CCW for a "larger woman".....

[Ethang]

I will never admit who I may or may not be posting the question about....

I have plenty of experience and am very comfortable given CC advice to men. I have been carrying a concealed weapon for 25 years. That said, advice to a women, especially a "larger" woman, is giving me fits.

This hypothetical woman, we will call her "Godzilla" just got a new Shield and has never carried on her person before. A generic IWB foam holster has proven to not be very comfortable. A King Tuck was on the radar, but given how uncomfortable the IWB is I am not sure this will be a good fit.

I have some ideas about a IWB that takes into account a larger, or for that matter, any womans hips into account.

Any larger woman who will weigh in and give some suggestions?

PS,,, don't tell my wife....

[Jakpro]

I would ask what kind of clothing she wears. If she wears loose clothing, it is easy to conceal just about anything. If she prefers tight fitting clothes, then it limits the selections.

[-db-]

I'd bet holster-makers are (quietly) asked this question more often than we'd think. I'd ask someone who's been in the business for awhile like Lefty Lewis or Ray at Lobo and see what they have to say.

[Smoke]

Flash bang?

[shouldazagged]

Originally Posted by Ethang

Any larger woman who will weigh in and give some suggestions?

Uhhh...think you might want to rephrase that just a little?

[VeritasVincit]

I ****** love this thread, by the way. Brilliant wordplay there.

I am not a large woman, but I will tell you what I've learned so far about being a lady and hiding guns on your person.
Fact: modern day fashion practically prohibits the carrying of a full size weapon, unless it is winter and you can stash things under a long coat.
I have had the best of luck so far with small-of-back holster for my j frame. I also can cram a LCP in many jacket pockets, or a NAA .22 in jeans pockets. Hell, I jammed a Beretta .22 in the card pocket of my Navy dress blues and marched in a parade, hopefully under the radar. If I were a "larger" woman, I would love to try the Flash Bang holster.

The ticket here is the size of the weapon. I would can the Shield idea and find something smaller. If you do figure out a way for a female to conceal something that big and still dress like a lady, please call me immediately and let me know how you did it.

[Kanewpadle]

Originally Posted by Ethang

I will never admit who I may or may not be posting the question about....

I have plenty of experience and am very comfortable given CC advice to men. I have been carrying a concealed weapon for 25 years. That said, advice to a women, especially a "larger" woman, is giving me fits.

This hypothetical woman, we will call her "Godzilla" just got a new Shield and has never carried on her person before. A generic IWB foam holster has proven to not be very comfortable. A King Tuck was on the radar, but given how uncomfortable the IWB is I am not sure this will be a good fit.

I have some ideas about a IWB that takes into account a larger, or for that matter, any womans hips into account.

Any larger woman who will weigh in and give some suggestions?

PS,,, don't tell my wife....

Corneredcat dot com may help.

[dawg23]

Originally Posted by VeritasVincit

I ****** love this thread, by the way. I would can the Shield idea and find something smaller.

There are very few (if any) handguns smaller than a Shield that I would rely on, or recommend that someone rely on, for self defense.

[ibewbull]

Not the same size issues but some great information.
I have a buddy who is about 400 pounds and he prefers pocket of ankle carry.
My own needs have changed with my weight loss due to health issues.
So these videos out she has quite a few and all are worth viewing.
Selecting a First Handgun (woman's perspective) - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks0UjEi4qTA

I dont know if it will help but here it is.

[W.E.G.]

Concealment purse, and don't leave it lying around. It has a gun in it.

Next question.

[VeritasVincit]

Fair enough. It's really the shape of the semi autos, not so much the size. They are bulky and boxy and it seems like no matter what I do, I cannot make it appear natural. Revolvers are a little more curvy so they are good for hiding on a woman. I'm a huge revolver fan and my love of revolvers developed after I tried to pack a Walther P99 around for awhile. Sure you can stick them in your purse, but that's a bad idea, plain and simple.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

If this larger woman is into wearing skirts the garter/thigh style holsters work really well. The "Flash Bang" bra holsters might be an option depending on how large this person is in certain areas. Given the general shape and fashion of most women IWB and shoulder holsters are not an option and many resort to purse carry which I believe is a really bad idea.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Originally Posted by W.E.G.

