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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

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 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

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.

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

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!

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.

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).

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

This is exactly why I like DAO pistols like my Kel-Tec or my Kahrs, especially for pocket carry.

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

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.

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

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.