Who still carries a J Frame? Why?

[WobblyPossum]

Options:

Ankle med kit to make room.

Ankle holster if you are still flexible like that.

Carry the J AIWB off side or IWB off side.

Save Pocket holster for jacket pockets and use in an admin pouch on your vest.

I also like the pocket holster because on vehicle surveillance I can either wedge it between the seats or tuck into a bag or cooler for quicker access. Aka the lunch box gun.

I have found a money clip with just an ID and a couple cards in a front pocket > two wallets. Plus two wallets screams COP!

Ankle holster or opposite side AIWB would defeat the purpose of it. It really made sense to me when DB and BBI wrote about a pocket J-Frame balancing out the major weakness of AIWD, namely that it’s impossible to surreptitiously draw your handgun. It really clicked for me in the context of off duty counter-robbery. Off-side IWB might work but it’s not as a non threatening motion as reaching into a pocket after being told to produce your valuables.

On duty, I ankle carry my POW G26 as a BUG because so much of the job takes place in a vehicle, where ankle carry does well and pocket carry is generally awful. I’m not authorized any kind of revolvers on duty anyway, although I’d be carrying a POW J-Frame as a BUG if they’d let me. I hadn’t thought of actually removing the holstered gun from the pocket and wedging it in between the seats. I beat “the car is not a holster” into my head, but that’s more set in stone if you’re only carrying one gun. If I get into a car crash and the pocket gun goes flying, I would still have the AIWB primary so that would negate the big problem with stuffing a gun between the seats.

The ankle med kit is something I’ve been meaning to try out, if only just to balance out the gun on the other ankle. I agree that two wallets screams COP but fixing that isn’t a huge priority. The only things kept in my cred case are my badge/creds, some business cards, government travel card, FLEOA card, and personal liability insurance card. The only way I’d be pulling my cred case out of my pocket off-duty is if I needed to ID myself as LE to responding officers during an incident. If I’m just paying for things or providing my documents if I get pulled over, no one would see my cred case come out. I have been wanting to try out a money clip instead of a wallet though.

[HCM]

Ankle holster or opposite side AIWB would defeat the purpose of it. It really made sense to me when DB and BBI wrote about a pocket J-Frame balancing out the major weakness of AIWD, namely that it’s impossible to surreptitiously draw your handgun. It really clicked for me in the context of off duty counter-robbery. Off-side IWB might work but it’s not as a non threatening motion as reaching into a pocket after being told to produce your valuables.

On duty, I ankle carry my POW G26 as a BUG because so much of the job takes place in a vehicle, where ankle carry does well and pocket carry is generally awful. I’m not authorized any kind of revolvers on duty anyway, although I’d be carrying a POW J-Frame as a BUG if they’d let me. I hadn’t thought of actually removing the holstered gun from the pocket and wedging it in between the seats. I beat “the car is not a holster” into my head, but that’s more set in stone if you’re only carrying one gun. If I get into a car crash and the pocket gun goes flying, I would still have the AIWB primary so that would negate the big problem with stuffing a gun between the seats.

The ankle med kit is something I’ve been meaning to try out, if only just to balance out the gun on the other ankle. I agree that two wallets screams COP but fixing that isn’t a huge priority. The only things kept in my cred case are my badge/creds, some business cards, government travel card, FLEOA card, and personal liability insurance card. The only way I’d be pulling my cred case out of my pocket off-duty is if I needed to ID myself as LE to responding officers during an incident. If I’m just paying for things or providing my documents if I get pulled over, no one would see my cred case come out. I have been wanting to try out a money clip instead of a wallet though.

I think you meant off side IWB, rather than AIWB.

Money clips are just cooler than watllets and keep you (me) from carrying too much crap.

I used a Galco horsehide pocket holster for those purposes with the G26 I had on the books as a BUG prior to the J frame. If you are in a vehicle a lot it makes sense yet still ensures you have your primary on you if things go mobile or you have to bail out.

