Carry set up for my wife?

[jeremy45]

Well, I talked my wife into signing up for her CHL class when she turns 21 next month. Now she's asking me about guns and holsters and stuff, which is really cool. Problem is, I have no idea where she should carry. Her body shape is totally differeny from mine so I need some advice from the women on the forum and from men whose wives carry. I'd also like to know what type of pistol they carry and in what holster.

The decision is all hers but I would like to be able to point her in the right direction. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

Jeremy45

[DocHolliday01]

Does she carry a purse all the time? To me that would be one of the better places for a woman to carry as it would be fairly easy for her to draw from and would conceal well.

Does she know what she wants to carry yet?

[jeremy45]

Lately she has been in the habbit of carrying a wallet or clutch when we go places so she doesn't have to carry her purse. That was my initial suggestion as well, however I cannot discourage on person carry.:D

We looked at a Kahr p9 today that she liked alot. She has a thing for XD's but I keep steering her away. I carry a G19 and have recommended a Glock or M&P, I also don't know of any problems with the Kahr, so that might be the way to go.

[M4tographer]

http://www.corneredcat.com/Holster/straighttalk.aspx

Read and have her read. Sounds like she'd like Kathy's site. ;)

[jeremy45]

Thanks for the link. There is tons of info in there, I'll show it to her and brush up on some of the info myself.

Jeremy45

[CoryCop25]

I would strongly suggest keeping the gun on her person and not in a purse. First thought on that is if she would set her purse down and walk away, she would be walking away from the gun. Second, if she is purse snatched, she will loose her gun and the ability to defend herself. My wife has an M&P 40c. I have a Kahr K40 but she cannot manipulate the slide due to a shoulder injury so the M&P works best for her just behind the hip.

[jeremy45]

Cory, what holster does your wife use?

[Hound_va]

Holsters are such an incredibly personal thing that recommending what fits for one often results in something that doesn't fit for another, even the case for men. Tons of variables to be covered in holster selection. Type of gun, body shape, preferred carry position, clothing choices, etc;. Also you must consider a good quality gunbelt if belt carry is the preferred choice. IMHO, like another has already stated, off body carry in something like a purse wouldn't be ideal for every day but may be useful for particular occasions depending on dress. Comfort plays a huge role on holster selection and much like shoes, not all holsters are comfortable to all people. Women often have a more difficult time finding things that work due to their generally shorter torso as compared to men not to mention their hip to waist ratio. That can often result in a belt holster that rides nearly in ones armpit for a woman or has the butt digging into their ribcage. Makes for a somewhat awkward and difficult draw and uncomfortable carry. My wife has got Sparks VMII's for some guns, Nossar holsters for others, Brommeland's, 5 Shot's, Alessi's, and DelFatti's for others. Often what doesn't work for her works for me so the downfall to the trial and error method is often minimized or eliminated.

[jeremy45]

Hound, I know the gun belt is a must. I use a Wilderness five stitch most of the time and it works great. I carry in a PureKustom holster but I think she will need something as narrow as possible as she is small, so I was just trying to get some ideas. I guess we'll just have to try a few different styles and see what fits.

[CoryCop25]

Cory, what holster does your wife use?

A Blakchawk SERPA for the range and an older DeSantis IWB for a Glock. There are not very many options for the M&P 40c yet.

[geminidglocker]

Hears a thought, Quit playing around on the error net and go train!

[jeremy45]

Hears a thought, Quit playing around on the error net and go train!

Thank you for your constructive input. I'll be sure to remember doing a little research before spending alot of money on new gear is a waste of time.

Jeremy45

[tpd223]

I know several gals at work who carry a G26 or G19 AIWB as they find behind the hip carry uncomfortable.

Just a thought as to holsters.


My wife likes her PM9 alot, good little guns once they are broke in.

I also know of several female trainers who advocate the 642 type revolvers for women.
At least one is due to some study on her part that indicates women often get attacked differently than men in violent crime situations, and the 642 being a better grappling range gun than a semi-auto.

[jeremy45]

TPD,

Appendix carry may be a great choice, I can let her try my G19 and see how it looks and feels there. I don't know why I didn't think of that!!

As far as a 642, that's gonna be a no go. She won't even try my model 60, doesn't like the trigger so she won't even fire it.

Thanks,
Jeremy45