OK - pocket draw - how quick??

[R9SCarry]

I have practiced with mine quite a bit but - know what?  Every so often my draw snags badly - hand wuill not free from pocket fast enough.  

I have large pockets right now on my Cabella's shorts - my fave for pocket carry cos of pocket size but heck - every so often my hand just will NOT come out of pocket cleanly.


Let me have your experiences guys and - and self discovered tips.

[sslater]

I have the same problem.  Some days, it comes out real clean, other days I find I'm pointing the holster "in a safe direction".  That would really intimidate a bad guy, eh?

My RJHedley small Rohrbaugh holster has been giving me fits in that regard.  I think a couple of evenings cycling the pup in & out of the holster while sitting in front of the tube will fix it.
Last night I dug out my little bottle of Galco holster conditioner and rubbed some in to the interior of the holster.
On second thought, I'll use my NAA Guardian for the break-in process.  Don't want to abrade the finish on the R9S frame!

It will be interesting to read the replies to this thread.

[RJ HEDLEY]

Look here  http://www.hedleyholsters.com/howto.html

Scroll 3/4 way down where you see how to loosen holster with the leather strip I send with holster.  My holster are no more than a day old when I send them out,  They continue to shrink for a few days,  the leather strip will loosen..

Lots of neat things on the web site

http://www.hedleyholsters.com

[K-Man]

I think holster design lends to the ability as to how quickly one might be able to draw a gun.  Push-off points aid in this.  Retention of the gun in the holster, i.e., how tight it is, will be affected by the molding of the leather to the gun.  There are a number of ways to adjust that, some work better than others.

[tracker]

One thing that helped my holster quite a bit[which wasa bit rough on the inside] was to apply KG9 micro-teflon
leather-kote[teflon and silicone based lubricants]. IMO
there is absolutely no reason to tolerate a rough inside
for pocket carry. The product is available from lanigan
performance.com/1 888 292-0006. Costs about $12.95
a jar and well worth it.

[tracker]

The other solution is to order a holster from
Lou Alessi who can make it smooth on the inside.

[Aglifter]

A big part of it, I think, is the pants.  Someone on here mentioned having their pant's pockets extended, so that there's a "pocket" for the holster.  Also, you need to consider how big the openings are -- my hands are quite large, and it tends to be difficult for me to pull my hand out of most pockets while holding the gun -- I found some jeans that are 1% lycra -- sounds odd, I know -- but I can pull my gun out w/o a problem.

[Richard S]

I may be the one to whom Aglifter refers when he mentions a Forum member who has his pockets "extended" to carry a pistol.  As I believe I mentioned on another thread some time ago, I routinely have the right-front pocket of any new pair of slacks, suit pants, or BDUs I acquire deepened to accommodate a pocket pistol and holster.  (The seamstress who does my work has become very good at the process and refers to it as "making a holster holster.")

All of my Hedley holsters are by now broken in and offer no resistance to the draw.  I even have one of his holsters, for a North American Guardian .32, which is so old and has been so abused (i.e., immersed in mountain trout streams, etc.) that I have attached a strip of black felt to the inside of the slide area to add some friction.  [Note:  I do not carry my R9s while mucking around in trout streams.  Note also:  While RJ has offered to recondition that holster free of charge, with my own maintenance it is still beautiful and shows only what has been described as "the patina of good use."]

With regard to Chris's initial question, my technique for drawing from the strong-side front pocket is to secure the holster in place with my left hand while drawing the weapon with my right.  [Obviously, I am right-handed -- and the technique assumes that you will have both hands free.  If you are in a situation in which your left hand is "engaged elsewhere," a loose pocket holster can be an advantage.]

. . . random thoughts from an "aging warrior" . . . .

 

[R9SCarry]

Thx for comments Richard - I was perhaps thinking of cases where weak hand is ''unavailable'' - it does of course make for a much easier draw when using that but I practice most with right hand only.

As I said - often it goes well but now and again it ain't so slick!  This is concerning and so far I have not ''cracked it'' - but continue working on it.

It did occur to me to try sewing some velcro into pocket liner and corresponding velcro strip to holster, just to make double sure that is ''tethered'' - because that seems to help a lot - probelsm occuring most when the holster seems more keen on following the gun.

As with most things I guess -  practice, practice and more practice!  No getting away from that.

[Richard S]

Chris:

If you go with the "inside Velcro" technique, I would suggest that you anchor (e.g., sew) the base of the pocket to the leg of the trousers.  I tried the velcro once and had the pocket come out with the holstered pistol.

 

[tracker]

If you have a smooth holster inside and somewhat
rough on the outside and coat the inside with KG9
as previously mentioned the pup will come out of
the pocket slicker than a bucket of boiled okra.

Happily, the holster will stay inside the pocket
and remain true to its name: front pocket holster.

[R9SCarry]

Haha - good point Richard - yep - the sudden ''inside-out'' pocket trick LOL!

Tracker - I may yet try that trick too.

[RJ HEDLEY]

To add to the Richard S post.
___________________

If you are willing to sew the pocket down, you might also think about sewing a common button in the pocket,   this can be used with a "button in tab" of Deer skin added to the bottom of the holster,  [with a button hole added.]..

This is not likely to be employed, as most will not go to the trouble to add the button, and continue to want the holster to do it all. There is no *magic* in any make of holster,  most of it is the user dedication to practice in order to gain  pocket carry familiarity.

Another point...
________________

A looser fit can be provided, by request.  This is not done by me as a standard feature.  I get a wide range of commends  from "too loose to too tight"   Yet they are all fitted the same as they leave here.   Loosening, by the user, can be accomplished by many different ways, as "Someone" mentioned earlier,  my way works for me and those that have tried it...

[st_albert]

I use an HBE pocket holster, which (a) is made rough-side out; (b) is not heavily boned; and (c) has a large, stiff "hook" at the base (muzzle end) of the holster extending past the end of the pistol but to ensure it stays in the pocket when the gun is drawn.  I've never had a problem with that aspect of the draw.

But it also has a rectangular flap that folds arount the gun on the outside, to disguise its shape.  So for me the slow step is getting a grip on the pistol in the first place.  My fingers have to "thread" inside the flap but outside the grip when I insert my hand into my pocket.  I  find it very wise to casually put my hand into my pocket whenever I sense I may need to transition from "yellow" to "orange."  As someone said (Masaad Ayoub?) the fastest draw is to already have your hand on the gun.

Albert

[Richard S]

Try carryng one of RJ's "Back Pocket" holsters in the front pocket.  RJ invented the full-counterprint design, perfecting a concept first seen in some of the holsters designed by the legendary Chic Gaylord.  (We all stand on the shoulders of those who preceded us.)