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February 09, 2012, 06:03:14 AM
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Author Topic: Women carrying (a handgun)  (Read 1393 times)
Aura
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Posts: 219


« on: February 25, 2010, 12:10:11 PM »

It's been forever since I've posted, so hello to all.  Kiss

I am in the process of getting a handgun to carry. This would double for me as a self-defense weapon as well as home defense. The plan is for me to carry nearly all the time, but especially at home during the day or when I'm out w/o dh. If I'm out, that would definitely mean carrying concealed, and probably concealed at home as well. (Don't care to have the neighbors go bug-eyed when I walk to the mailbox. Roll Eyes )

Dh is helping me find the right handgun, but I'm afraid he's not much help when it comes to figuring out the nuances of a woman carrying concealed.  Wink Here's where I'm hoping some of you might could help. Do any of you carry and where a skirt at the same time? Can you tell me what kind of set up you have and why you chose what you did?

The first website that I came across was http://www.corneredcat.com/Kids/kidstorage.aspx. I've also watched several of the youtubes by limalife. She's got several excellent ones, even one on carrying a gun and a baby.

She's got one specifically on choosing a comfortable IWB (in waist band) holster. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGAb3JpUigM She talks about this and wearing pants. But I tend to wear skirts, especially in warmer weather (and I live in GA, so that's a lot of the time). Does anyone have any experience with this? Is there any advice or considerations you could share? I would love some input from other women.

In the above youtube, Limalife talked about having several guns and holsters to choose from, but I am not going to have that option. When I get my gun, that will be it, so I'm trying to make sure I make the best choice the first time. So any advice or thoughts would be great, especially from a woman's point of view in regards to carrying concealed with curves  Wink and skirts and of course dealing w/ the kiddos, too.
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RunAmokFarm
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« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2010, 12:23:42 PM »

What I have found to be a great way for a "momma" to conceal, is a simple, leather fanny (gun) pack.  Something like the one found here: http://www.holsterheaven.com/... and it is multi-purpose, as you can carry your wallet, and keys too!   Grin

I like it, because though it is out in the open, not too many folks would every suspect... and they fit small as well as larger framed handguns (so, if you do, eventually, end up with more than one handgun, this would work for both.)
J
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Aura
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Posts: 219


« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2010, 02:02:54 PM »

That looks like a nice fanny pack, but I really don't like fanny packs in general.  Undecided It's just a personal preference. I was thinking about a belt that I could wear on top of a skirt/blouse combo or perhaps the belly band http://masterofconcealment.com/pgroup_descrip/266_Belly+Band/3803_The+Original+Belly+Band/?return=%3ftpl%3Dindex%26category_id%3D266%26_Belly%2BBand%2F under a skirt.  Any experience with either of these?
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David Coles
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« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2010, 05:38:26 PM »

Caught this thread thru the RSS feed... don't generally read the keepers at home section, but CC caught my eye  Wink

The belly bands are very hot and sweaty, esp if you're down south.  They're not very comfortable at all long term, plus depending on how heavy your weapon is, they're not a very secure grip... so if you run around a lot or find yourself coraling kids, etc, they're not the most secure...

Mind if I ask what you're trying to conceal?  A full size 1911 or glock is a different animal than a KelTec or other mini frame .38

-Dave
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Aura
Adept

Posts: 219


« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2010, 07:15:19 AM »

We haven't decided yet what I'm getting. I'm still learning/reading. As soon as my parents get back in town, then we can leave the kids with them and actually go shoot some. My mom also has a revolver of some kind that I can practice with.

I know I do not want a "beginner's" gun. This is the only gun I'm planning on getting--I am not choosing a gun in the morning based on what I'm wearing that day Tongue--and I'm not going to stay a beginner. I learn quick, so I don't want something that I'm going to out-grow in a few months. Dh heartily agrees on this. He knows me.  Grin

That being said, I simply want one that will hold the largest ammo (pack the biggest punch) in the size that I can handle. At the moment, I'm leaning towards a revolver of some type because of their versatility and their reliability--but this is all based on what I've read and heard. I actually rather like the way a glock looks...but that isn't really the issue.  Grin


Sorry, I'm rambling. Anyway, I'm figuring on some kind of medium-sized handgun, not something tiny to stuff in a pocket and not something real big, either. Whatever, it's got to be secure and be able to stay put while I do a lot of moving around--which sounds like the belly band might NOT be the way to go, then. Thanks for the headsup on that. Any other suggestions?
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David Coles
Learning

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« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2010, 12:08:23 PM »

the biggest thing is to go and ideally shoot, but at least hold as many different guns as you can get your hands on... you've got to be comfortable with whatever you wind up choosing.

Once you've figured out the best gun, THEN you can figure out the best way to carry that specific gun in the most comfortable way...

I frankly wouldn't worry too much about the caliber, almost any personal protection round out there has enough juice to get the job done.  Having said that, I personally wouldn't carry anything less than .38 special.  Some folks like 9mm, I like either .40 or .45ACP

This is one of those things that, outside of some general guidelines, is an intensely personal decision.  The best advice is go spend an hour or two at a good gun store (possibly even one with attached pistol range that will rent you a variety of guns to try out) and shoot as many as you can in as many different calibers as you reasonably can...  I personally favor a revolver for my wife, it's simple, basic, mostly foolproof, and very very safe to carry loaded.

The simple truth is, carry what you're comfortable with.  Find it, then train with it... the old saying is "beware the man (woman?) with one gun - he may know how to use it".  Any of the +P rounds are nasty and if shot well will stop a threat - so focus mostly on the "shot well" - find a gun you can shoot well and don't worry as much about the rest.

I'm a huge fan of the IWB holsters, but I don't wear a dress, so I don't know what that's worth... but I can carry a .45ACP 1911 in regular pants with a dress shirt tucked in with no problems.  That's cool.  I would guess that if you can wear a gun belt with the dress (skirt?  Separated bottom half?) then you'd be just fine with an IWB... they make some pretty ornate gunbelts for this purpose, that you'd never guess were "gunbelts" - but they're beefy enough to support the weight of your sidearm...

Also, be ready to spend some money on different setups before you settle on the best one for you... I've tried many different setups, almost all of which I hated, until I found the one I use now which is very comfortable.  It'll take some time, like I said before - it's an intensely personal thing and no one will be able to tell you the right way, beyond some basic guidelines.
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amy3js
Master

Posts: 1557



« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2010, 07:27:48 PM »

My sister recently had me repair her ankle holster. I don't know enough about guns to know what she carries, but I know she prefers to carry it around her ankle. She does not wear skirts, generally speaking, but maybe that would be an option if your skirts are mostly long?? My mom mostly carries hers in her purse, but she ALWAYS has a purse on her, so it's a good option for her. HTH.  Smiley
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