J frame for pocket carry

[Freedomfirst]

I carry the S&W MP 340 on my belt or, in cooler weather, in a pocket holster - and where I live in New England there is a lot of "cooler" weather. I load up with Speer Gold Dot short barrel 135 gr 38+P's. Although the scandium frame can take a .357 Magnum load, my hand cannot - but loading up with Gold Dot's is good enough imo.

 

[edw794]

A model 38 was my hidden second gun for over 25 years when I was working. That was during the time before cops carrying a backup gun was common and so well publicized by some of the new breed cops. Now you find them on various internet forums boasting what they carry and worst, where they hide it. Guess they know for a fact crooks don't log onto the internet.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I remain a big fan of the .38 Special, +P and standard (okay, for self defense I use high quality ammunition, not just plain LRNs or FMJs), but although I carry a 642 EVERY day (and I can hide it in a leather holster in jeans or slacks just as well as a non-leather holster - been doing it for decades - nobody sees it), I have to admit that I don't always hang around my house in clothes that will support a handgun.

If I am in jeans or shorts then the 642 will be with me but if I'm lounging around in less than that, like sleep shorts and a T-shirt, then I always wear a robe - a lightweight for warm weather and a heavier one for the short period of winter we get in Dallas. There is ALWAYS a gun in the pocket of the robe.

However, under the theory that one is none, and two is one, and knowing that I might need a reload, well, a loaded gun beats a reload, I keep loaded revolvers in every room, easily accessible at all times.

Sorry folks - no kids in the house, nobody but me - I can do this with impunity and no risk of someone playing with a gun and having an accident. When there's company that's different but generally there's nobody but me so I do keep speed loaders around, but loaded guns are way better.

Remember another lesson from the same person who, AFAIK, coined "one is none, two is one" - you can use your handgun to fight your way to your long gun. I keep some of them around, loaded, as well.

Color me paranoid.....

***GRJ***

 

[m4user]

M-642 Pro Series. The best of all worlds.

 

[Dente687]

J frame is PERFECT carry gun in Fl.

I carried a SW 642 in my right pocket of my bathing suit in Miami last year, as well as shorts all year long. If it's not with you, it's useless. when dressed in more concealable clothing, a glock 26.

 

[Wingwiper]

Love the J-frames. My first was a 1975 blue M36 presented to me by the department when I graduated from the academy. Carried it for a few years in an ankle holster as a BUG to my Colt Python duty gun. In addition to that one, I currently have a 1969 M36 in nickle, and two M60's for nightstand guns, mine a 1973 and the wife's a 1974, both with Crimson Trace grips. My wife's brother has a 1975 M60 and her best friend from grade school (a female realtor) has a M642 no lock.

I carry my M60 in a Steve McElroy pocket holster. It has the stock hammer, but I've gotten so used to covering it with my thumb when I draw that I've never put a bobbed hammer on it.

The M60's are loaded with .38 +P (Hydra-Shok) and the M36's with non +P Federal hollow points. The 642 has Hornady Critical Defense .38 +P.

We live in a "quiet" area but if more than .38 seems needed, the 45 ACP 1911's aren't far from reach......

 

[CatboatWilly]

While most of this conversation seems to be focusing on the carry weapon - allow me to make a comment about what has helped me the most in concealed carry .

I use a standard Model. 36 here in Southwest Florida were cargo shorts are the norm. - but what really helped was having my wife take out the sewing machine and fitting the holster to the cargo pant. The holster is positioned in the pocket for minimum 'print through'. Then cargo pant pocket is stitched so as to tighten the holster in the pocket and prevent the weapon and its holster from moving around while in the pocket.
Works great for me especially where the material is very light.
YMMV..........

 

[Swengen]

I carry the 340PD that's had some porting work, etc. Makes it much nicer to handle the hot loads with amazing accuracy. Wouldn't be without it. The lightweight frame and cylinder make it more comfortable than anything I've ever carried. I'm simply using an Uncle Mike's #3 holster.

 

[Nobius]

I pocket carry a 442 in Texas. Works great, just have to find shorts with deep enough pockets.

 

[DonGlock26]

I carried a 649 .38spl for years as an LEO. About ten years ago, I got a 442 for pocket carry. That's my main CCW in retirement. I carry it around the house too. It was a habit that I had to make myself take up, but it's a wise one.

Oddly enough, a retired LEO that I know shot a perp breaking into his house during a daytime morning home invasion. Criminals like quiet neighborhoods, where everyone is at work during the day. Having a gun on you or within arms reach is a good idea, plus you never know about stray dogs these days when you are outside getting the mail, etc.

 

[Nalapombu]

I live just north of Houston and I can tell you that there are home invasions all the time on the news. I've never lived in a big city before and never seen stuff like this. I thought that stuff was in movies until I got here and started watching the news. Just about every day there is home invasion with a shooting or murder or some other type of altercation that has serious injury. Scary stuff.

I don't pocket carry but I do have my G19 right at my feet up in my room where I spend 90% of my time when I'm here. I don't have a J yet, but I am hoping to rectify that soon. I'd like to get a 649 in 357mag with one of the "sticky" type holsters that can be used in a pocket or inside the waistband. Good stuff.

Nalajr

 

[Gunfiter]

I have pocket carried a M-49 since 73........either as my back up when in uniform, or in my patrol jacket pocket or pocket carry when in plain clothes...I use the Galco leather pocket holster nowadays.....I still carry the well worn M-49 everyday when I am taken for my daily constitutional by my dogs. The humpback is "old school", but then again, so am I.

