The discussion around the new S&W Shield had gotten me thinking on the topic of smaller, but not tiny 9's. Folks say that something the size of the Shield is too big for pocket carry. I hear folks say all the time that a G26 is too big too. But when the more I thought about it, the more I questioned this. I know a guy who carries a G26 - with tons of room to spare - in his back pocket. A P2000SK or G26 is actually thinner than my wallet, by quite a bit (let alone my father's wallet, I'm surprised he has any circulation in his right leg after sitting on it all day). The more I looked at it, the more I realized that pocket carry of a P2000SK (just about the biggest "sub compact" on the market... longer and taller than the G26 by roughly 1/2" each) is do-able... depending on your clothes. Just as I had this thought, I saw an unbeatable deal on a P2000SK, right here on P-F.C, so I decided to give it a try.
I don't want to get into a big discussion on the pro/cons of pocket carry vs. OWB vs. IWB, but I *will* say that having a pistol ready to go in a "zero fuss" rig, that I can slip into a rear OR a front pocket is incredibly helpful to me. I have two kids, and when you're already 15 minutes late to get out the door, taking the time to strap on the full war belt really draws the ire of the wife. And with two kids, I kind myself doing all sorts of contortions in the middle of a public setting that cause extremely visible printing if not a possible full monte showing if I am not careful, unless I wear a 3XL shirt.
I worked with Dark Star Gear to put together the right holster for this; I have one of their OWB's for my P30 and I am pleased as punch with it and with working with DSG (if you have worked with them, you know what I am talking about, if you haven't you are missing out - great customer service). Despite this project coming up at the same time as the public release of the Shield, they had time for this project.
After some research and discussion, we decided to go with a full-sized holster (ie: not a Fricke Zack or Raven VG2 style design) without a sweatshield, with a "strut" mounted on it to allow the thumb to push the holster off and break retention. After a few weeks, I received my box in the mail... great turnaround time, especially considering all the work DSG's been doing with other projects. DSG gave me exactly what I asked for, and as always, the attention to detail was superb. They do a great job at ensuring that the seams are chemically welded, all edges are smooth as silk, and that rivets are tight.
The trick to this, is that I wear bigger pants (I think that's the trick, I don't remember having pockets this big when I was scrawny). My typical jeans are 38x30 or 40x30, with a "loose" or "relaxed boot cut" fit, or they are carpenter pants. I simply have big legs from lots of squatting, so I need to wear "Danny DeVito pants" even though my waist isn't that big (I tend to cinch my belt up pretty tight to keep my pants up). In these larger pants, the pockets are enormous, you could fit a rodent in them with ease.
The results are just what I wanted. I am able to draw reasonably fast. Will I be running an awesome FAST or anything like this? No way. But believe it or not, the large size of the P2000SK compared to other "pocket guns" seems to be an advantage; it is always RIGHT THERE and ready to come out, without getting tangled up in my pockets. Unlike holsters for smaller guns, it does not need a ton of excess material to hold the gun upright or in the pocket, and the "strut" allows me to clear it from the holster with the natural movement necessary to get a firing grip. The big disadvantage is that I need to make sure that my shirt covers the top of the pocket if I carry in the rear, SC law appears to frown upon a gun that isn't 100% covered. That said, it carries great in the front pocket too, and while it is thinner than my wallet, it is much bulkier.
In the rear pocket, it really just disappears in jeans pockets (all I ever wear in terms of actual "pants"). In sweatpants and gym shorts, I obviously have something heavy in the pocket, but that can't be helped. In the front pocket of jeans, it prints a bit, but it looks like I have keys and a wallet, or keys and a phone in there. Hardly an issue. Today I wore it out of the house, and I felt about 973.121% less self conscious than I do with a belt holster, and that is important. I wasn't constantly having to check my shirt when I got in or out of a car, or finished bending over to put a kid in a car seat or pick up a dropped pacifier to make sure that it wasn't caught on the pistol grip. Neither my wife nor my son noticed that I was carrying, not only because I didn't need an bunch of time strapping up, but also because it just disappeared on me. From what I can tell, printing on a belt carry screams "gun" even if you don't see the outline, but printing in the pocket screams "consumer electronics". This combo slips into the front pocket of slacks just dandy too. Again, it looks like I'm carrying a wallet + keys, not a gun.
In the pictures, you may note that one screw looks different... that was me just swapping screws around, the included hardware was much nicer than that foul slot head I put in there. Originally, I had asked for the strut to be put up top, but I discovered that it was too high up for my thumb to reach, so I relocated it to the place it is now, which only took a moment. If you decide to do something like this, the lower placement is better, or you may want to try getting a full sweatshield and have that shaped and positioned to allow the thumb to push against it.
So... if you have been wondering if pocket carry of a pistol as large as a P2000SK is possible, the answer is YES, though people with smaller pockets (women, men wearing smaller pants, the rear pocket on dress pants, etc.) won't be able to. Big thumbs up to Dark Star Gear for making this a reality for me and nailing a great product on the first go-round.
Pictures to follow... (having trouble with uploads from this computer... confound this Mac!).
J.Ja
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by TGS
