I'm thinking of carrying a small 9mm pistol in my pants pocket without a holster. The pistol has a thumb safety.
This mode of carry worked well with my J frame, so I am considering carrying on that way. It makes it easier to draw than with the holster. Alot easier.

Your thoughts?
Thanks.

Pocket carrying without a holster is a bad idea. Besides helping keeping your pistol from printing the holster will help keep pocket lint and other crud out of your pistol. A proper pocket holster will keep your pistol in position for easy drawing.

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Bill Bates

It is so simple to get something in the pocket caught in the gun that every instructor I know recommends using a holster, that can be fitted with friction material (eg, tape) to keep it in place and make the draw easy. I was showed a dime that disabled a Sigma .380 carried loose in a pocket, and the owner swears he never put the dime in the pocket.

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Science plus Art

Gun gets filthy. Gun wears a hole in your pocket. Gun gets upside down and/or backwards. Safety gets flicked off.

Carrying in a pocket holster is a much better idea. And there are cheap ones available that will help quite a bit.

Honestly, I wouldn't trust a safety in my pocket even *in* a pocket holster.

It didn't work well, you just got lucky no one got hurt while you where doing something foolish.

Use a holster.

A well designed pocket holster will keep your 9mm in the best possible upright position for a pull and fire without fumbling, otherwise they tend to 'settle' in.

Whether Kydex, leather or fabric, lotta good choices out there.

I did that for a while, got tired of cleaning pocket lint out of the innards and bought a pocket holster. The pistol attracted dirt and never stayed in a good position. I occasionally carry a 380 with a Clipdraw on it and clip it to my pocket. Stays in position and does not attract as much lint. The Clipdraw also does not interfere with either a pocket holster or belt holster.

No...and heck no if it’s striker fired. I’ve carried my Seecamp a few times without a holster, but I prefer the protection and other benefits that a proper holster provides. My wife wanted to look at small 9’s so we tried out a Ruger LC9s and the trigger on that thing was scary light. I think some people may think it appropriate to carry such a pistol in a pocket without a holster, but not me. Just ask Plaxico Burris how it worked out for him.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

My EDC is the Ruger LCP, but NEVER w/o a pocket holster b/c of the chance of an AD, too dangerous

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

I've done it on occasion with a Sig P290RS. Has a 9 pound, double action only trigger, so not too worried about it going off on accident. Mainly if I am just running up to the store or the gas station. I wouldn't do it with my Glock. I also wouldn't rely upon a safety, as a mechanical safety can fail.

Thoughts? I think it works with a J Frame. I keep a can of compressed air on my workbench for lint. The only semi-autos I carry are full-size.

I sometimes carry an RM380 in the watch pocket of my jeans. The trigger is covered and the pistol fits snugly in the watch pocket, which is like a permanently-attached holster.

Have carried a .25 Galesi in a sheath holster in my right front pants pocket for many years. I don't even know I have it, and it is totally invisible to everyone.

No problem unless you carry car keys in the same pocket.

Burris was carrying his IWB with a waistline clip. The clip slipped off and the gun started to slide down his pants leg. He made a grab for it, to try and keep it from hitting the floor. He accidentally grabbed the trigger and it discharged.

Nothing else in the pocket aside from the gun.

This. P365 with thumb safety.

I carried a P3AT in my front pants pocket with a clip as my BUG for a fair while. The long heavy trigger makes an AD pretty unlikely. I was never totally satisfied with the angle it rode at in my uniform pants.

Andy If you have to ask about a no holster pocket carry then your common sense level needs refilling but since you life a looong way from me go ahead and see how it works for you . Perhaps the first time you find it pointing in any direction but muzzle down you will rethink your no holster choice .

You might also want to notice how easy ( ha ) it is to draw that pistol from a pocket when seated be in your vehicle with or with out a seat belt or out having a meal compared to a iwb or aiwb rig with a slightly larger pistol tucked in even .

