I am against the idea of not using a pocket holster.

If I may suggest, go to your LGS with your favorite pants on and try it. It may be a little bulky.

I never tried to replace my pockets. The sewing skills are kind of lacking here.

 

I pocket carry sometimes my pm9. I have never had a problem concealing it this way. I am 6'6 280 though so my pockets may be bigger in the size jeans I wear too though.
Love the pm9 though. I tried tons of guns over the years for ccw and I can't recommend the pm9 enough

 

I pocket carry a Kel Tec P11. It's very close to the pm9 in size. It is bulky and I am not really hiding anything. Anyone can see I have something in my pocket wearing jeans. I think you will have the same issues with the pm9

 

Send me your jeans and I'll try it out.

 

If your jeans or normal cut and not tight yes you can pocket a cm/pm9. USE a pocket holster allways. A handgun can get turned in a pocket and if needed find it is not up right. Holsters keep the pistol in a fixed position and help to fill the pocket and conceal or soft'n the out line of the handgun.

 

The biggest thing a pocket holster does, safety-wise is cover the trigger to prevent an accidental discharge.

With the proper style and size of jeans, the Khar sould fit. I just wouldn't go trying it in those tight fitting, skinny jeans or other "fashion" jeans. Many have smaller pockets like women's pants (one of my wife's biggest complaints about women's jeans is that she cannot pocket carry anything but the smallest of handguns).

Levi's, Wranglers, Lee Dungarees, and even Old Navy loose fit jeans,seem to have fairly generous pockets.

 

Oh, I plan on using a pocket holster. I don't know why everyone is assuming I'm opposed to that. I just don't like waistband and ankle holsters (or torso or shoulder holsters).

But as to pocket holsters, I'd mostly use it to disguise the outline of the gun in my pocket (the more it looks like a wallet or iPhone outline the better) and to keep pocket fuzz out of the gun. Keeping it upright in the same position is another plus.

As to covering the trigger, I NEVER keep a round in the chamber of any of my guns - especially not a carry gun (I carry unchambered, safety off and do the same with all of my guns at home). So, that's not really a concern for me. And I hate to derail my own thread and create controversy, but I strongly recommend everyone else does the same. I also strongly advise against carrying firearms in coat pockets since people leave their coats behind all the time.

I know such views are denounced by the majority of people in the "gun community" as moronic, but I don't care. Better safe than sorry in my book.

The likelyhood of actually needing to use your guns for self-defense is thankfully quite small for most people. Therefore, safety and preventing accidental discharges outweighs a slightly slower presentation of the firearm in my personal opinion.

I've read or heard about way too many instances of handguns falling out of pockets and discharging in public bathrooms and the like to EVER trust the safety features on a firearm. And so many accidental discharges have resulted from people taking their magazine out and forgetting that they chambered a round. And those news stories are always public relations disasters for guns rights. And those accidental discharges also result in tragic accidental deaths. So, I'd like to help minimize such statistics myself...

And racking the slide back is such an easy and automatic motor movement for me that I don't think it's a significant hastle in a self-defense situation.

Anywho, to get back on topic about pocket holsters and to stick with my better safe than sorry mindset, I'm also in the market for a very thin pocket holster with a grippy exterior and a safety strap which wraps around the handle of the gun preventing it from slipping out of the holster. I'd also like the strap to attach by a metal button or even a plastic buckle and NOT by velcro. I've yet to see any pocket holsters of that design. They all seem to be little sleeves that you just tuck the front half of the gun into and they secure the gun through mere friction alone. And that's the kind of pocket holster I used for my Ruger LCP but would like to avoid having to use in the future.

Thanks again in advance for any helpful responses.

 

With the number of people who read these posts, somebody would take a "pocket pistol" and put it in their pocket without thinking of using a holster.

(forums are not private conversations)

 

Yuckers , sorry but your looking for something that is not out made and frankly defeats the purpose of haveing a quickly excessable concealable handgun if its needed no matter how skilled you think you are under stress. Yes the chance of needing your CC is small but don't restrict your chance to survive an attack by limiting your ability of useing your CC if needed. False security when your handgun is both unchamber and strapped in a pocket holster. Just assum you will only have one hand to use too.

You need to have a buddy at his call rush at you or even by you from 25 feet off and see if you can pull anything from your pocket and point it toword him before he is all over you, now rack the slide to. Now add a holster than binds your handgun into your pocket??!! I would rather have a knife and OC spray. Carry'n a unchambered modern safe handgun alone is useless most anytime when you need to use one hand to keep the BG off you while clearing your handgun from your pocket . At closer distances that more than probable and to then have your hangun strapped into a pocket holster unchamberd is going to you and yours in deep trouble if ever needed. That set up becomes a high priced rock.

I have pocket carried a modern safe designed revolver or two different makes of semi-autos over the last 26 years working as a carpenter, chambered and ready to go and never had one fall from a pocket or never had one dropped or fired on it own. Buy a time proven handgun with a long DA type trigger pull and it is safe to CC chambered and ready for action.

