Pocket Carry Warning.......

[indiucky]

My brother went with some members of his church down to Florida for some Hog Hunting last week.....My brother took a hog his first day with his Marlin 44 Lever Rifle and caught a 7 lb bass the next day....Things were going great at first...

Now time to back up...I did a transfer for my brother about a month ago...He has a thing for .380's...Going back to when we were kids and our Papaw had a WW 2 Beretta 1934 in his nightstand like the one he carried in Italy while serving with Clark's 5th Army....My brother found online at Century Sig Sauer P230 Police trade ins for $299.99 plus shipping and ordered one...When he got it he picked up a pocket holster to carry it in....

Now back to the story....He took his Sig with him on his Hog hunt and while running through the brush trying to keep up with his Guide he felt something hit the ground...He stopped and looked but his guide yelled at him to try and keep up....My brother felt for his sheath knife and thought he may have imagined something falling due to his adrenaline kicking in and continued after his guide....They missed out on the hog and my brother reached in his pocket and the P230 along with it's holster were gone....To say he is bummed is an understatement....He and the guide searched for an hour and finally gave up...

I am not a fan of pocket carry but full disclosure here...From January thru March I pocket carried...Many of you know I got pretty sick, almost "bought the farm" as they say due to a ruptured intestine...I can tell you what a gut wound feels like and let's just say there is a reason in the Cowboy movies they leave a man with one bullet (even a "bad guy") when they are gut shot....Due to a weight loss of 40 lbs and a "little friendly bag" I had to wear on my side during that period suspenders and pocket carry became my daily routine...Due to the location of my surgical wounds a belt was not an option....During that three month period my Smith 640-1 came out of my pocket twice while sitting wearing "certain" types of pants...Fortunately I felt it and never lost my gun....


The point of this is this...Kirk often points out the folly of pocket carry and it's not because he hates freedom and is a safety Nazi....It's because we lose things from our pockets...Losing a pocket knife Grandpa gave you sucks...Losing a pistol sucks worse and has with it the worry of who is going to find your lost pistol...

End of Warning....

 

[seedubs1]

I pocket carry frequently. A proper holster (not one of those sticky holsters or nemesis holsters) will solve most problems you state. I carry in my pocket with a kydex holster with good retention. The firearm isn't coming out of the holster I use without me pulling it out, and the holster/firearm combo is definitely not just going to fall out.

It may not work for everyone, but it's been a great carry method for me.

 

[cosermann]

Nuts, that's a pretty significant loss. Have always liked the P230.

One has to recognize the strengths and weakness of all methods of carry and work with them/use what's appropriate for one's planned activity.

 

[rvb]

if someone looses a gun/holster from a belt rig, do we blame the method, or the selection of holster/belt/etc?

Perhaps the selection of holster/pants should be criticized, not the method.

never lost a gun from my pocket.... never lost keys, etc, either....

-rvb

 

[cedartop]

if someone looses a gun/holster from a belt rig, do we blame the method, or the selection of holster/belt/etc?

Perhaps the selection of holster/pants should be criticized, not the method.

never lost a gun from my pocket.... never lost keys, etc, either....

-rvb

Have to agree with Ryan here. I have a strong dislike for pocket carry based on a host of reasons. However, guns can be lost using many types of carry. Just ask any number of people in my rifle classes whose pistols have "jumped" out of their owb rigs.

 

[Nam1911]

I have ran and jumped with my IWB and owb holsters with my 1911. Never a problem with it. No thumbstrap or active retention for me. But I have lost some things from my pockets before. I'm not a fan of pocket carry unless it is absolutely last resort. Things in the pockets jostle back and forth up and down too much while running and jumping. I want my gun to be secure at the waist with the least movement. Also pocket carry is a pain in the ass to draw.

 

[rvb]

I have ran and jumped with my IWB and owb holsters ... . Also pocket carry is a pain in the ass to draw.

I have run, jumped, done lots of construction, ridden bikes, ridden roller coasters, hiked, tumbled with the kids, ridden/jumped 4 wheelers, went sledding in the snow, done sports like basketball and volleyball, even jumped around in bouncy houses at the kid's b-day. who knows what else. and I've never lost a gun out of my pocket over the many many years I've done so. during that same time doing those same activities, yes, I've lost some pocket change, even a pocket knife.

Yes, absolutely the draw is the big downside to pocket carry. Pants/holster combo that gives better retention makes drawing even worse.

I have some pants/shorts I won't pocket carry in, or at the most realize I can't be overly physical with that setup.

I've done some things to help retention, like put bends in the holster so it grabs the seams better.

-rvb

 

[venenoindy]

I have also pocket carry without any issues as long as a use a good holster, like others mention the selection of proper gear and investing time and resources is extremely important when it comes to firearms.

