Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Gun, shooting and equipment discussions unrelated to CHL issues

Moderator: carlson1

Post Reply
User avatar
Embalmo
Senior Member
Posts: 943
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:16 am
Location: Pflugerville

Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by Embalmo »

Guys,

I had a scare about a week ago with my Bersa Mini 9 in a De Santis pocket holster. I was in a "gun free zone" during my morning, so I left my Mini 9 in its holster in my glove compartment. After returning to my car I awkwardly jammed the holstered gun into my front pocket while in a seated position. About 9 hours later I was returning a Red Box in a McDonald's parking lot (around 10 PM). There was some spooky folks hanging around, so I reached into my pocket to put my hand on the handle and I noticed that the hammer was indeed cocked (and unlocked). I very slowly walked to the restroom, locked myself into a stall, gently dipped the gun from my pocket and decocked it.

I absolutely never leave my gun cocked, so I must have snagged the hammer when jamming the gun into my pocket. I'm a lot more careful now. Theoretically there is nothing that will "pull" the trigger when in a pocket holster that completely covers the trigger guard; still scary.

Embalmo
Husband and wife CHL team since 2009
User avatar
Excaliber
Moderator
Posts: 6199
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 9:59 pm
Location: DFW Metro

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by Excaliber »

Embalmo wrote:Guys,

I had a scare about a week ago with my Bersa Mini 9 in a De Santis pocket holster. I was in a "gun free zone" during my morning, so I left my Mini 9 in its holster in my glove compartment. After returning to my car I awkwardly jammed the holstered gun into my front pocket while in a seated position. About 9 hours later I was returning a Red Box in a McDonald's parking lot (around 10 PM). There was some spooky folks hanging around, so I reached into my pocket to put my hand on the handle and I noticed that the hammer was indeed cocked (and unlocked). I very slowly walked to the restroom, locked myself into a stall, gently dipped the gun from my pocket and decocked it.

I absolutely never leave my gun cocked, so I must have snagged the hammer when jamming the gun into my pocket. I'm a lot more careful now. Theoretically there is nothing that will "pull" the trigger when in a pocket holster that completely covers the trigger guard; still scary.

Embalmo
To prevent this and other malfunctions (like holstering the gun with the slide slightly out of battery and therefore disabled) it's a best practice to place your thumb behind the slide to prevent it from moving as you place a pistol into a holster.
Excaliber

"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it." - Jeff Cooper
I am not a lawyer. Nothing in any of my posts should be construed as legal or professional advice.
User avatar
Embalmo
Senior Member
Posts: 943
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:16 am
Location: Pflugerville

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by Embalmo »

Excaliber wrote:
Embalmo wrote:Guys,

I had a scare about a week ago with my Bersa Mini 9 in a De Santis pocket holster. I was in a "gun free zone" during my morning, so I left my Mini 9 in its holster in my glove compartment. After returning to my car I awkwardly jammed the holstered gun into my front pocket while in a seated position. About 9 hours later I was returning a Red Box in a McDonald's parking lot (around 10 PM). There was some spooky folks hanging around, so I reached into my pocket to put my hand on the handle and I noticed that the hammer was indeed cocked (and unlocked). I very slowly walked to the restroom, locked myself into a stall, gently dipped the gun from my pocket and decocked it.

I absolutely never leave my gun cocked, so I must have snagged the hammer when jamming the gun into my pocket. I'm a lot more careful now. Theoretically there is nothing that will "pull" the trigger when in a pocket holster that completely covers the trigger guard; still scary.

Embalmo
To prevent this and other malfunctions (like holstering the gun with the slide slightly out of battery and therefore disabled) it's a best practice to place your thumb behind the slide to prevent it from moving as you place a pistol into a holster.
Good idea-I think what I'll do from now on is keep my thumb on the hammer; that'll keep them both from moving. Still, it's good to know that a pocket holster does its job with me walking, sitting, standing, and squating for 9 hours with a cocked gun and a 5 LB trigger.

