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Female concealed carry

7K views 35 replies 25 participants last post by  evilspringer 
#1 ·
My wife is starting to look for a gun. Creating a short list to go look at at the gun show this weekend. That short list will then be reduced to a range trip which will lead to a purchase.

She likes the trigger safety and grip safety on mine, but doesn't like the weight (I have a service 9 and XDs45).

Looking for guns to add to this list:
XDs9 (my preference, but it aint my gun)
Kel Tec 9 (I didn't see any safeties on this one)
M&P Shield (no safety option which may make it harder to find)
Ruger LC9
Glock 19 (She ain't in to all the combination options Glocks have--this will be the only gun she purchases.)

Preferred method of carry is on the body. She dresses like a real estate agent so anything from a dress to a pant suit to nice pants and a blouse. Doesn't really carry a purse. May carry it in a briefcase, but probably going to be a straight on body carry.
 
#2 ·
What about a G26 with GAP floor plates?

 
#3 ·
9mm? .380? The options open up if the .380 caliber is an option.

I'm sure the caliber debate will ensue :rolleyes:

I'm not sure what your wife's body type is, but that came into play for my smallish daughter (5' 3", 120 lbs), and the bigger guns just made her have to think to much about how to carry. Her husband and I both encouraged her to not give up on the search, and it ended up with getting a very light on the recoil, easy to rack Sig P380 with the extended magazine. Remora holster and one of the frilly waistbands with a gun pocket in the back. One thing she likes about that is she can adjust it around her waist a bit, because she's still not totally comfortable with the "best" place to position it for her.

Here's another link just for general info, to add to what you've probably already googled:
Concealed Carry

Hope this helps! Better to carry something she's comfortable with, than not carry at all!
 
#6 ·
I tend to agree with you on 9mm as a minimum.

Cuda can jump in here, but when I was researching this last year, a hardcast or plain old FMJ round-nose bullet will do a lot of damage without over penetration, and may be preferred over a jacketed hollow point in the .380 caliber. The gap in ballistics isn't as wide as it used to be.
 
#7 ·
That sig come without a manual safety? She likes the idea of a safety (we have kids) but not necessarily the idea of one you have to engage in the heat of the moment. That's why the ones on the xd work for her peace of mind.
 
#8 ·
No pretty sure all versions have the 1911-style safety. I've shot it a lot, too, and with normal drawing practice, your thumb flips it down as you come up on target.

The Kahrs don't have a manual safety, so that may lean her more towards them. They need a 200-round break-in period, but Joe and DevJames here like them a lot. I'll probably pick one up at some point, too, but other things are ahead of it.
 
#9 ·
These are just my gun snob opinions...:roll:
Take 'em or leave 'em......

If you love your wife, don't buy her a Kel-tec.
I'd buy her a Ruger over a Kel-tec, but I wouldn't buy my wife either of these options., ..

I'd narrow it down to a Glock 42 or 43, a Kahr CM9 or CW380.
All 4 can be easily carried IWB or OWB with a cover garment.
I love my Glocks and Kahr pistols, no problems with either.
I own and carry a Kahr CM9 (OWB carry) and a CW380 (pocket carry, replaced my Ruger LCP)...

If she isn't VERY familiar with handguns, do not even consider a P238 or any single action handgun with a thumb safety.
I KNOW my wife doesn't train enough to distinctively remember to disengage a thumb safety or to have a short light weighted single action trigger under her finger in a time of stress.

We ended up getting her a Glock 42 that she is very happy with..

If your bride has any issues racking the slide of a semi, I'd look into a S&W 642 or 442, or even a Ruger LCR revolver..
Also small enough to easily conceal and carry with a consistent DA trigger pull.

Just some options to think about...
 
#11 ·
G42/43/ xds/shield. All aiwb if she doesn't have a gut. Try them whatever she shoots best.

And 2 lights. 1 for real estate one to blind I'd and kill (don't waste its batteries doing the mundane)
 
#17 ·
If she's wanting something about the size of the Sig p238, but doesn't prefer the external safety lever, the Sig p290RS might work. Long (but smooth) DAO pull, comes in .380 or 9mm; I've been very happy with mine. The Ruger LC9s Pro also dispenses with the safety lever, and you can now get the S&W Shield without one as well.


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#22 ·
I know it's sexist, and may not apply to OP, but I've been habitually cautioned against getting a semi-auto for my wife. Clearing malfunctions is the major reason. A DAO revolver with hidden hammer is the safest route.
 
#27 ·
My wife likes to carry her XDS9 in FlashBang holster. Great gun, great holster. The safety on the Keltec is the long, heavy trigger pull. Of that list, IMO the XDS far outshines the rest. However...

The "best" gun is the one SHE likes, not anyone else. It will be a compromise of:

1. Fit - It should fit in her hand like she was born with it there.
2. Reliability - It should go BANG about 99.99% of the time she pulls the trigger.
3. Accuracy - In HER hand. It's how well SHE shoots it.
4. Concealability - It should be comfortable enough to wear and easy enough to conceal so she won't leave it laying on the dresser at home.
5. Cost - She doesn't want to scrimp on her "life protector" weapon, but she probably doesn't need a $1,000 Kimber, either.
6. Enjoyment - The caliber and gun should be fun to shoot. If it isn't, she won't practice with it like she should.
 
#28 ·
Mentioned G19 has to be out due to weight?

XDs has the grip safety she likes.

Don't overlook the new LC9s/pro, and I think the trigger is stock sweet.
The G26 has a nice footprint, identical to the 43, but feels twice as fat. My wife likes the 42 as well. Shoot 'em side x side if you can, let her decide. Have fun. Let us know where ya come down.
 
#29 ·
Get her what she wants - her opinion is the only one that matters.

I'm trying to convince my wife to carry - but she's one of those...Who doesn't seem to think much of guns and asks why I need so many. I have to explain the toolbox route - certain guns are for certain things, but all are capable of defending yourself if needed. She's starting to get that with our local crowds. So, maybe one day...and she finally understands that people who are inexperienced with guns are the problem. Exposure and learning what's important for safety...good awareness of situation always trumps a bada$$ saving the day - and teaching kids the basics early is good. There isn't anything to be frightened with regarding guns - it's the people who are ultimately the problem.

I let her shoot several of my guns and she is a good shot - but doesn't seem to enjoy them as much as I do. So, we'll keep chipping away at the block...
 
#31 ·
BU98 -

Bring a few boxes of 9x19

Bring a boxes of .380.

I'm betting that there will be guns that she'll pick out that she'll immediately discard after but a few rounds due to perceived (subjective) recoil concerns.

Have her narrow her choices down to three or four.

From there, let her get comfortable with those finalists. Once she is comfortable with them, run her through an objective/quantifiable metric, to see truly how she actually performs with the guns.

I really like the Vickers/Hackathorn 10-10-10 ( Greg Ellifritz did a really nice write-up on it here: 10-10-10 Shooting Drill Active Response Training ), but if she's not an experienced shooter, you may get better data by running the same test while scaling things back to the 5 yard line.

Concealment may take her a while to finalize. Female bodies and attire (not just what they wear, but take a minute and look at the belt-loop placement on your pants - everything from casuals to the most dressy - versus hers) varies much more drastically then their male counterparts. It's likely going to take a bit of trial-and-error for her to really get this aspect of it tuned just to her liking, but in the meanwhile, she can at least have a gun that will place her as high on the powercurve as she can, from the get-go. :)
 
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