I pocket carried ether a snubby or cm9 kahr in a pocket but only as a at work pistol as a carpenter . Never carried in a pocket after work and when my job called for no more hands on work every day the pocket carry was gone gone gone . I still own both handguns but they hang out in the safe for years now .

My wife is a 5-2 lady that gave me back my kimber ultra 9mm with 9 rounds mags for carried and 10 rounders as back up and now her EDC is a P365xl with thumb safety at 3:00 . Most times and it light enough she can carry it in a garter belt holster when a dress is better suited to an outing !!

I often do. S&W Bodyguard. Not a problem

When I walk my dog in my neighborhood I usually drop a LCP in my pocket with an extra magazine. But it's in a Remora holster.

At times I do this with the LCP (when it's really hot outside). However, only when I wear Duluth cargo pants. The right front pocket has an inside pocket at the bottom which holds it perfectly. It seems made just for the dimensions of the LCP (which it isn't, obviously). And, no, you can't see an imprint, at all...

IMHO, AIWB is much scarier.

I carried a keltec p32 in my front pocket without a holster for years. anything bigger or heavier and I would need a pocket holster

It is just a bad idea to carry in a pocket without a pocket holster. From the gun collecting lint and debris to potentially getting hung up in the draw to the greater potential for a negligent discharge.

Do yourself a favor and get yourself a good pocket or belt holster.

Been carrying an LCP in my back pocket.

Less bulk without a holster.. I like it.

Can I Conceal Carry A Gun Without A Holster? - A bad idea, and the alternatives

Food for thought.

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SWCA1517 SWHF256
Rangers LTW!

None of the reasons he cites against pocket carry hold water. You might have a string in your pocket that could get wrapped around the trigger? It could fall out and go off? The gun could move around and flick the safety off?
I don't see any of these problems applying to my S&W 638.
Looks like the author is just another schmuck with an opinion and a computer to type it on.
I feel that pocket carry gives me more security than any kind of holster carry - because it is in closer contact with my body and I can feel it. I can't feel the gun if its in a leather or kydex holster.

I am not attracted to the prospect of back pocket carry because of:
1. The possibility of someone sneaking up behind you, unseen, and making a grab for it.
2. The possibility of sitting on it.

I have carried both a beretta 21a bobcat (hammer down) or a 638 in my front pocket for many years. Never a problem. With and without a pocket holster. Gun does print more without a holster, yes. But most times when I’m leaving the house for a quick errand I’m not concerned about printing, just slide the gun in my pocket and go. Sometimes with the j frame, Without the holster it can turn sideways in the pocket which does make a smooth draw problematic. Unsafe? AD? No, the trigger doesn’t pull itself people.

Shirt is always untucked, covers pocket opening.(I don't let people sneak up on me.)

Sit on it all the time, sitting on it right now.Feels like a wallet.

Guess I look at it differently.

I've carried a keltec p32 in my front pocket with no holster for ten years. Simple fact of the matter is if you put a gun in your pocket with nothing else, the pocket is now a holster, congratulations. This is only an issue if you wear pants that don't fit. Seriously, what kind of cloths are y'all wearing that y'all guns can do acrobatics in yalls pockets? I'm getting this picture in my head of a young man, with no belt, showing his underwear off to everyone. Maybe that guys clothes are too big, is this how y'all are dressing? Geez...

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Ban this man,
'89

Nope, but an uncovered trigger can be pulled, that's kind of exactly one of the main purposes of a holster.

Hammer down makes me think it is a long, double action pull for that first round.

Correct, the beretta 21a is a long double action pull for the first round.

But it’s not uncovered. It’s in my pocket.

It’s actually safer, as well as easier, to draw a semi automatic pistol from a pocket holster such as the Desantis Nemesis, than it is to draw directly from your pocket.

No snag and less drag, and enclosing the trigger in a holster is always a good idea for safety.

Holsters like the Nemesis are dirt cheap and work great.

