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About to give up on pocket carrying my PF-9

3K views 25 replies 21 participants last post by  hek1620 
#1 ·
After trying dozens of different types of pants and jeans, I'm coming to terms with the fact that pocket carry may not be for me.

The gun I'm trying to conceal is a PF-9. I've tried Carhartt, C.E. Schmidt, dress pants, slacks, cargo pants, military fatigues, etc. No matter what, it's plainly obvious that there is something larger than a cell phone or wallet in my pocket. The only thing that is remotely successful is cargo pants/shorts. I made a leather cargo pocket holster which keeps the gun secure, but walking makes the whole pocket kinda swing and it hits me in the leg. Not very good if I ever had to run.

I almost bought a DeSantis Nemesis but it's both thicker and larger than my current holster, so I don't know how that would help any.

Now that my rant is over, can anyone suggest a certain brand of jeans/pants that have decent pockets for carry? How do all you folks do it and make it look so easy?

Eric
 
#8 ·
That's an interesting trigger block design they have.

I'd carry IWB but for some reason, my pants seem to be tighter than they used to :icon_neutral:

Have you seen the kydex pocket holster these guys make for the PF9?
Grandfather Oak Stockdesigns

Nick
I may try making one of those myself. I just bought a bunch of kydex and have been looking for an excuse to make something

you need to down size your gun for true pocket carry. the p3at and/or p32 makes for real pocket carry. the pf9 is just a little to big for true pocket carry. the pf9 is a good gun for inside the pants carry.
Frank is right.
Ideally, I'd like to stay with 9mm since I'm not a fan of .380. I've read so many people on the forums who pocket carry their PF-9 and I was hoping I'd find the right combo of holster and pants.

I'd also love to get a stainless S&W model 60 for pocket carry, but I can't figure out how to grow a money tree :smile:

Eric
 
#7 ·
It absolutely has to do with the size of gun AND the type of pants. I bought a Kahr PM9 for pocket carry but went to a gun store to see if it would fit in the pants I planned to wear it with before I bought it. I usually wear 5.11 Taclite Pros and even with those pants, there are some variables in pocket sizes so that I can't carry in some pairs. Dockers are not a problem. Jeans (Levis) don't work either.
 
#10 ·
I pocket carry 90% of the time and haven't bought any special pants, but ive also never cared that you can see I have something in my pocket, as long as it doesn't scream gun. Pocket holster breaks my lcr up enough that it just gives a squarish print. Ive even carried my m&p compact in my front pocket, still not a gun print but it was much thicker.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2
 
#12 ·
I am in the same boat as you. I cannot poclet carry for the world. My hand doesnt even fir in some of my pockets. I would try a good IWB holster. I am currently using a foxx Holster Hybrid and I love i. I wrote a review on it here.... http://www.defensivecarry.com/forum...s/159297-foxx-holsters-hybrid-iwb-review.html

In the mean time, with the cold weather pocket carry in a jacket pocket may be a better alternative. I use a nemesis and just toss it in and go.
 
#13 ·
#15 ·
Semiautos will print more than a revolver because of the lines. Try a pocket holster that helps break up the outline. Try relaxed fit jeans. Stay with darker colors because they tend to hide lumps and corners. I suspect that part of your problem may be paranoia about what people "see" in your pocket. Other people carrying may pick it out as a gun but I suspect most of them won't either. As far as the general public.......they don't see because they don't care.:smile:
 
#18 ·
For real pocket carry, I too recommend a small .380. I pocket carry a Ruger LCP.

But here's the deal. When I first got my XD9sc, I pocket carried it all summer long in a pair of shorts and Khaki's inside a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster. And what I found is that No One Cares what you carry in your pocket. Yes, it had a bulge, but it did not print in the shape of a firearm and not a person ever gave it a second look.

I could not carry it in a pair of jeans and be able to draw. But in baggy shorts and Khaki's I had no problem drawing it.

If what you're worried about is what people will think... relax. They just don't care.
 
#20 ·
My Vertx pants and shorts have very large pockets. They would work with a pf9. My P3AT in a holster moves around almost too much in them.
 
#21 ·
Some thoughts. My apologies for the length, but perhaps some of this can help you rethink your options, steps for finding something that'll work.


