I recently got my LA county CCW permit, and took the opportunity to experiment with different ways to carry. (I previously had a permit a couple years back when I lived in San Diego, but I thought once I moved to LA that carry wasn't going to happen unless SCOTUS intervened. Fortunately, the Sheriff eased up the standard a bit last spring and people have been getting permits).In San Diego, I had gone straight to pocket carry because all I carried really was my little Glock 42. I'm a larger guy, so even though that gun is big compared to other .380s, it comfortably fits in a pocket for me.But now that I also have a 9mm Shield, I thought trying some form of waistband carry made sense. So I did for a couple days. Appendix was super comfortable...until I sat down and my gut wouldn't really allow it, not comfortably anyway. Small of back was pretty workable, but I've heard that can be risky in terms of damaging your spine if you ever fell on your back. And 7pm/8pm carry (I'm a lefty) just wasn't comfortable and seemed to print most of all.I can actually pocket carry the Shield in some of my pants, so I've started to do that and reverted to always pocket carrying. The Shield fits in basically all my pants front pockets, but in some of them, it is a tight fit. You don't want that because the gun can easily get stuck for a second or two if you are trying to get it out fast, which would be disastrous. You should be able to have your hand comfortably on the grip and able to take the whole thing out of the pocket holster without trouble. So with those pants, I stick with the .380 glock.NOTE: When I say pocket carry here, I mean pants pocket. I don't mean like a jacket pocket, though that is an option too that has its own strengths and weaknesses. Anyway, here are the strengths of pocket carry:Pocket carry is peak comfort. You know how people sometimes try to rationalize not carrying because it is a hassle and kind of uncomfortable to get everything on? i.e. "i'm just taking out the trash/going to the store/etc. real quick, I can leave the gun." Ya. Well, with pocket carry, that is not a thing at all because it is THAT comfortable. I grab my gun from my bedroom safe real quick and pop it into its dedicated front pocket just as fast as I grab my phone, wallet, and keys.With the right pocket holster (I use two types, which I will link at the end), printing is not a concern at all. It just looks like a wallet or larger phone in your pocket, even if someone were looking, but no one ever really is.In the situations where you notice a potential threat, you can discreetly have your hand in your pocket, basically ready to draw in an instant if god forbid it were to come to that, without attracting any unwanted attention. You can't really do that with IWB as you'd reveal the gun.This is also related to comfort, but I can't stress enough how nice it is to not have to make sure you didn't just reveal your gun when you reach up to get something, or try and awkwardly adjust the holster when you sit down/stand up. The gun just stays in your pocket the way a wallet does. It's so comfortable I usually forget it is even on me, which is the ideal in terms of carry in my opinion.All that said, there are weaknesses to pocket carry:While if you see a potential threat your draw can be very fast because you can have your hand in your pocket, if you don't see the threat until an attack has suddenly begun, then drawing the gun is certainly slower and more awkward than an appendix draw.If you are not a large guy like me, then appendix (or the recently popular enigma) might actually be just as comfortable, or close enough that its other advantages win out over any lack of comfort. I have been losing weight, so maybe if I eventually lose my gut I'll give it another try.That whole forgetting it is on you thing can be a disadvantage too. As an attorney, I have to attend court regularly (albeit less in person lately, thanks to the pandemic). One time back in San Diego, I parked my car in the parking garage in downtown and walked the 15 minutes all the way to the courthouse, only to remember when I saw the metal detectors that I had the G42 in my pocket. My fat ass had to run as fast as I could back to my car, then back to the courthouse. I made the hearing in time, barely, but the judge probably was amused wondering why I was sweaty as hell in my suit haha.It's basically a no-go for anyone who regularly wears tight pants, so some guys and most women can't really do it. Even some of the best holsters will indicate the outline of the gun if it the fabric is really pressed against them. And even if printing weren't an issue, getting the gun out quickly would be.Obviously, the size of the gun you can pocket is limited, which removes a lot of options. Lots of people carry a Glock 19 for example, but that definitely isn't a pocket gun even for a large guy like me. And the more in-shape you are, the less pocket options that will fit. I imagine if I succeed in getting healthier and losing weight, the Shield may stop working for me as a sometimes-pocketable gun. The G42 should always be fine though.EDIT: Some people named some other disadvantages in the comments which are valid: 1. "Don’t forget inability to draw from a seated position and the inability to reholster quickly!": 2. "Slow to access, can only access with one hand, limits what you could carry, and forget about it if you get entangled and try to draw."Here are the two holsters I use. I have one of each of them for both the Glock 42 and the Shield.https://ift.tt/3bkTMWG kydex one is great for maximum security, given the gun snaps into place and there is no way to access the trigger. It's hard to see in the pictures, but there is also a little thumb "lip" that you can use to push the holster off the gun quickly if the hook doesn't catch on your pocket and the whole thing comes out when you draw. Weaknesses include that it prints more in tighter pants, and the aforementioned possibility of the gun coming out with the holster still on sometimes, despite the hook shape.The DeSantis nylon holster's strength is in avoiding printing, the flap does a really good job of simulating a wallet. On the rare occasions I carry in a suit jacket, this holster is excellent for an interior jacket pocket. It also just about never comes out with the gun when I practice drawing the gun, the "sticky" exterior does a good job avoiding that. Downsides are that nylon is obviously not as secure as kydex, though this holster has a snug fit and the trigger seems pretty well protected in it. Another downside is that the material can start to feel warm in some situations, and that part of my leg can get a bit sweaty with this holster on a hot day.Would love to hear from you guys about other strengths or weaknesses, or just your general opinion on pocket carry. via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/3BmI1tm
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