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CCW for daughter

4K views 35 replies 25 participants last post by  MrsHB 
#1 ·
Greetings all!

Looking for a great concealed carry gun for my daughter. Shooting only 7 months, she's become very proficient with my Charter .38 SPL undercover snub. I was considering a semi-auto for her such as the Ruger LC9 or the Baretta Nano as I would prefer for her to have a larger caliber than a .380 or .38 SPL. The problem I see is racking the slide on the semi. It just seems too difficult for her to do it smoothly and quickly and too easy to do it incorrectly under stress. (I know, train, train, train). She's fine with recoil, but it seems to me a revolver would be a more reliable and simple weapon to use under stress. Aim and shoot until it goes click. She a small woman, 5'4" 105 lbs. Concealment of revolvers is not as easy as semi auto, I think, especially for a young woman and especially in warm weather. So what I'm looking for is a small, light revolver .38 SPL +P. Considering Ruger LCR and S&W 637 or 638 Airweight. Any ideas?

Tom
 
#2 ·
First, I'd ask HER if she'd prefer a semi or auto. If she doesn't like a gun, she's not going to carry it or want to practice with it.

As far as semis go, Cornered Cat | If you have to fight, fight like a cornered cat. has a great article on racking the slide. Trust me, we can handle it if we choose a semi, even us little gals.

From what I've read, propel either love or hate the LC9. I carried one for about 6 months. Easy as can be to conceal, but I hated the trigger pull. Sold it and got an XDsc. I carry that one daily now and love it. (I'm about your daughters size)

Www.packingpretty.com is a great resource IMO for dressing around a gun.

(too easy to rack a slide incorrectly under stress?! I don't understand how you can rack it wrong? I carry with one in the chamber anyway, but that line confuses me)
 
#11 ·
Well said, let her decide what is best for her. She will be happy and you wont waste money.
 
#19 ·
+1.....bought the LCR for my wife who also could not rack slide on my semi automatics. This is a great revolver.
Easy to shoot and not much recoil due to the Hogue grip.
 
#4 ·
I wouldn't pick a carry gun for any woman in my life. I'd let her decide, offering minimal advice, and follow behind with my checkbook to pay for it. Even if I didn't like what she picked. Neither would I teach my wife or daughter a concealed weapon class. Basic safety, sure, but no more than that. I wouldn't pick her purse or shoes either. Getting her what I think she needs is a recipie for disaster.
 
#6 ·
Mine is turning 21 later this year and she wants hers.Last time she was here on school break,I took her to the range and let her become familiar with a few of mine.Sad thing is,the one she liked the best was my colt 1903 with pearl handles.It was my grandfathers........So we went to LGS and let her handle some more( Dont know if I could part with the colt)
 
#7 ·
Thanks Lish, great reply. What I mean by racking the slide wrong, is not gripping it correctly, not pulling it back far enough to chamber the first round quickly, pinching fingers etc. Training is key of course, but a stressful situation can cause anyone to make mistakes, sweaty or wet fingers. You're absolutely correct it is her preference, but it just seems a revolver would be more practical but more difficult to conceal. Thanks again for your comments.
 
#10 ·
Gotcha. I rack the slide more by holding the slide with my weak hand and thrusting the gun forward with my right. The hardest thing for me is engaging the darn slide lock button, I've had that problem with all my guns though, so it's not my gun it's my hand strength. It's only an issue when I clean it, otherwise I load the magazine, chamber a round, drop the mag and add another round back in the mag. Extra steps but it does the trick and saves me the frustration.

I carry a double stack...I wonder if a revolver is much more difficult to conceal? Idk I've never tried to carry a revolver.
 
#8 ·
Thanks DaveCO. She's put a few hundred rounds through my revolver and is very comfortable with it. But she thinks it would be difficult to carry concealed. I would certainly let her have that one and get a new one, but I'm kind of attached to it, (or should I say it's attached to me.... :) )
 
#9 ·
Youtube blogger faliaphotography has posted a number of videos about CCW (firearms and holsters) for women. I've pointed a number of women to her channel and they've all felt her reviews and opinions are very useful. I think she does an excellent job with this subject. Here's one, but there are many more.

