5 Things to Think about Before You Pocket Carry

April 25, 2017

It has become sort of trendy among concealed carriers to carry concealed in their pocket. It’s handy, doesn’t require the purchase of a special carry belt and many consider it quite comfortable.

You don’t want to put just any gun in your pocket. Stuffing a .44 Magnum in your pocket would be pretty uncomfortable if it even fit in your pocket. Typically small guns are ideal for pocket carry.

Before you decide you are going to be a pocket carrier, you may want to consider a few issues related to pocket carry.

Only Carry Your Gun in Your Pocket. Designate one pocket just for your gun. If you have other things in your pocket with your guy like keys, money, coins, wallet etc. you might not be able to draw your weapon fast enough when you need it because all of that other stuff gets in the way. Additionally, you could actually damage the gun or accidentally push the trigger. Keep that pocket clear for just your gun.

Make Sure Your Gun is Not Visible. If you plan to pocket carry, your clothing needs to be loose enough to cover your gun completely while in the pocket. No handle sticking out. No printing. If you sit down, the gun should not slide out into view. If you are going to carry concealed, make sure your gun is concealed.

Small Guns Don’t Pack a lot of Punch. Most Pocket pistols are not that powerful because they are small. Of course you will want to carry the largest caliber that you can fit into your pocket comfortably, but even at that, your pocket carry gun might not have enough punch for you. How do you know? Try it out.

You Still Need a Holster. Even though you are going to carry your gun in your pocket, you don’t want to just put your gun down in your pocket. The fabric or seams could catch on the gun as you are trying to draw and instead of shooting your attacker, you have shot your own foot. There are holsters designed to fit down in your pocket that prevent that from happening.

Make sure You Can Draw from Your Pocket. It is going to take a little bit of practice to get proficient with drawing from your pocket.

Pocket carrying is not for everyone, but if you can get comfortable with a smaller gun and the nuances of drawing from your pocket, it might just become your favorite carry method.