My first choice as well. I have a neutered version, you can't cock it to single action, I got from a retired LAPD detective years ago.

 

[blacksharkL82]

M37 pocket carry

I have carried this M37, since the early 50s, in most states and countries of the world.
In a shoulder rig, OWB, IWB, HIPGRIP, and now pocket via nylon holster.
It's my EDC, with a strip of 6 rounds in the off pocket.
No rust, lint or any other problems, ever.
Carry SD rounds, only.
Lived in NY, NJ and now FL.
Light enough to never be without.
I have many to choose from on the way out the door. I alway carry this one and maybe another. Depending on where I'm going.

 

[Sgt Bubba]

Carry all the time(ALL the TIME). My choice is the S&W 640 PRO series with their improved sights. Mine also has Crimson 405 sights. Carry Speer Gold Dots. two bianchi speed strips with 6 rds each and one HKS speed loader. Have several other J frames and carry them also. This old cop likes the sights on the Pro series. Practice with what you carry, OFTEN..

 

[lazy-b]

Most distressing incident involving a .38

The most distressing Incident I can recall concerning the age old question of .38 caliber versus .357 caliber happened in 1960
Miami, FL while I was on the PD though I was not involved one
of my buddies was among the back up officers on the scene.

A solo zone patrol car was driving by a neighborhood Mom &
Pop store and observed it being robbed by one large black male.
the BG did not have a gun it was either a knife or club ( can't
remember which ) the officer radio'd his location and a robbery in
progress prior to exiting the car, in the store with .38 drawn he
told the BG to lie on the floor however, the BG kept approaching him, the officer began shooting till gun emptied, the BG took
the gun away from the officer and put it to his head and pulled the trigger but it was empty, at this point the back up officers arrived and beat him down with night sticks, the BG was en route
to the County hospital and died on the way.
The autopsy showed all six .38 bullets in a circle in his chest.

The week following the incident there was hardly a .357
available in the Miami area due to the officers trading in their
.38's on the PD's that allowed the officer to carry a privately
owned duty weapon, at the time within Dade County there was
26 different municipalities and each had their individual Police
Departments and regulations.


Billy

 

[66Park]

The most distressing Incident I can recall concerning the age old question of .38 caliber versus .357 caliber happened in 1960
Miami, FL while I was on the PD though I was not involved one
of my buddies was among the back up officers on the scene.

A solo zone patrol car was driving by a neighborhood Mom &
Pop store and observed it being robbed by one large black male.
the BG did not have a gun it was either a knife or club ( can't
remember which ) the officer radio'd his location and a robbery in
progress prior to exiting the car, in the store with .38 drawn he
told the BG to lie on the floor however, the BG kept approaching him, the officer began shooting till gun emptied, the BG took
the gun away from the officer and put it to his head and pulled the trigger but it was empty, at this point the back up officers arrived and beat him down with night sticks, the BG was en route
to the County hospital and died on the way.
The autopsy showed all six .38 bullets in a circle in his chest.

The week following the incident there was hardly a .357
available in the Miami area due to the officers trading in their
.38's on the PD's that allowed the officer to carry a privately
owned duty weapon, at the time within Dade County there was
26 different municipalities and each had their individual Police
Departments and regulations.


Billy

There are stories like that with pretty much every pistol caliber. One always has to compromise one way or another with concealed carry. Chances are, with any caliber you are going to need more than one shot. If you are talking about a J frame in .38 vs. .357, there is a whole lot of difference in that follow up shot (or more). A J frame isn't the easiest gun to shoot, even with .38s, and there are certainly many times when a .357 has not stopped an attacker either. If you are in a situation where you have to carry something as small as a J frame, you have to consider as many of the angles as you can, and make your best compromise. And your best compromise might very well be different from mine.

 

[BIKER DAVE]

Amazing (and perhaps reassuring) how many posters before me admit to carrying a J-frame in their pants/shorts pocket while in the home. I thought I was alone in this practice...

Sad they mention the reason being home invasions. Funny we have all types of heavy sidearms and shotguns available, yet the weapon to be relied upon first would be a pocket snub...

Last week, a home invasion took place in Vegas one afternoon with the home owner shooting the BG. The owner ran from the home to notify police from an outside phone. While he was out, the wounded BG used the house phone to dial 911 for an ambulance!

You can't make this stuff up! Stay safe people.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

what is a ''bg''? never heard of it.

 

[S&WForty]

what is a ''bg''? never heard of it.

Abbreviation for Bad Guy. That's my best guess. In this day and time it should be ABG... A for alleged.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Model 642 seems like a good idea for your needs, if you want a J frame.

 

[Edmo]

After reading a copy of NRAs armed citizen, I was shocked at the number of home invasion incidents. So I'm thinking about something I can carry in the cavernous pockets of my shorts (this is TX and shorts are worn around the house most of the year).

I've never had any interest in J frames and know little about them, so rather than research, I'm going to be lazy and ask for suggestions

I always figured something along the lines of a de-horned M-60 would be an ideal carry gun.

Thanks!

My "milling around the house" gun is generally either a model 60 or a model 642. The 642 is lighter so it get pocket duty and the stainless 60 gets carried on the belt, either IWB or OWB depending on the mood.

Edmo