Wife to start carrying????

[prduke]

My wife has her LTCH more for insurance than anything...incase one of my guns is in a car with her, etc. But.....she said that she would be up for starting to carry. She wants something small. I have heard the S&W Bodyguard would be a good fit...small, has pre-installed laser, etc.

She also is thinking about a purse type of carry instead of on her body.

Thoughts on gun and purse carry?

Thanks!

 

[TheSpark]

My wife has her LTCH more for insurance than anything...incase one of my guns is in a car with her, etc. But.....she said that she would be up for starting to carry. She wants something small. I have heard the S&W Bodyguard would be a good fit...small, has pre-installed laser, etc.

She also is thinking about a purse type of carry instead of on her body.

Thoughts on gun and purse carry?

Thanks!

A purse is not always with you. Your body is.

As for the gun that will suit her... that is hard to recommend. She needs to go to a store and see what feels comfortable to her.

 

[Birds Away]

Please, please, please do not buy a gun until she has fired it. Not just held it in her hand but fired it. It wil save you money.

 

[prduke]

Thanks!!!
I am trying to talk her out of a purse carry...her reason...girls wear tighter clothes and can't conceal.
yes...we are going go to a store. just looking for a couple of known options that other women have or like so we don't go in with nothing. =-)

 

[Snapdragon]

I don't know if you're talking pistol or revolver. I have no experience with pistols, but I have tried about every small-frame revolver. The Bodyguard revolver, Smith airweights, and Taurus 85, IMO, do not handle recoil as well as the Ruger LCR. I have an LCR in .357 that I keep loaded with .38+P. Very easy to carry and relatively easy to shoot. The LCR also comes in .38, but the frame of the .357 has a higher metal/polymer ratio. I'm not sure about the 9mm because it's so new.

I've personally never been comfortable with the idea of purse carrying. I can't say I'd never do it, but it seems like it could be easily stolen and difficult to access.

As Birds said, it's better to try them out first. When I joined INGO, I was fortunate enough to have a local member meet me at the range and let me fire several of his guns. I'm sure someone in your area would be happy to do the same.

 

[Birds Away]

The bigger and heavier the gun is the more comfortable it will be to shoot.
Smaller and lighter mean is will be uncomfortable to shoot.
The more you shoot the more likely you are to be able to defend yourself if the time comes.
If the gun is uncomfortable to shoot then you won't shoot it very much. Then, when you need it, you won't be proficient with it.
A gun is not a talisman that will ward off evil spirits. It is a tool you must be proficient with to use properly and effectively.
Don't buy a gun she is uncomfortable shooting just because it is easily concealable.

 

[THE BIG SITT]

Your question may be better answered in the Ladies forum on here.

I'll tell you what we are in the process of doing with my wife. I recently bought an M&P9 and 9C for myself (range and carry). Once my wife has the baby in January, we plan on getting her a Shield. I realize not everything is the exact same between the Shield and the two M&Ps I just bought, but they are close enough for my purposes. Our plan is to get her to a class or two with the Shield, and then decide on how she will carry it. I will say this; women's dress varies much more than a man's. One day slacks, the next a dress. Obviously if the dress changes that often, they need to learn to train with the different carry styles they may use and be comfortable with all of them.

Purse carry seems the easiest, but also the option with the greatest chance to make a mistake. You could leave your purse at a restaurant. You could get robbed. You could throw is on the counter when you get home, only to have you 5 year old get into it looking for gum. It seems like an option when all else fails, but I'd rather try other ways first.
As far as the Bodyguard goes, it seems to be a little cheap, and some reviews have had reliability issues. Not to say you won't get a nice one, but I would rather have the Shield in 9mm than a Bodyguard.

 

[Birds Away]

Might as well talk to a brick wall.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

My wife has her LTCH more for insurance than anything...incase one of my guns is in a car with her, etc. But.....she said that she would be up for starting to carry. She wants something small. I have heard the S&W Bodyguard would be a good fit...small, has pre-installed laser, etc.

Does she want a lazer because she thinks it'll help her aim?

She also is thinking about a purse type of carry instead of on her body.

I would definitely warn against this. It may be comfortable, but in my opinion that's not a safe way to carry.

Thoughts on gun and purse carry?

Some of the other members here have already given very sound advice regarding the size of the gun and I don't have much else to add. However, I do carry a M&P Shield 9mm that your wife is welcome to try out at a range. All I ask is that you buy the ammo. The best way for her to figure out what is most comfortable and easy for her to shoot is to test out the firearm. Simply holding it at a gun shop does little good.

Thanks!

My response in bold.

