A buddy of mine was looking in to getting his concealed carry license. He liked revolvers, which was just fine and dandy, and he was intrigued by "pocket carry". This is where the gun usually rides in a pocket, instead of being carried at the belt or in an ankle rig.
There is certainly nothing wrong with that, and there are a variety of holsters for your gun that are designed specifically for pocket carry. It certainly made a lot of sense so far as my buddy was concerned since he likes to walk around with his hands in his pockets anyway. He could be ready for instant action while assuming the meekest of all postures.
But my friend wanted to go one step further. Not only did he want to be able to have his gun in hand at any particular time, but he also wanted to be able to fire it without bothering to draw the weapon first. I didn't think this was a very good strategy so far as safety and accurate shot placement is concerned (still don't), but my buddy was adamant. So we started to look into snub nosed revolvers which had "shrouded hammers".
What is a shrouded hammer? Look at the picture below. Both revolvers have traditional hammers, little stubs of metal that allow the thumb to cock the gun before each shot.
(Please click on all pictures to see if there is a larger image available.)
There the hammers are clearly visible.
A gun with a shrouded hammer still has a hammer and can still be cocked with the thumb. It is just that the frame of the gun swells out and covers what is most normally exposed. (Sounds dirty, doesn't it?)
There is one other option, and that is a "bobbed hammer". This is where the weapon still has a hammer, and the hammer is exposed. It is just that the part your thumb uses to cock the gun has been cut off. This allows for snag-free draws from your pocket, but each shot has to be double action.
The problem with having any exposed hammer, bobbed or not, is that there is a good chance that a fold of cloth would get in the way if the gun is covered when fired. The shrouded hammer pretty much did away with that problem.
Keep in mind that I simply can't recommend the practice of firing a gun while it is still in your pocket. Like I said, shot placement and safety are too likely to be compromised. If you think that you might have to use a firearm to save your life, you should probably be thinking of how to get out of the area instead of the best way to shave a half second off of your draw time.
Comments (3)
James --
I agree 100% with your conclusion. It's a bad, bad, bad idea, especially given that something you're going to put in your pocket is bound to have a very short barrel, and thusly have less accuracy built-in. Your buddy is going to have to practice, practice, practice, practice, shooting through his own pocket so that he can get the gun properly positioned in his hand by feel only. Is he willing to do this? Is he fully aware of the implications of missing his target in an urban area?
Plus, I know that there are many cases in which the situation is completely resolved once the gun comes out into view, by the gun coming into view (remember your story of the car trying to run you and the dogs down?). It's a bad, bad, bad idea to think that the only possible response is an unwarned counterattack. Naturally, it depends on the situation, but it sounds like your friend is specifically training himself (mentally) to do this.
If he gets into a legal situation, he's going to have a very hard time defending himself against a lawyer who is probably going to try to convince the jury/judge that your buddy was out to kill someone from the get-go by his insistance on not showing the weapon.
I'd recommend that your buddy get into the local chapter of the IDPA, if there is one. If he's not listening to you, maybe some of those shoot/no-shoot scenarios might help him rethink his strategy.
Posted by Kat | August 4, 2007 5:16 AM
Posted on August 4, 2007 05:16
I heartily agree with your conclusion as well.
Besides, unless you put custom pockets into your pants, you're not going to be able to aim anywhere other than dangerously close to one of your three legs.
A progression of the shrouded hammer, is the hammerless wheelgun.
Mine is a S&W 442, but they've got a few other similar models (340, 640, 642). Taurus has their CIA line that is similar.
Excellent post, thank you!
Posted by freddyboomboom | August 4, 2007 12:34 PM
Posted on August 4, 2007 12:34
Sounds like your friend is going to look awfully suspicious with his hands on his gun all the time. Even if it's just his revolver.
One of the points of a holster is to protect the trigger from being pulled while the gun is in it. Pocket holsters mostly cover the trigger. Having the darn thing in your hand all the time is just asking for an "accidental" discharge.
Posted by dj | August 7, 2007 1:52 AM
Posted on August 7, 2007 01:52