I am curious if anyone else uses a pocket gun as their daily carry? I will preface by saying I carried at my job for years. Started with a 1911 in 45acp. Then changed to high capacity 9mm which with my spare mags meant I had 46 rounds ready to go. Now, I live a quiet life in the country. Unless I am making a trip to a high risk area, my daily carry is a Springfield 911 in 380acp. I use the extended mags which have a 7 round capacity + one spare mag. It fits easily in the pocket of my bluejeans and is super comfortable to carry all day. I have more potent handguns but they are all heavier, bulkier and the little 911 shoots really nice for such a tiny gun. I just decided several years ago that i would get something that was comfortable enough to carry all day every day. For me, the little 911 fits the bill. Am I the only one that downsized their carry weapon? I'm new here and curious what others opt for both at work and home.
Pocket gun as your daily carry?
oldrockfan
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I have a little Bersa 380 for when I can’t carry my 1911 easily but honestly it prints more than my 1911. It’s smaller and lighter of course but it isn’t long enough to settle in and the butt seems to protrude further out. I’m a heavy guy so I have my own curves that stick out. For me, carrying a full sized pistol has always been more concealable and comfortable.
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I never had a lot of use for pants pocket carry, but the last couple of years I've been to the doctor a LOT - I often leave my primary (1911) and secondary (normally another 1911 or a Commander) in the car and just go in with a Model 37 or 38 (both are "airweights") in a pocket holster which six extra rounds in the other pocket. I immediately upgrade when I get back to the car.
In winter I sometimes carry an extra .44 Spl in a coat or vest pocket.
The thing about pockets is that to draw from one I really need to be standing and not be running, there is such a thing as a surreptitious draw but it my not always be doable. I have the same problem with ankle guns but I carried one of those for around 40 years (it was always a 3rd, or in some cases a 4th gun).
Riposte
In winter I sometimes carry an extra .44 Spl in a coat or vest pocket.
The thing about pockets is that to draw from one I really need to be standing and not be running, there is such a thing as a surreptitious draw but it my not always be doable. I have the same problem with ankle guns but I carried one of those for around 40 years (it was always a 3rd, or in some cases a 4th gun).
Riposte
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Nine times out of ten I will carry a full sized handgun in an IWB or OWB holster, and on a rare occasion a shoulder holster. That one time out of ten I might carry one of my J-frames 38's, S&W Model 37, S&W Model 642, S&W Model 60, or my S&W Airlite Ti in a pocket.
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648 Posts
It truly drives my nuts to have an inside the waist holster, can’t bend, turn, sit, walk without it bothering me. Just me, so I stick an EC9s in my DeSantis pocket holster, takes a week and 2 hands to get out, but it’s there.
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I also carry the Baby Rock and love it. I probably spent 10-15 hours tuning and doing reliability fixes, but well worth it in my opinion. Looks and acts just like a full size .45 but in a baby package.
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I go back and forth between my older Springfield XDS 3.3 in 9mm and my Springfield 9mm Hellcat. Both work well in a front pocket.
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When I started in 1981, everyone carried revolvers. We were issued S&W .357's. I backed that up with a J-frame S&W. Later I progressed to an AMT Backup .380, replaced it with a Walther PPK. Later in my career when we were all carrying Glock 9mm's I got a G26 which is a little big for the pocket. In the last 10 years of retirement I have used a Kahr CM-9, a Glock 43 and now a Sig p365. The Sig P365 seems to be the best all round, higher round count, small, and not bad to shoot. When I pocket carry, I use a kydex triger guard that hooks int the pocket so when you draw it pulls off of the pistol
How'd you get that POS DB380 to run? I've got one, and even after doing the "fluff and buff", it's still a jam-o-matic, no matter what ammo I try with it. Worst "gun" I've ever shot. I've, unfortunately, had it for years and tried everything, but it's not gotten any better..... Would love to hear it how you got yours to run. In my experience, I'm better with a big rock to throw as a backup rather than this thing......
The Diamondback ran like a deer right out of the box. Has over 2000 rounds through it. The Glock actually needed more tweaking to get it right. I only use ball ammo
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I have a DB9, I could never get it to go through a full magazine without a stoppage, even with fmj-rn. Don't know anything about a .380 except I'm not going to stake my life on one. I do have a nice Remington Model 51 made in 1919 that is trim, has a good trigger and works but even 95 gr. ball in a .380 is a poor penetrator...at least in people. The Buffalo Bore 100 gr. might be OK but I haven't tried it.
But mileage varies and guns are individuals, I'd never question another's experience (I have the only eight Glocks that experience stoppages in existence apparently
) (no I don't think Glocks are unreliable, just not "perfect")Riposte
Maybe you guys had some of the earliest DBs. The ones I have are Gen 2. The smaller pistols can be harder to shootI have a DB9, I could never get it to go through a full magazine without a stoppage, even with fmj-rn. Don't know anything about a .380 except I'm not going to stake my life on one. I do have a nice Remington Model 51 made in 1919 that is trim, has a good trigger and works but even 95 gr. ball in a .380 is a poor penetrator...at least in people. The Buffalo Bore 100 gr. might be OK but I haven't tried it.
But mileage varies and guns are individuals, I'd never question another's experience (I have the only eight Glocks that experience stoppages in existence apparently
Riposte
These are the two I will typically pocket carry. The 380 baby rock and the S&W 380 Bodyguard. The Baby Rock has been great, no issues at all. The Bodyguard has been the same. I always wear cargo pants which have the large pockets on them. This allows me to pocket carry a decent size pistol with easy access. I don’t carry them in a holster. They fit nicely in my pocket barrel down and pointed to the back. When I reach into my pocket, it’s easy to pull out and ready to go. I don’t holster my pocket carry guns. Removing it from the holster is just one more thing that takes additional time to bring the firearm to the ready position. The Bodyguard has a long pull on the trigger. Most people don’t like that and I understand why. For me, it assures me there won’t be an accidental discharge when reaching for it. I know it’s long and I am ready for that when needed.
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I'll agree with you on both those points.
This is the Bersa Firestorm, it is such a sweet shooting gun. James Bond would be proud to carry it, it's a copy of the PPK.
Bersa replaced it with the Thunder.
Sorry about the position, it's cocked and locked, double/single action.
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That could be, it was the first DB9 I had seen, after the
DBs in .380 had been out a couple of years.
Riposte
That could be - I forget how long I've had it but the over the counter price new was like $199 I think.
DBs in .380 had been out a couple of years.
Riposte
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