After trying dozens of different types of pants and jeans, I'm coming to terms with the fact that pocket carry may not be for me.

PF-9 ... Carhartt, C.E. Schmidt, dress pants, slacks, cargo pants, military fatigues, etc. No matter what, it's plainly obvious that there is something larger than a cell phone or wallet in my pocket.
Some suggestions/tips:

  • Select pants with a pocket cutout that allows straightforward grabbing and draw of your concealed gun, yet isn't such a yawning chasm that everyone three aisles over can see it.

  • Choose a pants size that's 1-2 sizes larger and/or opt for a "relaxed" style of pants that allows for a greater amount of material/movement around the hips. Both of these can affect how much room there is in the pocket, beyond mere pocket size/shape.

  • Choose pants with some stretch/give in the material, if possible. Some materials have this; most don't.

  • Choose thicker, straighter-falling material for your pants, as this can better hide a bulky item in the pocket. It needs to "billow" around the gun+holster sufficiently well to be comfortable and move somewhat, but you need to avoid it being too tight that the bulk/curves become patently obvious. For example, on me at least, t-shirts with a ~5oz material can't conceal worth a darn, whereas ~8-10oz can do it quite well, same shirt dimensions. I've found the pants material works similarly, in regard to hiding a shape and avoiding sharply conforming to that shape.

  • Accept that the basic bulk suggesting you've got something in there is common, largely unavoidable with many/most folks. But as most folks have a monstrous cell phone, wallet or other thingy in their pockets, it shouldn't be seen as an absolute failing, so long as it's not pronounced, and so long as it's nowhere near clearly a firearm. If it's clearly a firearm, your pants/pockets are too bloody tight, pure and simple, else you've got a 3in diameter leg that won't hide anything.

  • IMO, a dark black color tends to hide very well, as can a tan khaki, but depending on the severity of curve (ie, on a rail-thin person's leg), no amount of color can hide certain sharp edges if they're too pronounced for the degree of curve on the leg. I'd avoid "striped" fabrics (ie, herringbone, corduroy and others where the weave or coloration can show shape distortions more easily).

  • A cargo-style pocket that has integral "bellows" in the surrounding pants material can afford some of the best concealment and shape, but it can feel/look awfully baggy to some folks. Not for everyone. Getting the right amount of space vs. bagginess can be trial-and-error. IMO, no other way around this.


Assuming your leg/hip shape isn't such that carrying standard-sized wallet is uber-visible, then it shouldn't be impossible to find a proper combination of clothing+holster+gun that'll work.

Though, you have said a good dozen pants have come and gone. So, perhaps the issue is more with the holster itself and the degree of curve it's able to apply to the dimensions of your chosen gun (within the curve/shape limitations of your own leg, of course).


Factors I've considered for pocket carrying:

Clothing: Ensuring the pants/pockets I select have (a) sufficient material and space to allow for "billowing" coverage around the gun's shape, more or less, and (b) sufficiently easy/hard access to both secure the gun and allow me to quickly access it if need be.

As you might have found out, not all pants allow for this. Pockets are sized differently, the material is a certain thickness/weight, the material billows a certain way to cover the gun's shape as you move.

Gun: Of course, there's a maximum size limit on any gun+holster for a pair of pants, no matter who you are. Your clothing's weight, pocket size/shape, and your body shape, is going to dictate the gun's basic allowable dimensions. I've carried a Kel-Tec PF-9, Kahr PM9, Ruger LCP, Kel-Tec P3AT. I've successfully ensconced a H&K P2000SK in some of the cargo-style shorts that I have, too, though I wouldn't recommend doing so on a regular basis.

Gives you a picture of the size/volume of pockets I'm willing to do, in order to accommodate a gun+holster combination. Have also done a S&W 442 snubbie revolver in a Mitch Rosen Pocket Softy holster, in both Dockers style slacks and jeans, sized a bit larger/relaxed than normal in order to accommodate the additional contents in the pocket.

Holster: A holster can basically be a flat/square-ish "brick" that doesn't conform to the curve of your leg at that spot, in which case you can pretty much expect it to stand out much more easily than a holster that's decently curved to your leg. Can't do too much, of course, since the given gun is what it is.

