Help me set up my 1st CCW

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I have found Pocket carry to be incredibly slow to the draw And different pants, mean different draw speeds. And Pockets were not meant for guns. Keys yes, guns no. And I love Pocket guns. There are better ways to carry them. IMO.
That said, when walking to a car at night or entering a 7/11 etc. A pocket gun is nice in that you can place your hand on the gun and no one will notice. A hand on the gun is the fastest draw.
 
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When I pocket my LCR I use quick strips by Tuff products. I would use the speed strips as I hear they have better durability but they only come in 357 or 44. When I carry my pico I just leave my extra mag floating in my weak side pocket, not ideal as it can flip around but it rarely does for me. I am considering getting some neo mags to try out, they basically add a pocket knife style clip to the magazine magnetically so the mag is held in place and slides off the magnet on the draw. Neo mag also has a product for putting a clip on a speed strip as well.

As far as the slower draw goes, it is still quicker than me driving home to get my gun because I couldn't carry anything. I like pocket carry because when absolutely nothing else will work pocket carry will (I do have the advantage of wearing cargo pants to work). Good luck.

http://tuffproducts.com/7002-quickstrips-black-2-set/

https://theneomag.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQ...3z1zk7msE1TRhXDxULg4m17jpIYOL2lEaAvi4EALw_wcB
 
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Oh another thought. With the micro guns used for deep concealment familiarity is even more important. I spend twice as much time dry firing and snap cap reloads with my pocket guns than with any other gun I would carry. The small grips, slides, and magazines take practice to reliably handle and adding grip tape may be necessary on the small parts. If you go the route of a revolver dry reloads are even more important as speed strips aren't nearly as intuitive as a magazine, ideally get to a point where you can reload without looking at your hands. If you do get a micro gun I encourage you to shoot a local IDPA or similar match with it as the stress of competition will help you understand how proficient you are. I'm not going to say pocket carry is the worst or best option but it does have challenges that make figuring out a more traditional carry method worth trying to get to work.
 
Pocket Carry is really not my forte, but on occasion when I've done it I've used something like a Remora or Sticky holster and they work well. The DeSantis Nemesis is also something that works well for pocket or IWB. I agree that a Shield is on the edge of being too big for pocket. Works fine for me IWB, but boarder line too big for pants pocket.

-Jeff
 
Pocket carry guarantees no accidental exposure.

Pockets vary widely. In my experience, accidental exposure is definitely possible with pocket carry.

My usual concealed carry is a Taurus 85 .38 revolver carried in my right front pocket. I have some jeans and khakis where the back of the butt is barely visible at the pocket opening. I have others where it is completely hidden. Since this is a critical issue for you, make sure you check your pockets for both depth and the width of the opening so that you can pick a gun that works in your least forgiving pants.

Also, a word about holsters. Stiff leather is your friend. At one point I used a nylon pocket holster, but it soon conformed to the gun so well that there was no secret what I had in my pocket. Heavier leather does a better job of concealing contours. I have one holster with an attached flap that basically looks like a wallet in my pocket.

Good luck!
Tom
 
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Today I have learned that the M&P Shield is too big for pocket carry.


In other news, I think I've about worn out my pocket holster for my M&P Shield... apparently not through daily use though.. because, the internet told me that's not a thing.

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If I'm carrying my Shield it's because I'm in slacks and a polo shirt or dress shirt without a jacket. So, about half the week in summer. With a jacket means I get to carry something bigger on the belt. The shield replaced a Rami P in this role.
 
Pockets vary widely. In my experience, accidental exposure is definitely possible with pocket carry.

My usual concealed carry is a Taurus 85 .38 revolver carried in my right front pocket.
Fair enough -- I should have specified pocket carry with a micro-sized semi-auto pistol. I carry a Beretta Pico or a Kel-Tec P32 in my right front pants pocket. There's no chance of it peeking out, even in jeans.
 
Pocket carry just doesn't seem to work for me. I always wear my shirts tucked. Carry gun is a CZ PCR. In the warm months I wear a Sparks VM2 and tuck the shirt over it. It cold months I go to OWB with a TT Gunleather High Ride Snap. OWB is a little more comfortable for me and when I can wear a jacket for cover I change to OWB.
 
Fair enough -- I should have specified pocket carry with a micro-sized semi-auto pistol. I carry a Beretta Pico or a Kel-Tec P32 in my right front pants pocket. There's no chance of it peeking out, even in jeans.
I can see that, for sure. I have wanted a P32 for awhile.

Tom
 
I detest pocket carry. IWB if I really need concealment. OWB for comfort and if a tad bit of printing does not matter.

