Carry without a holster

[Brandon.Glidden]

Its never a good idea to carry any handgun without some sort of holster.....youre asking for accidents to happen, and thats really something we dont need the liberal media to get ahold of in this time and day. I have a pocket holster by blackhawk for my bodyguard 380, and I use a Black Hawk Serpa holster for my XD-m 40. These are some of the best holsters in my opinion.

[Daugherty16]

Personally i like IWB at 9:00 (i'm a lefty) but whether you like IWB, OWB, shoulder rig, or even fannypack, the last thing in the world i'd do is shove a gun in my pocket - unless it was a LCP/R with a pocket holster made specifically for the gun. I have 4 main reasons.

1. Safety. Mine. Covering the trigger completely is simply safer than not;, regardless of how you feel about your particular gun or its trigger, it can't get snagged if it's covered. The point is, i carry in order to defend myself, not to place myself in some kind of controlled jeopardy. Many holsters go a little farther and allow you to secure the hammer for added safety - an overlooked by important feature. I want to eliminate the slightest risk i'll have a ND and shoot myself, or worse - someone i care about - without even handling the damn gun.
2. Reliability. A holster keeps pocket lint out of the barrel, action, slide, and magazine. It keeps sweat and salt off the metal surfaces, and it keeps the gun dry for a better grip. If you ever need it, you'll need it more than anything else, ever. Why wouldn't you want to take every step to ensure it is clean and fully functional when the SHTF?
3. Retention/Consistency. In the holster, the gun is always where you put it last. (If your holster moves around, replace it). No slipping off your belt in the checkout line and clattering onto the floor. No dropping into the toilet bowl accidentally when you go to drop a deuce, as one of the poster's put it so quaintly. No winding up in the small of your back when you started it at your kidney. No diving down to the bottom of a deep pocket, making the clothes hang all wrong and pinching the pocket opening.
4. Reloads. Most holsters have (or are compatible with, anyway) pouches for extra mags or speedloaders. No telling if you'll ever need them, but that feeble argument also applies to the gun itself, doesn't it? OK, now that you've loaded your pockets with guns and mags, where do you put your money and cigarette lighter? your wallet? Your car keys? Your pocketknife?

So, whatever. carry how you like. But when your pants are flopping around like multiple pendulums and you obviously have significant heavy objects flopping around in your pockets, i'll still be covert. and i know my gun will fire.

[t45]

I see no reason to carry without a holster. Thats just me.

[Daggitt]

Two questions. What is the value of the gun ? How much does a holster cost ? If you can afford the gun you can afford the holster. For your safety , the safety of others and the reputation of us all - get a holster , and right away.

[imthegrumpyone]

Don't need no stinken holster, if you have "Clipdraw"

[valleyforge.1777]

I use clip draw on my Sig pistols

[LarryFlew]

One reason to carry without - when being chased by police if you have a holster it's a dead givaway even if you toss the gun while running away. Without a holster you might get away with tossing the gun.

[imthegrumpyone]

LaryFlew don't believe you said that out loud.

[stoney64]

I often carry a Taurus Millenium without a holster in my cargo pants, it creates more finish wear and gets lint that needs cleaned but cleaning guns is fun too.

[trex1310]

Are you circumsized? You soon could be.....

[tristar viper]

I carry my Taurus TCP in my watch pocket of my jeans.
I also carry it in a snap pocket on my cargo shorts. No holster for this gun, never had one and don't intend to get one. I carried the Ruger LCR the same way when I still had it.
Anything bigger has a holster though (G19, Sig P229, Bersa Thunder)

[youngunz4life]

I mostly in the pocket carry, and I use uncle mike's holsters for them. It's better to have the holster in my opinion to better protect the firearm from lint, dust, being laid on hard services, or whatever. The holster refuses to leave my pocket when I draw too which is good(it is made that way). I have a www.simplyrugged.com leather holster for my strictly in-house HD firearm and/or woodsgun (basically I don't use it as a CCW). Buy a nice fitting holster. They come in all sorts for all scenarios, prices, material used to make them, particular carry purposes, and so-on. They will let your weapon "try it on" before purchasing. I originally bought my first uncle mike's with the sole intent of just "going to find any old holster" to store my weapon. Now it is part of the gun as much as I wouldn't go out on the streets naked. (I had another thought/pun for that one but let it go...)

I also bought cheap but reliable and nice pouches for every handgun I own(little zipper pouch that fits the firearm//I can zip it up, throw it in the car and its protected from rain or whatever).

all the best

[youngunz4life]

Murphy don't work like that. He wont drop the trigger on an empty chamber, he'll wait until you put a live round in it.

very true

[1goodshot]

I carry an unloaded (chamber empty) Glock without a holster sometimes but never a loaded gun.

[tristar viper]

What's the point of carrying a gun for protection with nothing in the chamber?? Yea I know this has been covered over and over but it's senseless.
By the time you get that thing chambered, it could be way too late.

[AK103K]

I would suggest that those who insist its unsafe to carry with a loaded chamber without a holster with the Glocks, take the time and actually give it a try and see if its really as scary as you seem to think. You dont need to load the gun for the "test", just set the trigger and go about your business.

Im "still" at it for over a year now, and still have yet to find the trigger dropped from doing so. I do it pretty much everyday, as the gun I use is my daily "dry fire" gun and it gets drawn and reinserted into my waistband, pockets, put down and picked up, over and over during the day.

As long as youre realistic and reasonable in what you do, I seriously doubt youre going to find its anymore an issue with it, than anything else.

[bikerbill]

If you can afford a holster, get one ... I would NEVER carry without one unless I had no choice ...

[Tactical Jackalope]

Simple solution..why would you mainly carry without a holster? I do it sometimes...If I'm heading outside to throw out the trash or walk someone out at night or something. If you don't really have to (not saying I don't) you shouldn't make that your main mode of carry.

[markj]

I would NEVER carry without one unless I had no choice

Sometimes, when I feel like a nut, I wear a holster without a gun

[Yung.gunr]

Main reason I use a holster is to prevent printing. I feel that the TCP is plenty safe without it, but it prints like a son of a gun without the holster.

[freenokia]

i bought an el cheapo iwb from ebay. Black canvass and has two prongs like a money clip to hold it up...I like it. Easier and more comfortable than mexican.

For pocket carry, sometimes I do and sometimes I don't.