How should I carry?

[Guest Mags1082]

Im 5'8' and I wear a size 8, I have an average/thin build and I am trying to figure out how I can carry a concealed weapon!!! I would love to carry on my hip but I just can't seem to figure out how I can do it with the clothing and my shape.

I don't wear skin tight clothing by any means but usually small t-shirts and form fitting jeans. I have a Sig p228 now that I love but Im not sure it is the right gun for me to be carrying due to its size. I also don't want to get a gun so small that I can't control it in my hands. I am very comfortable shooting a 9mm and don't want to go any smaller in calliber.

Any suggestions???

[Guest ordonnanzgewehr]

Try a loose fitting button up shirt, but don't tuck it in.

[TGO David]

You and my wife are in a similar predicament. For the time being she has opted for a Smith & Wesson J-Frame revolver (#642 in .38spl) and a Don Hume slide holster that she can wear on her hip. The holster rides very high on the belt, so it will hide beneath a slightly looser t-shirt or untucked overshirt with ease.

That's really the best option we've come up with for her so far and she's pretty much your size.

[Punisher84]

This has been an issue for my fiancee' as well. I just bought her a Kahr CW9 and a Galco stow-n-go IWB holster. She likes the feel and it conceals pretty well under a t-shirt. If you're wearing tighter clothes then the options are slimmer. Purse carry or an ankle holster?

[PackinMama]

Try out a belly band. They're fairly inexpensive and work with any type of clothing. They're also very comfortable and conceal the gun nicely. You can find several different brands on ebay.....I prefer the ones that have a thumb strap that holds the gun in more securely. My next suggestion would be a fanny pack......most of the guys on here think they're a bit gay but they work quite nicely for us women!

[cadillacdude1975]

do you wear your pants a little loose? you could always try a pocket holster or the belly band, there is even a line of concealment clothing called thunderwear.

http://www.thunderwear.com/

[Guest Phantom6]

Bless your hearts, you women have entirely different issues to deal with when it comes to effectively concealing firearms on or about your persons. Which flavor of 229 is it that you are carrying? Some are easier than others to conceal. Lots of options out there for you though. My wife finds that since she usually doesn't wear a belt, a hip holster is usually not the best option unless you can find a holster with a magnetic closure on it to secure it to the waistband of of your jeans, slacks or skirt. Her normal carry gun is either a Springfield XD9 Service model or a Taurus 851SS. The fanny pack is a good option for her she says when she is not wearing a suit and the outfit is sporty like walking shorts and a t-shirt. She uses a Tommy's Gun Pack. If she's going shopping and she's in a wee bit more dressy attire then she carries her pistol in a Travelon messenger style microfiber purse. She also has one i leather but she likes the micro fiber material better It is not your typical type purse but rather worn across the shoulder (hence the name messenger style) and has a zippered compartment in the very back which keeps her pistol secure but at the ready. Best of all it doesn't look like a gun purse. When deeper concealment is in order she carries her Beretta Tomcat in a DeSantis Super Fly holster. We carry the Tommys Gun Pack and the Travelon messenger bags as well as the DeSantis pocket holsters and the leather magnetic hip holsters (can't find the link right now) in our shop in Oak Ridge if you want to see just how they work.

[Ricochet]

I LOVE that messenger style microfiber shoulder bag. I love that pink one of course it won't go with everything. I really like the black one. How much do those set a lady back? It looks very lightweight, which is definitely something I would like.

Edited June 24, 2008 by Guns&Dobes

[Guest Natosha]

I LOVE that messenger style microfiber shoulder bag. I love that pink one of course it won't go with everything. I really like the black one. How much do those set a lady back? It looks very lightweight, which is definitely something I would like.

Does it have to be a bag especially made for guns?

Mom I have a bag almost identical to that one. It was about 20 bucks at the fossil outlet. It is black. And I love it for shopping.

[TGO David]

In my opinion, carrying off the body in a bag is a horrible way to carry. Even if the bag is slung around your body (messenger style) it is still one of the first things that an attacker will likely grab for and use to manhandle you. I want my firearm tucked in as close to my body as possible so that the odds of anyone else being able to grab it away from me or keep me from reaching it are much, much less.

My wife is relatively new to guns and very new to carrying one. When someone mentioned a concealed carry purse/bag to her, the immediate response from her was "That is a really dumb idea. That's the first thing they are going to grab."

Just food for thought. Carrying a firearm for your personal safety is not always convenient or comfortable. We can strive to make it more so but eventually come to a point where comfort and convenience begin to sacrifice safety and retention.

[Ricochet]

Tungsten I couldn't agree more on everything you said because I won't carry in my purse here in TN, I ALWAYS have it on my person BUT when I went to FL where you better not even print I did carry in my purse and I hated it because I couldn't keep my purse ON me like I wanted, that is why that purse looks interesting to me, it looks flat against the body.

[The Rabbi]

Inside the bra.

I actually knew someone who carried like that. A Kel Tec .32. Anyone who can do that with a P228 I want to see pics.

Anyway, options for women are poor. Some holster makers make holsters specifically tailored to women's shapes. But these generally require pants. An inside the waistband holster will keep the gun secure and out of sight. But you may need to buy a size larger.

Shoulder holster under a blazer is another option.

I disagree about purse carry. It isn't a great option. It has lots of drawbacks. But it beats nothing. And if other carry options lead someone to leave the gun at home instead then it's certainly preferable to that.

[Guest db99wj]

This may or may not help. Here is a vid of a lady wearing the smart carry.

[ame]http://youtube.com/watch?v=JVnyp2akiXE[/ame]

http://www.smartcarry.com/