 

[MCgrease08]

My wife has her LTCH more for insurance than anything...incase one of my guns is in a car with her, etc. But.....she said that she would be up for starting to carry. She wants something small. I have heard the S&W Bodyguard would be a good fit...small, has pre-installed laser, etc.

She also is thinking about a purse type of carry instead of on her body.

Thoughts on gun and purse carry?

Thanks!

I own the Bodyguard revolver in .38 spl. It is not easy to shoot and it's definitely tough on the hand.

I shot the Bodyguard 380 yesterday and I was able to control the shots a little better, but I didn't enjoy shooting that one either. It was real snappy and hit me just right in the palm which made it pretty hard on the hand. To me it was worse than a Kel-tec PF9.

I'm in Fishers and would be happy to let you and your wife try out my BG .38. It does conceal very easily but I doubt she'll want to practice with it.

I hear the Bersa Thunder 380 is a pretty soft shooter in a slightly larger frame.

 

[Jarhead77]

Mine tried a few and decided she liked the LCR 38+P.

The best advice on the thread......LET HER FIRE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE AND PICK THE ONE SHE IS COMFORTABLE WITH!

It'll make the difference between it sitting in your safe or on her person....

 

[Outlaw]

My wife ended up going with a pk380. Its a lil heavier than the smaller 380's and makes it easier for her to shoot. She has about 500 rounds through it so far with no problems.

 

[cbhausen]

One of the best female-oriented self-defense (including firearms) web sites out there:

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

All kinds of advice you are seeking can be found there.

 

[ChalupaCabras]

I've owned a few pistols with lasers - take it from me, the only thing they are good for is showing you just how unsteady you really are. If you've never used a pistol laser before it will blow you away just how jittery you actually are.

IMO a good pair of irons is faster and easier to aim with than a laser.

My wife has the same problems with carry - womens belts are not up to the task, the fit of their pants is much tighter, and their pockets are obsurdly small... And according to her, all of the dedicated CCW purses are "ugly". She settled on carrying it in her bra cup, because it was the only way it could be concealed and still be reasonably accessable and still dress like a lady.

 

[prduke]

Your question may be better answered in the Ladies forum on here.

I'll tell you what we are in the process of doing with my wife. I recently bought an M&P9 and 9C for myself (range and carry). Once my wife has the baby in January, we plan on getting her a Shield. I realize not everything is the exact same between the Shield and the two M&Ps I just bought, but they are close enough for my purposes. Our plan is to get her to a class or two with the Shield, and then decide on how she will carry it. I will say this; women's dress varies much more than a man's. One day slacks, the next a dress. Obviously if the dress changes that often, they need to learn to train with the different carry styles they may use and be comfortable with all of them.

Good Idea...Let me post in that forum...did not even think about that...Duh!!!!
I have an XD9 and my EDC is a Kahr CW9...she said the XD is to big and is 50/50 on the Kahr....As far as Purse carry...i am anti that....just need to have some others to agree with me =-)


Purse carry seems the easiest, but also the option with the greatest chance to make a mistake. You could leave your purse at a restaurant. You could get robbed. You could throw is on the counter when you get home, only to have you 5 year old get into it looking for gum. It seems like an option when all else fails, but I'd rather try other ways first.
As far as the Bodyguard goes, it seems to be a little cheap, and some reviews have had reliability issues. Not to say you won't get a nice one, but I would rather have the Shield in 9mm than a Bodyguard

 

[prduke]

My response in bold.

I think she feels that if the dot is on target, she'll have a better chance of hitting....i want to her learn with sights....what if it's extra sunny, what if the battery is dead, etc.
As far as purse carry...totally agree...I am not for that. =-)

 

[prduke]

One of the best female-oriented self-defense (including firearms) web sites out there:

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

All kinds of advice you are seeking can be found there.

Thanks...I'll check it out and have her also.

 

[actaeon277]

This woman has some good stuff
https://www.youtube.com/user/faliaphotography?app=desktop&persist_app=1

And this is on holsters
https://www.youtube.com/user/faliaphotography?app=desktop&persist_app=1

 

[prduke]

This woman has some good stuff
https://www.youtube.com/user/faliaphotography?app=desktop&persist_app=1

And this is on holsters
https://www.youtube.com/user/faliaphotography?app=desktop&persist_app=1

Thanks...I bookmark those as well

 

[SkinNFluff]

Femme Fatale Holsters - Elegant concealed carry holsters.

Women's Gun Holsters for Hip, Thigh and Waist concealed carry

Here are a couple sites to have her look at for some feminine carry holsters. Carrying on your person i not a limited as it use to be.