Selecting a First Handgun (woman's perspective) - YouTube
 
#12 ·
I'd prefer she didn't carry with one in the chamber, especially if she decides on the Baretta Nano which doesn't have a manual safety. Racking is going to have to happen, and happen quickly. That's a great tip Lish, holding the slide in the left hand and pushing forward with the right hand. I'll have her try that and see if it helps.
 
#21 ·
I'd prefer she didn't carry with one in the chamber, especially if she decides on the Baretta Nano which doesn't have a manual safety. Racking is going to have to happen, and happen quickly...
She would be MUCH better off with your CA snubbie than a semi-auto with an empty chamber! If she doesn't have time for "racking to happen", she just might be SOL. All modern, high quality semi-autos that I know of are designed to (safely!) carry with a round chambered. I would, though, avoid a single action (e.g. 1911-style).

A CA Undercover, or Off-Duty (or a J-Frame, LCR, or similar) is really very easy to conceal, and a much better choice than an empty-chambered semi-auto. FWIW.
 
#15 ·
I LOVED the S&W 9c when I rented one!!! It's definetly on my list of "one days" An added bonus is the removable backstrap can be replaced with a glitter one if she's into a little bling! :D My husband has said when he gets around to getting his permit he wants an XD like mine. I've offered to remove the pink from the etching on mine so it can be "his" (I'm not that nice, it'd be so I could get an M&P.)I'd still be able to shoot the XD but would have the M&P as "mine"
 
#14 ·
When I first started carrying, I felt more comfortable with the safety on. Once I got used to it, and got comfortable drawing, and made sure I had good practices in place about staying off the trigger, I stopped using the thumb safety even back when I had one. One thing I will say about thumb safeties is practice flipping it off when drawing under stress. I'd be just as concerned about being proficient with that as I would be about racking the slide under stress.
 
#16 ·
Your daughter and I are around the same size, and with some tweaking to clothes, she'll discover she can carry a sizeable gun. I usually carry a Colt Cobra appendix carry in a DeSantis "The Insider" holster, which is great for skinnier people. She can feel normal and not walk around feeling like a garbage bag with bulky clothes, and she can wear relatively form-fitting clothes, too, as long as the top can cover the outline of the gun. Some form-fitting tops are great in that they run long, so they can be scrunched up around the hips to help break up the gun's outline.

I also carried in a belly band holster in the 4 to 5'oclock position, but it did require more clothes adjustment and more care in how I reached over for things to prevent printing.

Waist Abdomen Trunk Shoulder Stomach
Abdomen Jeans Trunk Waist Stomach
 
#18 ·
Greetings all!

Looking for a great concealed carry gun for my daughter. Shooting only 7 months, she's become very proficient with my Charter .38 SPL undercover snub. I was considering a semi-auto for her such as the Ruger LC9 or the Baretta Nano as I would prefer for her to have a larger caliber than a .380 or .38 SPL. The problem I see is racking the slide on the semi. It just seems too difficult for her to do it smoothly and quickly and too easy to do it incorrectly under stress. (I know, train, train, train). She's fine with recoil, but it seems to me a revolver would be a more reliable and simple weapon to use under stress. Aim and shoot until it goes click. She a small woman, 5'4" 105 lbs. Concealment of revolvers is not as easy as semi auto, I think, especially for a young woman and especially in warm weather. So what I'm looking for is a small, light revolver .38 SPL +P. Considering Ruger LCR and S&W 637 or 638 Airweight. Any ideas?

Tom
I don't see this as a problem. The slide should be racked and one in the chamber already. Even if she empties the magazine and needs to insert another one, she just hits the slide release lever.

That being said. Make sure she wants a semi auto. She may be perfectly comfortable carrying a revolver and not want to switch.
 
#20 ·
I definately would take her and let her look at the guns and hold the guns . I've had my wife out looking at different guns for about a month. She finally found a gun she liked. It was a walther p380. I wasnt crazy about the fact it was .380 but figured that was still better than nothing. Well we went to another store and she fell in love with a Beretta px4 compact. After holding it she said forget the walther. She didnt like the Nano at all. She said it felt to small for her. My wife is a fairly small lady (5ft1inch 113 pounds 40yo). I think its very important to let her pick the gun, Guns are very personal and what be right for you or someone else may be completely wrong for her. But its just my opinion.
 
