I know little about holsters of any kind and have never had much interest in them, but lately have wondered about the "pocket holster" for a J-frame snubnose. It seems such a holster might offer a safety advantage over pure pocket carry, but I don't know this for sure.

My interest would be in something made of thin leather rather than a synthetic material. Any comments on such holsters and their usefulness or lack of the same? I'm not a quick draw maestro or aspiring gunfighting ace, so fast draw is not a big concern.

I'm a big pocket holster fan. Pocket holsters are just like in any other style holster in that everyone has their favorite(s). I like the Desantis Nemesis holsters, but those are synthetic. I have a couple Mika's pocket holsters which many swear by, but I prefer the Nemesis. for my own use. There's lots of options. used to use a cheap Uncle Mike's pocket holster with my LCP when I carried that.

It seems that there are a lot of gun folks who swear by the DeSantis Nemesis, including me. It doesn't cost much either. I would suggest
you try it, just to see if you like pocket carry.

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In Omnia Paratus

I have custom leather pocket holsters and production nylon and kydex.By far I prefer Mika pocket holsters.And from a safety standpoint a handgun carried in a pocket should be in a holster.

The advantage to using one is that the gun will stay in place if the holster is formed correctly. It will also reduce printing. Not to worry about becoming a quick draw maestro from the pocket, not going to happen! All types work just fine. Some like Mika's have material on the outside to make the holster stick inside the pocket on the draw, others have a lip or hook at the bottom to prevent the holster from coming out on the draw. I have used leather and synthetic but mostly just stick it in my pocket. If carrying without a holster, put nothing else in the pocket that could interfere with the trigger or the draw!

When I was pocket carrying my Kahr PM-9, I used the FIST kydex pocket holster, and it worked great.

When I moved to pocket carrying my S&W 940 J-frame, I went with a Mika holster. I like it a lot. I would highly recommend the Mika.

Have several by different makers.
Another DeSantis vote here.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Cheap leather: Don Hume Pocket Holster
Good leather: Milt Sparks Pocket Holster

Both will offer better weapon retention and trigger protection than any "soft" holsters.

Leather I DON'T recommend: Galco pocket holsters (Suede or horsehide)

My main carry is a J frame. I have two pocket holsters for it: the Desantis Nemesis and the Mika. I much prefer the Mika.

My other main carry is a BG380. I have two pocket holsters for it: the Nemesis and the Mika. I prefer the Nemesis. Although I do opt for the Mika with a certain pair of jeans.

Weird, huh?

My suggestion - as cheap as they are, buy a Nemesis and a Mika.

For my 640-1, I have a horsehide, boned Kramer and a loose fitting Mika. For looks, the Kramer. In terms of usage, the Mika. The Kramer will come out of my pocket when I draw it unless I work the leather off first, or twist my hand when I draw. The Mika, being a loose fit, slips right out, holster in place, and is easy to drop the gun back in.

For OWB I like Mitch Rosen's holsters. I bought a Rosen pocket holster for my Detective Special but, like the Kramer, it would come out of my pocket when drawing. (High quality stuff though.) Sold it.

My conclusion is Mika. It's lined, synthetic leather of some sort, and no great shakes in the looks department, but it is well made and works well.

As for retention, I don't want retention in a pocket holster. The pocket itself is all the retention I need. I want smooth access.

I pocket carry a J frame most of the time. I wouldn’t do it without a proper holster that covers the trigger guard and keeps the butt upright.

Here’s a photo of some that I’ve accumulated:



On the left is an old Pachmayr “T.A.C. Tactical” pocket gizmo. It replaces the grips, carries extra ammo and keeps the butt upright. Interesting idea, but it doesn’t cover the trigger guard, is hard on pockets, eliminates grip choices and smacks you on the knuckle when shooting. I’m also not sure how the ATF views these.

Next column has (3) Kramers and an Alessi. The middle Kramer shows the outside. The outside of the Alessi is also flat and looks like a wallet in your pocket. They’re both excellent choices. I picked up the extra Kramers used as spares, but I doubt you could wear one out in a lifetime.

Top of the next column is an old Ahern pocket natural. I used one for about 10 years, but switched to a Kramer. The gun was able to move too much inside the holster, which caused excessive wear on the finish. It also soaked up perspiration and destroyed some pockets.

Below that is a Milt Sparks holding my 342Ti, which is my current favorite. It’s very comfortable and is almost perfect! I bought it second hand and believe it’s sharkskin. Some slacks don’t have pockets wide enough to accommodate it, so in those cases I use a Kramer.

On the far right is a PC 327 (N frame) in a Mika. It makes for great winter coat pocket carry. He makes a quality product at a very reasonable price. You can get them with either a round or square bottom, depending on the type of pocket you have. They’re extremely durable and Bob is great guy to deal with. I had several J frame Mika’s, but gave them to a friend who wanted a pocket holster for himself and his son.

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"I also cook."