Concealment purse, and don't leave it lying around. It has a gun in it.

Next question.

The problems I see with purse carry is that the purse is usually the target. Also I can just see a tube of lipstick or something getting inside of the trigger guard.

[W.E.G.]

If she has any situational awareness, she should be able to draw from the purse before the purse can be grabbed.

If she has so little situational awareness that she cannot effectively defend her handbag, maybe she should not be carrying a gun.

You know, its not for everybody.

[shouldazagged]

Originally Posted by W.E.G.

Concealment purse, and don't leave it lying around. It has a gun in it.

Next question.

A firearms instructor asked a woman friend of mine who was considering purse carry, "Will you have your purse on your shoulder or in your hand all the time?"

Good question. If it's a hand-carried purse, anything requiring two hands means setting it down. If it's on the shoulder and has one of the cut-proof cables sewn into the strap, a strong purse snatcher on the run could inflict pretty nasty injury trying to make off with it. If it doesn't have the cable it can be cut, or throw the woman off balance with a running grab.

Situational awareness is fine, but stuff happens, and a high-speed attack out of nowhere, especially from behind, could result in loss of purse and loss of handgun. And nearly all purse snatchers will be larger, stronger, and vastly more antisocial than the woman target.

I'm not a woman and don't have to consider fashion in how I dress--I'm older than dinosaur juice and nobody, least of all me, cares how I dress. But if a woman I cared about decided to carry a concealed firearm, I would want her to have it on her person and immediately accessible all the time.

Just a thought.

[shouldazagged]

Originally Posted by W.E.G.

If she has any situational awareness, she should be able to draw from the purse before the purse can be grabbed.

If she has so little situational awareness that she cannot effectively defend her handbag, maybe she should not be carrying a gun.

You know, its not for everybody.

This seems to presume that her purse is worth shooting someone for. If so, maybe she shouldn't be carrying. I don't carry anything--wallet, keys, knives--for which I'd cap a mugger. Same for a carjacker. If he's trying to injure me, I'll defend myself. I'm not going to shoot someone to keep mere possessions. I carry to protect my life. Period.

[Mike McLellan]

I have known women, who, buck naked, could conceal heavy artillary.

[Dream to Dream]

Originally Posted by shouldazagged

This seems to presume that her purse is worth shooting someone for. If so, maybe she shouldn't be carrying. I don't carry anything--wallet, keys, knives--for which I'd cap a mugger. Same for a carjacker. If he's trying to injure me, I'll defend myself. I'm not going to shoot someone to keep mere possessions. I carry to protect my life. Period.

If you only carry a purse gun, then it kind of makes your purse worth shooting someone for. Once the purse is taken, not only are you disarmed, your aggressor is now in possession of a loaded gun... Not a good situation if the assailant decides he wants more than just your purse.

[shouldazagged]

Originally Posted by Dream to Dream

If you only carry a purse gun, then it kind of makes your purse worth shooting someone for. Once the purse is taken, not only are you disarmed, your aggressor is now in possession of a loaded gun... Not a good situation if the assailant decides he wants more than just your purse.

Precisely my point (or one of them) in my post about why purse carry is not a good idea. Have the gun on your person and you have the choice of letting the purse go and minimizing your risk of being hurt or having to shoot someone.

I believe a key part of carrying a gun is the responsibility to reduce the risk of having to use it. YMMV.

[Mule Packer]

I don't care if this lady is a corn-fed Iowa farm girl or a petite, perky little thing that barely tips the scale at 90 pounds soaking wet. The bottom line, especially if this is her first time carrying on her person as you said, is that it's going to take some getting use to. Just because it feels a little awkward at first, doesn't mean she can't get use to it.

That being said though, I'd probably have her take a look at some clothing options that are advantageous for concealed carry. Just because she's carrying a concealed weapon doesn't mean that it has to be IWB. There are many stylish alternatives in women's clothing that would not only look flattering for a woman her size, but would also allow her to comfortably carry concealed without having a holster crammed down the inside of her beltline.

[mc5aw]

I believe Thornton Melon has a line of CCW rigs for larger folks.

