non j-frame pocket carry

[b79holmes]

From what I have been reading over the last few months both here and on www.smith-wessonforum.com I am thinking pocket carry of a J frame would work the best for me.

But before I make a purchase I thought I'd ask what you all think about other options for pocket carry.

For example I rarely read anything about traditional double action (S&W 908, 910, & 410 etc.) pistols on any forums.

The Seecamp seems too small so am thinking .38/.357, .40, 9mm or a .380 would be about right. I like to hear about anything that works well for pocket carry.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Cross-X]

Some folks like the Beretta Tomcat, but I think the round is too small of a caliber, and much prefer my S&W J-framed Airweight along with a slew of rounds and speed strips in my other pocket.

 

[depicts]

I think the Tomcat is too big for what you get.

I like the J frame Smith. I currently use a 442 and a 640-1 in a Mika pocket holster, and have been carrying that way every day for over two years now. Like Cross-X, I carry some speed strips, they lay flat in my back weak side pocket, under my handkerchief, and you can't notice them.

Something like a Rohrbaugh 9mm is/can be effective, but no more so than the J frame, at half the price.

You'd be amazed at the accuracy you can achieve with a small snub with a little practice. (OK, a LOT of practice)

 

[Jose]

For example I rarely read anything about traditional double action (S&W 908, 910, & 410 etc.) pistols on any forums.

The TDA S&Ws are all too big for pocket carry.

The main reason you don't read about them much is because they are not "cool". They are not expensive guns made of European unobtanium. They are not Glocks or Glock-a-likes. They are not 1911s. They are not Registered Magnums.

What they are is sturdy, well made, decently accurate, light weight, reliable high capacity handguns that will put the hurt on the bad guys just as well as any SIG, Glock, HK, or 1911 out there.

I used to swallow the kool aid against S&W TDAs. A few years back a neighbor gave me a mint 915 that used to be her late husband's. It wasn't until recently that I started shooting it a lot that I figured out how effective a weapon it is. Right now its slide is at XS Sights being modified to take their Big Dot Express sights (the rear of the slide needs a flat milled to accept the 910's rear sight).

For pocket carry it is hard to beat an Airweight or AirLite J frame or a Kahr PM series.

 

[Jay G]

IMHO, a j-frame is about the largest handgun that can effectively be carried in a standard pocket.

I've got three guns that I pocket-carry: A Kel-Tec P3AT, a S&W 360PD, and a S&W model 38. Anything larger than these just doesn't work in a normal pants pocket. Sure, certain cargo pants can take a sub-compact sized gun like a Glock 26/27, but for everyday pocket carry, the j-frame or Kel-Tec is about it.

Even what's outside of MA in free America, there's not an awful lot of other options - Kel-Tec P9/P11, the smallest Kahrs, and maybe some of the offerings from North American Arms, but most are either .380s, 9mm, or painful .40s.

Stick with a j-frame. The S&W model 642 is cheap money brand new (under $400 IIRC), comes with a lifetime warrantee from a company in the state, and it's a Smith & Wesson revolver. It's like a fork: you pick it up, it works, no questions asked.

That's my $0.02. Hope it helps!

From what I have been reading over the last few months both here and on www.smith-wessonforum.com I am thinking pocket carry of a J frame would work the best for me.

But before I make a purchase I thought I'd ask what you all think about other options for pocket carry.

For example I rarely read anything about traditional double action (S&W 908, 910, & 410 etc.) pistols on any forums.

The Seecamp seems too small so am thinking .38/.357, .40, 9mm or a .380 would be about right. I like to hear about anything that works well for pocket carry.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[pbearperry]

Pocket carry

Don't make the same mistake I made in buying the S&W ultra lite in .357 mag.Its impossible to shoot the maggies in such a light package unless you always wear padded shooting gloves.Buy the same package in 38 spl or buy the heavier 357 mag.The 12 oz gun is too light to be able to double tap with full house Mags.
Don't get me wrong,I am not a recoil frightened person.I have never found shooting a 4 " S&W 44 mag a problem at all.I am 5'8 and weigh 220 lbs,however the first 357 mag round out of my gun gave me a blood blister at the base of my thumb.lol

 

[Jose]

Don't make the same mistake I made in buying the S&W ultra lite in .357 mag.Its impossible to shoot the maggies in such a light package unless you always wear padded shooting gloves.Buy the same package in 38 spl or buy the heavier 357 mag.The 12 oz gun is too light to be able to double tap with full house Mags.
Don't get me wrong,I am not a recoil frightened person.I have never found shooting a 4 " S&W 44 mag a problem at all.I am 5'8 and weigh 220 lbs,however the first 357 mag round out of my gun gave me a blood blister at the base of my thumb.lol

Errr, you DO know that you can shoot 38 Specials out of any 357 Magnum revolver. Don't you?

