I think this has more to do with the pistol itself than CCW issues, so I'm posting it here instead of the CCW forum. If I'm wrong, mods please move it there if you prefer!

I am currently making a custom wallet holster like the one shown below for one of my deacons at church who pocket carries his P938. Since I do not own one of these and have basically no experience with them, other than the few days I've had his in my home to work with, and selling a few when I worked at Cabela's, I am unsure how to treat the manual safety lever on it.

For those who pocket-carry this gun, do you prefer the safety lever be left uncovered when it is holstered, or should the holster extend up high enough on both sides of the slide to prevent the safety from being accidentally moved while in the pocket?

Obviously I can make his with the leather extension and remove it if he doesn't want it, but this particular fella doesn't carry with one in the pipe, so it doesn't really matter anyway... the safety is never on! (He and I have debated this issue ad nauseum, but he is retired LEO and feels he will be able to chamber a round in time if needed. I pray he is right if that need ever arises! But I digress...) But since I don't want to trim and refinish the leather later, I'd rather do it right the first time around, so....

.... What say you? Cover the safety lever with the holster material or leave it uncovered?

Pic of one of my standard LCP holsters for reference (for the record, the camera angle is deceiving... the gun sits all the way in so that the back flap is flush with the grip tang; i.e., the pistol does not stick out of the holster like the photo makes it appear!):

When I carry my 938, I use a soft Uncle Mike holster that I have trimmed to just cover the trigger. The safety is exposed. Never had the safety slip off.

The safety is firm and snug. Easy to disengage, but unlikely to drop off. If he carries with no round in the chamber I see no need for the safety at all.

Thanks for the feedback! After playing with it a bit, the safety does seem pretty firm and unlikely to be disengaged by accident. Just going to stick with my normal pattern and not worry about it. Thanks again!

I too use a soft uncle Mikes #4 to pocket carry my 938. I always have the safety covered and practice flipping off the safety on the way up from the draw.

I guess it's really a matter of personal preference....I just would not feel comfortable with the safety exposed; seems to me it would be easy to shoot yourself in the leg in an emergency.

It also just occurred to me (looking at your picture) that if he attempts to holster the gun with the holster in his pocket already, he could flip off the safety accidentally because of the way the leather is cut the safety might ride the curve and flip off

quote:

Originally posted by Stroonz:
It also just occurred to me (looking at your picture) that if he attempts to holster the gun with the holster in his pocket already, he could flip off the safety accidentally because of the way the leather is cut the safety might ride the curve and flip off

That's an example of why you should never holster a pocket pistol with the holster already in your pocket. Take the holster out, put the pistol in it, and replace it in your pocket.

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but somebody had to say it.

My P938 goes in a Nemisis that I trimmed down to keep rear sight and safety from being covered.

Before trimming, the holster would come out with the gun more often than not.

Never had an issue of safety not staying where it belonged.

When pocket carrying I use a Braids wallet holster:- https://www.braidsholsters.com...atured_Products.html
This holster covers the safety. Personally I feel safer with the safety covered. As toivo said always holster then move to pocket.

I use pocket holsters from Ryan Grizzle for my 238 and my 938’s. They cover, and hold the safety in place. I really like that feature, although the safeties on both are very positive and will stay put regardless of that holster feature.
The Grizzle holster is the “bomb” for pocket carry.
Good luck.
Skip

I prefer the safety covered on my P238.

i love my 938 but the safety engages with minimal pressure. I often find it disengaged. its my only complaint.

Now that this thread is getting some traction, it is starting to appear that covering the safety lever might be a good idea after all, whether this particular customer keps one in the pipe or not.

Since I haven’t cut any leather yet, only a cardstock pattern, I’m thinking I might redo that pattern and add the safety cover back in! As I said earlier, it can always be removed if he doesn’t want it on there!

Thanks for all of the feedback... especially before leather was wasted!

I've been carrying both the 238 and 938 in a leather pocket holster for years. The safety is NOT covered. I have never had the safety move into the fire position.

I do want to add that both the 238 and 938 are single side safety.