Bought my daughter a Glock 42 because she wants to start carrying concealed. I have no idea where to start when it comes to CC holsters and how most women prefer to carry. For those of you that have been down this road can you give us a few ideas on where to start?
Most women do want to purse carry. I try to talk them out of it. If some thug decides to attack her, hopefully all they want is her purse. If they want worse, high on their priority list is to separate her from her purse because they know that if she has anything to protect herself with it most likely is in her purse. Either way she is starting behind the eight ball and in for a fight over it pretty much from the get-go. I believe there are some holsters made for women because of the differences in the way we are shaped, but I don't know much about them.
I'm a concealed carry instructor in Illinois and I work in conjunction with a LGS, Five Rings Armory. Every couple of months the store owner will advertise an all female concealed carry course...no men allowed...even to sit in and listen. Women are a dream to have in the class as a student. The lack of massive doses of testosterone is refreshing. The ladies want to know what will work, and from there pay very close attention as I go over the finer points of concealed carry. When I lived in Texas I also taught concealed carry there. More often than not I had a girl friend/boy friend sign up for the same course. And, as you might imagine the guy does all the picking of equipment for the lady. Invariably the men would pick an airweight J frame Smith & Wesson that was rated at 357 Magnum as his lady's carry choice. The lady, not knowing any better went along with the suggestion. I don't know about you, but I cannot shoot a J frame Smith & Wesson comfortably, even with +P 38 spcl ammunition. My hands are too large and I cannot get a secure grip on the revolver. Then, when they qualify the guy insists the lady shoot 357 Magnum through her lightweight J frame. Of course, by the 3rd round she has developed a terrible flinch. Luckily, Texas uses the B27 Target which is easy to hit even at 25 yds if you are a seasoned shooter. The ladies qualified usually, but were forever after terrified of their carry gun. In an all female class we have a series of small frame autos and a J frame or two, but chambered in a sane cartridge. Many of the ladies chose the smaller semi-auto .380s. I didn't try to steer them away, but when I was teaching in Texas it was 1995 through 2000. .380 Ammo was not a very effective round due to bullet construction and powder used. Today's ammo is a shooter's dream and I consider the .380 to be a very effective round within its range. Plus, it doesn't recoil enough to scare the female shooter.
My wife carries a S&W Model 60 in .357. She has no problems handling it. Daughter carries a Sig P320 9MM. She is awfully good with that as well. Women can, and do 'handle' full power pistol and revolver cartridges. Some folks sell them short. The vast majority of women can shoot what we do. Heck, my daughter was shooting Metallic Silhouette with a Ruger .44 Mag when she was 12.
Well Sam, that’s pretty cool, but those two women are shooting enthusiasts. That’s not the typical case of a woman deciding she needs a gun for self defense.
I've been a shooter all my life, having spent a few years in the USMC and the last 19 years in LE. I'm also a LE firearms instructor and on occasion have helped some non-LE people with their shooting.
My wife carries a small S&W J-frame 642 revolver rated +P. My wife can shoot semi-auto pistols, but due to physical limitations, she had strength/dexterity issues with her hands, so the J-frame is easier for her to shoot, reload, etc. She carries OWB in a Bianchi 57 holster.
She's looked in purses and may get one, eventually, for certain situations, but she likes OWB.
There are many small 9mm or .380 pistols that can be great carry guns for people with small hands.
Well Sam, that’s pretty cool, but those two women are shooting enthusiasts. That’s not the typical case of a woman deciding she needs a gun for self defense.
+1.
My secretary carries a little derringer in her purse. She shot it once a few years ago and managed to hit a pop bottle, thinks she is Annie Oakley. Timed her once, without telling her, took over 75 seconds to dig it out of her purse. That starting with the purse in front of her on her desk and no stress. Granted, she wasn't in a hurry but her hand didn't go right to it, she had to dig for it.
Her CC gun is either a S&W M&P Compact in 9mm or a Ruger LCP II.
If for some reason the gun is not in her purse, then it might be in a jacket pocket, but I just bought her a Remora holster at her request for Christmas....... she's seen how much use mine gets.
The Remora is absolutely the most concealable & comfortable holster..................I own LOTS of EXPENSIVE holsters from several major manufacturers, but the lowly $35 Remora is the star of the show. Don't be put off by the fact that it has no belt loops...................it keeps a 1911 in place perfectly.