I’m personally aware of at least two incidents involving our agency where Agents/Officers were shot at while on surveillance in a vehicle. One was the surveillance target and his sons. The other was the neighbor of a target, himself a drug dealer, who afterwards claimed he thought the Officer was a scout for a rip crew coming back for round 2 after a prior home invasion.

[HCM]

Ankle holster or opposite side AIWB would defeat the purpose of it. It really made sense to me when DB and BBI wrote about a pocket J-Frame balancing out the major weakness of AIWD, namely that it’s impossible to surreptitiously draw your handgun. It really clicked for me in the context of off duty counter-robbery. Off-side IWB might work but it’s not as a non threatening motion as reaching into a pocket after being told to produce your valuables.

On duty, I ankle carry my POW G26 as a BUG because so much of the job takes place in a vehicle, where ankle carry does well and pocket carry is generally awful. I’m not authorized any kind of revolvers on duty anyway, although I’d be carrying a POW J-Frame as a BUG if they’d let me. I hadn’t thought of actually removing the holstered gun from the pocket and wedging it in between the seats. I beat “the car is not a holster” into my head, but that’s more set in stone if you’re only carrying one gun. If I get into a car crash and the pocket gun goes flying, I would still have the AIWB primary so that would negate the big problem with stuffing a gun between the seats.

The ankle med kit is something I’ve been meaning to try out, if only just to balance out the gun on the other ankle. I agree that two wallets screams COP but fixing that isn’t a huge priority. The only things kept in my cred case are my badge/creds, some business cards, government travel card, FLEOA card, and personal liability insurance card. The only way I’d be pulling my cred case out of my pocket off-duty is if I needed to ID myself as LE to responding officers during an incident. If I’m just paying for things or providing my documents if I get pulled over, no one would see my cred case come out. I have been wanting to try out a money clip instead of a wallet though.

I think you meant off side IWB, rather than AIWB.

Money clips are just cooler than watllets and keep you (me) from carrying too much crap.

I used a Galco horsehide pocket holster for those purposes with the G26 I had on the books as a BUG prior to the J frame. If you are in a vehicle a lot it makes sense yet still ensures you have your primary on you if things go mobile or you have to bail out.

I’m personally aware of at least two incidents involving our agency where Agents/Officers were shot at while on surveillance in a vehicle. One was the surveillance target and his teenaged sons after the Agent was “made.” The other was the neighbor of a target, himself a drug dealer, who afterwards claimed he thought the Officer was a scout for a rip crew coming back for round 2 after a prior home invasion.

[Jason M]

Options:

Ankle med kit to make room.

Ankle holster if you are still flexible like that.

Carry the J AIWB off side or IWB off side.

Save Pocket holster for jacket pockets and use in an admin pouch on your vest.

I also like the pocket holster because on vehicle surveillance I can either wedge it between the seats or tuck into a bag or cooler for quicker access. Aka the lunch box gun.

I have found a money clip with just an ID and a couple cards in a front pocket > two wallets. Plus two wallets screams COP!

Try using the little hollow created by the leading edge of the AIWB holster for the flashlight. They easily clip inside the waistband there. I find it very comfortable. Creates pocket space and eliminates the clip on the edge of the pocket "tell".

[Gater]

Had to laugh when I looked down yesterday AM. Irony, much?

[Vista461]

I’m not really in the “still” category yet. I bought a 642 but haven’t had a chance to go to a range yet with it so not carrying it.
I bought the snub as a backup for two reasons.

1) It’s light.
2) I figure if I need it while working, there’s a decent chance it’ll be a contact shot and I won’t have to worry about it being pushed out of battery.

[darksunclipgrip.com]

Dark Sun Clip Grip if you want a set, don't delay because the company is out of business and the last of their inventory in on eBay.

