Pocket Carry in Trousers

      The Suited Shootist has an article on different types of concealed carry when in a suit or jacket/dress slacks. His favorite method is appendix inside the waist band (AIWB), and he specifically recommends the Keeper’s Concealment Keeper holster with a vest as a cover garment. Another option he mentions are products such as the SmartCarry, Thunderwear, or Runcible Works holster. The author describes these as a "carry system [that] has its own belt that you put around your hips, and then simply put your pants on over top."

      Finally, he suggests pocket carry, but, if wearing dress pants, points out that you need a really small gun. Like a Kel Tec P32. He explains:

The reasoning is pretty simple: The ballistics of sub-9mm calibers is all less than ideal, and the recoil of the 32 is friendlier than 380 in the light package. Since shot placement is key, shooting the ability to shoot more effectively trumps bullet size. And since it’s less popular, it doesn’t sell out the way 380 does. When it comes to the thinner fabrics of dress slacks & suit pants, the bulk and volume of a j-frame or single stack 9 just isn’t viable. 

He discusses pocket carry, and its worth reading if you are considering or using pocket carry.

     A significant point, though. The author indicates that pocket carry can be faster than other methods because "unlike with most other methods, you’re able to casually and discreetly already have the gun in hand, shortcutting the draw."

     Having the gun is hand before the draw--what I think of as a "pre-draw"--is important for pocket carry to work. Basically, if you just reach in and start to pull the firearm out, unless you have pants that are tight (such as jeans), you are likely to have the pocket holster come out with it, potentially messing up your draw. My experience is only with the DeSantis Nemesis holsters, but I have used them with three different handguns, and I suspect that the issues are going to be the same for other brands. What I do, if I think I might need to draw the gun and/or are preparing to draw the weapon, is to grasp the handgun's grip, and then use my trigger middle finger to push the holster down just a bit off the weapon--just enough to loosen the holster so if or when I draw the firearm, the holster stays in place. And if I don't have to draw the handgun, I can just release the grip and let it slide back down into the holster.

      That said, I don't usually pocket carry in dress pants because I don't really have a handgun small enough to pull it off without it printing horribly. However, in loose cargo pants or shorts, it can work well--especially if you wear a loose button up shirt that covers the top of your pocket.