Front pocket carry the best? - Page 4

Wethepeople01 · September 9, 2016, 12:03 AM

Great conversation here, Rusty! I front pocket my 9mm XDS often. I carry my spares in my back left pocket. Simple. Also, there's an argument to be made here for carrying a smaller pistol in the pocket - whether it's primary or backup carry. It's a more natural gesture to reach inside one's front or rear pocket - where phones and wallets are kept. It may help to buy a fraction of a second worth of time in a potential deadly encounter because you are masking your movements in a way.

Lohman446 · September 9, 2016, 06:30 AM

I think that you are overrating speed of draw in this conversation. Speed of draw from a concealed position is poor and you are always, due to the laws of the land, going to be at a major disadvantage. By the time you recognize a threat that rises to such a level as to allow display of a firearm you are going to wish you had it in your hand well before. The difference between pocket carry (a bit later than you wanted it) and holster carry (a little less later than you wanted it but still late) is being overstated.

Quicker is better - but one has to ask if that better actually matters. If I am fallen on by multiple determined and competent attackers who have done any planning and have a goal of doing me serious harm it is unlikely my concealed carry weapon is actually going to save me regardless of where exactly I carry it. I am hoping for undetermined, incompetent, or unprepared attackers - actually I am hoping for no attackers but you get the idea.

Carrying a concealed handgun is a series of compromises. Carrying a .308 battle rifle is highly inconvenient and, even in areas where it is legal, frowned upon. The same goes for a 10MM MP5 (or whatever its called in 10MM). The same goes for a full size duty firearm in a quickly accessible though unconcealed holster. The point is by the time we are discussing a firearm in a concealed holster we are long down the list of compromises - making one more to go in the pocket is not untenable.

Do I Think carrying in the pocket is BETTER then carrying a concealed firearm on a belt? No. A full size 1911 in 10MM for me on the belt would be far better than the P938 in my pocket that I actually do carry.

See those last four words. Step one in unarmed combat: ARM yourself. My gun in the pocket is better than the gun intended to be on my belt that was inconvenient and left at home or in my truck. Is it a compromise? Sure. But for many of us the compromise is not between a full size (or even a compact) gun on the belt OR a gun in the pocket. It is a compromise between a gun in the pocket or no gun.

m&p45acp10+1 · September 9, 2016, 07:08 AM

I don't know about it being the best. Though it sure is convenient to be able to just slide the gun with a pocket holster in my pocket and go. I can also dress a whole lot more comfortably when it is hot.

September 9, 2016, 07:08 AM	#78
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I don't know about it being the best. Though it sure is convenient to be able to just slide the gun with a pocket holster in my pocket and go. I can also dress a whole lot more comfortably when it is hot. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

September 9, 2016, 12:03 AM	#76
Wethepeople01 Member Join Date: August 25, 2016 Location: Western U.S, Posts: 46	Great conversation here, Rusty! I front pocket my 9mm XDS often. I carry my spares in my back left pocket. Simple. Also, there's an argument to be made here for carrying a smaller pistol in the pocket - whether it's primary or backup carry. It's a more natural gesture to reach inside one's front or rear pocket - where phones and wallets are kept. It may help to buy a fraction of a second worth of time in a potential deadly encounter because you are masking your movements in a way.

September 9, 2016, 06:30 AM	#77
Lohman446 Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2016 Posts: 2,192	I think that you are overrating speed of draw in this conversation. Speed of draw from a concealed position is poor and you are always, due to the laws of the land, going to be at a major disadvantage. By the time you recognize a threat that rises to such a level as to allow display of a firearm you are going to wish you had it in your hand well before. The difference between pocket carry (a bit later than you wanted it) and holster carry (a little less later than you wanted it but still late) is being overstated. Quicker is better - but one has to ask if that better actually matters. If I am fallen on by multiple determined and competent attackers who have done any planning and have a goal of doing me serious harm it is unlikely my concealed carry weapon is actually going to save me regardless of where exactly I carry it. I am hoping for undetermined, incompetent, or unprepared attackers - actually I am hoping for no attackers but you get the idea. Carrying a concealed handgun is a series of compromises. Carrying a .308 battle rifle is highly inconvenient and, even in areas where it is legal, frowned upon. The same goes for a 10MM MP5 (or whatever its called in 10MM). The same goes for a full size duty firearm in a quickly accessible though unconcealed holster. The point is by the time we are discussing a firearm in a concealed holster we are long down the list of compromises - making one more to go in the pocket is not untenable. Do I Think carrying in the pocket is BETTER then carrying a concealed firearm on a belt? No. A full size 1911 in 10MM for me on the belt would be far better than the P938 in my pocket that I actually do carry. See those last four words. Step one in unarmed combat: ARM yourself. My gun in the pocket is better than the gun intended to be on my belt that was inconvenient and left at home or in my truck. Is it a compromise? Sure. But for many of us the compromise is not between a full size (or even a compact) gun on the belt OR a gun in the pocket. It is a compromise between a gun in the pocket or no gun.