I have a Azula from ebay that looks like the Ahern above... natural with the rough side out. Love it.

I've had great luck with the inexpensive Uncle Mike's for my 637 which even has a Pachmeyer grip (3 finger grip) and it works great. The 637 "disappears" in my pocket and the draws are easy. The holster stays right in my pocket when I draw...practice draws that is.

Semi-retired(?) artisan Karla Van Horne makes a fine pocket holster. I believe she is still selling them. Check out Purdy Gear Custom leather Goods.

Thanks very much to all the respondents so far. Lots of good information for me and probably others have also derived some benefit-

Been pocket carrying with a Mika Pocket Holster for 10+ years. Either my 340PD or this model 60.

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Pass it on.
Mark

....that there is a wide variety. What A swears by might not work at all for B. Everyone is different.

The holster selection process is as personal as the choice of firearms.

It becomes a trial and error process and thats why most folks have a box of leather (or a closet full).

You are on the right course. It is best to pocket carry with the weapon in a holster and as been stated one that covers the trigger guard.
Also reccomended don't carry anything in that pocket except the weapon and its holster.

Most folks buy a weapon that costs a considerable sum. Don't skimp on your holster , get a good quality one even if it costs a few $s more.

Also if you do that you won't have to buy a new one every year or so.

The one in my pocket has been there nearly every day since the spring of 2004 still in good functional condition.

And.........

Practice, practice, practice and practice some more.

God bless.

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LEX ET ORDO

Another vote for Mika's Pocket Holsters. I have two, one for warm weather J-frame pocket and one for G30 cargo pocket or winter jacket pocket.
Mika's Pocket Holsters

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60-10,640-1,G30,G41MOS,1911

Just a word of caution, I think you want something rigid enough so that if you happen to lean against anything it can't force the holster material into the trigger guard and depress the trigger. Soft feels better but a thicker leather would be safer. I prefer an AIWB holster both for access and safety.

The DeSantis Nemesis is the one I carry every day for my 442. The outside of the holster is “sticky” enough to stay behind when you draw the weapon and the shape of the holster breaks up the obvious outline if a 2” revolver in your pocket. My suggestion to to see if you can try out several different ones before making up your mind.

I’ve been carrying a model 49 for many years in an Andrews pocket holster. The years have been a hard on the finish but I’m happy with it. Pocket carry idle the practical method for me.

Andrews Custom Leather

I have a Andrews Leather pocket holster ...had it for yrs..I told Sam I'm LH so he made me a LH pocket holster!Don't need any others!!
Jim

This one is from Galco. Horsehide. Rough side out. Stays put for easy draw and replacement. Stiff and doesn't print.

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I use a Mika pocket holster every day with my Mod. 649. After years of use, it still functions flawlessly. It stays upright, and still sticks to the pocket providing a draw where you simply get the gun only. It is not a beauty queen, but by far the most functional pocket holster I have ever owned (and there have been many over the decades). It is synthetic, but has not worn out anywhere. I personally prefer leather or horse hide, but I am not going to sacrifice function for choice of material. Nobody but me is going to see it anyway.

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NRA Endowment Member

I wear jeans most of the time and am "fit" (slim-ish). I carry with a pancake holster for all weapons and have not figured out how even a small weapon like a J-frame (I have a 637) would fit in and out of a jean pocket. Comments welcome.

I have 3 pocket holsters for my 649-2. For suit pants where the pocket has a vertical opening I use a Mika round; for Levis I use a Mika square; and for large pockets I have a DeSantis Nemesis. I think you may need different ones for different pants, as I have yet to find a one size fits all.

Funny. I've been a die-hard pocket fan. I clip the gun to the edge of my front pocket then drape a shirt over it. Recently, since the weather has cooled off, I've been sticking my 638 in my waistband in different positions and I really like it there. It's very comfortable and the weight is distributed better. Right now I'm using the Barami but I think I'm going to find an IWB to use, at least until the weather warms back up.
For pocket carry I really like the Barami. If I need deep concealment it is easy to slip all the way into the pocket. Otherwise it stays clipped to the hem.

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Rock,
Another vote for the Mika.

1chessiefan

I’ll jump in with another vote to initially try the Mika. I have been using his holsters for j frames since he was making them for fellow officers at LAPD and selling them out of a business card size ad in the back of police magazines. Once you figure out you like the method of carry if you want to go more high end go with the Kramer. I pocket carried a Seecamp as my duty backup gun for almost 20 years. Used an Ahern for that.

I’ll go along with Mika great holster, nice guy to work with and good price.

Never was a huge proponent of pocket holsters, but there is a place for them in the CCW arena.
I have used this Sam Andrews specimen for over 15 years. Will probably outlive me.

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I have been using Galco pocket holsters for my 442, 640-1 and G26 for the last few years and have been quite happy with them

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Life NRA, Life TSRA, C&R FFL

I own and use or have used many of the examples in this post. Hands down my favorite is this Milt Sparks.