My wife carries a S&W Model 60 in .357. She has no problems handling it. Daughter carries a Sig P320 9MM. She is awfully good with that as well. Women can, and do 'handle' full power pistol and revolver cartridges. Some folks sell them short. The vast majority of women can shoot what we do. Heck, my daughter was shooting Metallic Silhouette with a Ruger .44 Mag when she was 12.
In my limited experience your ladies are the exception, not the rule.
My wife carries a S&W Model 60 in .357. She has no problems handling it. Daughter carries a Sig P320 9MM. She is awfully good with that as well. Women can, and do 'handle' full power pistol and revolver cartridges. Some folks sell them short. The vast majority of women can shoot what we do. Heck, my daughter was shooting Metallic Silhouette with a Ruger .44 Mag when she was 12.
In my limited experience your ladies are the exception, not the rule.
and my experience is even more limited than yours. That said, I still bet ya that more women than you think are more than capable of handling more than a .22 or a .32 ACP. Heck, my son's tiny wife carries a 9MM with +P. There are a LOT of men that are 'uncomfortable' with a full sized pistol or full power revolver. They, along with most women, can be trained to reliably shoot hand guns that have enough get up and go to be relied upon in a SD situation.
I don't recommend anything less than .380, and I only go there if they cannot handle a concealable 9mm. If they insist on carrying a .32 or .22 there isn't much I can do about it. The ones that pick the compact 9mm pistols shoot them very well. Much better I would bet than they could shoot a J-frame scandian (340 PD) Smith & Wesson in .357 Magnum - faster and more rounds on target.
My wife carries in a fanny pack designed for concealed carry.If she is some where that is not the best place to be like in a mall after dark shopping and walking to her truck ,her one hand is in the fanny pack gripping the revolve, the other hand has the car keys in it.Situation awareness is just as important as how they carry their firearm
My wife carries in a fanny pack designed for concealed carry.If she is some where that is not the best place to be like in a mall after dark shopping and walking to her truck ,her one hand is in the fanny pack gripping the revolve, the other hand has the car keys in it. Situational awareness is MORE important THAN how they carry their firearm
Fixed it for you! And I commend you for teaching your wife THE most important self defense tool at her disposal! I cannot stress situational awareness enough when teaching concealed carry classes to women or men. And I usually recommend to the ladies I've taught over the last 20 something years that wearing a holster or a fanny pack is a much better option than purse carry. In my experience, ladies are easier to teach to shoot a handgun proficiently than a man, because the ladies are better at following directions and listening than their male counterparts. Probably because they don't have all the preconceived notions about shooting that men do. And that most ladies can handle a 9mm semiauto or a +P 38 special revolver just fine and can shoot and reload very well with patient and simple instructions. I also find that if the ladies pick the handgun that fits them the best, instead of letting their husband pick it, actually end up liking it more and shooting it better because it fits their hands, not their husbands.
Purse carry is for people to feel good about having a gun, not about actually using it. Even the "concealed carry" purses are usually nothing more than an expensive purse with a zippered slot for a pistol to roll around in.
Purse carry is for people to feel good about having a gun, not about actually using it. Even the "concealed carry" purses are usually nothing more than an expensive purse with a zippered slot for a pistol to roll around in.
We have an hour long discussion regarding situational awareness, with Col. Cooper's color chart to make it more interesting. I also teach avoidance if they can avoid or retreat safely. We also discuss use of deadly force at length and discuss the case law that has shaped the use of deadly force for the entire nation. I agree with the proposition that ladies can outshoot most men. They take instruction better usually and don't have a testosterone boosted ego to feed. I bought my daughter a Glock 17 at her request and she is very good with it. My lovely bride requested a Glock 19 and she can hit things that amaze me. All this talk of a lady's class has made me want to put another one together as soon as possible. Bring some sparkling water and put mixed chocolate candy out in crystal bowls - they'll LOVE you for it!
Purse carry is for people to feel good about having a gun, not about actually using it. Even the "concealed carry" purses are usually nothing more than an expensive purse with a zippered slot for a pistol to roll around in.
They're comfortable enough to be worn all day and can be worn under anything.
Sorry, Blue but after seeing my wife use her purse, I can't agree at all.
The compartment for the gun on hers holds the gun in a horizontal position which easily presents the grip to the hand, can be carried, if needed, unzipped & easily accessible. If necessary, she can carry the purse with her hand already inside.
Kinda don't think a girdle is very practical or easily accessible, without significant mods to clothing & a significant cover garment, which for some women & some occasions, just doesn't work.
