Ray G. lives in Osteen, Florida. One evening, he decided to go for a late-night walk, so he took his pistol with him.
He put his .32 caliber pistol in his back pocket – not in a holster.
His pants were loose fitting, and he had to adjust them. As he did, the pistol in his pants pocket fired, and a bullet struck him in the leg.
Ray drove himself to a nearby hospital where he was treated for a grazing wound to his leg, and then released.
He told police that he was manipulating the .32 caliber pistol in the pocket of his pants when the gun accidentally fired.
Thankfully, his injuries were minor, and no one else was hurt. But it could have been much worse.
Over the past few years, pocket carry has become very popular among concealed weapon carriers.
One of the biggest benefits of pocket carry is that it doesn’t require a belt.
So, if you are wearing pants or shorts without a belt, you can still carry your gun.
Also, pocket carry is a very discreet way to carry a gun.
No one will see a gun on your hip.
Plus, criminals don’t expect someone to pull a gun from their pocket, and pulling a gun from your pocket can add an element of surprise for the threat.
Yet, like every carry method, there are rules you need to follow to keep yourself and others safe when you’re carrying your pistol in your pocket.
Considering the popularity of this method, here are a few factors to keep in mind.
Use a holster:
Unfortunately, some people such as Ray like to carry their pocket pistols without a holster, which is something you should never do.
You should always use a quality holster for two main reasons:
First, the holster should cover the trigger guard of your pistol. This should eliminate the chance of the trigger accidentally being pulled.
Second, the holster retains the weapon and keeps it so the grip is facing you for an easier draw.
Without the holster, the pistol could potentially move around, and the grip could be facing the wrong direction when you try to pull the gun out.
Keep nothing else in your pocket:
No matter which pocket you keep your gun in you shouldn’t put anything else in the pocket. The pocket should be for the gun only.
Putting items in your pocket will impact your draw, making it more difficult and taking you more time to draw your pistol.
There is also the chance of having to remove items before being able to get the gun out.
So, dedicate one pocket for your gun and the other pocket for everything else.
Do it the same way each time so you get in the habit of knowing exactly which pocket your pistol is in.
Don’t touch it:
A lot of folks who carry concealed touch their gun too much.
What I mean is, some people like to check the gun and make sure it’s there or still holstered.
This shouldn’t be necessary.
If you have a gun in your pocket don’t touch it or adjust it all the time.
Of course, if you see a potential threat there is nothing wrong with putting your hand in your pocket, but I wouldn’t walk around all day with my hand in my pocket.
You don’t want to make it obvious that you have something in your pocket that you are keeping your hand on.
Carry the biggest gun you can:
The reason that people carry it in their pocket is usually because the gun is small and they want to conceal it as much as possible – a main point of the pocket carry.
But you shouldn’t go too small on your gun.
For example, if you decide to pocket carry, stick with calibers such as 9mm, .380, or .38. There are plenty of pistols in these calibers that will work for pocket carry.
I would avoid carrying tiny guns, such as a single shot Derringer.
The larger the pistol, the more ammo you will likely have. A single or two-shot pistol is not a good weapon for self-defense.
Drawing from the pocket:
Drawing your pistol from your pocket is a lot easier said than done. It’s different from drawing from your hip.
Every pair of shorts or pants you wear can impact your draw. The tighter the clothes the more challenging it is to draw your gun.
So, you need to practice drawing from your pocket on a routine basis.
With a safe and empty weapon, you can make it part of your dry fire practice. Don’t forget to practice drawing from the positions you will be in, such as sitting.
Now, I’m a huge fan of pocket carry. I regularly carry a gun in my pocket in addition to one on my hip.
And if you give pocket carry a try, keep these factors in mind to make sure you do it safely.
