Concealed Carry for Women

[From the Mailbox]

From: MG
Saw your show for the first time last night and I LOVED it.  I am a 38 year old mother of 2 teenage boys that manages an apartment complex for elderly and disabled which is in xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.  I carry a Ruger LCP 380 and love it.  I carry it because I can and because I am a woman in a part of town that is not the best.

The reason I am sending you this email today is because on your show last night you were showing how to draw from a concealed carry and showing how to protect your self in close situations.  I am having a problem deciding how I want to carry on a daily basis.  I know I want to carry on my person not in my purse etc.  I have tried looking for a thigh holster and a bra holster etc because I like wearing skirts and dresses but after seeing how you were showing how to draw last night I am not sure I would know the best way to draw my weapon from those carry positions.  Could you please consider doing a segment on women and how they should carry and how they should draw from those carry positions?

I really need some help finding a good solution and I really need some good advice and you seem like the guys that could do it.  Everyone I call to ask about holsters (thigh especially) just blow me off it is almost like they don't want us (meaning women) to carry.  I want to be taken seriously and I want to learn.  Please let me know if you decide to do a show for us (women).

Dear M:

Thank you very much for your e-mail and for watching The Best Defense.

In previous seasons, we have looked at the topic of concealed carry for women, but not as thoroughly as the topic deserves. First of all, I personally believe that you are on the right track by carrying the gun on your person. Many women choose purse or off-body carry and simply cannot get the gun into action quickly enough to make it a reliable self-defense tool. Kudos to you for taking a more practical approach.

The toughest part in recommending an on-body carry method for women is that women’s fashions vary so much. Even though you specified your preference for wearing dresses and skirts, that still leaves a tremendous range of styles—all of which present advantages and disadvantages when it comes to carry.

The first thing that I recommend to anyone—male or female—when considering concealed carry options is to take a hard look at your wardrobe and determine the consistent elements of your dress. If you wear dresses and skirts and are considering thigh carry, would all of your dresses and skirts allow easy access to such a holster? Are they loose enough to conceal it effectively? Do they allow enough range of motion to draw the gun reliably, ideally with one hand?

Similarly, if you’re considering bra carry, the same considerations apply. Do the necklines of your typical wardrobe choices allow access to draw a gun? Do your figure and style of dress conceal the gun effectively? What angle of drawstroke would work best?

Take a look at your wardrobe and do some “wargaming” to determine what carry position and drawstroke would work best for you in most of the clothes you wear. Based on that logic, do some research and see if there are any off-the-shelf products that meet your needs. If so, give them a try—working with a carefully cleared, empty pistol to see what’s workable for you. If the commercial holsters come close but aren’t perfect, see if you can modify them to meet your needs. If not, you might want to consider working with a custom holster maker.

Here is a YouTube video I found that provides a specific recommendation for a thigh holster and some great insights from the lady who made the video:

Here is another video from the Discovery Channel episode Sons of Guns that addresses a thigh/garter holster that looks like it will become commercially available:

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/sons-of-guns-stephs-garter-holster.html

You should also look into some of the on-line forums for women shooters. Many of the participants in those forums have faced the same challenges you have. They may be able to save you some trial and error and point you in the right direction.

I wish I could provide a more defined direction, but the variables in women’s fashion make that difficult. I hope these suggestions help you find solutions that work for you.

Thanks again for watching. Hopefully we can address this topic in greater detail in future episodes of The Best Defense.

Stay safe,

Mike Janich

[Michael Bane]

And the purse holster can be a viable alternative...I usually say there are 3 immutable rules for off-body carry:

1) If you're the kind of person who would forget your head if it wasn't attached, you're not a good candidate for off-body carry.
2) The off-body carry "vehicle" — purse, bag, whatever — has to be with you at all times or locked in a secure drawer, filing cabinet, etc.
3) You MUST go to the gun sooner than with a belt-mounted rig. A purse, messenger bag, etc. does, however, allow you to do that without broadcasting that you have your hand on the gun.

Then it's a question of practice practice practice...I would strongly recommend getting a "blue gun" or an AirSoft version of your chosen carry gun and practice the draw from the off-body bag at home...a lot...key point...the weak hand anchors the bag for the draw and, depending on the size of the bag, may need to pull the bag away from the gun. As soon as the gun clears, the weak hand drops the bag. Doctrine at some training academies calls for you to orient the muzzle direction of the gun toward the target before the draw...I'm a big "maybe" on this...if you can get the gun into your hand surreptitiously, you're a step ahead...that may require you to orient your body or use cover/concealment in such a way that the aggressor can't see your gun hand...

Michael B

[Strider]

Ditto Sir Michael. Any type of off body carry can put one behind the time curve. The fastest draw is alwys going to having the hand on the gun. Draw practice costs nothing except time. Sounds like cheap insurance to me!

[Magoo541]

I struggled with using off body carry until I saw an IDPA National stage that took place at a "gym" and the gun/reloads were taken from a gym bag.  I used to lock my pistol up at the gym but I know carry it in my back in a holster mounted on a piece of lexan along with a double mag pouch (those freebies that come with the Springfield XDMs have many uses  )  But I have had to modify my workout, I no longer will walk across the gym to do supersets, I just do my sets were I am then move along.