Presentation from Purse Holster

[Rob Pincus]

We recieved this note:

My husband and I just finished watching you latest episode of Best Defense and as a woman I felt compelled to send a comment. First let me say that I love the show. I find myself picking up self defense techniques that can be very valuable to me. Everything is presented in a very informative step by step manner, expertly explained and easy to follow.

However, I felt the segment about concealed carry deployment from a purse to be sadly lacking. I'm sure the woman doing the presentation is extremely capable; it just lacked the step by step explanation. The first part of the show spent five to ten minutes on concealed carry from an open coat or under a shirt presentation and the segment on concealed carry from a purse right around 10 seconds. (Actual deployment)

Where exactly did she have the gun? How did she deploy it? What type of purse was she carrying? What to do if the purse drops which causes you to drop and or lose grip on the gun? I'm sure you get the idea.

Women are the fastest growing segment of gun purchasers. Please consider producing some shows that can demonstrate to women how to conceal carry from a purse.

Thank you,

B........
***********

The short demo that was done on the episode this week certainly doesn't cover the topic thoroughly, so let's break down the steps of presentation from the holster:

1. Recognition
2. Secure Purse with offhand
3. Open Purse's Holster area with strong hand
4. Obtain Grip
5. Remove pistol from purse moving towards ready positiion.
6. Extend pistol through ready position into shooting position.

The potentially tricky parts are 2 and 3.

2. "securiing" the purse means stabilizing it with the offhand and/or against the body so that the strong hand can manipulate the zipper/velcro/snaps invovled in opening the holster area and obtaining a grip on the gun. Of course, the way the purse is carried prior to recognition can have a lot of influence on how big a deal this step is. If the purse strap is over the weak shoulder and the weak arm is pressing the purse against the body, with the holster opening towards the front, the gun is essentially in the same place as it would be with a shoulder holster. This is the recommended position. If the purse is being held dangling by the strap in the strong hand, this step is going to be much more cumbersome.

3. Opening the zipper/snaps/velcro to get into the holster should be practiced with the strong hand without looking at the purse itself. This is almost certainly going to be considered a fine motor skill and MUST be practiced in context (focusing on "threat", purse in a secured position (as described above) with a lowered center of gravity.

There should be no illusion that purse carry is ever going to be as good a choice as on-body carry, but the convenience of purse carry for many women may still make it their choice. If that is the case, it should be practiced realistically.

-RJP

[2HOW]

Since I don't get the show and not familiar with this question let me ask you if you advise off body carry. Not just for woman but for men as well. My wife carries but never off body. It is however sometimes hard to find a good carry position for woman, my wife has made her own carry "rig" for her PF-9 which works well and is quite concealed.

[joemerchant24]

Rob;

Thank you for helping me win an argument for once.

My wife and I were watching, and she started complaining about how impractical the draw segment was because "women can't carry like that."

I paused (DVR) and tried to tell her women can, they just need to dress around the gun and use the right gear. I assured her the instructors such as Michael and yourself have techniques and classes that are designed for women.

It didn't matter.

So, rather than deal with the running commentary, I opted to finish the episode later.

Then I come to the DRTV forum, as usual, and see the purse carry question.

Now she's interested in seeing the rest when we get home tonight.

Finally, I get one (small) victory.

Thanks guys, great show.

[Rob Pincus]

I don't "recommend" off body carry as the best option, but I don't "recommend" carrying a J-frame in a pocket holster as the best option either... but I do the latter frequently. Is a Glock in a Strong Side Hip Holster a "better" defensive option? it is.

All that said, if you are vigilant about the location of the day planner, messenger bag, purse, backpack, whatever, Off-body carry is a very comfortable and viable option for self defense. Some of it also has to do with the scenario. Off-body carry probably doesn't help you when the person sitting across the desk from you pulls a knife and attacks..... but if your office becomes the site of an active shooter and your gun is in the purse on the back of your chair in a back corner office, there will likely be plenty of time to get to the gun.  This is one of the compromise issues that everyone needs to make for themselves..... as always, I just want it to be an informed decision.

*****

JoeM,

You owe me one. Next time I'm losing an argument with my wife (latest topics: getting a dog and taking a day off at some point), I'm PM'ing you!

I hope your wife enjoys the rest of the episode.

