy choice of something that you can just throw in your pocket vs not carrying. Also, the idea of something while exercising comes to mind. Intrigued by Northframingham's review of the BG380. The size looks perfect for a pocket gun and even with the known downsides I'd rather have it if I ever needed it than know my larger gun is home in the safe.


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Depends on clothes. For dress pants, cargo and loose fitting jeans I picket carry the LC9s. I don't wear tight jeans anymore (you're welcome), but for my bathing suit, it's a Davis/Cobra derringer in .22Mag.
 
Take a look at my old thread here: http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/295470-Trying-some-pocket-guns

I've realized that I can't stand tiny semi-autos with their tiny controls and sharp lines. I pocket carry a Ruger LCR at work five days a week and it disappears in slacks. I also often carry it in jeans or shorts. All with a desantis nemesis.

That said, I've been carrying my G19 IWB with shorts and a tshirt outside of work lately and no one notices anything. People don't pay attention and even if they do notice something, normalcy bias kicks in.
 
For pocket carry, I have owned and can recommend

- Kahr PM9, about the smallest 9mm you can get. It is high quality and shoots very well. The long trigger pull takes a little getting used to for some but is a nice safety feature, especially if you have the free-state non-safety version, which I prefer. I don't like having to fiddle with a safety. Good pocket carry in a jacket, or something loose like 511's.

- For times when you want go smaller look for a Kahr P380, somewhat of a unicorn in MA, but really worth seeking out. Same build quality and trigger pull as the PM9 but in 380. Very accurate. It fits anywhere and is a fantastic pocket carry gun! The CW version would do just as well at a slightly lower price.

- Smaller yet is the Ruger LCP. Its pretty much invisible in most circumstances. Out of the box the sights, trigger and recoil sucks, but you can easily cure that by picking up a better trigger and recoil improvement parts at galloway precision. Makes a big difference. I didn't bother with the sights. Not necessary for such close range, but they would help. The new LCP Custom fixes all of those problems , but I have yet to see one for sale in MA.

I like having 9mm instead of 380 whenever possible, but would have no concerns that these two 380's will do what is needed for close range.
 
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A 638 or Bodyguard 380. The bodyguard is smaller but the rounded lines of the 638 in a pocket holster don't print.
 
I run a Kahr CW380 in a this wallet holster in the summer or when my not-so-tactical muffin top will cause printing with an IWB carry:
kahr%207.jpg


It's a great shooter and I do really like the holster - it's from Uncle George's
 
Varmint said:
It goes in the back pocket right? Is that uncomfortable when driving or sitting?
Click to expand...

Correct - I run it in a back pocket, but you could fit it anywhere. And for me, completely comfortable all day in the car or the office. The only time I find it uncomfortable is when sitting on really hard surfaces like bleachers, and then it's just a minor hip adjustment.
 
I never pocket carry but if I had to choose one of my guns to do so with, it would be the Ruger LCP. It has to be one of the most reliable micro .380's ever made.
 
For me it is a 642, LCR, or an LC9s. Nice thing is, they all fit in an Uncle Mikes #4 pocket holster. I also have IWB and OWB holsters for all of them. Lots of choices so no excuses not to have at least one of them on me at all times.

Oh, ankle holsters are a nifty option as well, especially when driving a lot.
 
For me it would be the LCP or maybe the cw380. Have a PM9 but I don't like to pocket carry it.
 
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RLBreton said:
I run a Kahr CW380 in a this wallet holster in the summer or when my not-so-tactical muffin top will cause printing with an IWB carry:
kahr%207.jpg


It's a great shooter and I do really like the holster - it's from Uncle George's
Click to expand...

I also pocket carry a cw380 but I use the Desantis Nemisis pocket holster in my front pocket. I can't put much in my back pocket for fear of having sciatica again (worst pain I have ever felt).

I love the gun but do your research with .380 ammo. I prefer the solid copper or Polycase bullets. FMJs over penetrate too easily even with .380 and do not cause enough of a wound channel. Hollow points can tend to clog in .380 and become FMJs or they expand but then don't penetrate enough with the low power of the .380 load. Check out Lehigh Defense Xtreme Penetrator or Ruger ARX or other Polycase bullet rounds.

9mm is obviously the preferred round over .380 as far as ballistics but even small 9mm pistols felt funny to me in the pocket and weighed more than the .380 pistols for the most part. Also, 9mm is going to feel quite a bit snappier in such a small gun. Not that I expect to ever be in a gun fight but I found my cw380 easier to get quicker accurate follow up shots than my buddy's LC9 (of course the LC9 also has a horrific trigger, the new LCPs is supposed to be much better). It's a personal preference thing really, see if you can try a few if possible.
 
Depending on circumstance I occasionally carry a SW Shield in a pocket. It works, but isn't great. I use a desantis nemesis. I'd prefer something a bit smaller.
 
john m said:
S&W. 637. It's a great summer CCW
Click to expand...
The 637 impresses the heck out of me. Best $325 I ever spent.

I switch between 637 and a p3at depwnding on pocket room. The .38 spl with good full strength ammo is always my first choice.

I never found a pair of pants which fit me and allow the g26 and my self to occupy the same space.

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Here's the thing. Everyone has different definitions of pocket carry. When I see guys saying they pocket carry a revolver or mid size 9mm I really wonder what kind of pockets they are carrying them in. If it's cargo pants or cargo shorts, maybe. If it's swim shorts with small pockets and no belt, maybe just a tie string while enjoying a day at the beach, I can't imagine it. I don't usually swim at the beach but I still wear swim shorts and anything bigger than my cw380 I just don't see working out very well. Heck, even in regular light weight shorts I can't imagine a revolver or 9mm but that's just me, YMMV. Point is, know exactly what you want to do with this gun and buy the one that you shoot well, are comfortable with and fits the situation you are buying it for.
 
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