Pocket carry printing-dumb**s Bubba idea or Eureka! moment

[commygun]

Bear with me while I unspool this flash of Yankee (OK, Pacific Northwest) ingenuity.

I’m an invertarate pocket pistol carrier. Right front pocket always reserved for the gun. I’ve been doing it almost every day for the last 30 years. If I don’t have a pistol on me it’s because I’m at work, not wearing pants/shorts, or on a vacation that required flying.

I’m conscious of printing, though, having never been one of those free spirits who can say, “Well it’s covered by cloth so it’s concealed” while the indelible outlines of their j-frame press clearly against their denims and khakis for any halfway hip gun guy to clearly observe.

Consequently, I’ve been pretty much limited to little .380’s in a pocket holster with a coozie or half a wadded-up bandana pushed between the holster and the outward-facing cloth of the pocket to break up any telling outlines.

I’ve tried extended periods of pocket carrying snubbies and micro-9’s but, because of their size and more pronounced grip frames I’ve felt the need to utilize a Superfly-style No-it’s-really-my-second-wallet type of pocket holster. The problem with those is that it gets a mite bulky, especially when you consider that the gun is also larger than what you’re used to. Even worse, when you’re drawing, your fingers have to shoot the gap between the grips and that high concealing panel. Wouldn’t want to get that one wrong and no amount of practice is going to make that panel lower while still maintaining it’s anti-print capabilities.

Today it occurred to me why not make the pocket itself do the heavy concealment lifting? Why not (and this is just one possibility) apply a couple of stout iron-on patches to the outside outward-facing material of the pocket and leave the interior free for a minimalist holster and an unencumbered grip? The patches themselves will effectively break up the outline of even a quite large pistol in a reasonably loose pair of breeches. Basically granting free reign to your gun in that precious pocket space.
What do you think? Raise my glass in celebration or hang my head in shame?

 

[Atavar]

I’m assuming you mean the patches on the pocket itself, not the outside of the trousers.
It should work great for two or three washings, then the patch will get limp and print anyway.
What you could do is cut a leather patch to fit and glue it to the pocket with fabric cement. Laundering will actually make the leather stiffer so it will conceal better. Just make sure to flatten it out after you wash it.
Neoprene might work better yet.

 

[commygun]

Yes, the pocket itself.

 

[Roverguy]

Worth trying. Doesn’t sound crazy and may just work. If it doesn’t, very, very little lost.

 

[CDW4ME]

My untucked shirt not only conceals the Glock on belt but also hangs over top half of pocket, helps conceal pocket gun too.
Work thankfully is not a factor; if I had to tuck my shirt (for work) and was reduced to just pocket carry, small hand sanitizer helps break outline.

 

[Mark 40]

Great concept commygun. I use the Superfly on certain occasions for that extra bit of concealment and can relate to what you said about it.

 

[JTQ]

Instead of sewing material in all your pants, how about one of these from RCS Gear, the Pocket Shield

https://rcsgear.com/pocket-shield-4

 

[buck460XVR]

I've done similar to some of my pockets(I should say my wife did as she is the sewer in the family), both front pockets and cargo pockets. But the use of an inexpensive pocket type holster does basically the same thing without modifying one's pockets. With the use of cell phones and the way they are stuffed into pockets, most folks don't really pay attention to a bulge in a pocket much anymore. Anything that breaks up the outline of your firearm works.

 

[InTheField]

I usually place an empty plastic checkbook cover between my gun and the outside layer of my pocket. Actually, the cover is not totally empty but contains a slightly flexible liner of stiff plastic (cut from the base of a very thin tupperware type container) that is the exact size of the inside of the checkbook cover. The whole unit is extremely thin and lasts for years. In my pocket, the shape resembles a cellphone or (yes) a checkbook. Works perfectly and hides the gun profile with adding almost zero bulk.

 

[commygun]

The Pocket Shield looks interesting but it doesn’t address the prime printing offender, the grip. How to leave the grip unencumbered inside the pocket without it printing like a plow handle on the outside. Especially with the snubbie, which, to me has an unmistakable grip outline.

I realize I’m probably way overthinking this and that you could stuff a 7th Cavalry SAA in the pocket of your skinny jeans and 90% of humanity would never notice. But it’s the observant I’m concerned with. The criminally-minded alert and law-enforcement that might create awkward encounters, however legally harmless.

 

[WrongHanded]

I just wedge my folder bandana/handkerchief (whatever you wish to call it) between the holster and the outside of my pocket. It's a bulge, but not a gun shaped bulge.