[Silvergoose]

Hiding a weapon is not easy for man or woman. Unless you have a storage area carved into you body just below the ribs, you have a problem. I have reviewed many holsters and carry ideas. All have the same problems. If your gun is 1inch wide and 5 inches over all height with a 5 inch overall lenght you have an extra 34.375 cu inches to absorb. Now that the problem has been layed out it is fair to say the person(s) to come up with a solution wins the cigar and makes tons of money.
I was not a believer of IWB holsters until I tried a Romora unit. No straps, clips it just sits where ever you find it to be most comfortable. Some of the crotch holsters I have seen will not allow you to sit and stand with out "adjustments" being made. The OWB holster simply stick out. I will say with the right gun the pancake holster does a very good job.
Overall the concealed part of the carry must be made on a case by case basis.
I would suggest going to a pawn shop or the LGS and look at and try some of the holsters, then fit the gun to the holster,body and clothing style you like.

Thanks, i've used my nickle's worth of time.

[Hill_Country]

There is a learning curve to concealed carry and most people can't carry a hand cannon the first time out of the box. While lots of people successfully carry something like a full size 1911 or similar, I'll give odds that very few of them started out carrying the heavy artillery.

The first weapon I ever (successfully) carried concealed was a model 36, and I still carry a J frame when something larger is inappropriate or I just can't carry anything larger because of what I'm wearing.

My suggestion to anyone just starting out with CC is to start with a J frame - I'm partial to humpbacks. There are probably more ways to carry a J frame than any other type of weapon and it works with more types of dress than anything else.

Man, woman, big, small - get a J frame and start accumulating holsters (like all the rest of us <G>). Once you figure out what works with a J frame, THEN one can start trying larger weapons.

YMMV, but that works for me.

[snubbyfan]

A Cherokee woman friend of ours is on the larger side. She has a carry permit and carries her Ruger SR22 in an owb thumb break holster I made for her. She wanted it plain and unfinished.
Interesting thing, some American Indians like unfinished natural leather and others like bead work, pictorgraphs or other decorations. I fall into the latter group.

[Lost Lake]

Originally Posted by Mike McLellan

I have known women, who, buck naked, could conceal heavy artillary.

It was on a date like this I learned that beauty is but a light switch away....

.

[Gunsnwater]

As a fat person I can tell you a bucket of chicken works great. Better than a purse or man purse don't need a strap, nobody is getting that bucket away!

[shouldazagged]

Originally Posted by Gunsnwater

As a fat person I can tell you a bucket of chicken works great. Better than a purse or man purse don't need a strap, nobody is getting that bucket away!

But then your gun is finger-lickin' good...

[wildenout]

There are some great bra holsters out there, or a kangaroocarry pouch like the airmarshall would be my best guess amigo!

[Donn]

Originally Posted by Mike McLellan

I have known women, who, buck naked, could conceal heavy artillary.

Now, now Mike. The Sisterhood will get ya.
To the question, pocket carry might be the best option here.

[hotrod150]

Originally Posted by W.E.G.

If she has any situational awareness, she should be able to draw from the purse before the purse can be grabbed.
If she has so little situational awareness that she cannot effectively defend her handbag, maybe she should not be carrying a gun.......

I disagree. It's one thing if you're out in the woods or somewhere all by your lonesome, when anyone approaching is subject to scrutiny and can be kept at a distance. But if you're walking down a crowded city street, or in a crowded mall, or a crowded tavern or restaurant, keeping everyone outside your personal "bubble" is just not practical or even doable.
The same thing goes for attackers as well as pursesnatchers.

[badge 851]

Originally Posted by Mike McLellan

I have known women, who, buck naked, could conceal heavy artillary.

You poor fellow!

[Don 73]

While a good holster adds to the concealability of a handgun, clothing choice is the single biggest factor in carrying concealed ... even a mouse gun can't be hidden in spandex

[shouldazagged]

Originally Posted by hotrod150

I disagree. It's one thing if you're out in the woods or somewhere all by your lonesome, when anyone approaching is subject to scrutiny and can be kept at a distance. But if you're walking down a crowded city street, or in a crowded mall, or a crowded tavern or restaurant, keeping everyone outside your personal "bubble" is just not practical or even doable.
The same thing goes for attackers as well as pursesnatchers.

