The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Handguns: General Handgun Forum

View Poll Results: Mousegun in your pocket or 38 Special snub on your ankle?
.32 or smaller mousegun in your pocket 65 73.03%
38 Special snub using ankle carry 24 26.97%
Voters: 89. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old February 20, 2013, 12:33 PM   #1
Racingsnake
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 5, 2008
Posts: 153
Mouse gun in the pocket or snubbie on the ankle?

Given the option of a .32 or smaller mousegun in a pocket versus a 38 Special snub on your ankle, which would you choose?

The first is quicker but lesser calibre. The second is slower and makes you vulnerable during the draw but is a better calibre.
Racingsnake is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 12:52 PM   #2
redhawk45
Member
 
Join Date: July 2, 2012
Posts: 85
I have and do put a 38 in a pocket holster. Alloy frame 637. works well. Of your choices I would opt for a pocket carry.
redhawk45 is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 01:01 PM   #3
donglock26
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 4, 2001
Posts: 186
Pocket carry is much easy to draw from. I have a snubby 442, a LCP, and a P-32 that I use for PC depending on my needs. I think I have a much better of getting a P-32 out of my pocket, than a gun off my ankle. Plus, comfort means you will actually carry. I'm sure that .32 autos have stopped trouble or saved lives much more than guns left at home in the safe.
donglock26 is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 01:09 PM   #4
Nasty
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 18, 2008
Posts: 323
Neither...I'd select one of the new generation mini 9mm's. Full power in pocket carry...no reason not to.
__________________
Above is based on the opinion of a 20 year Small Arms Marksmanship and Training Unit USAF instructor with more than 30 years in competitive shooting sports. Your mileage may vary.
Nasty is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 01:22 PM   #5
Racingsnake
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 5, 2008
Posts: 153
I think there are circumstances and dress codes that sometimes preclude the carrying of anything larger than a small pocket auto, for example, suite and trousers when calling on clients or a doctor practicing in a dangerous part of town.
Racingsnake is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 02:14 PM   #6
bikerbill
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 19, 2007
Location: Lago Vista TX
Posts: 2,425
MY EDC is a PM9 and it goes with me whenever I'm out of my neighborhood, either in a pocket during hot weather or in a strongside belt holster when it's cool ... however ... when I'm out walking my dog or at home (actually retired!) I carry an NAA Pug loaded with Hornady Critical Defense rounds in a pocket holster ... you simply don't know it's there, but it gives you a gun ... just in case a gunfight breaks out ...
__________________
"The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants." Albert Camus
bikerbill is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 02:33 PM   #7
bonefamily
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 28, 2012
Location: central Ohio
Posts: 304
I voted for the .32 pocket. The P-32 is perfect for this. However, there is nothing wrong with a .380 pocket as well in the same size. The LCP is a good candidate.
__________________
Bryan
bonefamily is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 02:39 PM   #8
spacecoast
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 14, 2009
Location: Sunshine and Keystone States
Posts: 4,461
No reason to go with a .32 when the .380s are the same size.
spacecoast is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 02:40 PM   #9
Magnum Wheel Man
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 26, 2006
Location: Southern Minnesota
Posts: 9,333
I'd rather carry a 380 in my pocket, but IMO, ankle holsters are darn near impossible to use quickly... about the only scenario I see at all practical, is ducking behind cover & getting down on one knee to pull the gun, cerainly couldn't draw while running or backing away... plus for me, I doubt my aging circulation could take something on my ankle tight enough to keep a compact gun from flopping around, without causing me issues, with regular use...
__________________
In life you either make dust or eat dust...
Magnum Wheel Man is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 03:04 PM   #10
TxFlyFish
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 18, 2011
Posts: 1,246
Voted for pocket carry. Not all of us are gifted with sexy ankles to pull it off. The bad guy might faint at the sight of a hairy calf
TxFlyFish is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 03:42 PM   #11
Kreyzhorse
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 12, 2006
Location: NKY
Posts: 12,463
Pocket carry. Good luck getting your ankle carry out quick in an emergency.
__________________
"He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson
Kreyzhorse is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 03:46 PM   #12
BigD_in_FL
Junior member
 
Join Date: December 20, 2012
Location: The "Gunshine State"
Posts: 1,981
Why limited to a 32 in the pocket, when you can get 380 and 9mms equal in size to most 32s?

