High Noon Pocket Grabber

[JimC]

I'll begin by admitting that I have never cared for pocket carry or pocket carry holsters.
I recently decided to give my PM9 a chance with a pocket holster. I ordered a High Noon Pocket Grabber and it arrived yesterday.
I tried it in three different pairs of shorts...I don't like it. :mad:
I read up on it on the High Noon web site and I also read the enclosed instructions that came with the holster. Seemed simple enough.
First off, in a situation where my pistol might be needed ASAP, I'd be DOA! The PM9 refused to come out of the holster without the holster trying to exit my pocket at the same time.
Second, there's no way in Hell that I'd get the PM9 out while seated in a vehicle or while sitting in a booth in a restaurant.
There may very well be those of you that think pocket carry is the cat's meow but not me. This holster just re-inforced my dislike for pocket carry.

Unfortunately, I also ordered a DeSantis Nemesis that has not yet arrived.
I will give that holster the same testing with hopes that it's better than the HN.

[JFootin]

I recently bought a fairly expensive pocket holster - the
El Paso Pocket Max Pocket Holster (got a real good deal HERE (http://gunholstersunlimited.com/el-paso-pocket-max-pocket-holster-ambidextrous-natural-kahr-pm9-pm40-mk9-mk40-pmpm9-1.html?cat_id=79)). It is a premium holster done in horsehide, with hooks to keep it in the pocket, smooth side in to aid drawing the gun. The horsehide is stiff, so it stays open so I can replace the gun one handed.

My first impression was the same as yours. It would act like it was going to come out with the gun. Really bothered me! :mad: But I kept practicing and found that I could ignore that and just confidently draw the gun. And the holster never did come out with the gun. :) Now, the pocket is loose and soft cloth, so the holster will move toward the pocket opening when you draw the gun - just the laws of physics in action. But the hooks on the holster will cause it to catch in the pocket and release the gun. Also, as you practice with it, you will learn the best way to move the gun as you draw it, and it will become easy and quick.

My jeans are not skin tight, so I can draw the gun when seated. A nice thing about the CM9 is that it is big enough that it stays sitting on top of my thigh and doesn't fall down to the side like a smaller gun I formerly had would do. Plus, the holster helps keep the gun positioned correctly. I scoot forward a little bit, straitening my hip joint somewhat, and that helps speed up drawing the gun.

No pocket holster is going to be as fast to draw from as an I.D.P.A. speed draw belt holster. But you have the element of surprise. If you anticipate trouble, put both hands in your pockets innocently, get a good combat grip on your gun, push with your thumb to release it from the holster, then you can draw the gun very quickly when needed. And until you do so, the BG won't know you are armed.

So, wear the holster for a while, let it mold itself to your shape and get broken in a bit. And practice, practice, practice. :)

BTW, I just ordered a Super Fly. It was on sale at MidwayUSA.

[JimC]

For now this will remain the way in which I carry my PM9.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v226/KobraCarry/Miscellaneous/IMG_0003_680x484_txt.jpg

[Bill K]

I pocket carry a lot but do not depend on the hook or stickiness design of the holster for full pocket retention on the draw. I insist the the pocket holster I get allows me to push off with my middle finger as I execute the draw. This requires that the holster design covers no more than 1/2 to 3/4 of the trigger guard leaving space for my middle finger to push off the holster. The point of contact is at the base of my finger nail. It works but I shun the thumb push off because the thumb is far away from its final grip position as the draw is made. I expect or will modify the holster (as I did with my Alabama) so that there is major friction for only about the first 1/4" of draw - the rest should be near friction free leaving the holster in the pocket.

Every choice of concealed carry/holster position we carry is froth with compromises and such. When driving thru bad neighborhoods you can try putting your pocket pistol and holster under your weak thigh or some other place positioned for a quick draw. For the restaurant if its the focus of your time out you can switch to a holster that will work better for you when seated. If I've got a cover garment (like sweeter or thick tee shirt) I'll simply move me rig from my pocket to appendix before exiting my car (check that you can do this without being made by someone passing by your parked car).

Good luck...

