The Unofficial P64 Resource Forum

So, I Googled "pocket holster p64" and got discussions about Negligent Discharge/Accidental Discharge. It turns out that the NDs were caused by folks trying to pocket carry, with a holster, with the safety not engaged. I studied the issue, and it seems to me that with the safety engaged, my P-64 with safety-decocker is ND- and drop-proof. I just need to practice draw from pocket, disengage safety, and aim and shoot.

It turns out after about 100 tries, I cannot consistently draw from my pocket and disengage the safety. With an accountant's hands, the safety defeats the slight callous I have developed on the inside of the first knuckle of my right thumb. If I can contact the safety with the tip of my thumb, the movement is smooth and fast. I miss the safety with my thumb tip about half the time.

Worse yet is the thought of having two hands always free to jack one into the chamber, if I carry with full mag and no round in the chamber. Also, I lose one round. Might as well carry an Airweight revolver?

What's the answer? Get a pocket holster that covers the trigger, safety off, and be damned careful putting it into your pocket? I love my little gun, but it's about the be relegated to car/truck/house gun, and get a CM9 for pocket carry.

Danny

Try using your free hand thumb as you bring the gun up into a 2 handed hold to disengage the safety.

Granted this will be a problem if you are trying to hold off an attacker with your free hand.

I just received two Barsony holsters for my P-64: one leather pocket holster, and one nylon IWB right hand. Both work fine, and are pretty comfortable with this heavy little gun.

I'm not sure about the nylon holster yet, but the leather pocket holster seems perfect to sew a little nub in the upper part that would take the safety off as you draw the gun. This might be a factor of the leather being new, stiff, and not really broken in yet. Anyone ever tried it?

It seems no more dangerous to have a nub that swings the safety off than to carry in the pocket without the safety engaged.

Danny

At the 9:58 mark in this video, this reviewer states that the safety on a P-64 has three positions. On my gun, which has a 1975 date stamp, the safety will stay in the half position. The hammer block seems to be engaged, which would keep the gun from firing. However, when I pull the hammer part way back and drop it, the safety disengages (into the fire position). I haven't been to the range, so it's unclear whether the gun would fire on the first hammer drop, or only after the safety disengages.

I don't find a reference to this three position safety deal in any manual.

https://youtu.be/XQ34i3NYWL0

There are a couple of threads on the 3 position safety.

There are only 2 positions.

dmarbell wrote:I just received two Barsony holsters for my P-64: one leather pocket holster, and one nylon IWB right hand. Both work fine, and are pretty comfortable with this heavy little gun.

I'm not sure about the nylon holster yet, but the leather pocket holster seems perfect to sew a little nub in the upper part that would take the safety off as you draw the gun. This might be a factor of the leather being new, stiff, and not really broken in yet. Anyone ever tried it?

The leather pocket holster I got from them was really thin and way too soft to prevent printing. Can you put up a picture of yours? I'm curious to see if there's a variance in quality.

Posted pics of Barsony PO49BL. Sorry about the pics, kind of hard to get without being outside. I might try again later.

I believe the leather is stiff enough that a nib would take off the safety, IF the holster stays in the pocket. As hardy as these safeties are, you might rip a pocket trying to pull the gun out of the holster.

Danny

Curly1,

I agree that the gun is designed with a 2-position safety. For whatever reason, there is a halfway notch which disengages the trigger and raises the trigger block enough to prevent the hammer from hitting the firing pin.

As a short, unscientific test, I am carrying my P-64 in Condition 1, with snap caps in the chamber and mag, in the Barsony holster in my pocket while I work. I started this yesterday. Every time I stand up, I draw the gun and take the safety off. I then put the safety back on half, and reholster. I will see if I ever get a ND situation with the snap caps.

Danny

dmarbell wrote:Curly1,

I agree that the gun is designed with a 2-position safety. For whatever reason, there is a halfway notch which disengages the trigger and raises the trigger block enough to prevent the hammer from hitting the firing pin.

Have you had chance (or even wanted to...) take the safety out of the gun? I've done it mainly to free-up some stickiness and if you look at the assembly there are only TWO positions. A detent pin is spring-loaded to pop into a slot to retain the assembly in the 'FIRE' or 'SAFE' positions and that is all. There are 2 notches in the safety - not 3. if your safety is staying in a mid position it is friction holding it there and NOT a slot or notch to hold it securely so it will not move unintentionally. If you use this friction "position" the selector can go to either of the notched/designed positions whether you want it to or not if hit or vibrated or whatever.

+1 ^^^^^^^^

@dmarbell Yeah, that pretty much looks like the one they sent me, except mine's brown. I would like to put a pin or other kind of reinforcement in it so it doesn't slide all the way in, as it's hard to draw otherwise. May also have to stitch a second leather "Square" to the side that faces out to keep from printing. Kinda like this one, which I should have bought in the first place.

Other solution is to NOT carry in the pocket. To me that is a dangerous place to carry safety on or off, condition 1, 2or 3 as people tend to put a gun in their pocket ALONG WITH other items which creates, in my suspicious little mind anyway, all kinds of ways for triggers to get caught, hammers to get snagged etc., etc, etc. Get yourself a good IWB holster that keeps the gun all by itself where NOTHING interferes with it in any way and the only time your hand is near it is to either draw it (bad), adjust the holster position as it has shifted (also bad) or to take it off or put it on. The more often your hands are near a loaded weapon the larger the chance of an ND such as fishing around in your pocket for something other than your gun. Besides, if your sitting how the hell you gonna draw from ANY pocket except a coat pocket?

You worry too much. Especially since the safety blocks the hammer from the pin, and it's not a free-floating pin. The hammer is rounded, so no snag. Don't keep anything in the pocket you carry your gun in.