I hate pocket carry for many reasons. Not fast to draw, loss of what a Pocket is actually for, and the weight is not really supported. I also dislike IWB for anything that is large. It has to be very slim. I am OCD about my pants being the perfect fit. I cringe when I see some guy stuffing a large handgun into his pants. I feel like my Claustrophobia is making me want to crawl out of my skin. A nice small holster, for quickness, or a slim, small gun in the waist.

lWx8QPX.png
 
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I detest pocket carry. IWB if I really need concealment. OWB for comfort and if a tad bit of printing does not matter.
Tell me how that’s going to work out at my sons physical therapy building.

Don’t worry ma’am. I can see that you have a signed picture of Al Gore on your desk and you’ve likely left comments on Slate calling for the repeal of the Second Amendment, but never mind that. It’s just my pistol. This guy on the net said that it wouldn’t be a problem.”
 
Tell me how that’s going to work out at my sons physical therapy building.

Don’t worry ma’am. I can see that you have a signed picture of Al Gore on your desk and you’ve likely left comments on Slate calling for the repeal of the Second Amendment, but never mind that. It’s just my pistol. This guy on the net said that it wouldn’t be a problem.”
Why wouldn't it? I IWB carry at my job for the last 6 years everyday as well as malls, movie theaters, concerts, and other antigun places with no problem. If you're going in for a doctor's appointment, then you may have no other choice, but other than that, pocket carry isn't required for concealment.
 
Aside from concealment, I would worry about lint etc getting into the gun.

From my experience as a pocket carrier 98% of the time since 2008, pocket holsters don't stop lint from getting into a gun at all. At least with cotton based clothing washed in a clothes washer and dryer.

I can't speak to synthetic clothing that sees only dry cleaning, though. Could be different. :)
 
Oh, BTW for pocket carriers, I switched to these, two extra pockets under the normal slash pockets and these are zippered, I wear mine with the zipper down (the pocket zippers that is :what:). Very rugged and look like normal Dockers-style pants, they are not BDU style. Pockets are easily large enough for a small pistol. Note that since the hidden pockets are UNDER the slash pockets, keys, etc will help avoid printing.

upload_2019-5-25_13-21-7.png upload_2019-5-25_13-21-40.png upload_2019-5-25_13-22-14.png


https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B006L4A1SK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
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Why wouldn't it? I IWB carry at my job for the last 6 years everyday as well as malls, movie theaters, concerts, and other antigun places with no problem.
Probably because ...

OWB for comfort and if a tad bit of printing does not matter.
In some situations in real life OWB carry and printing the pistol might be have very few consequences. In others it’s going to be a huge problem.

You were saying that it doesn’t matter. That’s not true.

If you're going in for a doctor's appointment, then you may have no other choice, but other than that, pocket carry isn't required for concealment
You’re backtracking a bit now. Is it required or isn’t it?

To reiterate, no ... pocket carry is not the only method required for concealed carry to remain undiscovered. Appendix carry with an untucked shirt would work just as well.

I’m just saying that in many situations you can’t just mentally say “Screw it” and carry in a method that’s likely to be seen/discovered by other people who will likely have a problem with it. There are some social consequences attached to that mindset.
 
So I've decided to start carrying concealed. I need to carry totally concealed while wearing something like Levi Dockers, Chinos etc. and a collared polo type shirt. There can be no accidental exposure of the sidearm. Autoloader should have a manual safety. Budget is around $1k for a complete set-up.

Check out the Tru-Spec pants in post #68 ^^^
 
I think the first thing I'm going to do is buy a couple different pants in different sizes so I have something to wear to the LGS to try some different guns.
 
Something I've already noticed in the past 2 days...do you guys carry things in your strong hand when you're concealed carrying? For example, I went into a fast food place and came out with a to-go bag. Bag was in my right hand. Came out of a store with my truck keys...in my right hand. Should I be making a conscious effort to form a new habit of never having anything in my strong side hand?
 
More likely for me that I wear the pants to match the occasion rather than to match the gun. A belt with that is quickly easily adjusted helps a lot. I can quickly and easily loosen the belt and slip an IWB holster on that I sometimes keep in my console.

https://blade-tech.com/products/ucb
 
I just make a point of coming to terms with the fact that whatever is in my hands might need to be thrown to the ground at a moment's notice. I have a couple old flip phones that after I get a membership to an outdoor range I plan to incorporate dropping as part of my draw. The only thing that I have in my hands that would get in the way greatly would be when my wife wants to be all lovey dovey and I fear she would clamp down on my hand if things got tense. Through a few conversations I've gotten her to make a point of cuddling on my left side or letting go of me and getting behind me if things are tense. Just takes time, trial and error, and practice. You'll get there.
 
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