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Tim
SWCA #2697

My pocket holster's pretty simple. Just a hunk of pocket shaped leather, folded over and stitched.

Works for me.

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Keep on Chooglin'

If you are serious about defending your life, perhaps you should consider the advantage of a sure smooth fast draw from concealment.

And to carry this consideration further, perhaps it's not out of the question to weigh the advantages of ditching a five-shot revolver which is virtually impossible to reload in a tough situation, and upgrade to a more capable weapon, such as a M&P9c or a G19.

I apologize as I didn't realize my original post was difficult to understand. I specifically mentioned a pocket holster for a J-frame snubnose.

NO apology needed. I was just concerned; don't want to see you get smoked on the mean streets because you ran out of lead.

I have used a number of pocket holsters over the years, but have found that Alabama Pocket Holster is second to none. These Kydex holsters may be a bit pricy compared to some others, but they retain well, draw well, conceal well, allow re-holster if needed, and are darn near indestructible.

Buy once, cry once.

Pocket Holsters – Alabamaholster.com

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Only a cold warrior

My experience - the type of jeans make a big difference. My two main carry guns are a 642 and a BG380. Mostly the 642, and I usually carry it AIWB in a Lobo offset belt clip. But - I do pocket carry it. In the summer I wear Wrangler relaxed fit denim shorts a lot, and the 642 drops right down into the pocket inside a Mika. Because the pockets are deep and the shorts are cut baggy. For jeans, I wear Carhart traditional fit tapered leg all the time. The 642 still fits in the pocket, but not as well, so for pocket carry I go with my BG380, almost always in the Nemesis because it fits deeper in the pocket. When I'm out on my Harley, I often wear Duluth ballroom jeans because they are baggy and have a gusset in the crotch that increases comfort on long rides. Don't like the baggy look, though, so I rarely wear them off the bike. Anyway, they have extra deep pockets, so on the bike I go back to pocket carrying the 642.

In summary, my preference is to carry a J frame, but even though it fits in the Carhart pocket, I feel like it prints, even though I doubt anybody notices. I like the discretion of the BG380 deep in the pocket, especially when I want to be extra sure the gun isn't noticeable.

I'm sometimes amazed at the guns some guys report pocket carrying. For me, an airweight J frame is the limit.

I have a Galco pocket holster, some kind of modern material/nylon, that works great. I have a leather one that I need to dig up to respond about that one.

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Come and take it!!

My pocket holster is a Galco rough out that I have carried my Smith 642 in for 20 years. Not really any wear and tear other than a few slick spots in the rough out. Works well for me.

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Wow, that's a good looking holster! I really like my Mika, but I have to get one of these Milt Sparks holsters.

Desantis nemesis has been my goto

I have been using a PCS (Pocket Concealment System) pocket holster for my 340 PD for about 5 years. It's thin, doesn't collapse, stays upright in my pocket and it is just loose enough to stay in the pocket on the draw- (important!). I got it through Lightning Arms Sports. They have a good in stock selection and very fast service/shipping.

I see I'm in the minority here, but I use a Sticky holster. I got one when I bought my P365, and while that's a bit too heavy for me to pocket, I was impressed enough with it to buy one for J-frames. They're pretty reasonable.

I've come around to pocket carry the last few years... unfortunately, I'm slowly finding out that neither a "J" nor my SIG is enough to survive on the streets, so going forward I'm not going to waste the time arming myself.

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Because of the metric system?

When the wife and I carried revolvers (a variety of S & W's as well as a Colt DS), we swore by the Mika's after trying several (numerous?) others.

I've used a Galco horsehide for my 642 for about 5 years. I am very pleased with it. Galco also makes one in a lighter weight suede leather. I had one and gave it away. The horsehide holds its shape, stays in the pocket when drawing and since the inside leather is smooth, so is the draw. I've used the Nemesis and Remora for autos, but I can't improve on the Galco for a J frame. I'm no Ninja, but I'm still here.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

I have nothing but good things to say about the several Ken Null pocket holsters I own and use daily, including one for my 340PD J-Frame. I believe it is called the Pocket Scabbard. Has an ingenious "wing" that catches on the top of your pocket as you draw, leaving the gun in your hand while the holster remains in your pocket.

Great man to do business with. One of the few custom leatherworkers who answers the phone and talks to you when you call.

K.L. Null Holsters, LTD | Custom Handmade Holsters and Accessories

As mentioned above, this guy makes elegant thin leather pocket holsters. I have a couple or them and have been much impressed by their utility and construction.

I also never understood the attraction of those padded nylon pocket holsters that made you look like you were shoplifting a club sandwich.





Pocket Concealment System, Inc. - Innovative Handgun Holsters



– Pocket Concealment System Inc

I've used this one for years, made by Ray Cory of Lobo Gunleather. Thin, rigid, rough side out leather, stays in place every time.

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