Info and advice for my mother, please

[Norman]

As you might gather from the title, my mother wants to break through into the gun community. She wants to take a basic handgun course, buy a handgun she is comfortable with, and get her concealed weapons permit. She's also curious as to how women who dress feminine conceal a weapon on their person.

I told her I would come here and ask, since she is not a member, and does not really do the "online thing". I have explained a lot about how something light and with little recoil doesn't necessarily go hand-in-hand. Recoil and the loud report of a gun still startles her, I believe. I am steering her towards a quality, perhaps more expensive basic handgun course taught by someone who has worked, and works well, with females. Her boyfriend (who really is a good guy) wants to give her a handgun (some sort of .380), but she doesn't like it because she says it's too heavy and the slide is hard to rack. I'm hoping she can try out my Walther PPS 9mm. But I told her it's up to her to find out what she likes best, and to understand that any small, concealable firearm is going to feel more recoil and probably create a louder report than a larger, heavier firearm. She trusts me for firearms knowledge, and she understands she will need to just get comfortable with them.

Anyhow, she (and I, honestly) are still curious as to how women effectively conceal firearms on their person while wearing something besides jeans and a shirt or polo, because she's not the jeans and belt type. Never has been. Your suggestions will go straight to her. Thank you in advance.

[DustyJacket]

smartcarry can work under a dress. Confy from what I hear.

[Norman]

smartcarry can work under a dress. Confy from what I hear.


Sure, but what if what she is wearing is more form fitting than what guys wear? Guys don't wear form fitting stuff unless you're in uniform or if you're at the gym.

What does a woman who doesn't want to have a bulge in the middle of a dress do?

[Swattie's Wife]

I think that's great your Mom wants to do that. Mine thinks that "guns kill people" (she's a little crazy). I'm trying to find a purse myself to carry once I get my CCL. That's how I will be carrying. But trying to find the "right purse" is the challenge! :upeyes:

[Norman]

I think that's great your Mom wants to do that. Mine thinks that "guns kill people" (she's a little crazy). I'm trying to find a purse myself to carry once I get my CCL. That's how I will be carrying. But trying to find the "right purse" is the challenge! :upeyes:

I'm sure someone has told you that carrying in your purse is not the best idea, right?

[scoose]

The CCW purses are useful and many are attractive. My mom has one and you cannot tell it's a CCW purse.

However, a couple drawbacks to the purses IMO are that you have to open a compartment to get to the weapon ( on most of them ) and if you get separated from your purse you are separated from your weapon.

[Swattie's Wife]

I'm sure someone has told you that carrying in your purse is not the best idea, right?


I can think of one person who has told me. :whistling:

I've had good practice at keeping the purse "on" me since I have a stun gun. In fact, last nite after the movies I took it out of my purse and put it in my pocket (with my hand on it) as well as Sean holding on to his knife. For some reason we both felt that we needed to be prepared. I will be glad when I get my CCL though. I'm always afraid I'm going to turn on my stun gun and end up getting myself! :shocked: (I haven't had to use it yet but if my "stalker" at school keeps it up he's gonna get stapped!)

[Norman]

(I haven't had to use it yet but if my "stalker" at school keeps it up he's gonna get stapped!)

Did you mean to say stopped, stunned, or stapled? :supergrin:



Bump because I'm really hoping for advice for my mom on this one. Pretty please?

[FrogWithAGlock]

If she takes the Basic Pistol course through an NRA instructor, they will let her handle several types, and help her choose one, as part of the course.

[ancient_serpent]

My advice is to spend the money, get her to a quality instructor, but most of all let her choose her own handgun. Don't let her settle for what the boyfriend wants her to carry. My GF after a good amount of firing many different guns decided on a Glock 23 for example, not something in a mouse gun caliber.

[Norman]

My advice is to spend the money, get her to a quality instructor, but most of all let her choose her own handgun. Don't let her settle for what the boyfriend wants her to carry. My GF after a good amount of firing many different guns decided on a Glock 23 for example, not something in a mouse gun caliber.


I am steering her towards a quality, perhaps more expensive basic handgun course taught by someone who has worked, and works well, with females...

But I told her it's up to her to find out what she likes best...


We're on the same page. :winkie:

[Mrs.Cicero]

She can go IWB in slacks with a fairly long jacket over that if she doesn't mind the bulk, or purse carry when it's hot, but there really aren't a lot of other choices if she's a petite to average size woman and a dress really limits that to purse carry. I have yet to find anything but a purse that works for my HK Compact when I'm in a dress or skirt. And due to size constraints (you can't hide much on a 125# 5'4'' frame - I have to go OWB and a jacket when in jeans.

Mrs.C

[janice6]

I think that's great your Mom wants to do that. Mine thinks that "guns kill people" (she's a little crazy). I'm trying to find a purse myself to carry once I get my CCL. That's how I will be carrying. But trying to find the "right purse" is the challenge! :upeyes:

I AM NOT FEMALE: (some don't know)
I searched long and hard and found that you can get the $200 purses for around $50 if you look hard enough. Use concealed carry purses for search. Wife found two she liked.

Another woman across the street always wears slacks and likes the ankle carry.