Excellent point. I'm all for situational awareness and personal room to maneuver; but in the last analysis, Murphy was a bit of an optimist. I've never known anyone who, in a crowd, could watch everything, all the time. I do the best job of it I can, short of walking a zigzag course and slowly pirhouetting as I go. Even if I still had the agility to do that I'm not willing to be quite that hyper-alert.

[shouldazagged]

Originally Posted by Don 73

While a good holster adds to the concealability of a handgun, clothing choice is the single biggest factor in carrying concealed ... even a mouse gun can't be hidden in spandex

I've no doubt there is an especially torrid corner of hell for the evil person who invented bright-colored metallic Spandex. Especially violet. If it's shiny, purple or hot pink, and tight enough to show the mint mark on a dime dropped down the back, do not wear it! Consider the feelings of those walking behind you.

[BaaBaa]

I'm medium large in circumference although short. (Think Hobbit) Several things I have discovered, OWB behind strong side hip works well IF the holster puts the gun down lower than normal. Most carry holsters sit so high that the butt and grips poke into your ribs and it's really painful. You have to get it down lower. A jacket can cover it fairly well there too but needs to fall to below the widest point of the hips or you print when you move your arms. Once size larger int eh jacket helps but then you need to adjust the shoulders and sleeves or it looks oversize.

IWB appendix carry is fairly comfortable if the pants are big enough.

If I wore dresses much I think thigh holster would be my best option.

Get at least one decent carry purse (with a separate compartment for the firearm) for those times when you just plain CAN'T accommodate your firearm and your clothing. I've got one and am planning on buying another. I have a smaller one that I can carry messenger style with wire in the strap to prevent slash and grab that hold firearm, cell phone, wallet, pen and notepad and not much else. I am looking at a larger shoulder bag, same wire in strap design that is about the same size as my normal purse just so I can carry a checkbook, lipstick and other stuff easily. However, you MUST wear it constantly, no setting it down or hanging it off the edge of your chair. I think of it as a slightly bigger holster that doesn't need concealment. I like the Gun Tot'N Mama's purses myself but there are several options.

FlashBang didn't work for me and I'm extra large there, even my small J frame couldn't be hidden well. Probably because I tend to wear heavy duty sports bras as my normal attire and they tend to create the monoboob look with little space to conceal a weapon in between. If she wears the more typical lift and separate style bras that may be an option. May be TMI but there it is.

[Smoke]

Originally Posted by shouldazagged

But then your gun is finger-lickin' good...

You never have to worry about lubing it

[shouldazagged]

Originally Posted by BaaBaa

May be TMI but there it is.

Not TMI at all: practical, useful information. May help some other woman (besides "Godzilla") on the forum.

[shouldazagged]

Originally Posted by Smoke

You never have to worry about lubing it

No, but if recoil is snappy and the grips aren't checkered, you could get the muzzle up your nose.

[Ethang]

Thank you all for the responses, although some were a bit off message. She is just starting, so clothing will need to be addressed of course. I firmly believe a CCW weapon belongs on your person, not in a purse. She is using the purse method now, and while better then not carrying, has numerous issues.

I was really looking for a woman's opinion on what has worked for them. The problems with short torso's, "bumps in the road" and just the shape of a normal woman's hips pushing the weapon into her side.

I do appreciate all the responses so far.

[Don 73]

If the weapon is being pushed into her side, perhaps a low-riding IWB holster would be a good option. The bulk of the gun would be below the waistline (belt) with only the grip portion protruding above the belt allowing for decent draw with a minimal amount of gun available to poke her in the side.

[Seneca]

Reminds me of a line in an old comedy routine..." she carried a pair of 44's... she also had a gun..."

[sipowicz]

Originally Posted by Ethang

This hypothetical woman, we will call her "Godzilla" just got a new Shield and has never carried on her person before.

You better pray she doesn't google "CCW for a larger woman."

