“Just throw it in your purse!”
I’ve talked to so many women who’ve been told this when they expressed an interest in concealed carry.
It’s terrible advice. I mean, honestly, the worst.
When taken literally, a woman will put a firearm that they’re likely not comfortable handling in their purse without a Kydex holster, where it will mingle around with their keys, 47 lip glosses, some kid's toys, and God knows what else.
If you’re experienced, you know how dangerous this is.
And if you’re not, let me explain.
First, any one of these items can get inside the trigger guard when there is no Kydex holster protecting the trigger. That’s how negligent discharges happen. And sometimes they are fatal, like we recently saw with the tragic incident involving the Nashville mother and her child.
Second, there’s a very, very, very low chance you can locate that firearm at the bottom of your should you find yourself in a defensive situation. It’s not likely you’ll get a clean, fast draw. And again, something else may get stuck inside the trigger guard, setting you up for a negligent discharge.
So, what’s the safe solution?
In an ideal world, I’d tell you to put the time and practice into carrying on-body. I know everyone won’t do that, though, and even I carry off-body occasionally, so let’s talk about a safe way to do it.
You need a bag with a separate compartment for your gun, like the ones Rugged Rare makes. This one is the Sage.
You need a Kydex holster. CC bags come with a universal holster because everyone has a different gun. Ditch it and get a velcro-backed holster from Crossbreed Holsters.
You need to keep it on you at all times. I like to wear mine crossbody so I picked up a cute $10 strap off Amazon that matches this bag and is a little more comfortable to wear than the skinny one provided.
You need to practice your draw. It’s surprisingly more difficult from a bag than from your waistband because there are more variables.
So, is off-body carry inherently dangerous?
No. It’s just that a lot of people skip the education part and do it in a dangerous way.
Follow the safety rules every time, practice a lot, and you’ll be ok.