 

The majority of the time I'd leave the pocket holster unlocked for quick access. I just like having the option of securing it with a strap since some of my favorite hobbies like indoor and outdoor rock climbing have me practically hanging upside down.

And yes, I know accidental dischrages are rare. I just suggest that more people err on the side of caution since, like I said, I've read and heard way, way too many reports about accidental discharges over the years.

As to revolvers always being "chambered", that's one of the reasons why I don't like revolvers.

 

I have a CM9. I pocket carry in a leather pocket holster. Loose jeans are no problem. I have a holster that I made myself. I deliberatly made it hard to pull the holster out of the pocket. If I grab the gun and draw the holster always stays in the pocket. I do not use retention of any type. The holster simply fits the gun well.

 

What does everyone think about the CM9? There's a pretty good deal on one at a local gun shop and I've been thinking about getting it. I like the higher quality feel of the PM9 but the CM9 is pretty much the same gun internally, right?

PS. Thumbs up for making your own holster. I'll probably end up just buying a pocket holster and adding my own safety strap to it myself.

 

I have carried a cm9 for a few years and its a great pistol . For me no down side with it. BUT for a newbe to lite heavier recoiling pistol you must have good basic skills with them. Prices before the election were around 350 to 375 dollars. Today ??!! Oh it ain't going to fire if dropped. Fireing pin block. Nether is a modern revolver with a transferbar that blocks the hammer from the fireing pin except when the hammer is fully to the rear. You need to study modern saftey designs bult into most modern handguns your looking at.

 

I pocket carry a Kel Tec PF9 every day in an uncle mikes pocket holster. It's 7+1 single stacked, loaded with Hornady Critical defense 115gr 9mm +P ammo. The slides and barrels are available in blued, parkerized and hard chrome. They are supe light weight. I'm 6'2" and 180lbs so I'm relatively skinny. Even in the summer in shorts and I'm down to 32 waist pants you can tell I'm packing. And the best part.....I can't even feel it in my pocket. I've carried it comfortably IWB too but prefer pocket. My particular gun is the mid priced Black on Black with the Parkerized finish. I may send my slide and barrel in for an upgrade to Hard Chrome after the holidays. Mine was $278 out the door brand new. $306 with a box of shells and the holster. Despite all the Kel Tec knockers and the few FTF's and FTE's I had in the first few clips......I love it now and it functions flawlessly and don't plan on ever getting rid of it.

 

I pocket carry, wearing Levi 505 straight leg (doesn't get tighter unless you buy skinny jeans), with this...

Star Firestar M43:

- Overall length ~ 6.5"
- Barrel length ~ 3.4"
- Overall height ~ 4.61"
- Maximum width ~ 1.1"
- Unloaded weight ~ 30.2oz

This is a heavy, medium sized gun. I have no trouble drawing in an instant and don't even use a belt. I can sit, stand and run with full range motion in ease and comfort. It does imprint a bit, but I've never been so much as looked at sideways, so...

I actually think that tighter pockets are better as they provide more support, but looser would allow for easier draw. I do have skinny features like hands so it may be easier for me to get in and out than big mitted folk.

That said I am looking to downsize soon, too a lighter, smaller framed gun. The current, while doable, isn't desirable. The one I'm looking at, Sig P938 will be half the weight!

 

Yuckers , sorry but your looking for something that is not out made and frankly defeats the purpose of haveing a quickly excessable concealable handgun if its needed no matter how skilled you think you are under stress. Yes the chance of needing your CC is small but don't restrict your chance to survive an attack by limiting your ability of useing your CC if needed. False security when your handgun is both unchamber and strapped in a pocket holster. Just assum you will only have one hand to use too.

You need to have a buddy at his call rush at you or even by you from 25 feet off and see if you can pull anything from your pocket and point it toword him before he is all over you, now rack the slide to. Now add a holster than binds your handgun into your pocket??!! I would rather have a knife and OC spray. Carry'n a unchambered modern safe handgun alone is useless most anytime when you need to use one hand to keep the BG off you while clearing your handgun from your pocket . At closer distances that more than probable and to then have your hangun strapped into a pocket holster unchamberd is going to you and yours in deep trouble if ever needed. That set up becomes a high priced rock.

I have pocket carried a modern safe designed revolver or two different makes of semi-autos over the last 26 years working as a carpenter, chambered and ready to go and never had one fall from a pocket or never had one dropped or fired on it own. Buy a time proven handgun with a long DA type trigger pull and it is safe to CC chambered and ready for action.

Very much agree with long trigger pull for cc.
Short trigger pulls and safeties - NOT.

 

Yeah, I know if I carried, say, a 1911 cocked and locked with a round in the chamber and the safety on that it would probably be safe. But the idea of sitting down and having my hot gun pointed at random people and my loved ones just eats away at the back of my mind. It just seems too dangerous to me. There's always that very small chance that somehow the safety will come off or fail and the trigger pulled. With an empty chamber, it's literally impossible to accidentally discharge a firearm (unless you dropped it in fire or something). I could chuck the gun across a parking lot and it wouldn't accidentally fire. And like I already said, chambering a round is just such an easy thing to do.