I pocket carry both a 38 snub or a 9mm semi in my pocket
BigD_in_FL is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 03:50 PM   #13
Spats McGee
Staff
 
Join Date: July 28, 2010
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 8,819
Why not a .38 in the pocket?
__________________
I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. If you need some honest-to-goodness legal advice, go buy some.
Spats McGee is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 04:03 PM   #14
sgms
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 30, 2010
Location: Arizona or Ohio depending
Posts: 1,021
Also with the pocket cary group. I use pocket guns in .32, .380 .38 spl., and 9m/m nato. With proper holster all work well for me.
sgms is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 04:40 PM   #15
CDW4ME
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 18, 2009
Posts: 1,321
380 or 38 in pocket.
__________________
Strive to carry the handgun you would want anywhere, everywhere; forget that good area bullcrap.
"Wouldn't want to / Nobody volunteer to" get shot by _____ is not indicative of quickly incapacitating.
CDW4ME is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 04:59 PM   #16
Bill DeShivs
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 7, 2006
Posts: 10,967
I carry a P32 in my pocket.
Your ankle is a terrible place to carry a gun, except in very specialized circumstances.
As for there being no reason for rhe .32 when larger calibers are available:
The P32 is smaller, lighter, and thinner than any of the .380s, 9mms, or 38s.
The recoil on the .32 is far less, making follow-up shots easy. Not so with the tiny .380s and 9mms. The .32 is less susceptible to "limp wristing," too. The P32 also seems to be, in general, more reliable than the pocket .380s of similar size.
There are darned few 9mms and no .38s that I have ever been able to comfortably pocket carry.
__________________
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
www.billdeshivs.com
Bill DeShivs is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 05:06 PM   #17
Gaerek
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 3, 2012
Location: Arizona
Posts: 939
Neither?

I'd pocket 9 or .38 snubbie in pocket. I'd only use ankle carry as a backup to a primary gun.
Gaerek is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 05:09 PM   #18
Kilroy08
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 15, 2005
Posts: 168
I tried a .38 tucked in an ankle holster. That set up didn't make it 5 feet past my gun cabinet.

Like others have said, the ankle is not the way to have a firearm handy. Pocket carry, or even better inside the waistband is the way to go.
Kilroy08 is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 05:34 PM   #19
Jakes
Member
 
Join Date: September 3, 2007
Posts: 20
Pocket carry.S & W 649 .357,loaded with .38 P+ P.
Jakes is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 07:45 PM   #20
ares338
Member
 
Join Date: March 7, 2012
Posts: 31
Actually for me ankle carry is faster than pocket carry. I am in a mobility chair and my CC is easier to get to.
ares338 is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 08:30 PM   #21
JD0x0
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 30, 2013
Posts: 1,037
I say it doesn't matter what caliber the pocket gun is. It wins. The fact that it's faster outweighs any caliber difference IMO. That and the fact that a short barreled 38 special is going to be negligibly more powerful than a .32 or .380 pocket pistol. The person getting shot will not know the difference, the difference is the pocket pistol is faster so you have a greater chance of taking correct aim and/or getting more shots off which IMO makes it a more powerful gun.
JD0x0 is offline  
Old February 20, 2013, 08:52 PM   #22
shouldazagged
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 17, 2013
Location: Louisville, KY, USA
Posts: 273
If I bent down to draw from an ankle holster I wouldn't be able to straighten up again in time to save my elderly derriere. I carry a Smith 640 .38 Special in an Uncle Mike's pocket holster. Nobody has ever seemed to notice it in over ten years I've carried the piece.
__________________
"Don't let macho be your epitaph."
---Ed Lovette
shouldazagged is offline  
Old February 21, 2013, 02:09 AM   #23
Chesster
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 6, 2007
Location: Dixie
Posts: 2,538
I like a Smith Bodyguard .38 for pocket carry. When my hands were not plagued with arthritis, I liked a Seecamp .32.
__________________
Chesster
Proud NDN
"The American Idle"
Vote 'Pro-Choice' on 2nd Amendment issues!!!
Chesster is offline  
Old February 21, 2013, 03:13 AM   #24
Falcon642
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 29, 2010
Posts: 316
In my opinion:

Pocket guns - to protect you from muggers

Ankle/shoulder holsters - to protect you in an active shooter situation.

In a mugging situation, a .380 you can draw from your pocket in 1 second is better than a 10mm that takes you 5 seconds to draw. Advantage pocket gun.

In an active shooter situation, chances are you will have more time to react. In that situation, carrying a bigger gun in a ankle/shoulder/IWB holster makes alot of sense. If I'm going somewhere more risky, I find somewhere to carry my Beretta 96. I can't draw it quickly, but in a situation where I'd need it I should have time to get it.
Falcon642 is offline  
Old February 21, 2013, 04:20 AM   #25
Racingsnake
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 5, 2008
Posts: 153
Well thought through Falcon - makes sense to me.
Racingsnake is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.09035 seconds with 11 queries