To the mom's here....

[KokuRyu77]

So this isn't ONLY for moms, but I want to get my wife more involved in CCW. IE, I would like her to carry daily.
I have a Shield Plus I am considering giving her but for her to carry, off body is likely her preference.

Does anyone here have experience in off body carry (gals or guys)?
Then are there any classes that teach techniques for off body carry?

Thank you ladies (and gents) and more experienced individuals than I!

 

[KokuRyu77]

So I had a chat with the Mrs last night about her starting to CCW. She agreed to it, and in regard to carrying in a purse, she has reasonable concerns with it getting snatched and thus her gun would be gone.
Thankfully she wears her purse crossbody which helps, and she also has her head on a swivel ALL the time.
So I feel it's her best bet. Now I just need to find one that is sort of like her Vera Bradley....

 

[INP8riot]

My wife purse carries. There are good inserts that go into the purse that can be switch from purse to purse. My wife carries a CZ P01 (G19 comparable size) and most of the conceal carry purses have the pockets that are made for freaking Derringers! Seriously small. And some of the quality is not good in some brands. My wife gave up looking for one of those and bought an insert. It holds the gun upright in the purse.

She just can't leave her purse in the cart and wander off. My wife won't leave the cart even if I'm standing there! A $500 gun even if stolen is still worth the insurance it provides while on her.

 

[KokuRyu77]

My wife purse carries. There are good inserts that go into the purse that can be switch from purse to purse. My wife carries a CZ P01 (G19 comparable size) and most of the conceal carry purses have the pockets that are made for freaking Derringers! Seriously small. And some of the quality is not good in some brands. My wife gave up looking for one of those and bought an insert. It holds the gun upright in the purse.

She just can't leave her purse in the cart and wander off. My wife won't leave the cart even if I'm standing there! A $500 gun even if stolen is still worth the insurance it provides while on her.

I'll have to look into an insert. I like that idea.... WAY more discreet than some of the bags I'm finding. Although, some are pretty nice too!
More than the gun getting stolen, her worry with her purse getting grabbed is the criminal could use the gun on her and take the kids (or other crime).

 

[MCgrease08]

I want to get my wife more involved in CCW. IE, I would like her to carry daily.

I have a Shield Plus I am considering giving her but for her to carry, off body is likely her preference.

So I feel it's her best bet.

I'll have to look into an insert. I like that idea.... WAY more discreet than some of the bags I'm finding.

What does she want? Your statements are pretty focused on you, and what you want her to do. This can lead down a road where she is less likely to carry long term if she isn't the one making decisions in the process of picking the gun, the accessories, method of carry etc.

A lot of men have gone down this path of trying to drive behaviors and decisions and it rarely works.

her worry with her purse getting grabbed is the criminal could use the gun on her and take the kids (or other crime).

Only twice do you reference her input and both times it's to say that she has concerns with off body carry. That's a sign. Listen to those concerns.

Off body is less than ideal in the best of circumstances but more so when the person you're pushing to carry has very legitimate concerns with it. Wearing a purse cross body allows a bad guy to grab the purse strap and use it as a leveraging tool to have nearly complete control over her body to throw her to the ground. Check out the Active Self Protection YouTube channel for examples of these types of attacks.

This isn't criticism, just a watch out to consider the approach. Go slow. Let her take a basic class, preferably one that is for ladies only. Maybe one where you aren't involved. She can try a lot of different guns and get an idea of what fits her hands and that she likes shooting. Get her comfortable with a pistol then open the discussion about how and when to carry. Go at her pace.

I also recommend the book, The Cornered Cat by Kathy Jackson. It is written by a woman for women and covers all of these aspects of concealed carry for women, from picking a gun, learning to dress around the gun, methods of carry etc. It's an excellent resource.

Cornered Cat | If you have to fight, fight like a cornered cat.

Good luck.

 

[KokuRyu77]

@MCgrease08 Wow. Thanks for the gut check. You took a lot of time with your input. I truly appreciate it and I've been contemplating a lot since I saw this last night and definitely realized some conclusions and concepts I've rushed to apply.

