pocket carry and sweeping

[mek42]

Using a hip holster or shoulder rig, the piece will (under normal sedentary conditions) always be pointed barrel down.

When pocket carrying, once you sit down, the piece is very likely going to be pointing at someone if you're in a public place like a restaurant.

What sorts of safety thoughts do people have about this?

 

[The Bushmaster]

Not playing with it and keeping my finger off the trigger when it's in my pocket seems to work for me...

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

An interesting question. When the gun is simply sitting in your pocket/holster there is no problem. If you need to draw the gun, to some degree you may be in violation of Rule Two, but strict adherence to Rule Three should prevent any incident.

When you are sitting upright, a pocket gun is difficult to access. If there is room to stretch a little, you can straighten your body and your gun side leg, angling it (and the gun) toward the floor. There may be times when you don't want any upper body movement to be visible, so do this carefully.

 

[DPris]

A total non-issue.
No safety concern whatever.
Put gun in pocket, forget about it, live normal life, sit anywhere & any way you want to.
Denis

 

[jwr_747]

a horizontal shoulder rig is sweeping others most of the time,long as the finger isn't on the trigger,should be a non issue. jwr

 

[rantingredneck]

Yep, the four rules are for when humans are in contact with the weapon. A properly holstered weapon that is not being touched by your hand should cause no problem.

As the Lone Haranguer pointed out, the four rules are nice in that it usually takes violating at least two for there to be injury.

 

[19-3Ben]

Yep, the four rules are for when humans are in contact with the weapon.

Bingo. My thoughts exactly. If I have a rifle in a soft case under my bed that is pointed towards the foot of the bed, am I never going to walk there so that the muzzle is never pointed at my feet? No. Of course not.
I mean, i don't make a point of setting a gun on the table and staring down the barrel at the round in the chamber. But everything has it's limits. I wouldn't worry about where the gun is pointed.
Hell, if I carry IWB, most of the time the gun is pointed at my butt anyway!

 

[MCgunner]

One thing, always carry in a good pocket holster that covers the trigger, especially on Glocks, not that the G26 is my idea of a pocket gun. Never ever carry ANYTHING in the pocket, but the gun!!!!!!!! Keys that get into a trigger guard, even if you believe a G26 to be safe, or any other safe action or DAO trigger that is light and short of throw, can be a very bad thing. As long as it's in a pocket holster that covers the trigger and by itself in the pocket, even a safe action trigger is safe (if you follow the rules on the draw, at least).

Some systems are better than others for pocket carry IMHO. Long DAs of 8+ pounds make me happier. This is what makes 642 smiths so great for carry, and the fact that they don't have an exposed hammer.

 

[theotherwaldo]

-And be careful what lands in your pocket!

 

[mljdeckard]

All methods of carry sweep at some time or another.

 

[Robert Hairless]

My extensive research into the subject of carry modes proves beyond doubt that there is no completely safe way to carry a firearm of any kind. The muzzle is always pointing at something one is not willing to destroy.

Even when a firearm is locked in a safe it's pointing at the top of the safe. Who amongst us is willing to destroy the top of an expensive safe? Draw a handgun from a holster and at some stage of the draw it is pointing at the floor: do you really want a bullet hole in your floor? And when we clean our guns many of us will look through the bore to check our progress. Notice that one's eye will be in line with the muzzle when we do that. Do you want to destroy your eye and whatever is behind it?

We therefore are at an impasse. Surely there must be a resolution to this problem. What could it be?

 

[meef]

We therefore are at an impasse. Surely there must be a resolution to this problem. What could it be?

Don't own any firearms?

 

[mek42]

For whatever it is worth, the piece in question for me is a 4" 1911. And I do make sure to never carry anything else in that pocket (often a cargo pocket). I'll check to verify that the safety is still on when I make a potty stop. I don't yet use a holster in the pocket though - but I do keep the cargo pocket secured. How critical is the in-pocket holster?