Greetings yall,

The Owner of Dark Sun Rod Hodge had passed back in 2014. The business was indeed closed. We purchased the remainder of the clips back in 2016 or 2017 and had been listing them on Ebay. The Dark Sun clip grip is now available through a website not just on ebay anymore. I appreciate the guys that have brought us up on here. It actually helped us to get to where we could establish the website. This site was referenced by at least two customers that i spoke with in the last two years. Again thanks to the people that have mentioned us.


Keep Teaching,

Lee

http://darksunclipgrip.com

[revolvergeek]

I literally just posted this pic on Instagram. I came in from walking the dog and decided to take a pic of my EDC.

2.5" 638 right there in the DSG Apollo.

Attachment 52506

ohhhhhhhh a 2.5" 638... Very nifty! I got to play with one of those here once and have wanted one every since.

[revolvergeek]

I guess I never answered the OP in this thread: "why a J-frame?"

Here’s a partial list of pocket guns I’ve carried over the decades:

Beretta 21
Beretta tomcat
Taurus PT-22 (original)
Manhurin PPk .22
PPK .32
Seecamp .32
Sig P238
Jennings .22 (briefly; it was free)
Beretta 34
Kahr P380

And that doesn’t even count the bigger mouse guns like the Sig 232, G42, and G43.

All of that (as well as multiple 642s, and several other Js) is how I ended up with an LCR. To be fair, if 642s had grown-up sights, I would have stopped there.

FWIW.

Sounds like my history. Some other's from my list:

Iver Johnson TP22 and American Arms PX22, 'cause Mas said there were awesome 22 pocket guns. They were great until the zinc / zymak / potmetal trigger guards failed on both of them
NAA Gaurdians - actually like the .32 a lot better than my Seecamps. Kicks less, works with any kind of .32 acp ammo and I could actually hit things with it if I took my time with those tiny sights. one with Novaks could be a fun deep NPE option.
LCP, LCP Custom and LCP II - I always had good luck with them. Probably every man in my office has at least one. I doubt that any of them get shot more than a couple hundred rounds a year, but they all work and none have broken yet. I could be quite happy with a original style LCP with LCP II sights in .32 acp that works with hotter European FMJ
Beretta 20 - I should have kept one of those. As awesome a little gun as a .25 can ever be
Keltec P32 - I tried and tried with that gun but never really could get it to work. About 700 rounds in the hammer spring broke and I got disgusted and traded it for a Remington Speedmaster 22 rifle.
Grendel P10 - funky little gun that triggered my love for all things weird, but slide rails broke on it and it locked up some tight would couldn't hammer it apart to unload it. Was fun packing around a M16 stripper clip full of .380 FMJ for a reload though.

A ratty early 90s vintage 38-2 in electroless nickel with Spegel boots is my current pet for this duty. Been debating sending of a 342 to D&L for real sights.

Oh that is funny. I tried that Rogers grip and 100% agree on the LCR. Horrid thing. Felt good in pocket is all.

VERY interesting to read this. I have been lusting after a pair and hunting around for them. Maybe now I am glad that I didn't find them. I modified a set of Houge bantams to give a higher grip by grinding up and rounding some behind the trigger guard and like the much better now.

[SCCY Marshal]

I still carry an LCR most every day. I've yet to find a truly reliable pocket automatic that actually wants to come out of my pants. I've also found pocket revolvers tend to be more versatile for IWB, AIWB, OWB, and stuffing the gun in strange nooks and crannies.

Grendel P10 - funky little gun that triggered my love for all things weird, but slide rails broke on it and it locked up some tight would couldn't hammer it apart to unload it. Was fun packing around a M16 stripper clip full of .380 FMJ for a reload though.

You left out its need for a spoon that engaged the forward slide serration to use the clip. Also its fixed double-stack, double-feed magazine and triple feed ramps. Or how about the screw-on grip extension, screw-on Mini Maglite clip (same position on the butt), and optional longer barrel with muzzle brake? Should probably also mention that they beat the GLOCK 17 to the market as a truly successful polymer framed automatic.

Little buggers are stupid fun and were way ahead of their time.