I also occasionally use a bandana to cover the bottom of an OWB holster when I'm wearing a shorter shirt. And hanging it from my belt like that is a good way to dry the brow sweat off of it in the summer breeze.

 

[trackskippy]

Ive used iron on patches in the past on the insides of my pants, pockets, etc trying to stop the wear caused by things like guns and knives being there and constantly rubbing.

The corner of the slide on my Seecamp, and then Glock 26 in a Smart Carry used to pretty quickly wear a hole in the front of my pants, just below the belt line, and the patches slowed that down quite a bit.

Same problem with a couple of knives wearing out pockets and the patches helped there too.

I think the patch on the outside of the pocket, or on the pants themselves, inside of the leg opposite the pocket, where the gun would rub would probably work pretty well.

I have a friend who always carried a Walther TPH in a leather holster in his right front pocket and all his pants had a "TPH Skoal ring" worn in the material outside the pocket. That was much more a giveaway than any "printing" as it always looked like he had a "white gun" painted on his leg. He was just too cheap to throw out pants that were still very serviceable, but for that "ring". I would think the pack would probably help alleviate things in that case too.

 

[commygun]

Trackskippy,

At one time I actually taped a Skoal lid to the outside-facing side of my pocket holster. ‘Cause when the rural mind sees that ring pushing against fabric, it subconsciously registers “dip can” and moves on. I thought that was pretty clever but it doesn’t work so well with larger pocket carry’s.

 

[W.E.G.]

Carry in the way that works best for you.

You have lots of choices. Feel free to invent something of your own.

I wear carpenter jeans from All American Clothing. The little S&W .380 completely conceals in the "watch pocket"

 

[Great Scot]

Desantis Superfly works well with my Ruger LCP Max and the next size up conceals my Hellcat.

 

[Bcwitt]

I think you had the right idea. Try a mockup w safety pins.

 

[Kleanbore]

Take a look at Vedder pocket holsters, which are designed to not print.

 

[dodo bird]

I am a firm believer in not putting anything in a pocket except the gun in a pocket holster. However, sometimes concealment is important. When that is the case my cell phone goes over the pocket gun. Looks like a cell phone of course. I have used this method when getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist (they probably wouldn’t care either way). No one would suspect a gun is under it. Give it a try.

 

[Atavar]

I bet the dentist would be more gentle knowing you had a gun in your pocket. Lol

 

[halfmoonclip]

Have a look at Alabama kydex pocket holsters; they are smooth on the outside face, to conceal the gun's outline, but keep the gun well oriented (another thing to consider) for the draw.
The kydex is super thin, so it adds very little bulk. I've junk in both my front pockets in any case.
If things seem hinky, no big deal to stick your hands in your pockets.
BTW, been known to round off the outside corner of pocket autos.
Moon

 

[Blue Jays]

My anticipation is that you are most likely overthinking/concerned about the small handgun.
With all the oversize phones and assorted gadgets that people carry, it's likely not getting a second glance.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Not a bad idea.

I've had one for my shirts I've been intending to try out.

I want to sew a cloth tab near the bottom, right side in the vicinity of my holster which I can use to tuck under my belt to keep the shirt from riding up under certain circumstances.

Wouldn't take much, and it would be less noticeable than tucking the bottom of my shirt under my belt.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

Iron on patches in a weird area of your pants/shorts will draw visual attention to what you're trying to conceal.

I pocket carry a 9mm G43 about 6 months a year when I wear Carhartt B357 ripstop cargo shorts. I wear a t-shirt that's long enough to cover the pocket opening. When I look down at my leg the pocket seems very bulged but when I look at myself in a full length mirror, from every angle, the bulge is inconspicuous.

I tried several different pocket holsters over the past few years - leather, Kydex, and "sticky" - and finally settled on the PCS Blackbird leather pocket holster. The leather is thin but rigid, which substantially reduces bulk. I can acquire a solid firing grip with my hand casually in the pocket.

 

[trackskippy]

Iron on patches in a weird area of your pants/shorts will draw visual attention to what you're trying to conceal.

If you use them on something flimsy, it might. With something heavier, like jeans, or duck type fabric, it doesn't. A lot can depend on where and how you place them too. They can also be cut to fit just the area you need to protect, so that can also keep things less noticeable.

Like most other things, a little common sense goes a long way too.

 

[Jonesy814]

I wear cargo pants or shorts and carry a J frame in my front pocket. I used to also have an LCP. The Ruger always looked like a gun in my pocket. The cylinder bulge from the J frame breaks up the revolver outline quite well in an inexpensive Uncle Mike's pocket holster. Sure you can tell there is something in my pocket, but it does not look like a gun