tanksoldier

Thinking about getting a Taurus M85 or similar for pocket carry.

I've been researching pocket holsters, but I wonder more about the pockets they must fit into.

How big does a pocket have to be, and what about the material the pants are made from?

Essentially will most pants work, or do you really have to look for the right pants?

__________________
"I am a Soldier. I fight where I am told, and I win where I fight." GEN George S. Patton, Jr.

"Drive fast and eat cheese!"

buckeyeLCPL

Well, my day-to-day pants tend to be either Wrangler or Carhartt carpenter jeans, and as long as there is nothing else too big in the pocket, I can put a S&W 638 with a Desantis Nemesis in the front pockets and it just looks like there is something in the pocket. Doesn't like like a firearm, just something, like maybe a wallet.

Fits ok in the back pockets too, but thats not too much fun to sit on for extended period.

Obviously the pants can't be too tight either, and should probably be made of something kind of heavy, if for no other reason than to hide the weight and help break up the outline.

__________________
Fortes Fortuna Juvat

We're mules lad. Mules that kill.

TJR

cockedlocked01

If the Taurus M85 is dimensionally similar to a S&W J-frame, you can put it in pretty much any pocket. It'll be a pretty snug in a normal (Not urban-like) pair of jeans. Works fine in Dockers &/or your typical cargo pants.

I have found that wood grips work better because the Uncle Mikes boot grips that came with my 442 would grab onto the inside of my pants, making for a harder draw. I put on wood grips (But would like to get nicer ones), & it draws beautifully from a pocket. Not bad from a jeans pocket either.

You can put it in your back pocket, but I've found you need pretty deep pockets to conceal it.

Pretty much any pocket holster will do. I used an Uncle Mikes pocket pal for years. Cheap ($12 now, but less than $10 when I bought it), & never came out with the gun. I now prefer a leather pocket holster these days.

Pocket holsters are great if you're not sitting alot. You think something's going on & you just put your hands in your pockets. No ones the wiser for what you're doing. Quick draw, too, if the holster's not too snug.

Good luck.

__________________
"Use human means as though divine ones didn't exist, and divine means as though there were no human ones." Baltasar Gracian
Integrated Close Combat
NRA Member

Glock 19, Kahr P45, Kel-Tec P-32, S&W 442, & Dan Wesson 14-2

semperfi.45

I use a Kramer Pocket for my 442, looks like a wallet (if you see it) and is very comfortable. Many prefer Kramer but I have heard good about Mika, Desantis and Uncle Mikes pocket holsters. Coupled with a shirt that covers all or part of the front pocket it is a great way to carry. Comfort while sitting has never been a problem for me.

I usually wear Levi Red Tab carpenter jeans. Pockets can always be custom altered by a tailor to be deeper for very little cost. One of the essential elements to pocket carry is a good belt, especially if you're carrying a heavier gun. Start now by not putting anything in the pocket that you intend to carry in. No keys, change, etc.

Andy W.

I use a Galco leather pocket holster to carry a J frame when I need my shirt tucked in. It doesn't work well with jeans & sitting, but I mostly wear docker type pants, so it's not a problem. They have deeper pockets. No one has noticed it so far.

Galco pocket holster

Ron

I carry a S&W 642 in a Mika. Works great with cargo shorts or pants and Dockers. I would think that tight fitting jeans might be a problem, but I have even carried in dress pants with little problem, provided the pocket is deep enough. People might see that you have something in your pocket, but it does not print "gun."

Ron

__________________
"It does not do to leave a dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him."

J. R. R. Tolkien

pgrass101

I carry a Taurus 605 in my pocket witha cheap uncle Mikes holster. Works fine with Dockers or other dress pants with deep pockets. The hammer snags in Levis 505 jeans.

__________________
Noli nothis permittere te terere

"If ignorance is bliss then shouldn’t most people happy?" -Thomas Jefferson-

Pete

I carry a Taurus 85 Ti or KelTec P32 loose in my pocket at work, but don't do that unless you are comfortable with that method.
I found that my Uncle Mike's pocket holster was trapping a lot of moisture onto the gun (it's very humid here) and I was having to wipe the gun down during the day. Loose in the pocket it stays dry.
I wear cargo shorts mainly, I work construction. The gun looks like keys, and anyway nobody is looking at my crotch area.
I draw with my index finger over the hammer (85), works for me but YMMV.

Dan M.

Holsters with flat edges all 'round tend to print more when you're sitting. If they are too stiff, it really becomes an issue. Even if the gun itself isn't printing, having the holster print (even a "flat" one) isn't good either. "Is that a holster in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?" Stiff one's (like a Fist #5 in Kydex) stick out something fierce when you sit down, until they get broken in enough to mold to the shape of your leg. Does Kydex mold? Not very well. Leather is better for molding. What's good about the DeSantis Nemesis and the Mika holsters (both are synthetic) is that the front edge of the holster (the edge that runs along the top of the frame/barrel) is rounded because it wraps around your gun. Even when it prints, it is indistinct in almost all types of loose pockets. The thicker the pants material, and the looser the pocket, the better off you are in general. Thick material prints less, and loose pockets allow the holster and weapon to shift over to the side of your leg when you sit, rather than stay on top in a big conspicuous lump. In loose pockets, however, holsters that have much of a grip on the gun can pull out or will bring the pocket with it upon presentation of your weapon. My Nemesis has a tendency to do this if my pocket is too big. My Mika never does, but if I sit down in a chair and cross my right leg, or lean back in the chair with my knees up, the weapon can slide out of the Mika and maybe out of my pocket altogether. If you're in a position where change can slide out of your pocket, your gun can slide out too. There's lots of different things to consider that you'll find out through experimentation and experience (like lint checks and pocket fuzz in critical places), but thumbs up on pocket carry as a very concealable way to carry..

phoneguy

I have a Keltec 38T in a uncle mike # 1. I also modified the holster for my laser. I wear jeans or slacks. It just disappears in my pocket. I practice drawing with an unloaded gun and the holster always stays in the pocket. If I am in a bad area and feel uncomfortable I just put my hands in both pockets and "pet" my Keltec. The main thing is that pocket is for the gun and holster only. No keys money ETC.

__________________
To close for missiles, switching to guns.