 

[ghostinthewood]

Similarly, I pocket carried on my weak side for awhile last year because I had a fun little elbow surgery because of a bone infection. Was in a cast and then a splint for awhile. Put my titanium 85 in my other pocket since my strong hand was out of commission. I was used to appendix carrying and I could draw from my left hand even with a right hand oriented holster, but pocket carrying was faster and more efficient with a weak hand. I also practiced shooting off hand and doing manipulations before this so it wasn't entirely foreign.

I started lifting again and in the opposite fashion I've gained weight and some of my previously nicely fitted shirts dont fit so nicely anymore. I'll pocket carry a 42 if I happen to wear one of those (i.e. if I got behind on laundry and they're the only ones clean). I'll also pocket carry in a coat or jacket pocket since I can draw from there or shoot from the inside(if using a snubby) easier than I can trying to unzip/unbutton and then drawing from more concealment.

Like someone else said, you just have to know what you're capable of and act accordingly. Ive never had a problem with gun coming out of my pocket. At worst they change orientation slightly.

 

[possum_128]

It all comes down to using a quality holster and awareness of your sidearm no matter your mode of carry. I carry half of the time owb and the other half I pocket carry due to job. Never in 42 years of carry have I come close to losing my sidearm.

 

[indiucky]

I sent a text to my brother to get the "whole story" as to what he was wearing and how it happened so here is his text word for word...

"They were some real tree camo pants. It was 100% my fault. Even with about 3 instances were it almost fell out getting in the truck I kept carrying it,and I actually felt it fall out while I was running and stopped, I only checked the sheath knife I was carrying like an idiot and then started running again to catch up with the guide."

 

[JJM7288]

Losing the pistol is bad, when I read the thread title thought it might have been worse! I pocket carry my G42 most of the time, when doing something active IWB for sure.

 

[JBTate]

Many of you know I got pretty sick, almost "bought the farm" as they say due to a ruptured intestine...I can tell you what a gut wound feels like and let's just say there is a reason in the Cowboy movies they leave a man with one bullet (even a "bad guy") when they are gut shot....Due to a weight loss of 40 lbs and a "little friendly bag" I had to wear on my side during that period suspenders and pocket carry became my daily routine...Due to the location of my surgical wounds a belt was not an option

Mostly off topic here, but I'm glad you made it thru your sickness ok and were able to reverse your temporary "little friendly bag". I had a perforated bowel as well several years back and had a temporary colostomy. I suppose you can get used to anything in life, but I'm certainly glad I didn't have to adjust to that permanently. I know what a struggle you faced and just wanted to commend you for getting thru it. They told my wife had she not DRAGGED me to the ER when she did I'd have bought that farm before ya.
Briefly back on topic, I almost exclusively pocket carry my LCP and with a good holster and pant selection have never had an issue

 

[sparkyfender]

Ouch!

That is a tough one. Thanks for sharing!

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

I can relate to what the OP is getting at, but I agree with Ryan that carry method alone is not to blame.

I pocket carry my M&P Shield 9 in a sturdy kydex holster probably, if I had to guess, 80% of the time that I carry. The other 20% I carry OWB in a Safariland ALS holster. Each carry method has its positives and negatives and a time for one and a time for the other. I know my limits with pocket and OWB carry and I believe therein lies the the biggest factor that the OP's brother didn't realize.

 

[EricG]

That has to hurt. Im not sure what Id do if I lost a gun.

I have witnessed people pocket carry and I could see the tip of the grip in their pocket. Thats too shallow. I have had pockets modified to assure good pocket carry.

 

[Mark 1911]

I thought it was going to be an ND story. It would suck real bad to lose a gun, but a gunshot wound would make for a much worse day. Glad your brother's bad day did not involve injury. Both are excellent reasons to carry in a proper holster.

 

[indiucky]

Mostly off topic here, but I'm glad you made it thru your sickness ok and were able to reverse your temporary "little friendly bag". I had a perforated bowel as well several years back and had a temporary colostomy. I suppose you can get used to anything in life, but I'm certainly glad I didn't have to adjust to that permanently. I know what a struggle you faced and just wanted to commend you for getting thru it. They told my wife had she not DRAGGED me to the ER when she did I'd have bought that farm before ya.
Briefly back on topic, I almost exclusively pocket carry my LCP and with a good holster and pant selection have never had an issue

I call it "The Winter of My Discontent" I owe my wife my life...Apparently my self diagnosis of "It's just Kidney Stones Honey..I will be fine in a couple of days..." was a wee bit off....

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Kirk often points out the folly of pocket carry and it's not because he hates freedom

No, this is where this entire thread was derailed. I do hate freedom.

 

[indiucky]

No, this is where this entire thread was derailed. I do hate freedom.

Yes true, your disdain for freedom is well documented...But that's not the REASON you hate pocket carry..You hate pocket carry because you are a safety NAZI who still believes in archaic safety rules like "Treat every gun as if it is loaded"...