"I generally don't recommend purse-carry. If a man attacks a woman, he's after one of two things…..one of those is her purse." Il Ling New Gunsite Instructor
My wife carries in a fanny pack designed for concealed carry.If she is some where that is not the best place to be like in a mall after dark shopping and walking to her truck ,her one hand is in the fanny pack gripping the revolve, the other hand has the car keys in it. Situational awareness is MORE important THAN how they carry their firearm
Fixed it for you! And I commend you for teaching your wife THE most important self defense tool at her disposal! I cannot stress situational awareness enough when teaching concealed carry classes to women or men. And I usually recommend to the ladies I've taught over the last 20 something years that wearing a holster or a fanny pack is a much better option than purse carry. In my experience, ladies are easier to teach to shoot a handgun proficiently than a man, because the ladies are better at following directions and listening than their male counterparts. Probably because they don't have all the preconceived notions about shooting that men do. And that most ladies can handle a 9mm semiauto or a +P 38 special revolver just fine and can shoot and reload very well with patient and simple instructions. I also find that if the ladies pick the handgun that fits them the best, instead of letting their husband pick it, actually end up liking it more and shooting it better because it fits their hands, not their husbands.
+1 to all of it and yes, situational awareness is the most important, for women AND men.
Fwiw, my lady is TINY (60" tall, 90# & she wears a size 1 or 2 dress, depending on cut/style.). She also seldom wears slacks & almost NEVER shorts or pants of any sort.
Her choice, primarily because of how SMALL that her hands are, is a S&W J-frame revolver with the slimmest possible grips. - She will load it with Hornady Critical (NON-Plus P) Defense .38SPL ammo.
Darla is about to get her LTC (License to Carry) & is seeking an "on body holster" that can be concealed under her usual dress of blouse/skirt with tall boots or heels. (I'm of the opinion that "purse carry" has 2 BIG/SERIOUS problems: IF the purse is "snatched", the lady has lost her handgun & WORSE has armed her attacker.)
Right now, Darla is seeking an "under-skirt" thigh holster AND a nice shoulder holster, for the days that she wears an outer blazer or jacket.
Lenny McGill owns the Glockstore also…….my wife got the Undertech catalog the other day and it is a little like a Victoria's Secret catalog with guns (well not quite). They do have some unusual items which may or may not be appropriate for your wife.
I met McGill in about 82 at Chapman's….he was a skinny videographer doing some taping at the Academy for Ray. He had made some "Girls gone Wild" type vids of bikini-clad babes shooting full auto stuff and then an under-the-counter version of the same sans bikinis. He married a Barbiedoll looking model, got into body building and Glocks and now is a respectable business guy…….my dealings with the Glock Store have been positive..I think that dealing with his Undertech company would also be above board. If you go to the SHOT show he has a separate booth for each company so he's keeping them as separate entities.
Please explain what type of garments would be worn over the tops that would allow any kind of reasonable access to the gun other than button up/zip up loose shirts? Nice idea, but I don't see a lot of real practicality for it for most women.
The waistband versions might be useful for some.
All in all, even with the pretty remote (for an alert person) of a purse snatching, it's still much more practical & accessible in most good purses designed for that purpose.
Purse-snatching is one of the most common crimes in the USA, so it's FAR from remote that a lady may have her purse stolen, regardless of how alert that a lady is. (Over my LE career, I knew NUMEROUS ladies who "gave up" their purse to street thugs. - MANY of those ladies were either knocked to the ground, "out muscled" or threatened with a knife.)
My daughter has several thigh holsters for her little 9x18mm Makarov, to match various outfits. (My daughter was "born" matched.).
My best friend's mother was a police woman. Worked juvie. Other than qualifying, she seldom ever had to pull her gun, but she was required to carry. She was in a grocery store as it was robbed, and could not get her gun out of the bottom of her bag. After a lot of quick fumbling, she swung the entire purse with the lump of nearly useless iron in the bottom. Knocked the perp cold. However, she never lived that down at the department, until the day she died. It was even mentioned at the wake.
Another to avoid is the "Flash-Bang" holster. A woman new to it was making adjustments to it, and blew a hole through her breast. She's dead. I don't care for the idea of aiming a loaded gun at a body part, especially while holstering or drawing. It is fast, just not a good idea.
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And I commend you for teaching your wife THE most important self defense tool at her disposal! I cannot stress situational awareness enough when teaching concealed carry classes to women or men.