ALSO: My wife can't rack a slide on anything. She finally bought a Beretta Tomcat Titanium (?). It has a slide but if you don't want to do that, you can flip the "barrel flip up" lever and the shell in the barrel can be picked out/or placed into.

]It's a 32 cal but if you empty the mag it's like buckshot.

[abq87120]

Yeah, she needs to shoot a few guns before settling on one. My wife and I both had a shooting instructor take to his range. He let us shoot several calibers and models of guns, both revolvers and semi's. He started with a .22 to teach the wife how to stand, grip, aim, squeeze, etc. She had her best groups with a G26 after a couple of sessions so that's what we both started with. The extra money we spent was well worth it. She can shoot circles around me with it when she's in the mood.

Dan in ABQ

[Norman]

She can go IWB in slacks with a fairly long jacket over that if she doesn't mind the bulk, or purse carry when it's hot, but there really aren't a lot of other choices if she's a petite to average size woman and a dress really limits that to purse carry. I have yet to find anything but a purse that works for my HK Compact when I'm in a dress or skirt. And due to size constraints (you can't hide much on a 125# 5'4'' frame - I have to go OWB and a jacket when in jeans.

Mrs.C

She must be 5'2" and 140 lbs. Not much place to conceal something. I like your suggestion about slacks and a dressy jacket, sort of a business casual look. I think she definitely needs something slim, such as the Walther PPS. Ankle carry could be an option also. And a smartcarry holster may work well in some scenarios, too.

That was good, Mrs. C, thank you. Any more "Here's what I do" type answers from the women? That certainly helped.

[Mrs.Cicero]

You're quite welcome. FWIW, if she considers ankle carry, she needs to make sure she can access the gun quickly and consistently. Back, hip, or knee problems make this carry problematic, due to the crouch required to draw.
Mrs.C

[Mrs.Cicero]

I AM NOT FEMALE: (some don't know)

ALSO: My wife can't rack a slide on anything.

Is she trying to pinch the slide between her thumb and index finger? That's the most common reason for being unable to rack a slide. If that's what she is doing, show her how to rack it with her whole hand over the top - meat of the hand on the left, fingers on the right (assuming a righthanded shooter), and then, instead of ONLY pulling toward herself with the hand over the top, make sure she is PUNCHING forward with the right hand on the grip, too. Made all the difference in the world to me.

Mrs.C

[MrsKitty]

My GF after a good amount of firing many different guns decided on a Glock 23 for example, not something in a mouse gun caliber.

As did I :supergrin:

[MrsKitty]

What does a woman who doesn't want to have a bulge in the middle of a dress do?

Smart carry, day planner or purse. Ankle might be possible in a super-long skirt.

You have to change the way you dress to carry if you're a female (depending on how you normally dress). That's just all there is to it.

[newg17shooter]

I carry in a Galco purse -- and no one knows it's there (but me). Easily accessible, and even more so now that I've had the NRA Self Defense Training, and have learned how to correctly draw and move the purse. I highly recommend it.

I've also attended a Ladies' Action Handgun Camp with Kay Miculek, Lisa Munson, Kippi Leatham, Cindy Noyes, Annette Aysen, Judy Wooley and headed up by Deb Ferns (author of "Babes With Bullets: Women Having Fun With Guns"; www.babeswithbullets.net (http://www.babeswithbullets.net)); headed to my second camp in 5 weeks in Louisiana; and recommend these camps even more -- these camps are great fun, and give women a chance to learn from world class instructors, as well as other women.

I am getting ready to get my NRA Instructors' credentials for Pistol, Shotgun & Rifle. I started out just wanting to shoot skeet...

[GirlyGlock]

I got started with a 38 revolver and then expanded from there. I'm not crazy about the 380's because they tend to have more of a kick due to the blow back style action.

I am 5'10" and tend to wear slacks/skirts and blouses. I currently carry my
G26 almost exclusively IWB. I find it comfortable and easy to access.

You do have to change your style of clothes slightly, but the style of shirts that are fitted at the top, flow away from the body at the waist and fall below your waist are conceal things well. I haven't had to change my pants/skirts very much. A blazer is also a nice way to dress things up a bit.

The most important things is that she is comfortable with what she carrys and how it looks (or doesn't look) under her clothes.

Let you mother know that it is fine to try a few things to find what she likes and feels confident with.

Keep encouraging and supporting her and she'll do well! :)

[Cat91]

I generally use a Coronado purse. They last forever, I'm on Year 3 with mine and it still looks barely used.

I use a shoulder rig under a blazer when I carry on my person. It is much more comfortable than IWB and I can get to my weapon fast.

Plus, I carry a full size service auto (HK USP40 Variant 1, for the foreseeable future), so Smartcarries et al are not only mega slow but don't work even a little with the painted-on jeans I wear. I'm 5'11" and weigh about 160. Size ten all the way around.

Miao, Ca

[janice6]

Is she trying to pinch the slide between her thumb and index finger? That's the most common reason for being unable to rack a slide. If that's what she is doing, show her how to rack it with her whole hand over the top - meat of the hand on the left, fingers on the right (assuming a righthanded shooter), and then, instead of ONLY pulling toward herself with the hand over the top, make sure she is PUNCHING forward with the right hand on the grip, too. Made all the difference in the world to me.

Mrs.C

I can explain more: She is 70 years old and has arthritis.