Pocket Holsters – New take on an old standby

There are many ways to carry a weapon concealed. One of the simplest is the tried and true pocket carry. There have probably been guns in pockets as long as pocket sized guns have existed. But gone are the days of just dropping your revolver into the pocket of your britches! Today there are a variety of types of Pocket Holsters to fill a variety of needs and made from an assortment of materials.

The main reason pocket carry has been used for so long is that it is the simplest way to carry a weapon. When done properly, pocket carry allows the weapon to be completely concealed and yet quickly accessible. Nearly every pocket is a potential place for a weapon – front, back, cargo, jacket, vest and on and on. The keys to making this work are that the weapon needs to be concealed (also avoid ‘printing’), secure, quickly accessible, and safely carried. All objectives easily attainable with the right pocket holster setup.

Pocket holsters are available for both revolvers and semi-autos. Many are generic in design to accommodate a variety or weapons. A pocket holster exists for most hand guns out there (be realistic of course, Desert Eagle??). There are also holsters that can carry a weapon and an extra mag or a mag on it’s own. Whatever your needs, you should be able to find a holster to accommodate your weapon.

An example of a specialized form of pocket holster is the Wallet Holster. This unique carry option is for smaller caliber weapons up to .380 (occasionally 9MM). The holster is designed in a generally rectangular shape so the outline of the firearm or ‘print’ can’t be seen through the pants, front pocket or rear. The wallet holster will come out of the pocket with the weapon and is designed so the weapon can be fired while in the holster. The holster is designed to hold the firearm all of the time – fire, operate the slide, drop the mag etc. Some wallet holsters are even designed to accommodate a mounted laser. But wallet holsters are very weapon (and laser) specific so know what you’re buying!

Pocket holster materials range from molded leather to simple cloth. The material on most pocket holsters is designed to keep the holster in the pocket when the weapon is drawn. This can be accomplished with suede, rubber, and a variety of man made materials that help the holster ‘stick’ to the inside of the pocket.

As with all types of concealed carry, pocket carry deserves it’s own set of cautions and here are a few. One of the best ways to improve safety is to make sure that the trigger is completely covered by the holster. For holsters such as wallet holsters where the trigger is exposed be sure there is nothing else in that pocket – no keys, coins etc. In fact you should never have anything else in that pocket no matter what type of pocket holster you use. It’s too easy for other items to interfere with the proper draw and firing of your weapon. A closed end holster will help prevent things from getting into the barrel. A weapon with a long trigger pull also improves safety. A good holster will keep the weapon in position in your pocket and reduce the chance that the weapon simply falls out of the pocket. And lastly, be sure the weapon doesn’t ‘print’ through your pants and can’t be seen through the pocket opening. Concealed means CONCEALED.

Although we are only able to hit the highlights of pocket carry in a discussion this brief, hopefully we have given you some things to consider when deciding on a pocket holster.