[jwerner]

I know this has been addressed and I have read a lot of the threads regarding this, but I am a woman, who commonly leaves or forgets her purse, who needs to find a good way to carry.

I live in Florida, so jackets and coats are out of the question 90% of the year. Most common wardrobe is short-sleeve or tank tops, dress pants or jeans. I am slender and short. I've tried all the various in the waistband, small of back, etc. but they all become visible either when I sit down or when I reach above my head and my shirt rides up slightly. Both of these are common activities for me throughout the day. I have to wear dress clothes at work (but not pants suits with jackets) and outside of work I'm usually in jeans and a t-shirt (my shirts tend to be form fitting and jeans are low rise).

I don't feel comfortable with an ankle holster because of the difficulty getting to it, although I do wear pants most of the time and they have flare legs, so it would work. As I mentioned, purse is a BAD idea. Not only do I typically choose to leave it in my office, car, shopping cart, etc. it's also heavy enough and I have a bad shoulder.

Are belly bands a good idea? I'm thinking they would be hard to get to also, and may still show through some of my clothing... I'm aware that I may have to make some changes in my wardrobe, but am not going to be able to go out and replace all of my clothing at once with baggy items, or items with large pockets.

I have a variety of guns to choose from when it comes to carrying, but will likely carry something very small like a Ruger or Keltec .380 since all the others are bigger than I think I could conceal.

Any suggestions?

 

[surefire7]

Carry possibilities...

I have a new Ruger LCP and it seems very versatile in carry possibilities. Would you consider a Smartcarry or as you mentioned, some sort of belly band? Shirts may need to get a little looser or longer or you might look "poochy" in the tummy. (Write it off as PMS:redface

 

[roalho]

I agree that it sounds like a Smartcarry might be the ticket.

 

[varob]

This site might help you. Cornered Cat

 

[Krockett]

I love my bellyband, a little tough to get to at first, but can be concealed under a t-shirt. Practicing your draw is key!

Goodluck!

 

[80eagle08]

Jwerner

You may want to check out Crossbreed holsters. Crossbreed Holsters > Home They have an inside the waistband holster called the mini tuck that is both comfortable and tuckable. They have a lifetime warranty and they give you 2 weeks to try it out and if you don't like it you can send it back for a full refund. Great company and customer friendly. I have one for a Ruger LCR(revolver) and a Springfield XDm 9mm. They are very comfortable and conceal very well they are adjustable to fit your body style. Give them a try-- I think you will be satisified-- however based on your wardrobe description, you may consider modifying a little to keep from"printing"

Good luck and happy shooting

 

[logan]

Maybe if you carried something like the Ruger LCP (or something small) in an IWB tuckable holster (like the Crossbreed ones), then you could wear a shirt under your t-shirts or tank tops. Just tuck the undershirt in, so when you reach up or bend over or anything, the tucked in shirt will cover the firearm.

 

[jbum]

I suggest you look at how Lima carries she is a small woman and conceals everything very well under light cover garments. Look on page 2 and 3 of let's see how you carry under the holster forum.

 

[OLDPUPPYMAX]

Male or female we all face the same very big problem--88% of gunfights occur with 20' or less between the participants. And in the majority of those, 5' or fewer separate the good guy from the bad guy or GUYS! So where we keep our weapons is almost irrelevant. Drawing, pointing and firing on someone who began their attack from 5' away is just not possible. Anyhow, a number of companies make fanny packs specifically for CC. Kentucky summers get pretty warm too, so I go with shorts and belt, T-shirt and short sleeve shirt over it, not tucked in. Usually an IWB holster and S&W air weight .38. I've begun carrying mace and a knife and will soon put a small .38 in a coat pocket for fall/winter carry along with a Glock 19/23 in a strong side waist holster. Cold weather helps a heck of a lot with CC.

 

[Diablo]

If your going with one of the little .380 couldn't you just pocket carry?

Maybe something like this would work?
https://www.pagerpal.com/default.asp

If you watch the video a lady uses one for what looks like a small .380.

 

[mastercapt]

Small person carry

Do not let anyone tell you a .380 is not adquate for defense. With modern ammo, like hydrashok, cor ban, silvertip, etc, they are more than adaquate. A .380 with good ammo, is much better than a 9, 38, or 40 that was left home because it was too big to conceal.
I also live in Fl (Orlando area). I am only 5'7 myself. I carry a small .380, and practice with it regularly. I wear shorts or jeans, and have an IWB holster, and wear a large golf-type shrt over it. Its comfortable and relatively easy to get into action. Note: the shorts and jeans are "relaxed fit". Easier to wear while working, bending, sitting, etc.
I have an ankle holster and agree with your opinion. I have this image of saying "Mr. Bad guy, time out while I sit on the floor and draw my weapon" Yes, a bit sarcastic, but it IS slower...
If I ws buying another .380 now, I would also choose the kel-tec or the LCP. easy to use and conceal.
Just my $.02

 

[tokerblue]

I'm short (5'1"), so I don't have an easy time with concealed carry either. I usually tuck my shirts in and am not a big fan of IWB holsters, but I just bought a Crossbreed Microclip and it's made me a fan. I carry a Kahr MK9 in it and will add a Crimson Trace Lasergrip soon. But I only plan on wearing it when I have a sweater on during fall and winter.

