Concealed carry for my wife. Where to start?

Training Training and Tactics
1

I’ve finally gotten off my butt and had the money, time, and motivation simultaneously to get my wife and myself signed up for the required class to apply for our concealed carry permits. It’s a step in the right direction but raises a lot of questions on the logistics of carrying, especially for my wife. I don’t have a pool of people with experience to draw from locally, so I was hoping to spark up some discussion here. I’ve got an idea of the how/when/where/why I’ll be carrying. I know there’ll be some experimentation getting set up right, and that’s cool with me. So we’ll ignore me for now.

My lovely wife, on the other hand, probably will not be as dedicated to the idea, at least not right away. If it is a big hassle, she’s less likely to bother with it, so I’d like to get her started off on the right foot. A little background might help: She’s about 5’6”, pretty average build I suppose [editor’s note: Sorry honey, that sounds worse than I mean it to]. She stays at home with our daughter (18 months), so her dress is very casual most of the time. Jean/shorts/capris and a T-shirt/tank top/sweater/blouse typically, I’d say. She spends a lot of time bending/lifting/carrying with the little one. She always has a purse/diaper bag (usually one bag for both purposes, at least for now), but our little girl gets into it whenever she can. By the time she’s out of diapers, we’ll probably have another one, or one on the way, so that situation isn’t going to disappear any time soon. As far as the gun itself, she has a G17 that she likes and shoots pretty well, but aside from the size, it is also a former “game” gun that has a very light trigger (at least compared to a standard Glock). I don’t think it would be a good choice for carry. And least but definitely not least, she’s not had any formal training. She’d not be exposed to guns any until marrying me (5 years next weekend!). I’m trying to get her out shooting more often and into some sort of basic class to let her get more comfortable with handling firearms safely, but we’re taking baby steps. Mindset: She’s not 100% sheeple anymore, but she’s still a long way from a meat-eating Amazon warrior woman. She does want to take the class though so she’s moving in the right direction.

So, does anyone have any recommendations or advice? Those who have their spouses carrying, what methods work well for her? I know we have a few ladies here, perhaps you can share as well? I know some folks are cautious to go into too much detail about their personal routines but any bit will help.

Thanks.

2

well my lady carries a Makarov 380 ,but she has been around handguns before.If your wife is just starting i would say go with a wheel gun .But the best bet is find a range that rents all types of handguns and let her pick and shoot.until she finds what she likes.
I am glad to hear you two are geting your CCW everyone needs one I have had mine for going on 21 years.Just with kids around buy a safe keep the weapons locked up and don’t make it out to be something that they should never see ,talk to them explain the danger of a weapon and the harm it can do .I did this with my 3 girls and never have had a problem .Good luck and be safe:D

EDIT:I started to take her to the Sheriffs range being we both have a CCW here in Bama we get to use the range free of charge.don’t buy her a gun and then never shoot it .practice ,practice and more practice!!!

3

Start at a gun store that has a broad selection of quality firearms. Let her find a gun that she likes and feels comfortable with. Try to find a shop with a range where she can rent and sample different guns. If recoil is an issue, respect it. A .380 Sig 232 that she will shoot well and carry is more useful than a Glock 26 that may have more muzzle flip/recoil than she is comfortable with.

Next, mind set. Training can be a huge confidence builder, but until she is certain, with out hesitation, can say to herself that she will fire that weapon in defense of her life, she should not carry. Some people do have a problem with the thought of actually pulling the trigger with an aggressor in thier sights. In this case, the weapon is as likely to be used against her as it is to save her.

Carry options? Many women because of thier small size or wardrobe choices will have difficulty concealing a weapon on thier person. That leaves the purse holster or pack (Maxpedition) type carriers which have thier own unique considerations.

Bottom line, make sure it is something she wants to do and is motivated to practice and learn. Best of luck.

4

i had a Sig 232 it was one of the best handguns i ever owned very good suggestion:D I could wear it ever in shorts.380 with +p ammo your GTG

5

Here is an excellent online resource for women, if your wife is so inclined to read it:

http://www.corneredcat.com

It’s maintained by a THR moderator. Good stuff.

I would strongly urge you and your wife to attend Massad Ayoob’s Lethal Force Institute I.

It’s worth the time and investment … don’t think so much of it as gun school 101 but “how not to land in jail if you have to shoot” type of a course.

In the last course I attended, there many women attending, which is an encouraging sign.

Here is Mas’ training schedule:

http://www.ayoob.com

6

Where to begin, I feel your pain and I’ve been in your shoes.

Lucky for me my wife took to CCW like a duck in water.

She has several carry guns and several holsters for each.

Her primary is a 4" 1911, with a Colt Mustang, a S&W 360PD and a S&W M&P9c as secondary carry guns.

