Women, how do you carry?

[fullmetal1911]

Well, I've relayed all the information here to my GF and she just doesn't feel comfortable carrying on her person just yet. We did see a rack in the range store today on our way out. Gun Tote'n Mamas purses. She fell in love with one of them, and since her birthday is in a few weeks we agreed that is what I will be getting her. She needs to get more comfortable with the fact that she is carrying a firearm around with her at all times before she moves to carrying on her person. Until then I am just glad that she has a gun with her when I am not there.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[pittypat21]

I would avoid carrying in a purse. I'm not a female, so I don't have that issue anyway, but let's think about a couple things that can happen if she does.

-Purse snatched - no gun
-Leave the purse at home/in vehicle. My wife does this every once in a while. Leave your purse at home/in the car, and you're leaving your gun at home/in the car.
-in a self defense situation, in the amount of time it would take her to dig in her purse to find the gun, then pull it out, she could already be hurt/killed/victimized.

Enough reason for me to avoid it.

[lyz_grace]

Well, I've relayed all the information here to my GF and she just doesn't feel comfortable carrying on her person just yet. We did see a rack in the range store today on our way out. Gun Tote'n Mamas purses. She fell in love with one of them, and since her birthday is in a few weeks we agreed that is what I will be getting her. She needs to get more comfortable with the fact that she is carrying a firearm around with her at all times before she moves to carrying on her person. Until then I am just glad that she has a gun with her when I am not there.

When I made the decision to carry I made myself carry on-body because I'm not attached to my purse at all. A lot of times I throw some cash and the licenses/cards I need in my pocket and go, other times I just have a wallet. I was raised around guns and carrying IWB was still EXTREMELY uncomfortable (mentally, not physically) for a while. If she's anything like me, when she decides to holster carry, she's going to feel like she's got "CCW" stamped on her forehead and that everyone's staring.

Now that I've had my LCP on me for a year and a half I can wear it under any type of outfit and not think twice about it. I'm even looking for something a little bigger! She'll figure out what works for her. Props to her for making the decision in the first place

[LaraCroft10]

Apologies for thread-jacking, but it's relevant enough...

Are there holsters that are better for certain body types? I haven't started carrying yet, but I'm thinking I want to try IWB first. However, I'm a curvier girl - 5'3", 135lbs. Petite up top, but fuller hips - delightfully pear-shaped! I'm afraid that IWB will make my hips look even bigger. Is this a possibility? Perhaps I should go for something like a belly band? (I'm on the fence with the Flashbang holster...I just don't like the idea of the barrel of a loaded gun pressed against my breast...aaack!)

[Bill340]

My wife and I carry in a smartcarry,, wife had her purse stolen a few years back with a 38 j frame S&W, 2month later fedex shows up with a box, in the box was her purse a few hundred dollars and Yes a Loaded 38 spl, We could not believe fed ex never scanned the package. whoever had it must have thought long and hard about it, To this day is boggles our minds, But she will never carry it off body again, she is skinny and you can not see that J frame in that smartcarry, I carry a nano the same way,

[Foxy]

Lara...I'm 5'3" about 145lbs and curvy build I guess..full in the hips and rear lol... I carry iwb with a Crossbreed minituck or Remora at about 4:00-4:30 and find it works great for me. I'm carrying a LCP and I didn't really have to get bigger pants to fit it, so that was nice. I have to carry low on the waist to accomodate the curve in at my waist or the grip digs into my ribs.. I'm short in the torso.. my butt pushes the muzzle of the gun out a little so the grip gets pushed into my back slightly..if you can follow that lol. Anyway, my bf teases about my big ol butt and he can't tell if I'm carrying or not, so I don't think it makes my hips or butt look bigger :). Hope that helps.

[LaraCroft10]

Yes, that helps! Sounds like we have similar builds. Thanks!

(P.S. Big butts FTW!)

[firecrackerktm]

I have a Remora, belly band, DeSantis Sof Tuk, Galco Stow n Go, and an inexpensive ambidextrous IWB. I mainly carry a P238 and a P229. I like the versatility of the Remora the best so far. I can carry it lower in my pants where the Sof Tuk feels like it tips the grip outward more. I have a bit of a tummy which doesn't help. I don't think I would get a tuckable holster again, as I prefer the clips that go over the top of the belt. I never tuck my shirts in, so that's not an issue, and some of my jeans and pants with some stretch in them sag with the weight even of the little 238 dependent on the waistband alone.
I bought the Remora for the 238 to fit with the laser, but it was too small so am exchanging it. I will report when I get it back how it feels to carry with a laser.
I have a Remora as well as the Galco for the 229, and they are fairly comfortable to use but the grip is wide enough that it is difficult to conceal. I carry it more in the winter but forget about it when it's hot out.

I have found that 2-3:00 seem to work the best. I do pull the holster & gun out to drive, since sitting for long periods of time is not super comfortable. I may try rotating it farther to the right but once I get too far past the hip bones I feel like it is harder to conceal. Unfortunately I can't carry at college or at my office so that limits the amount of time I can carry at all, since I spend most of my time at one or another.

I'm still experimenting. I'm considering a Thunderwear/Smart Carry, a concealment tank top, or a Pistol Wear to use while jogging. I do not like the idea of the Flashbang, so no thank you there.

I'm also considering a shoulder rig for the 229. I've never worn one but if it were adjusted to fit the gun just under and to the side of my breast, I think I could hide it fairly well there. I haven't ponied up the money yet, however.

[zxd9]

My wife uses a generic belt slide holster for her SIG P938. We're looking for something specifically for the SIG but until then this seems to work OK. She carries it in the 2 o'clock position IWB.

[jzorn]

I don't know if your wife figured out a way to carry, but if you search on youtube for women carry, there are a few good videos