****

-RJP

[WaltGraham]

I don't "recommend" carrying a J-frame in a pocket holster as the best option either... but I do the latter frequently.

That's interesting. It seems that a j-frame carried strongside in a pocket holster is a pretty common phenomenon among the folks I know that have real world experience. While it's not my only carry option, I find that it's more often than not the one with which I'm most comfortable. Maybe I'm overly optimistic, but I'd like to think that 12 rounds should be sufficient for most social situations.

[Sponsor]

[ericire12]

That's interesting. It seems that a j-frame carried strongside in a pocket holster is a pretty common phenomenon among the folks I know that have real world experience. While it's not my only carry option, I find that it's more often than not the one with which I'm most comfortable. Maybe I'm overly optimistic, but I'd like to think that 12 rounds should be sufficient for most social situations.

I think you missed the most important part of his comment......




"Get yourself a Glock, and lose that nickel plated sissy pistol" 

[Michael Bane]

I do a lot more off-body carry than Rob, largely because he dresses better than me. here's a link to an article I did a couple of years ago on DRTV about the very subject:

http://www.downrange.tv/artman2/publish/droppedshot/13.shtml

I have my Five Immutable Rules of Off-Body Carry...you can read them all there, but I wanted to reprint Rule 4 because it is so important:

4) When you’re carrying off-body, you MUST be willing to go to the gun SOONER than you might with a holstered gun. Off-body draws will typically be slower, occasionally much slower, than a jacket sweep and draw from an IWB. This means in order to compensate for the slower draw, you’re going to have to get your hand on the gun sooner than you would in a situation where you’re carrying a gun holstered. I always go back to a saying from my friend and mentor Walt Rauch—“The best place to carry a gun is in your hand.” The advantage of off-body carry is that the device can also accommodate this particular form of carry. People put their hands into briefcases, bags and purses for lots of reasons other than drawing a gun. I recall one situation where I was “fumbling” around in a Coronado Leather “California Bag”—a high-end leather version of a holster shoulder bag—mumbling about the “damned sunglasses,” while my hand was locked around the 1911’s butt. The situation passed, and nobody around me was aware that I’d actually “filled my hand.” Yet, if necessary, I could have fired through the bag.

This goes for purse carry for women, who have even more reasons to reach into their purses than men do. When in doubt...that is, when you feel a "ping" in the back of your head that something is amiss...go to the gun! Get your hand on the gun and be prepared to make your presentation! At first this is going to feel paranoid and weird, but you will get used to it. Our goal regardless of how we carry is to always move slightly ahead of the curve, because in any violent situation we are going to need every advantage we can muster.

BTW, I take full responsibility for not insisting on a more thorough explanation on camera on the purse segment. I made the incorrect decision to push it off until Season 2. Sorry...television is an endless string of compromises, and sometimes I — to use the technical term — screw up.

Michael B

[bperkins4587]

Wow!! Can't believe my email rated a thread!! 

Thanks guys for responding so quickly.

Let me say first that I rarely (like 2 or 3 times a year) carry a purse and please don't start yelling or gnashing your teeth. I'm an oddball; always have been. Never much cared for "girlie" things. And I find a purse girlie. That being said majority of women do carry a purse. I work in a gun store and can tell you from personal experience women ask and look for carry options other than on body.

Face it boys, if the belt, shoes and purse don't match women are not leaving the house. Not so much with me but I must leave the house with a certain look. Unfortunately there aren't exactly a bunch of clothing/concealment options for women. I know of only one purse maker (Galco) who makes a carry purse.

Since women are more likely to be assaulted than men, the purse segment left me wanting more information. And really I get the whole broadcast t.v. time constraints, money issues, what to produce, compromise and so on. No worries Michael & Rob!!     I guess I just wished that more time would have been spent on the subject.

Thanks again guys!!

[ellis4538]

joe...I don't know about your house but there 2 BIG rules in my house

1.  The WIFE is ALWAYS RIGHT!

2.  When the wife is wrong...refer to #1 above.

My wife believes things work out well that way and I stay out of the DH!!!!!!!!!!!!

FWIW

Richard

[WaltGraham]

I think you missed the most important part of his comment..

I just thought the j-frame comment the most interesting; I've found it to be a common denominator among a number of folks I know. Reckon I should try shooting a Glock at some point in time.