I pocket carry in all other instances. I have a Seecamp 32, Kel-tec P32 and a Kahr P380. The Seecamp is by far the smallest and easiest to pocket carry. It's one of the finest pocket pistols on the market. I carry it in a Stellar Rigs Pocket Holster C. It rides a little higher because of the extra magazine, but the A holster would be one of the thinnest and smallest holsters you can buy. I'll probably start carrying the P380 more when a Crimson Trace Laserguard comes out for it.

 

[mfcmb]

Pocket carry (say with a Desantis Nemesis holster) of a small pistol would work in jeans, but dress pants are usually too form-fitting for this to work.

A SmartCarry holster will probably produce an inexplicable bulge in the crotch, especially with dress pants.

There are belly bands, and specially made undershirts, with holsters sewn in that can let you position a gun high and to the side under the arm (similar to where a shoulder holster might put it. Even so you'd have to wear loose-fitting blouses (and flower prints will help) so it didn't print.

You might be able to find a cut-away vest that is more decorative than warming and that has a holster sewn in. It could become part of your signature look.

Or you could look for a suitably fashionable fanny pack and use it as a holster.

Good luck!

 

[ppkheat]

I think it's great that you recognize that you'd prefer to not purse carry and you'd prefer on-the-body carry, that's a great way to know where your gun is all the time. Actually my wife purse carries, and refuses to body-carry, it does cause me concern, but I swear that purse is connected to her body somehow. She does an excellent job knowing where her purse is and protecting it's contents. BTW that purse holds a lot of "contents".:blink:

Now, to your request. IMHO I think you've gotten about as good advice that you can get already. I will mention that on-the-body carry is difficult for me due to my work and what I might have to do that day, so I have to be choosy how I carry. IOW my gun is typically in my way, so I pocket carry mostly an LCP. Not my first choice on a defensive gun by a long stretch, but at least it's a gun. I recognize too that my pockets and style of pants may be a lot different than yours, so it may not work as well for you.

The belly band may be workable for you, and it might be pretty hot to wear in Florida, I know it is here.

What about a custom-made holster that looks like a cell phone holster (snap-over top). I just laid my LCP on top of my blackberry holster and the LCP is somewhat bigger, but I doubt if the sheep would notice the size of a plain black cell phone holster attached to the top of your pants? Especially if you wore sort of a cover shirt over it all. Even when you raised your hands up it would just seem like a big cell phone holster.

Good luck and keep us posted on what you found that successfully works for you

 

[big country]

If your going with one of the little .380 couldn't you just pocket carry?

Maybe something like this would work?
https://www.pagerpal.com/default.asp

If you watch the video a lady uses one for what looks like a small .380.

Pager pals/cell pals are illegal in Florida.

 

[Majorlk]

Pager pals/cell pals are illegal in Florida.

Why?

 

[Diablo]

Pager pals/cell pals are illegal in Florida.

Why is that?

 

[jwerner]

Thank you all for the help and opinions. I just got back from the range with my husband (had to go try out his new Glock :smile and while I was there I looked at a belly band. Not sure about that, it would take some getting used to.

I'd love to pocket carry, but even my jeans pockets aren't big enough, and several of my dress pants don't even have pockets at all.

I've been looking at the Ruger LCP and I like how it fits my hand (I'm very petite too - 5 foot, which doesn't help with all this). I found a small holster that I can put in the front of my pants, and it fit comfortably, but I'm still not sold that it won't been noticable. Seems to be the closest thing to a solution though.

Does everyone like the LCP, by the way? What's the census on that versus the Kaltec? I have a Smith & Wesson .380 and I hate it, it's not accurate at all. But it's too big for me to carry anyway (and it's a little gun).

 

[First Sgt]

The LCP is a winner. I echo trying or looking at a small fanny pack or the pager pal.

 

[ppkheat]

Does everyone like the LCP, by the way? What's the census on that versus the Kaltec? I have a Smith & Wesson .380 and I hate it, it's not accurate at all. But it's too big for me to carry anyway (and it's a little gun).

I like my LCP and granted there are MANY better defensive guns out there, and also better defensive calibers. My LCP has functioned flawlessly and is surprisingly accurate. Admittedly it is my EDC, but I'm in the country on my own property and hardly even see another person. If I plan on going somewhere that I consider risky then I add a more appropriate carry gun.

BTW I just thought of another idea for potential carry for you, and I think I've seen this for sale. It is composed of a cord/necklace type of thing that you wear around your neck, hanging at the bottom of the cord is a small pouch that is made to hold a small gun. I've seen these for carrying money and passports when traveling, but I think they make one for small firearms. In fact I think I've seen a link/picture to it on this forum a good while back?