Pocket carry seems to be easy: Put the handgun in a pocket holster and go. Practically the draw is an mechanical issue, all the cloth tension, the geometry of the pockets, the friction of the holster, the access of the grip must all be in that same instant.
Ready is transformed to stuck when any of those variables are off. Occasionally the outcome of the training may be dramatic, but more frequently it is simply a slow, tedious pull that will have an element of uncertainty and will require the shooter to make decisions on the fly.
1. Bearing without full trigger-guard cover
Pocket carry does not last long when the trigger guard is in the open. The pocket is an uncontrolled space: the folds of the fabric, the seams of pockets, and the debris of everyday life may push in on the pockets and create multiple angles. A pocket holster must have full coverage of the trigger guard in order to ensure that the trigger is not touched when the handgun is in the pocket. The error in judgement usually goes along with it is just because I am running a quick errand. Pocket carry is already a deep-concealment technique; the holster step is already removed, which is the primary safety control that the technique relies on.
2. Allowing the holster to protrude with the gun
When the gun becomes stuck in the holster, this is one of the typical failure modes of pocket-carry. This is susceptible to sleeves type holsters and even rigid ones may fail when the pocket is excessively big or the holster does not have a good catch surface. Pocket based holsters often make use of a hook or wing (or a broad skirt) to fasten on the pocket mouth so that the handgun can jettison the holster during the lift. When the design of the holster and the size of the pockets fail to co-ordinate, then the draw turns into a tug-of-war rather than a presentation.
3. Holding on to pockets that will not give the complete firing grip
The pocket-draw requires a tight grip and then the handgun is out of the pocket. In cases where there is a tight fit of pockets openings, some shooters tend to pinch the gun using the tips of the fingers and attempt to re-put the grip back in place when it runs through the cloth. The fact that correction is time-consuming, and adds to the probability of fumbling. The culprit that is recurring is clothing: the small pocket mouths, shallow pockets or pocket linings that do not allow the hand to make a fist. In case a full firing grip is not acquired when the gun remains in its holster, it is already behind the curve.
4. Confusion of pocket carry and pocket clutter
The geometry of the draw can be altered by keys, coins and even a phone cable. Objects may fit between holster and pocket wall, spin the gun or prevent the hand from safely and reliably resting on the grip. Pocket carry relies on a repeatable orientation; clutter eliminates the consistency. A single pocket will have to be considered as a dedicated space. Even the small objects may form a snag point that will be noticed only when it is fast.
5. Disregarding gun snagging peculiarities
The approach that the gun takes externally is a very strong factor in pocket draw reliability. External hammers which protrude, noticeable sights, and straight edges of the slide corners tend to predispose the gun to dragthe pocket mouth when pulled out. Fighting the draw can also be done with small semi-autos since the back of the slide can get stuck when it rounds out of the pocket. Even grips matter. Enormously big, cheesy rubber grips may become adherent on the pocket material and decelerate the lift, transforming an otherwise smooth draw into a stutter-kick.
6. Selecting front or back pocket without testing the seated position
Standing draws may appear acceptable and seated ones fail utterly. The access to the front pockets may become limited as the thigh folds; certain carriers may not be able to access the gun without straightening the leg. Carrying on the back may be more convenient with certain types of bodies but creates a different set of friction and angle issues depending on the shape of the pants. The draw must be confirmed to be based on realistic poses: at a desk, on a vehicle seat, and in motion. Convenience of pocket carry may be observed, but it is not always available at all positions.
7. Rebuilding in-pocket as an administrative culture
Pocket holsters have been varying in terms of retaining their shape with the removal of the gun. The soft designs may fall over and reholstering becomes a matter of blind fumbling around the trigger guard where pocket carry needs the most discipline of all. The most practical way of administration to handle is easy: take the holster out of the pocket, holster the holster outside the pocket and put the holstered package back into the pocket. Pocket carry is not intended as a diminution of attention, but rather diminution of safety measures.
Pocket carry is dependent on the system as a system: the holster, pocket, shape of the handgun, and the draw stroke have to be the same. By so doing, the grip can be made early by the hand and the gun can be taken out of the pocket without any mess. When they fail this, the result has been not so often a spectacular failure a gradual, irregular check, that makes ready a guessing-match.