I will say, my wife has shot my Shield before and didn't have much to say about it.... good or bad. But she's also shot an over-under Derringer pistol and thought it was awesome. A bit odd in my opinion. Lol

The bigger ah-ha your post got thinking about was the off-body carry.... my thought for her was it would be "easy," even though I don't prefer it either. She could start "sooner" (after she shot more.... and you mentioned a women's only course which I didn't think about as well until you said it). But reading your response, got me thinking how it's not about "easy" for CC EDC. I understand it's a lifestyle not a fad and it's a serious decision to consider and implement but not because it's "easy."

Hopefully I'm making sense, but bottom line is I'm glad you posted because I am certainly taking a knee, drinking some water, and going to go at her pace. Not mine.

Thanks again @MCgrease08

 

[cosermann]

. . . in regard to carrying in a purse, she has reasonable concerns with it getting snatched and thus her gun would be gone. . .

She's not wrong, that's one of the risks of off-body carry.

Another is leaving one's bag somewhere unattended, not having control over the firearm at all times, and the resulting accidents, etc. (many of which have occurred with off-body carry).

Typically, slower access. Not having your gun when you need it (because you set it down somewhere, left it in the car, etc.).

An so on. . .

 

[Leo]

I bought my wife a concealment purse. Opening the top it just looks like a regular, 2 compartment purse. There is a tab that opens the end where a K frame smith travels just fine.

Since I have known her, she has left a purse in the McDonald's washroom in Michigan. In a restaurant booth in Tennessee, In a shopping cart left in the parking lot at a big store, and the YWCA in another town. She is also bad about leaving it in plain sight on the car seat and leaving the car unlocked. She was raised on a farm where the town had 80 people, and her dad left keys hanging in all vehicles and they left the back door unlocked in case a neighbor needed anything.

I watched her with the concealment purse, and she was no better at keeping track of it. When she left it on a picnic table at the park I decided off body carry was not her forte'.

Some people just will not adapt. I proved I can change, after years of marriage, I have learned to be a grumpy old man just fine.

 

[rugertoter]

So I had a chat with the Mrs last night about her starting to CCW. She agreed to it, and in regard to carrying in a purse, she has reasonable concerns with it getting snatched and thus her gun would be gone.
Thankfully she wears her purse crossbody which helps, and she also has her head on a swivel ALL the time.
So I feel it's her best bet. Now I just need to find one that is sort of like her Vera Bradley....

Consider yourself lucky. My wife will go shooting with me, at times, but has no interest in CC.

 

[DRob]

OP, I see you're in New Pal so you're not far from Highsmith's in Greenfield. Last I knew, there was a chapter of the Armed Women of America meeting there. I suggest your wife look into that and stop taking advice from men about how a woman should/could/would carry a gun as well as what gun to carry.

Also check out Lena Miculek's videos.

 

[KokuRyu77]

OP, I see you're in New Pal so you're not far from Highsmith's in Greenfield. Last I knew, there was a chapter of the Armed Women of America meeting there. I suggest your wife look into that and stop taking advice from men about how a woman should/could/would carry a gun as well as what gun to carry.

Also check out Lena Miculek's videos.

I'll look into if Highsmiths has that.
Indy Arms Company has a class and chapter there that I was going to try and get her to.... but Highsmiths is way closer and may be easier for her; because smaller class size.
I never considered looking at videos, but Lena Miculek would be a good one to watch/follow!

 

[Hatin Since 87]

Without reading all of the replies, please advise against purse carrying. Off body carry has many problems and issues, and if you need it in a split second digging through a purse or bag for it is the difference in life or death. Carry it concealed, on your person, and train that way.

 

[TheGrumpyGuy]

OP, I see you're in New Pal so you're not far from Highsmith's in Greenfield. Last I knew, there was a chapter of the Armed Women of America meeting there. I suggest your wife look into that and stop taking advice from men about how a woman should/could/would carry a gun as well as what gun to carry.

Also check out Lena Miculek's videos.

Another good resource, from the female perspective - a ton of good info on her channel

https://www.youtube.com/@SheEquipsHerself

 

[wisboy]

As bacon hater says ....off body carry can be problematic.