Off-Body Carry

[WETSU]

This was one of my students in the Mastiff Pistolcraft 101 class this past weekend. She carries in a Browning purse, designed for CCW. Yet she had never practiced drawing from her purse We discovered all kinds of problems once I started making her draw from the purse. The extended mag snagged on the opening. The velcro strap she used to "hold the gun in place" was unneeded, and drastically slowed down her access to her firearm.

If you choose to carry off-body, please practice that way! Instructors, if you have students in class that carry off-body, MAKE them practice that way!

 

[cosermann]

Was her purse also full of all the stuff she'd normally have in there?

 

[JettaKnight]

Was her purse also full of all the stuff she'd normally have in there?

Like stuff the obstruct the draw and potentially get caught up in the trigger?

 

[chenowethpm]

I believe that there is a specific pocket in the side that only the firearm goes in. That being said, I’d just grab hold and shoot through the bag.

 

[bwframe]

Was in a class some years ago with a female attempting to use a carry purse. She pointed out that to afford a reasonable draw from the purse at any location the shoulder strap for the purse needed to lay between her breasts. At least for her build, this was not optimum or comfortable.

 

[cosermann]

Even with purses that have a dedicated pocket, stuff in the other areas of the purse tends to impinge on that pocket - unless the purse would have a semi-rigid panel between the two, which I've not yet seen.

You want to carry in a purse, load it up and train like you carry. If you don't then you don't really know - for sure - how it's going to work (or not as the case may be) in practice.

Kudos to Wetsu for trying to inject some reality into her training.

 

[WETSU]

Yes, this was a dedicated purse, like a Hiding Hilda type, with an outside, side zip pouch that held a holster. It fit her gun very snug (Springfield XDS 9) with no need for the retention strap to keep it in position. With the extended mag (hubby's idea, 'cause more is better) it was impossible to acquire a proper firing grip and draw the weapon because she had to adjust, and move the gun for the mag to clear the zipper at the bottom of the pouch opening. Once we got her sorted out, she did great!

 

[CindyE]

I believe that there is a specific pocket in the side that only the firearm goes in. That being said, I’d just grab hold and shoot through the bag.

I don't carry like that often, but that was my plan, too. Forget drawing, just shoot right through the purse. I always carry it on my right shoulder anyway, if walking into a dark parking lot or other sketchy place, I'd probably already have my hand in that gun pocket and ready(but not on the trigger). I could probably shoot through that purse quicker than I could draw from my waistband.

 

[cosermann]

... Forget drawing, just shoot right through the purse. ...

Which should also be practiced to see what the realities are. . .

 

[chezuki]

Which should also be practiced to see what the realities are. . .

I predict cycling issues and possible stove-pipes. I suppose a hammerless snubby would at least function.

 

[Old Dog]

Shooting through the purse, I would wonder if the slide might not impact a wrist and hurt like heck, depending on how the wrist was orientated to the grip.

 

[cosermann]

I predict cycling issues and possible stove-pipes. I suppose a hammerless snubby would at least function.

Yep, and accuracy will suffer.

 

[rhino]

I would hope that anyone who actually intends to shoot through a pocket, purse, or other bag would be using a revolver. That's not a great plan for a self-loader.

 

[dudley0]

Was in a class some years ago with a female attempting to use a carry purse. She pointed out that to afford a reasonable draw from the purse at any location the shoulder strap for the purse needed to lay between her breasts. At least for her build, this was not optimum or comfortable.

This is how the wife and oldest carry their purses. They do it because they feel it will make the purse less of a target. I am torn on this because if someone grabs it they are going down with the purse. Unless someone cuts the strap from behind they know what is happening.

On a side note, neither carry in the purse.

I guess I purse carry of sorts. I have a spare pistol and couple extra mags in my GHB, which I rarely actually carry while walking around. I could not get the things out fast enough to do any good. They are off body back-ups only.