#22 ·
I've seen 8 yr old girls rack the slides on semi's with expertise, I've seen my skinny granddaughter rack slides on semi's with no problem. At first she had a problem.... because she was "trying" to be NICE about it..... I finally told her quit doing that..... pull the sucker back and let it go and quit trying to be NICE to the thing. She slammed it back and let it go, and then says........ "oh, now I understand.... that's much easier". I think they are afraid they are going to hurt it or something.

My common words to her are .... "do it like you mean it". She knows what that means quite well now. Women are sometimes reserved, being conservative and may be a bit reluctant... tell them grab the sucker and whip it back and quit playing with it. Do it like a rapist just kicked your door in and is 10 ft away from you......

Afterall, your wife could rip your head off bare handed if they found you with another woman......
 
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#23 ·
take her to the gun store and let her handle what SHE wants until she finds something that "fits" her. Let her try on a Springfield EMP--she might just like it. :image035:
 
#24 ·
My wife got her finger piched in the ejection port when my brother in law was trying to get her to rack his XD, she was being too gentle. I've had her rack my LC9 a few times. I was trying to get her a gun but since all this panic buying it may be a little harder.
 
#25 ·
Eagleks, that's exactly what she was doing, being too timid with the action. She said she didn't want to break the gun! Was looking for shop that has Ruger LC9 and LCR in stock to let her compare. Impossible to find around here. The buying frenzy is definitely in full swing.
Hopefully in a few months things will settle down. Actually I would consider opening a shop if I could get the inventory! Thank you Obama.
 
#26 ·
Can you say "receipe for disaster"....trying to pick the lady's weapon and not wanting her to carry with one in the chamber if it's a semi-auto....

With that being said, based on YOUR parameters, YOU leave her no choice but to go with a revolver...Perhaps when she becomes experienced and obtains some reputable training, she will be able to then choose for herself, both weapon, and how to carry...JMO
 
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#29 ·
First Sgt, yeah I suppose I should leave the final decision up to her. Having seen her shoot and struggle with semi autos and basically handle revolvers like she was born with one in her hand, I tend to go with what I see working for her. I've taught her all I can regarding safety and handling but she will definitely be taking defensive carry courses on Summer break. It's one thing to know how to shoot but certainly another thing knowing how and especially when to shoot when all hell breaks loose. I was fortunate to find a shop that has Ruger LCRs in stock. Put one on reserve and we'll be going there this weekend to have her try one on for size. Thanks for your reply and your service!
 
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#30 ·
My wife is 105lbs an were both retired (almost put her age down she gave me the look) she has a hard time with semiautomatics but loves the ladysmith, 38 hammerless the long trigger wasnt comfy for her so I sent it to actions by T Teddy Jacobson that was 12 years ago, you couldnt get that away from her even today she loves it. I even find myself throwing it my pocket just to go to the store. Teddy is 70 now but I just sent him my sp101 to work his magic on, he is one of the best on revolvers anywhere.
 
#32 ·
We went to the local shop this past Friday night (in the middle of a snow storm). She tried on the Ruger LCR and it was love at first grip. She's very happy with the weight and size. Grip fits her perfectly. So we ended up taking it home. Now I want one in the 357 flavor! Thanks all for your advice and comments. Now the search is on for the perfect IWB holster.
 
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#36 ·
We went to the local shop this past Friday night (in the middle of a snow storm). She tried on the Ruger LCR and it was love at first grip. She's very happy with the weight and size. Grip fits her perfectly. So we ended up taking it home...
Now the search is on for the perfect IWB holster.
Congrats to your daughter! :smile:

I'd recommend she start with a Remora. Inexpensive, versatile holster that will help her figure out which IWB position conceals best on her body type, before investing in a belt holster. It also works great with pants, shorts, and skirts that won't accommodate a gun belt (which, for us ladies, is many of them).
 
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