Generally speaking, yes. Currently have my Sig P290RS in my pocket without a holster. With the size of the gun and the cut of the pocket on this particular pair of shorts, the gun stays upright and in position. Prints more than it would with a pocket holster, but from an accessibility and draw viewpoint, the holster offers no advantage with this pair of shorts.

A lady I know, who shall remain nameless, carries a RM380 holsterless in the front pocket of her jeans. Position shift, lint accumulation and corrosion of the slide stop from sweat (or whatever it is women do) were all problems. From time to time I confiscate it to clean, lube and replace ammo. She has a selection of quality pocket holsters available to her, but refuses to use them. I am not too concerned about ADs with the long heavy DA pull, but the position shift sets my teeth on edge.

I have pocket carried an RM380, a Bersa Thunder, a 642, a Shield and a HS Derringer, always in holsters. In another century I carried a 2" Colt Lawman in a dedicated, zippered pocket of my uniform jacket. Not ideal and I didn't do it long although if I was in the same situation tomorrow I wouldn't hesitate to do so with the 642.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

Yep - either an LCP or an old FN 1905 .25 ACP.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

About once a month I relate how I dropped a Browning .25 Auto from my front pocket while changing a flat and had the falling gun not brushed my foot, I may have driven off without it. For those who have been there, it was in a break-down cutout of the Grand Central Parkway, about five minutes from LaGuardia Airport, Queens. NY.

I thanked my spirit guide and stopped pretending I was John Dillinger.
It's been about 50 years since I cured myself of irresponsible gun carry.

For years I only carried a j frame in the pocket and with a holster. I came real close to experiencing a ND because of the holster so I switched to a centennial without a holster and never looked back. I will tell you, it will wear the pants more. I have broke my rule and carried a 686 in the pocket without a holster but is still think it is near impossible to have a ND though. I bought a sc p250 to possibly pocket carry but have never tried it. The only reason I am comfortable carrying a revolver without a holster is because the cylinder also had to turn. NEVER CARRY ANYTHING ELSE IN THE POCKET WITH THE GUN.

My thoughts...
I suggest a pocket holster. I have carried both ways, and from experience give you the suggestion. Most of the reasons stated above apply. My main reason was to keep the piece in a consistent position for ease of quick presentation. There is also the factors of less printing, general comfort, and some protection afforded to the firearm.
Try a Mika holster. They were designed by a LEO with function as a priority and work quite well without breaking the bank.
Pocket carry is not my every day choice. I often IWB with a 1911, but with the J-frame (Mod. 649) I have the option to pocket which I sometimes do (with a Mika holster).

Where in tarnation did you hear this? I'd love to see the science behind this claim.

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Ban this man,
'89

Nope. I won't carry an auto at all without a holster no matter the method of carry. Usually revolvers either.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Collects, I am in touch with him by email. What is the holster lined with?
I intend to use with a Ruger LC9s and will possibly get one for a Sig P365.
I will use with jeans mostly. Would you recommend squared bottom or rounded bottom.

Thanks!

LCP sporting a Clipdraw works great! Pistol stays securely in place, little sagging, doesn’t fall to the bottom of the pocket or wiggle around. Moreover, from a distance the exposed clip of the Clipdraw closely resembles the the clip of a standard pocket knife. I’ve never seen anyone give it more that a cursory glance.

I have carried a Ruger LCP in my back pocket every since they came out with the model however long thats been. I have worn out 3 Desantis holsters for it. I can not see any advantage to not having it in a holster, and a whole host of issues with it riding without one. Everyone has to make his or her own decisions on such matters though.

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Randy

All the time. Along with an unsheathed 4 inch blade.

Strange things can happen from time to time when pocket carrying. I was carrying a derringer in my back pocket with no holster when one evening I took it out and found that somehow it had gotten cocked. From that point I never again carryed in my back pocket or without a pocket holster. A pocket holster may not have stopped the gun from cocking itself but at least the trigger would have ben covered.