Embalmo
Husband and wife CHL team since 2009
User avatar
Purplehood
Senior Member
Posts: 4638
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 3:35 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by Purplehood »

That is one of the reasons (other than that I am lazy) that I keep my Micro Desert Eagle.

The hammer is effectively "buried" on both sides by the slide.

Image
Life NRA
USMC 76-93
USAR 99-07 (Retired)
OEF 06-07
User avatar
Embalmo
Senior Member
Posts: 943
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:16 am
Location: Pflugerville

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by Embalmo »

I've experimented with it since with an empty chamber and is is crazy easy for it to cock itself against the inner corner of my front right pocket. Of course it's not a problem if I pay attention and keep my thumb on the hammer.

Embalmo
Husband and wife CHL team since 2009
User avatar
74novaman
Senior Member
Posts: 3798
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:36 am
Location: CenTex

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by 74novaman »

I like pocket carrying a .357 revolver.

I went with the DAO model for 2 reasons:

1)if I ever had to, I could conceivably shoot through a pocket in a jacket without having to draw the weapon, and there is no slide or hammer to get tangled up in anything.
2) I was really afraid that I'd do something like this, and manage to pull a plaxico.

I love hammerless! :woohoo
Image
TANSTAAFL
User avatar
Embalmo
Senior Member
Posts: 943
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:16 am
Location: Pflugerville

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by Embalmo »

Ahh-I'm a single action shooter, don't wanna' have to fool with a safety kinda' guy; that's why I like DA/SA.
Husband and wife CHL team since 2009
zbordas
Member
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:11 pm
Location: Sugar Land, TX

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by zbordas »

Good idea-I think what I'll do from now on is keep my thumb on the hammer; that'll keep them both from moving. Still, it's good to know that a pocket holster does its job with me walking, sitting, standing, and squating for 9 hours with a cocked gun and a 5 LB trigger.
You can also keep your thumb under the safety. You cannot cock the hammer unless the safety is off. In your case you somehow achieved to disengage the safety AND cocked the hammer (unless you carry it safety off).
User avatar
Embalmo
Senior Member
Posts: 943
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:16 am
Location: Pflugerville

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by Embalmo »

zbordas wrote:
Good idea-I think what I'll do from now on is keep my thumb on the hammer; that'll keep them both from moving. Still, it's good to know that a pocket holster does its job with me walking, sitting, standing, and squating for 9 hours with a cocked gun and a 5 LB trigger.
You can also keep your thumb under the safety. You cannot cock the hammer unless the safety is off. In your case you somehow achieved to disengage the safety AND cocked the hammer (unless you carry it safety off).
Nope-It's impossible to have this weapon cocked and locked. I don't believe in external safeties. If it's engaged when you need to defend yourself, you're screwed; if you trust it to work and it doesn't, you're screwed. I actually thought about having the safety on, sticking it in my pocket and then disengaging the safety, but the idea of moving a lever blindly in my pocket didn't appeal to me. Thumb on the hammer works for me.

Embalmo
Husband and wife CHL team since 2009
Mike from Texas
Senior Member
Posts: 632
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:57 am
Location: D/FW Texas

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by Mike from Texas »

This is exactly why I like DAO pistols like my Kel-Tec or my Kahrs, especially for pocket carry.
A few Glocks, a few Kahrs, Dan Wesson CBOB 10mm, Dan Wesson CBOB 45ACP, Springer Champion Operator

****************************************************************************************************
User avatar
Embalmo
Senior Member
Posts: 943
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:16 am
Location: Pflugerville

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by Embalmo »

Mike from Texas wrote:This is exactly why I like DAO pistols like my Kel-Tec or my Kahrs, especially for pocket carry.
I bought the gun because of its SA/DA trigger (well that and its reliability rep, round capacity, and size). The gun was cocked in the process of stuffing it awkwardly into my pocket; it won't cock itself once in my pocket. It's interesting to see that a pocket holster that covers the trigger guard does its job. Still, I do tend to put my finger in my pocket to check that it's not cocked from time to time. I visually check every time before I holster to ensure that: a round is chambered, the safety is DISengaged, and the hammer is down.