 

[Cosmoline]

Just keep that pocket clear of anything but the firearm. Also, a good pocket holster is extremely helpful both to conceal the firearm and to prevent AD.

 

[DPris]

Pocket holsters help protect the trigger from inadvertent contact with foreign objects, reduce lint buildup, reduce pocket wear (holes), and orient the pistol for a consistent draw.
Denis

 

[19-3Ben]

A commander sized 1911 as a pocket gun? now that's one HELL of a pocket gun!

I wouldn't want to carry without a pocket holster. No exposed triggers. Especially on a SA pistol, i would feel incomfortable.

How do you carry the 1911 in a pocket holster without the thing constantly swinging back and forth like a pendulum and hitting your leg? That must be terribly annoying.

 

[blackcash88]

Impossible to avoid sweeping, especially if you're upstairs and your IWB/OWB has the muzzle pointing down. It's a non-issue until you handle it.

 

[mek42]

It is usually in a cargo pocket and I usually buy my pants at Gander Mtn. After making sure the pants fit me, I go to the pistol counter and make sure the pants fit the pistol. Mid-thigh cargo pockets work the best. The Gander cargo pockets are kind of like just a double layered pant with a slit at the top - they are not an accordian style pocket like BDU pants have. The piece doesn't slap me too much - it just kinda hangs in place. It is a kinda tight fit - not sure I could squeeze a holster in and still be able to draw the thing well. I carry a huge wallet on the other side cargo pocket so I've got bulges all over - the carry side just looks like something in my pocket, it doesn't yell out at people, "GUN in the pocket!"

I once wore a pair of shorts with knee level cargo pockets and the safety selector hit my kneecap everytime I took a step - I don't wear those shorts anymore.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

once wore a pair of shorts with knee level cargo pockets and the safety selector hit my kneecap everytime I took a step

That brings back painful memories. Carried a Glock 26 like that ONCE while walking the dog. Every step I took felt like a midget working my knee with a ball peen hammer. Eventually I had to try to casually draw it and move it to the upper pocket to finish the walk. I decided that although compact, it's no pocket gun.

 

[loop]

That's not right. You cannot carry a 4-inch barreled 1911 in a pocket unless it is designed to carry.

Whole issue is moot.

 

[Robert Hairless]

Don't own any firearms?

That's an excellent solution to this awful problem.

Maybe someone can help resolve yet another concern. When a gun is shipped to a dealer or to the purchaser, there is no way to know the direction in which its muzzle is pointing. As the shipping container goes along the conveyer belt at each distribution place its muzzle must be pointing at more than one innocent person. And as it travels by truck, railcar, or airplane it could be sweeping people along the road.

How can we correct this obvious violation of the same safety rule about not pointing the muzzle at anything we are not willing to destroy? Are we so callous that we are willing to destroy everyone in the entire country by shipping guns from one place to another? To that I say a resounding "No!"

So let's work on that part of the problem too.

 

[jackstinson]

How critical is the in-pocket holster?

I don't know about New York state, you would have to check your state carry laws. In Ohio we are required to concealed carry in a holster. So if I want to pocket carry, an in-pocket holster is kind of critical to be in compliance with the law. I use the ubiquitous DeSantis Nemesis most of the time. Sometimes I pocket leather holsters which I have made for other small pistols.
As for my take on sweeping? I follow the 4 rules, usually carry a DAO pistol, and never put anything in that pocket except the holstered gun....no problem.
Jack

 

[Dksimon]

the way I like to IWB carry is at the 2'oclock position but as long as you draw correctly I dont worry much about loosing a testicle.

 

[conw]

loosing a testicle. I sometimes try to do that covertly if my shorts get uncomfortable.

 

[Mad Magyar]

A total non-issue.
No safety concern whatever.
Put gun in pocket, forget about it, live normal life, sit anywhere & any way you want to.
Denis

+1
BTW, my shoulder rigs (horizontal) has the muzzle existing to the rear of my armpit...