Ladies...do you have a prefered carry method?

[jblomenberg16]

I've recently convinced my wife that firearm ownership is a good thing. In the 5 years we've been married it has been a slow development, but she's gone from "No guns in this house" to "I'll get my LTCH and my own gun."

I still haven't convinced her to join this forum yet...but that's another discussion...

Anyhow, what's the prefered method of carrying for you ladies out there? Let me frame it a little bit in the following situations:

• When going to the grocery store / Wal-mart / Shopping
• When going out on the town to run errands, get hair or nails done, etc.
• When walking or exercising

My wife likes her .38 snubbie, but doesn't carry it as often as she should, mainly because she feels awkward with it in the IWB holster or OWB pancake holster we have for it.

About the only way she'll carry is with it in her purse.

Any suggestions?

 

[Annie Oakley]

Mine is in a custom made purse most of the time. If it is cool weather and I am wearing a jacket I have a really nice shoulder rig that gets a lot of use. Occasionally will use a pancake holster but they are the least comfortable in my opinion.

 

[drgnrobo]

My wife used a galco purse holster & never had anyone notice she was carrying.Not sure if galco carries it anymore though

 

[DesertDoc]

I wouldnt know but Galco sells a thigh rig that might help in a skirt or something

 

[MrsGungho]

I carry OWB in a galco slide holster.
It is something that each individual needs to figure out what is best for them. Some women love the convenience of a purse holster, I would never carry that way. If my purse is gone, so is my gun.
Carrying OWB takes a clothing style change also though. If I could find an IWB holster I liked, I would carry that way.

 

[slacker]

An important thing to remember is that if you are getting mugged the first thing to get grabbed will be your purse 99% of the time.

Keeping the gun somewhere on your body is a much better idea.

 

[gage]

An important thing to remember is that if you are getting mugged the first thing to get grabbed will be your purse 99% of the time.

Keeping the gun somewhere on your body is a much better idea.

+1

 

[Rookie]

My wife carries in her pocket with a clip draw.
My daughter carries in a Fobus with the gun flapping in the breeze.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Sounds like it is pretty much like it is with the guys...find a way that is comfortable and fits within your general day to day attire.

The pancake holster and IWB holster also seem to work, well as a purse holster for her. So, in the purse is better than nothing at this point. Maybe as she gets comfortable with that, she'll progress towards a holster that keeps it on her person.

 

[MySmithIsSexy]

Purse carry is fine. I have a hard time with holsters and printing. But she must learn the mechanics of drawing from her purse and that the purse is a target.

 

[Annie Oakley]

Drawing from a purse does take some practice. Mine has a built in holster that sits in between the two pockets. It closes with velcro and no one knows it is there by just looking. It also has a metal cord through the strap that can't be cut.

 

[jblomenberg16]

That's interesting. My wife has about 20 different purses she uses, so I guess a holster purse may not work. But I wonder if her popular "Wal-Mart / Grocery Store" purse couldn't be set up to have a built in holster, or at least retain on of the holsters she has so that a better draw could take place. I can envision her pulling the gun from the purse still in the holster, and then having to pull off the holster to use the gun.

 

[originalhonkey]

im in the same boat with my wife i got her a 380 bersa but she wont carry yet. thanks for the post/the help/ and keep it coming. all the help i can get

 

[Joe Williams]

Cathy likes to carry IWB, at about 5 o'clock, in a left handed straight drop holster on her right side. She prefers the grip facing forward for comfort, and it's easier for her to get a firing grip on.

 

[Joe Williams]

My wife used a galco purse holster & never had anyone notice she was carrying.Not sure if galco carries it anymore though

They carry a wide selection of purse holsters. Not to mention a couple nice backpack and day planner holsters.

 

[JetGirl]

I don't advocate off-body carry, but we all do the best we can with what we've got... Have her check out cornered cat. There's a section that deals with this topic.
I used to carry my .38 snubby IWB, just off center of small-of-back. But now I much prefer strong side OWB since I started carrying my Kimber. It's not a full sized, but I've carried one for a month or so and it wasn't much different.
I haven't tried a shoulder rig like Annie Oakley suggests, but she's not the first woman I've heard endorse them. YMMV

 

[jblomenberg16]

Cathy likes to carry IWB, at about 5 o'clock, in a left handed straight drop holster on her right side. She prefers the grip facing forward for comfort, and it's easier for her to get a firing grip on.

Is she left or right handed?

 

[Joe Williams]

Is she left or right handed?

Right handed

Like so:

 

[Jay]

Ladies, if you carry in a purse, remember that at close ranges, you don't have to draw..... you can shoot through the purse.

 

[JetGirl]

Right handed

Like so:

That's exactly how I used to carry.
Turning the grip around the "right" way was too awkward to draw smoothly from and it forced you to do this chicken wing move that was...well... nuff said.
Anyhow, people warned me and warned me about carrying that way if I should happen to fall.
Turns out I fell once in the driveway slipping on ice and once from a ladder about four rungs up. Landed on my back both times...didn't hurt more than my pride.
So tell Cathy to rock on.

Ladies, if you carry in a purse, remember that at close ranges, you don't have to draw..... you can shoot through the purse.

And that ^ is an EXCELLENT point.