Embalmo
Husband and wife CHL team since 2009
Mike from Texas
Senior Member
Posts: 632
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:57 am
Location: D/FW Texas

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by Mike from Texas »

Embalmo wrote:
Mike from Texas wrote:This is exactly why I like DAO pistols like my Kel-Tec or my Kahrs, especially for pocket carry.
I bought the gun because of its SA/DA trigger (well that and its reliability rep, round capacity, and size). The gun was cocked in the process of stuffing it awkwardly into my pocket; it won't cock itself once in my pocket. It's interesting to see that a pocket holster that covers the trigger guard does its job. Still, I do tend to put my finger in my pocket to check that it's not cocked from time to time. I visually check every time before I holster to ensure that: a round is chambered, the safety is DISengaged, and the hammer is down.

Embalmo
Understood Sir. Each of us should go with what we are comfortable with. I personally am not a fan of the DA/SA trigger system. I prefer a consistent trigger pull on every shot whether it be a DAO, SAO or a Glock style trigger.
A few Glocks, a few Kahrs, Dan Wesson CBOB 10mm, Dan Wesson CBOB 45ACP, Springer Champion Operator

****************************************************************************************************
User avatar
Embalmo
Senior Member
Posts: 943
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:16 am
Location: Pflugerville

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by Embalmo »

Mike from Texas wrote:
Embalmo wrote:
Mike from Texas wrote:This is exactly why I like DAO pistols like my Kel-Tec or my Kahrs, especially for pocket carry.
I bought the gun because of its SA/DA trigger (well that and its reliability rep, round capacity, and size). The gun was cocked in the process of stuffing it awkwardly into my pocket; it won't cock itself once in my pocket. It's interesting to see that a pocket holster that covers the trigger guard does its job. Still, I do tend to put my finger in my pocket to check that it's not cocked from time to time. I visually check every time before I holster to ensure that: a round is chambered, the safety is DISengaged, and the hammer is down.

Embalmo
Understood Sir. Each of us should go with what we are comfortable with. I personally am not a fan of the DA/SA trigger system. I prefer a consistent trigger pull on every shot whether it be a DAO, SAO or a Glock style trigger.
For me it's the best of both worlds-Single action trigger without having to deal with a safety like a 1911. I doubt I'll ever need to shoot it double action, but if I'm in that big of a hurry to pull the trigger, aiming and trigger weight won't matter. I always practice single action, 'cause if there's time to line up the sights, there is time to cock it; so for me it is consistantly single action Now if it were like a revolver where I would have to cock it every time, then it would matter to me.

Embalmo
Husband and wife CHL team since 2009
esxmarkc
Senior Member
Posts: 369
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:01 pm

Re: Scare With A De Santis Pocket Carried Bersa

Post by esxmarkc »

I think I have stated the same thing on here before. Some guns like the Sig P238 are intended to be Condition One cocked and locked carry.

In the pocket Condition One carry is way too scary. (Yea I know it rhymes totally lame!)
It is too easy to bump the safety off by accident and then that little booger has really clean light trigger pull and is a nasty event waiting to happen. Even with the trigger covered the possibility just gives me the chills. I had an event just like yours once (removed the gun to find the safety had been bumped off) and that was it for me on that mode of carry.

If I MUST pocket carry I go with the Kahr PM9 in a DeSantis pocket holster.. Nice long intentional trigger pull.

Most of the time however it's a Glock 27 IWB and 3:30.
Keeping the king of England out of your face since 12/05/2009
Post Reply

Return to “General Gun, Shooting & Equipment Discussion”