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After reading the story in this thread (http://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=32381), I got to thinking about carrying in the home. It's all well and good to carry your normal rig when you're wearing your jeans and heavy duty belt and holster, but what do you do after the kids are in bed and you're ready to kick back in a pair of sweat pants or shorts?

I've taken to the habit of carrying my smallest and lightest pistol (Taurus PT145) in a Bianchi Minimalist holster just belted around my belly when wearing sweats. It's light and comfortable and handy if someone kicks in my door and comes in with guns blazing. I've been thinking about picking up something smaller even, like a S&W J-Frame, and perhaps investing in a shoulder rig for it. What does everyone else do when carrying in the home?

SmartCarry with full sized 1911 works just fine under shorts or sweats. If the sweats have a pocket, I often stick the J-frame in it. Its not so much that I'm paranoid, but I have to put the J-frame somewhere...

Why don't I just carry the J-frame? I already carry the 1911 in the SmartCarry most of the day and I'm just more comfortable and confident to carry it. I don't even have to take it off, just shuck the pants and slip on a pair of shorts or sweats or bathrobe.

I will sling my shoulder holster on or just lay it on the desk. In the recliner it lays on my Right leg.

You mean nobody tucks in the front of thier boxers? Hmmm, maybe I'm doin somethin wrong....

In all seriousness though if I'm not dressed in carry friendly attire like basketball shorts or what have you I normally just set it on the armrest of the recliner next to my sofa while watching tv or playin video games. It's always within arms reach no matter where I am or what I'm doing. But normally I just carry openly when at the casa.

MojoTexas wrote:a S&W J-Frame

You answered your own question with those three words quoted above.

Get an airweight model (16 ounches unloaded; 18 ounces loaded) and just slip it into the pocket of your sweatpants or shorts in whatever cheap pocket holster you can find. Five shots should be plenty to at least make any intruders take cover long enough for you to dash toward your safe to get out the big guns.

Even the older all-steel .38 Special models only way 20 ounces unloaded and 22 ounces loaded. The steel .357 Magnum models weigh a bit more, but .357 is really unnecessary (IMHO) for the intended purpose of these pocket guns.

On the table next to the recliner.

I've only been carrying at home since I'm still in the application process. I recently got a smartcarry type of holster called lightningwear and carry my Glock 26 with extra mag in pocket or in the extra pouch of the holster.

That thing works great!

It's very comfortable and I've been able to carry evenings and weekends around the kids and wife with none the smarter.

I picked up a S&W 442 J-Frame today (got a good deal on it from my father--it was a duplicate for him) and once I get some ammo for it, it'll probably become my #1 "summer gun" for hanging around the house. I love my other pistols, but they're all fairly heavy, except for the Taurus PT145. The only .38 Special ammo I currently have is some UMC 130-grain FMJ ammo that I picked up for target shooting in my .357 Magnum. Once the Texas summer arrives, it's going to become increasingly difficult for me to conceal some of my other rigs without burning up in the heat. With the current scarcity of .380 ammo, and my personal doubts about the cartridge, I'd prefer to avoid mouse guns. I think the J-Frame will be a nice compromise....plus it'll be something for me to use in teaching my wife how to shoot. You can't get much simpler than point and pull the trigger...

I've seen the SmartCarry's before, and I might try them...but they just don't look like they would be comfortable to me. I hear good things about them though so I might give it a try.

Thanks for the feedback!

MojoTexas

Why not pocket carry the J-Frame? I have a 642 with long grips. It fits in some pants and not quite in others. I also have a little cheap IWB holster for it, but haven't used it yet. I ran into Morgan (y5e06) at a gun show and he carries is 442 in one and loves it. His was not printing under a T-shirt.

MojoTexas wrote: you're ready to kick back in a pair of sweat pants or shorts? What does everyone else do when carrying in the home?

At home relaxing or sleeping in those WalMart elastic waisted cotton sleeping shorts with a drawstring, I wear a Diamondback DB380 with +P ammo in a Bianchi soft suede model 6 IWB holster, and my Glocks, KelTecs and Tauruses are nearby. (Sometimes relaxing, I might replace the DB380 with a KelTec PF9 or Taurus PT-709 Slim in the same type model 6 holster, but a size larger.... but I only sleep wearing the DB380; it's more comfortable.) When the Microtech Archangel MCP 9mm hits the market, I may try one of those ... only 7 ounces. Plenty light enough not to pull the elastic down ...Hopefully not too lumpy to sleep on too.

I picked up a Galco pocket holster for my new J-Frame today from the Bullet Trap, as well as a couple of speed loaders. Yesterday I picked up a box of some of the new Winchester "Supreme Elite" ammo, with 130 grains of bonded hollow point +P goodness...so I'm all set.

As austinrealtor said, five rounds of .38 Special +P hollow points should at least slow someone down long enough to reach my bigger weapons, and it'll make a good backup gun even when I'm packing something bigger.

If I'm going to transition to something without a belt I'll usually just set it on the table next to me. I haven't loaded the rifle for HD use yet. If I had a shotgun I would use that instead of the handgun and just stand it up within reach.

MojoTexas wrote:I picked up a S&W 442 J-Frame today (got a good deal on it from my father--it was a duplicate for him) and once I get some ammo for it, it'll probably become my #1 "summer gun" for hanging around the house.

Good idea. Maybe go with the Werner set up, here http://snubtraining.wordpress.com/2009/ ... ry-system/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

MojoTexas wrote: ....plus it'll be something for me to use in teaching my wife how to shoot...

Maybe not the best idea, j-frames are harder to shoot, because of the trigger pull, recoil, short site radius, etc... Now S&W has a new centenial model coming out, the 43C, j frame, 8 shot, 22 rimfire. That would be a great training gun!

There's only one way in or out of my apt, and between me and the door are two easily-accessible pistols and a 12 gauge, so I don't usually bother holstering one while inside. If someone comes to the door I will stick my 9mm in my waistband holster quickly. I'm generally not too worried while in my apt, so I am a little easy going with it. But if I had a house, it might be a different story.

I’m in my jeans just about any time that I'm awake. On the rare occasion that I’m not I’ll have a robe on with my gun in the pocket.