I'm surprised you pocket carry such a huge gun, BeyondTheBox. That's bigger than my Glock 26.

 

Yeah, I know if I carried, say, a 1911 cocked and locked with a round in the chamber and the safety on that it would probably be safe. But the idea of sitting down and having my hot gun pointed at random people and my loved ones just eats away at the back of my mind. It just seems too dangerous to me. There's always that very small chance that somehow the safety will come off or fail and the trigger pulled somehow. With an empty chamber, it's literally impossible to accidentally discharge a firearm (unless you dropped it in fire or something). I could chuck the gun across a parking lot and it wouldn't accidentally fire. And like I already said, chambering a round is just such an easy thing to do.

I'm surprised you pocket carry such a huge gun, BeyondTheBox. That's bigger than my Glock 26.

I carry chambered with hammer down, condition 2. Majority would advise against it.

Most modern guns with a manual hammer have a firingpin block and half cocked stop. You can also carry manual hammer guns half cocked. It puts pressure on the sear, but then it's not cocked, so no matter what the trigger does, no matter if you drop on the hammer and it somehow slips nothing is going to happen.

I mean really we could play the what if game forever and then we're no better than the libtards playing games of speculation and semantics. In the end I commend you for doing what you believe to be right and I won't knock ya for it like some of these others will, but I disagree and will continue to carry as I believe is safest and most valuable to me.

 

Thank you for respectfully disagreeing with me. Cheers.

Update for anyone who might Google this same question and read this thread, I tried slipping the CM9 into my pocket at a local gun store wearing a favorite pair of my somewhat tight khakis and it's just too big (to me at least). And since that's pretty much the smallest 9mm there is, it looks like I'll be carrying my Ruger LCP more when I want to pocket carry...

*sigh*

Anywho, as to the Ruger LCP, I have a couple questions about ammo.

One of my favorite bullet makers is "Buffalo Bore". I'm really impressed with how hot their rounds are. Go look at ballistic comparisons and they pretty much dominate in every single caliber. (If anyone has anything bad to say about them, let me know. Because I buy most of my self-defense ammo from them and want to be aware of any problems that company might have).

I was troubled by some of the information the owner of that company stated under their .380 rounds, though.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=129

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=127

He claimed that "frangible" (hollow points?) .380s simply aren't powerful enough to (about to get graphic here) go through an attackers head. Even in the description for his own hollow point .380 rounds that he sells (which are the hottest I've ever personally seen) he recommends that you only have your first round be one of his hollow points followed up 5+ rounds of the solid cast bullets he sells.

He reasoned that with a weak round like the .380, the bullets basically have to be solid cast in order to take out the spinal cord and achieve immediate incapacitation of the threat.

Is that true? Any ballistic experts out there know if he's pushing nonsense or not? Will .380 hollow points really fail to reliably stop an attacker? Do you really need solid cast bullets when using the .380 for self-defense? Would using solid cast rounds actually be a bad thing in .380 since you still want bullet expansion?

 

Dood, the Robaugh (spelling?) 9mm is the smallest, or the Seacamp 9mm. But good luck trying to find one in a LGS.

 

I'm gonna ask this ammo question in a seperate thread so more people see it.

 

My Ruger LCP fits easily in my pocket in a pocket holster.

Only problem is I do not like to shoot the LCP

 

I carry a Glock 26 daily but I'm finding having to use waistband holsters and ankle holsters as being just too annoying to live with.

I really want to start carrying a truly pocketable handgun. I also have a Ruger LCP and it's perfectly sized for pocket carry. The only thing I don't like about it is that it's chambered in .380.

I know small 9mms like the Kahr PM9 could probably fit in baggy cargo pants pockets. But I don't want to alter my wardrobe. I mostly wear somewhat tight jeans and khakis and am wondering if anyone has tried to carry something like the Kahr PM9 wearing those kinds of pants.

On a sidenote, I'm also wondering if anybody else out there has tried to replace the pockets on their favorite pants with larger ones so they could pocket carry 9mms. Or am I the only one who's had that probably stupid idea?

Thanks a million in advance.

have you looked into a springfield xds? I carry one daily in a pocket holster....it works outstanding for me..

 

have you looked into a springfield xds? I carry one daily in a pocket holster....it works outstanding for me..

No, not really since I consider them to basically be Glock clones. Are there thinner and more compact XDs compared to the Glock 26? I just assumed that if a Glock 26 can't fit in my pocket then XDs couldn't either because I thought they both used double stacked magazines and had thick slides. Is there a single stack sub-compact XD in 9mm with a sub-1 inch (width) slide?

 

The xds is a single stack .45....1 inch wide....I wear Levi 560 with no probs