A Word of Caution or Don't Do Stupid Stuff

[SC Shooter]

This afternoon, my wife asked me to run to the store & pick up a few things. As is my habit, I opened my safe grabbed my Sig. P-938, slipped it on my belt and headed for the store. As I was walking across the store parking lot, I sensed that my gun was riding a little low, as the end of the barrel was even with the hem of my jacket. Therefore, I stepped into the men's room to adjust my pants and tighten my belt. As I unbuckled my belt, the weight of my gun pulled the belt out of my hand, then my belt loops and the gun crashed to the floor. Fortunately, I was in a stall, and more fortunately, the gun did not discharge. For those of you unfamiliar with the P-938, it is a hammered single action auto loader similar in design to a 1911, and you carry it cocked and locked.

My point of all this is to remind all that putting on your carry weapon is like any other part of getting dressed to go out. Make sure it is secured, and that your belt is where it is supposed to be and is tight. I would also like to give a shout out to Sig Sauer for building a high quality weapon that does as advertised. A lesser quality gun probably would have discharged.

 

[Fast Frank]

Yes indeed.

I've been carrying for about ten years now, give or take, and I've had a few moments like you describe.

My take on the subject is like this-

1. FIRING PIN LOCK! Make absolutely sure that your pistol is drop safe.

2. Holster. The good stuff holds on to the gun, and covers the trigger and safety lever. A good holster will not allow dropping the gun or operating any controls.

3. (And this is the important one)- Always and Never. Keeping a set set of rules for handling the gun and never ever deviating from that will go a long way to making things safe.

I believe that making the routine handling of the gun a ritual, and always doing it exactly that way will go a long way towards getting it right.

For example, the holster I use could be put in the pants before running the belt through the loops. It could also be done equally well after the belt is installed because the retaining loops have snaps.

I believe that doing it one way today, then another way tomorrow, and possibly some other way the day after that leaves me wide open to possibly doing it all wrong on the day when it really matters.

To an outsider, my Idea might look like some sort of Obsessive and Compulsive silliness, but when you look at the possible "Bullet In The Butt" results of mishandling the gun...

I think it's a good idea.

 

[Warp]

Yup.

But I would note that no modern 'in-spec' handgun, carried appropriately, would or should discharge from from being dropped.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

This summer I managed to drop an LCP with a round chambered on the tiled floor in the middle of a Burger King. I first I thought it was my phone then looked down and there laid the pistol between my feet. I scooped it up and left straight away. A couple guys in line were really giving me the wide eyed look and I don't blame em.

My fault for using a belt clip instead of a proper holster.

 

[greenr18]

I pretty much stopped carrying full sized handguns or even medium or compact handguns because it's too much of a hassle and seems in the way to me. People can laugh all they want at .32, .22, and .25 but micro guns like Baby Brownings are to me the perfect defensive concealed carry. I am by no means Sylvester Stallone and don't intend to stay and fight out anything that hopefully will never happen. I intend to as a last resort defend my personal self and then deal with the consequences. No holster needed, just drop in pocket, noone will know, no worry about someone seeing an outline and some moronic drama ensuing that may or may not involve someone calling the cops out of ignorance of the law, fear, what have you. Just my two-cents and personal preference. To each their own.

 

[Plan2Live]

Have you ever hit your thumb with a hammer while driving in a nail? Have you ever slipped with a knife and cut yourself? Have you ever misjudged the distance between a non-moving solid object and your vehicle? Have you ever made one of more than about a million other miscalculations that fall under the heading of human error? The OP just did a great job of describing human error and human error is precisely why I like to add in layers of safety whenever possible when handling or operating guns. We are after all human and that fact will eventually catch up to all of us. That's why I like a DA/SA Hammer fired system over a Striker fired system on my carry guns and if I am going to carry the striker fired option I like having the grip safety. That is why I try to unload a firearm in one room leaving the ammunition in that room and move to a different room to clean that firearm. I want to physically and mentally separate myself from the ammunition while cleaning or working on a firearm. That is why I try to remember to visually and physically inspect the firing chamber on a firearm I am declaring "unloaded" for the purpose of cleaning and/or storing.

I could go on but I think I've illustrated my point that redundancy is never a bad thing as it relates to safety practices and protocols.

SC Shooter, I suppose you have already thought of this but when you need to adjust your equipment while wearing it in public try to do so by firmly grasping your carry belt, not the gun/holster itself.

 

[Warp]

I pretty much stopped carrying full sized handguns or even medium or compact handguns because it's too much of a hassle and seems in the way to me. People can laugh all they want at .32, .22, and .25 but micro guns like Baby Brownings are to me the perfect defensive concealed carry. I am by no means Sylvester Stallone and don't intend to stay and fight out anything that hopefully will never happen. I intend to as a last resort defend my personal self and then deal with the consequences. No holster needed, just drop in pocket, noone will know, no worry about someone seeing an outline and some moronic drama ensuing that may or may not involve someone calling the cops out of ignorance of the law, fear, what have you. Just my two-cents and personal preference. To each their own.

