Considering new pistol for "Pocket Carry".

[Stubborn Dutchman]

I EDC a MK9 in a Kramer pocket holster. It's heavy and I need to keep my belt cinched tight (but got used to doing that) cause I'm overweight. The MK9 is a heavy little bugger but you can get used to it. Plus I love the smooth trigger! Been carrying it about eight years now.

 

[GatorFarmer]

Originally posted by wjh2657:
When you can wear heavy clothing to hide a belt holster, the bottom feeders can rule. they are the true combat handguns in wonderful calibers like 9MM, .40 S&W and the King .45 ACP. (I have a Glock 23 and carry it in Winter.)

When you have to stick a gun in slacks or shorts in 80 degree plus weather, the J-Frame in .38 spl and it's knockoffs is the queen of the day! The .38 Spl will survive because guns like the S&W 642 and Taurus 85 are being made in it. I have a 637 in my pocket as I type.

I hear that a lot. I live in VA currently. I've carried N frames, full size steel 1911s, and similar large guns here in the summer. For a while I was toting a Model 58 as constant companion. Either IWB or OWB, I just untucked my shirt.

I'm from Michigan, and in the summer there, I'd just keep my sport coats on, but would buy "tropical weight ones". The Italians still make these and they were popular with colonial oppressors in hot climates for years.

Of course I'd still stick a J frame in my pocket since I just always tend to do that.

 

[ENH]

Here are three that I routinely pocket carry. The 8 shot 327 and the 325 both use your preferred moon clips. 8 rounds of 357 is very comforting.

 

[starbuck]

I find the Colt Agent .38 special with 6 rds, and a hammer shield, a lite pocket carry and my S&W 386pd for IWB carry for the other days, depending on my mood.

 

[zippo]

I guess I am going to be beaten up here, love the j frames, but once i put my new ruger lcp 380 auto with a desantis pocket holster in my pants, there was no going back. The key is to use the best 380 ammo, which i believe is the new Hornady critical defense load with the polymertip for deep penatration for the 380.you could alos put a few round of the buffalo bore 380 hard cast.......will penetrate very very deep.
Also, Again I will get beat up, if you have not picked up a kel-tec p9 9mm, your missing something too. Amazing little 9 shot 9mm.

 

[G-ManBart]

Originally posted by zippo:
I guess I am going to be beaten up here, love the j frames, but once i put my new ruger lcp 380 auto with a desantis pocket holster in my pants, there was no going back. The key is to use the best 380 ammo, which i believe is the new Hornady critical defense load with the polymertip for deep penatration for the 380.you could alos put a few round of the buffalo bore 380 hard cast.......will penetrate very very deep.
Also, Again I will get beat up, if you have not picked up a kel-tec p9 9mm, your missing something too. Amazing little 9 shot 9mm.

I don't see why you'd get beat up, but I'd point out there are other similar choices that are as good, maybe better depending on your wants/needs. The LCP is 5.16" long and 3.6" tall, and weighs 10oz. The Kahr PM9 is 5.3" long, 4.0" tall and weighs 14oz. The Kel-Tec PF-9 is 5.85" long, 4.3" tall and weighs 13oz.

The best .380 ammo isn't as good as just decent 9mm ammo, and since there isn't enough difference in size, I don't see why anyone would opt for the LCP.

The Kel-Tec is longer, taller and weighs almost as much. The Kel-Tec lists one extra round, but you can use the slightly longer mag for the PM9 and have the same capacity with the height now equal, but still have it shorter which makes it fit your pocket easier.

I'm not a big guy and anything much longer than the PM9 is going to start poking out of my pocket.

The one downside to the Kahr is price....I don't put a whole lot of empahsis on price when it comes down to my security. Actually, the PM9 is my wife's running gun. Her normal CCW is a Smith 640 with D&L night sights....too heavy for running. The PM9 goes in my pocket when I get home and take off my duty guns...stays there until I go to bed and I never think about it being there. R,

 

[courtyard]

642, CT grips and a Mika holster.

 

[Capt Steve]

For pocket carry I prefer my Bersa .380 CC. Eight rounds of .380 Winchester 95 grain FMJ's work for me. In the pocket holster it doesn't print and is light enough to be comfortable even in warm weather (we have a lot of that here in Tucson). If I am going to have enough clothes on to cover the strong side OWB or IWB holsters then the choice is usually the MP9C or the 649.

 

[Happy Hunter]

I bought a 642 Airweight 12 yr ago with a Kramer pocket holster. Very pocketable, very reliable, great, what is not to like. Never been "spotted" or questioned in all the time I've carried it.
Me being an engineer type am always looking for something better. I had 2 Kahrs (MK9 and E9) and loved them. So after some thought I bought a P9Covert and a Kramer pocket holster. Carried it about 6 months. I noticed there was a printed line the entire length of the slide. One day a friend asked me "What's in your pocket?" This friend would not react favorably to pistol packing. After a brief discussion that amounted to a nice way of saying mind your own business I have never carried the Kahr in a pocket since. I'm back to the 642. I have the smalled grips that are cut to the backstrap and bottom of the grip (actually the Uncle Mikes boot grips that came on it).
I've heard all kinds of people say "semis are thinner than a revolver so they conceal better". The fact is the cylinder is thinner than the Kahr. In an area about 1.5 x .5 inches the revolver is thicker than the semi. The rest of the gun: the entire barrel, frame and especially grip the revolver is thinner than the semi. It is also rounder while the semi is square edged and those square edge print!!!
I am always looking for something better. And I have tried so many "pocket guns". Really I just can't picture anything better than an airweight 38 revolver.

 

[flop-shank]

Happy hunter, a Mika pocket holster should print less than a Kramer. I own and like both for my J frames and that has been my experience. That might be the ticket for concealing a Kahr. A small wad of kleenex stuffed in the bottom of the pocket against the front of the holster may be of use breaking up the outline of the gun sometimes.

 

[Litlman]

Since 1993, 9 out of 10 times I have my 442 in my front left pocket in an Uncle Mikes. Speed loader in the right pocket.

 

[Smitty500Mag]

Forget the 642 and get the 640PD that way you can shoot not only .38 Special or .38 Special +P you can also shoot .357 Mags if you want to. They are the same size and weight also.

Smitty