But not all holsters are equal, in this respect. Part of it has to do with the leather material used, partly with how the backing is shaped, and partly with how the edges are smoothed/curved to avoid the sharper, squarer edges that are so often a problem. Look for a holster that has a bit of this basic curve to it, with smoother foward-facing edges.

One method some holster makers use to attempt to hide the edges is to fasten a flat "plate" of leather or kydex onto the front panel of the holster, hiding the edges; making it look roughly like a big checkbook.


I made a leather cargo pocket holster which keeps the gun secure, but walking makes the whole pocket kinda swing and it hits me in the leg. Not very good if I ever had to run.
Well, carrying a holstered firearm is a compromise: clothing, size/shape of the gun+holster, comfort, safety during activities, utility during need to draw/use. Ain't nothing perfect, in this game.

And short of jeans, IMO there aren't really good solutions to completely avoid a swinging/slapping motion while still affording reasonably quick access. Most folks find the "cargo" style pockets to allow sufficient room. Though, the more room in there, the more it's going have leeway to swing along as you walk.

Some holster options to consider, for the Kahr PM9:



BTW, I've carried a Kahr PM9 in a K&D Holsters Pocket Defender Plus (with a front-facing panel). Didn't have much curve to it, but the flat panel combined well with my chosen pants (cargo-style 7-Pocket Hiker pants/shorts from Cabela's) that it worked fairly well, at least on me. Yes, it flopped around a bit, but it was impossible to tell what was in there, and hard to tell anything was in there beyond a wallet.

I'd prefer a bit more curve to the holster's overall shape, myself, and to have the overall holster's dimensions reasonably closely mirror the interior pocket volume, both to keep it upright and to avoid as much visibility as possible. Haven't ever found one that's perfect, at least for my leg shape and preferred clothing choices.
 
#22 ·
So, I decided to make a new pocket holster and see if that made a difference:
Handgun holster Gun accessory


It's 8 oz. horse hide compared to the old one that was 4 oz. so it doesn't conform to the gun as much. I made it rough side out to "grip" the pocket and stay put. It does conceal a bit better but I have to agree with those who say the PF9 is on the large side for pocket guns. Any bigger and this wouldn't work. I'll give it a shot for a while and see how well it works.

I will be checking out some of the pants suggested by others and see if they help conceal it a little more. My Carhartt carpenter pants conceal it the best so far, but I'm more worried about my suit pants. Maybe I should stop worrying about what other people think, that may make life easier!

Eric
 
#24 ·
Over the last couple weeks I've bought a pair of the 5.11 TDU pants and a pair of the Tru-Spec 24/7 pants. Both brands work well for carrying the PF-9 in the cargo pocket and no one would know any better.

I prefer the Tru-Spec 24/7 pants because they have more pockets than the 5.11 TDU's. For the 5.11's I had to make a sort of pocket holster so it would stay oriented properly in the hidden mag pocket, while the PF-9 fits perfectly in the mag pockets of the 24/7's.

I'm super excited about these pants! I appreciate the recommendations from everyone.

Eric
 
#25 ·
I use a kydex pocket holster for my PF9. I don't like kydex IWB or OWB holsters but this pocket holster works for me by it thin shape. It stays put and makes for a light carry in my right front pocket in jeans, carharts, dress pants. It prints some but u can't tell what it is....The best pants Ive ever worn that conceals pocket pistols best is medium to dark brown corduroys.
 
#26 ·
dude, i carry a pf-9 in a nemesis all day mon-fri until i get home. i work on the road. so i'm constantly going from place to place and standing, walking, talking with and around tons of people that would freak if they new i had a gun on me. no one notices. i wear mostly cargo shorts or regular shorts. on some of them i had the pockets elongated a little at a seamstress. she was actually super cool about it. a lot of my shorts are khaki colored so yes you see there's something in my pocket. but not necessarily a gun. darker colors and plaid print works best. sometimes when i have to run or walk briskly and the pocket is pretty big/loose i hold it against my leg casually until i slow down. no big deal. whenever i think it's getting annoying, i think it'd be way more annoying to not have it with me. i've just started getting over the paranoia of people seeing it so i know where you are coming from.
 
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