 

[HOPHEAD]

I concur with the others in this thread. A j-frame is probably the best pocket carry gun available.

I have a titanium (before they switched to scandium) j-frame and an aluminum airweight j-frame. For the price difference and shootability I would stick the aluminum airweight. Carried in a pocket or on the ankle the 4 or 5 oz difference between the two is not perceivable to me however the aluminum gun is much eaiser to shoot and it is much much easier on the wallet.

 

[dannyk45]

J frame++

442 all the way loaded with a good +p, pocket holster done.

 

[M1911]

I have a titanium (before they switched to scandium) j-frame and an aluminum airweight j-frame. For the price difference and shootability I would stick the aluminum airweight. Carried in a pocket or on the ankle the 4 or 5 oz difference between the two is not perceivable to me however the aluminum gun is much eaiser to shoot and it is much much easier on the wallet.

+1

The Scandium j-frame is just turning your dollars into recoil. Get the 642 and spend the extra money on ammo for practice. And you're going to need to practice because the 642 is not easy to shoot accurately.

 

[Davidk]

My fav pocket gun is the Ruger SP101!

Check out my vid and article on pocket carry.
http://armedresponsebook.com/video/pocket_carry.mpg
http://armedresponsebook.com/articles/PocketCarry.pdf

 

[Rockrivr1]

If you can find one a Kahr PM9 works well for pocket carry. I have a S&W 642CT and the Kahr PM9. They both conceal well when they are in your front pants pocket. I typically carry mine while wearing a pair of Levi's 550 relaxed fit jeans.

 

[drgrant]

There are very few viable autos for pocket carry, and most of them
aren't readily available in MA. (eg, like the Kahr PM9, MK9, Rohrbaugh R9,
the NAAs 380/.32 NAA, or the KelTec P3AT, etc) That's why a
lot of folks end up with j-frames. Mostly everything else on the
market is too big to fit in a pocket or too underpowered.

FWIW, my one and only "pocket carry" gun is an S+W 640 with the Speer GDHP
.357 Mag short barrel load. I find it to be accurate, potent, and the recoil to be
pretty manageable. Yes, the gun is heavy but it still carries pretty
well.


-Mike

 

[JimB]

pocket carry

I met depicts in Newton, he had his CCW in his front left pocket,
i could not tell he was carrying.

I carry a model 60 S&W, it shoots reasonably accurate, i like the
grip since i changed them out. I just bought a galco belt hoslter and
it rides just fine. I weighs in at 23 or so oz.

JimB

 

[jamz]

I pocket carried a Colt Pony Pocketlite (.380) for a year or so, but after I got a j-frame, it just sat in the safe.

 

[PaulD]

It seems to me the reliability of an enclosed hammer j-frame is valuable also.

 

[depicts]

I met depicts in Newton, he had his CCW in his front left pocket,
i could not tell he was carrying.

I carry a model 60 S&W, it shoots reasonably accurate, i like the
grip since i changed them out. I just bought a galco belt hoslter and
it rides just fine. I weighs in at 23 or so oz.

JimB

JimB, you never noticed the Browning Hi-Power in the SOB holster either!!!

 

[dwarven1]

I used to carry a Walther PPK in .380 in my front pocket. It fits nicely, but the round is less powerful than the .38+Ps that are in my S&W 637. It's a balancing act between power and size of the gun. Lots of folks find that the J-frame simply is the best balance for them.

I picked up a Kahr K9 with the thought of using it for pocket carry, but it turns out to be a little too large to be comfortable in the pocket.

 

[Joe G]

Joke's on me!

If you can find one a Kahr PM9 works well for pocket carry. I have a S&W 642CT and the Kahr PM9. They both conceal well when they are in your front pants pocket. I typically carry mine while wearing a pair of Levi's 550 relaxed fit jeans.

Troy, I find your post particularly amusing seeing as you were the one I was talking to about not being able to ID the people who were carrying at the BBQ brunch! If the rest of the sheeple world is as oblivious as I am, we could all carry S&W 500s and nobody would notice!

Again, makes me look forward to Darius' class in Feb.

 

[Rockrivr1]

Troy, I find your post particularly amusing seeing as you were the one I was talking to about not being able to ID the people who were carrying at the BBQ brunch! If the rest of the sheeple world is as oblivious as I am, we could all carry S&W 500s and nobody would notice!

Again, makes me look forward to Darius' class in Feb.

Well, it does disappear nicely in a front pant's pocket.

 

[M1911]

I picked up a Kahr K9 with the thought of using it for pocket carry, but it turns out to be a little too large to be comfortable in the pocket.

Yes, the K9 is just too large for pocket carry. The MK9 and PM9 work well for pocket carry, though the MK9 is a bit heavy. Unfortunately, both are quite scarce here in MA.

 

[PaulD]

Does anyone know if a S&W CS9 or CS45 would work for pocket carry?

 

[M1911]

Too big for my pockets.