[JodyH]

Pocket carry is just like IWB or any other mode of concealed carry.
You often have to make wardrobe changes.
You cannot pocket carry in clothes with pockets that have small openings. This is especially bad in some carpenter type jeans that have small openings and deep pockets. You also cannot pocket carry in lightweight clothing.
The best clothes I've found for pocket carrying my PM9 is cargo shorts or cargo pants because of the heavy material and large slash cut pockets.
Just like IWB carry you might also have to try different holsters until you find "the one" that works best for your gun/clothing combination.
I love the HighNoon Pocketgrabber for my J-frame but think it sucks for my Kahrs.
The best PM9 holster for me is the Meco pocket holster, but even with that one I had to buy two different models before I found the best for me.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/JodyHuggins/kahrmeco.jpg

[heeler]

Several things come to mind here.
First I can draw my thin bannana shaped wood gripped Smith J frame M 37 from a pocket holster faster than I can my PM9 or Diamondback 380 simply because of the ergonomics between them and the thinner handle of the Smith.
Second inside my locked vehicle I personally dont get to excited that I cant draw super fast while seated in the car/truck.
It's out on the street on my two feet that I am most concerned with a threat.
Last pocket holsters for a man ,since men always have pockets on their pants,are a very easy way to carry a compact pistol.
And as long as it's a true carry compact it is probably the least noticeable and most comfortable ways to carry.
Hence the overflow of plastic .380's in the last three years.
I can state upfront that while grocery shopping this afternoon I would have much prefered my thin fully loaded 12 ounce .380 over my PM9 while carrying in pocket mode in my thin work slacks I was wearing today.

[JodyH]

I can state upfront that while grocery shopping this afternoon I would have much prefered my thin fully loaded 12 ounce .380 over my PM9 while carrying in pocket mode in my thin work slacks I was wearing today.
Right up until you actually need a gun, then you'll wish you were carrying something more substantial.
One thing that's universal among gunfight survivors, none of them wish they had a smaller gun that held fewer rounds of a weaker caliber.

[heeler]

Right up until you actually need a gun, then you'll wish you were carrying something more substantial.
One thing that's universal among gunfight survivors, none of them wish they had a smaller gun that held fewer rounds of a weaker caliber.
Although it is true at the moment of grave depth actuality I would be far happier with my Remington Police 870 over some crappy pistol,none the less I would be mighty happy with my crappy little pocket .380 at can of Ranch Style Beans throwing distance.
This old dog surely can't hunt.

[Russ]

I have a desantis super fly for my cm9. It has been very comfortable. I wear it for 12 hours a day at work. I am consantly moving around and it feels very comfortable in dress pants.

[TheTman]

I don't have any pocket holsters, I sometimes carry a .32 Beretta Tomcat in my front pocket cocked and locked. I wouldn't do that with a semi with no safety. Once in awhile I slip my snubby into the front pocket with no holster if the jeans are loose fitting, but feel pretty safe with it's heavy double action trigger pull. Mostly I carry one of my Kahrs with a pretty good cant at about the 5:00 position so the handle sticks up at about a 45 degree angle over my kidney. Much of the time when I'm driving, I'll pull it out and place it in the center console for easier access. It's very accessable when dining out and things. I don't have a PM/CM series pistol, but I don't think they'd be front pocket carry item for me, do to being skinny and not having very big pockets on most of my jeans. The snubbie prints pretty bad when I do slip it in the front pocket, so I rarely do that, except maybe to get the mail after dark, or get something out of my car, maybe a quick run down to the kwik mart or something. I usually have on a fairly long tailed untucked shirt to help hide the gun. I live in an apartment complex that has all sorts of undesirable characters living here, and I just don't go out side after dark unarmed. I've had some words with a couple of the drunks living here, and a guy that was beating his wife in the parking lot, so I stay very aware of whats going on around me when I do go out. Hopefully I'll be out of here soon and back out on the farm.

[JimC]

The Nemesis that I had on order arrived yesterday.
Initial testing w/the PM9 shows it to be slightly better than the HN Pocket Grabber.
I have to try it in other shorts but it's not too bad when used in a pair of Cabels 7-pocket hiker shorts which are usually my normal daily wear.