Nobody intends to get into a gunfight or have to use a handgun to defend themselves. If they did they'd bring hard armour, a rifle, and friends with rifles, not a handgun.

I don't know where you live where you think there will be "moronic drama" because you print...

 

[Ignition Override]

Recently the Russian Makarov had a round chambered, but I had forgotten to move the decocker to lower the hammer. Dummkopf.

Luckily it is always carefully pushed into the holster etc. Caught the dumb mistake a half hour later. Do not rush!

 

[kcofohio]

Most modern handguns have a firing pin blocker, or as with revolvers, a transfer bar, that will prevent an AD without the trigger being pulled too. Many non-striker fires semis have a hammer catch that prevents a half cocked hammer from falling forward and making contact with the firing pin.

 

[greenr18]

I don't know where you live where you think there will be "moronic drama" because you print...

I'd tell you but then I'd have to erase your mind with secret squirrel chemicals created from the backing of the Illuminati and Colonel Sanders himself.

 

[Jackal]

When I first started carrying, I had my Para Warthog fall out of my jacket pocket amidst the mens clothing racks of a JCPENNY. No one saw it, but I learned my lesson that day.

 

[MedWheeler]

I had a holstered Kel-Tec PF9 come off my belt (holster and all) while sliding down a playground slide with my daughter once.. lot of people around, but I don't think anyone saw it. That was the last day that holster did duty. It was an IWB holster, worn between the belt and pants (inside-the-belt carry.)

 

[GBExpat]

I started carrying 40+ years ago and quickly found that the practice can easily slip into a condition where not enough attention/respect is paid.

I trained myself to think about that whenever handling my firearms, especially those that I am carrying daily.

... and part of that is to, just prior to leaving the house, double-check my pistol & rig.

 

[Kennydale]

And that's why I stopped using Remora Holsters. In my case, My Ruger fell inside my pants and was caught in my pants Leg.

 

[mac tm]

I had my PF9 and it's holster inside my jacket while working on the farm. The task for the day was moving 8 inches of snow and cleaning calf pens. Sometime during the course of the day it slipped out of my pocket. I was able to borrow a metal detector so I would not have to pitch out the spreader by hand or dig through all the piled snow. 3 hours later i had the snowy and dirty pistol back in my hands.

1. This is my most embarrassing gun moment.

2. Be sure your carry system retention level matches your activity level for the day.

 

[TimSr]

People can laugh all they want at .32, .22, and .25 but micro guns like Baby Brownings are to me the perfect defensive concealed carry.

I've been known to carry a .25 acp on many occasions in the summer where the .38 was just to bulky, but I have to say that after getting my son a Ruger LCP 380 for Christmas, it's actually not as wide, and is lighter than my .25 and about an inch longer, and in today's money, probably about the price I paid for a cheap .25 in the 80's.

 

[stevekozak]

If a 16-18 oz gun is pulling your belt out of your pant loops and the belt out of your hand you need to:
A. Get a better belt (hint: shoelaces do NOT make good belts)
B. Work on strengthening your grip.

 

[jmorris]

If the firearm isn't in a pocket I always use a holster.

 

[LoneGoose]

When I started carrying I soon realized that with my "no butt" physique, I was going to be bothered with the gun's weight pulling down on my pants. I did some research and discovered Perry suspenders. Instead of clips or button loops, they have hooks that hook onto your belt - exactly where I needed the extra help. I wear them under my cover garment, and when I need to use a restroom I can just unhook the suspenders. I can go all day without having to "adjust".

 

[Ryanxia]

I've been carrying concealed for about 5 years, 3 or 4 of those carrying the Sig P938 every day. Never had an issue. Of course it's not something I take out of the safe to wear to the store on special occasions, it's always with me.

When I started carrying it I carried it cocked and locked but without a round in the chamber so I could get a feel for if my every day activities could somehow make it come loose or shove the safety off, etc. When I was satisfied it wasn't going anywhere I started carrying it chambered.

Glad to hear your incident didn't have anything bad come of it.

 

[WestKentucky]

This reminds me of my bathroom story, only yours is much more calm, and collected. As for drops, this will probably be the only one. It is unnerving and leaves a lasting impression that will remind you to hang on when your pants go down. .

 

[longspurr]

I'm with lone goose. Perry suspenders from Duluth trading company are my daily wear. I have a "MATURE" waistline and the belt needs to be "cut me in half" tight or "drop to the floor" loose. Suspenders fix that.

They also do a great job in keeping the pants and belt in place. An I S W holster needs a size larger pants. If you don't want to do the getto pants half off your ass look, suspenders are your friend.