[hangnoose]

I've dealt with some extremely plus sized women over the years and it requires sensitivity and tact as well as knowing, JUST HOW FAT IS SHE ANYWAY? Are we talking large, xl,xxl,xxxl or OMG SHE'S COMING THIS WAY? Some could hide a riot shotgun in various folds. Seriously a thunderwear rig in a not too tight waisted pair of pants can fit a pretty decent sized gun and spare mag or speed strip, and they don't have to worry about shooting lil Jimmy.

[SgtLumpy]

Here's how I approach CCW with my girl students -

If you've NEVER carried before at all (most of them) don't try to go "deep cover" yet. FIRST, just get used to carrying. If you're in a "Concealed Only" state (no open carry) then wear a simple OWB or IWB and a big shirt or sweater to cover it. That may not be the way she decides to eventually carry but I want her to get over the "Everyone is staring at my huge gun" feeling that everyone, fems and garcs, feels when they first start carrying.

Then a few days or weeks later, once she's used to that holster, she might decide that she doesn't have to search any further to find a comfortable way to carry. She might just feel the OWB or IWB holster is exactly what she wants. If she doesn't, then that holster is still something she'll want to use for the range or classes/competitions/hikes in the desert etc.

If she DOES want to explore further then she's at least comfortable having the gun on her person. Then SHE is in a good position to guess/judge where hiding HER gun might work. Women, much more than men, dress in a lot of different kinds of clothing - tight/loose, pants/skirt, bulky/sheer etc. That difference in clothing PLUS the individual bumps and voids that she has here and there will eventually present one or more spots where she feels it's ok to carry there.


In other words, if you start out a new CCW woman with ANY kind of concealment holster, bra, waist, leg or anywhere, they'll have that natural feeling that "Everyone sees it". Get over that first BEFORE you try and narrow down the options.

And in the end, I'd suspect that women who CCW, just like men who CCW, end up with a bag of holsters in the closet that they tried but ended up not liking.


Sgt Lumpy

[TAROMAN]

Picture's worth a 1000 words:

[Ethang]

Originally Posted by sipowicz

You better pray she doesn't google "CCW for a larger woman."

Where is the deer in the headlights smilely.....

[Ethang]

Lumpy that is good advice thank you. I found one off the shelf OWB in stock last week. In stock holster selection where I live tends to suck. I think I will pick it up and let her try it.

That bra holster looks uncomfortable......but I kinda like it...

[HCH]

Belly band? With hefty love handles she could hide a service size pistol.

rape prevention | Women of Caliber
(about half way down)

[forrestinmathews]

The problem with a purse appears to be the clutter. I dont know how women can find a thing in there. I once shot a match where all the shooters male and female had to pull their gun out of a purse with their reloads and shoot the stage. Never in my life was I so glad to have a 625, it was easy to find and the reloads were also fairly easy. That said, I think it's a catastrophe for self defense.

BladeTech has an IWB out called the klipt and it is super fast and yet has positive retention. That might be the ticket for appendix carry. Otherwise small of the back?

[venomballistics]

Originally Posted by VeritasVincit

I ****** love this thread, by the way. Brilliant wordplay there.

I am not a large woman, but I will tell you what I've learned so far about being a lady and hiding guns on your person.
Fact: modern day fashion practically prohibits the carrying of a full size weapon, unless it is winter and you can stash things under a long coat.
I have had the best of luck so far with small-of-back holster for my j frame. I also can cram a LCP in many jacket pockets, or a NAA .22 in jeans pockets. Hell, I jammed a Beretta .22 in the card pocket of my Navy dress blues and marched in a parade, hopefully under the radar. If I were a "larger" woman, I would love to try the Flash Bang holster.

The ticket here is the size of the weapon. I would can the Shield idea and find something smaller. If you do figure out a way for a female to conceal something that big and still dress like a lady, please call me immediately and let me know how you did it.

22'S?!?!? thats not a compromise ... its a total sell out.
The ladies need 45's more than us guys do and nothing under 380 should ever be considered ... if fact nothing under 9MM should be considered in my book ... but thats a whole different fight hashed over many times prior.

find a full sized toy gun replica ... load it down with enough weight to give it a real gun feel.
Then find some cheap materials to clone various holsters and systems with.
If you can solve all your feminine protection problems with a full sized "fill in the blank" compacts will be a cake walk