A few words of caution it is good that you are going to the class, DON’T try to teach your spouse on your own, don’t ask me how I know.:wink:

If she all ready likes the G17, a G19 would be a good safe bet, however given the trend in womens wear, the G19 may not be the best option, if she likes the Glock, I’d suggest a Kahr as a good carry gun, any of the 9mm models would do fine, they are similar in operation and maintenance to the Glock without the thickness.

Lots of people will suggest J-Frame revolvers, this is a good and bad idea, at first my wife wanted nothing to do with the 5 shot belly guns. Fast forward 3 years and she told me to go find a scandium J-frame.:stuck_out_tongue:

She is currently preggers with our first and she is having issues with belts, let alone IWB holsters, so she wanted something light and walloping to pocket carry.

The problem with the J-Frames for novice/non-avid shooters is that there is a lot of recoil on the favored air weight and air lite revolvers. Accuracy from a 1-7/8" revolver is also not the greatest and 20ish yards and that can also be discouraging.

The biggest problem that my wife had (she’s 5’5" and all of 106lbs) was the trigger on the DAO J-frames. Way back when she could only pull the trigger about 4 times before her hand started hurting, while that should be enough in a SD situation, it makes for a bad day at the range and you don’t want that.

There are a number of semi-compact to compact 9mm models that will be easy to conceal, I suggest the smaller guns that still have decent size to them rather than the “micro” sized guns because they are generally easier to shoot.

Another advantage of having a non-fullsize gun is that it will give her more options to conceal it. IWB/OWB/shoulder carry etc will be easier with the smaller gun.

As stated in previous posts above, she should also pick her own gun and try to shoot as many as possible before making a decision.

My wife works in a gun shop and is usually the one helping men pick out guns for their wives, in almost all cases the husband is picking out a gun for his missus (while she’s out in the car or still at home), they pick the smallest “cutest” dinky thing they can find, usually a P3AT, and in 4 days the guy is bringing the gun back and taking a loss on trading in on something that his significant other picks out.

There are several guns that my wife recommends that are somewhat smaller, but will not be overbearing to shoot.

She also has her own website and put together THIS LIST, while it’s not a complete list of all guns of this type, it’s a good start.

In addition to her list I would suggest the Kahr P9 or K9, the Springfield EMP, XD9C, Bersa 9mm, etc. etc.

Regarding caliber, .380 is more expensive than 9mm and without going to the micro sized .380s, a Bersa .380, PPKs, Sig 233 is almost the size of a 9mm and has about the same round count.

Also, don’t stick to just 9mm, if she wants to try a .380, .40, .45 etc. More power to her, but in the long run I feel the 9mm is ideal for entry level shooters.

The important think is for her to find something that she wants to shoot, will shoot, and most importantly CARRY.

Along the lines of .380s I would suggest the Bersa .380, Sig 232, and Beretta Cheetah.

7

I my neck of the woods, an NRA class (FIRST steps, Home Firearms Safety, or Women on Target) at my club would be the perfect place to start. Not only would she learn the fundamentals of shooting, she would also get the chance to try various handguns that the Instructors inevitably bring for the students. This gives them an idea on how each one feels and shoots without some gun store commando trying to steer her one way or another. These classes would also provide her with the certificate she needs to apply for her permit.

Maybe you can find a club like that in your area? FWIW, I have found that the Glock 19 seem to be the best choice for beginners. Good luck!!

8

Thanks for the responses. Let me steer the conversation a little by saying she likes her G17, shoots it well and is pretty confident with it. If possible, she’s likely to end up with another Glock. There’s always room for a G19 in the family. On the other hand, method of carry may force us to go smaller/thinner/lighter/etc. I think we’ll cross that bridge as we come to it. Me, I can let my choice of firearm drive my choices in dress, carry method, behavior, etc. (within reason). I think with her it will be the opposite – her dress, activities, and habits I think will drive us towards a carry method that fits her, and that will narrow down our options for which weapon to choose. I also don’t think any single method is going to work for all situations.

I know some people have strong opinions on on-body vs. off-body carry. I’m thinking she might do well with keeping the purse and diaper bag separate (to help keep the little one away, and so it doesn’t get handed off with the diaper bag to a relative babysitting, or left at home if our daughter isn’t with her), with a proper holster-compatible purse. Thoughts?

9

Off body is bad IMHO for so many reasons, especially for active mom with kids, if she keeps it on her, that’s where it will always be unless locked up when not in use.

It’s definitely an option, but I would make it the last option, hit eBay and see if you can find a used “gun purse” but IMHO a good gun with a variety of carry methods on the body will be better suited. You’d also not have to worry about the wrong bag getting handed off.

10

lots of ladies use belly bands, if they are comfortable with it.

11

Send her to a CWP class that has shooting as part of the syllabus. There are several that have women only classes if she prefers. I attended a requal class, with 200 rounds shooting. Weapons safety, point shooting, engaging multiple attackers, target/assailants moving towards you, etc… It was a great course for new shooters as well as experienced ones.

You can’t go wrong with the G19 or M&P9c. There are also several concealed carry handbags available to suit female shooters for every occasion.