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by Skiprr
Mon Jan 09, 2017 2:05 am
Forum: New to CHL?
Topic: Carrying Issues with Women
Replies: 31
Views: 13679

Re: Carrying Issues with Women

First, thank you for your service. Hooah! Welcome to the Forum.

Second, carry method, type, and position is a perennial conundrum. That help much? :mrgreen:

Seriously, please do move up from the .22 to the Glock 19. If you like and shoot the G19 well, there's no other handgun I'd recommend. But the .22 leaves you at risk; keep it as a backup.

If I were a brilliant computer programmer, I'd develop a simulation that could take a photo of a person's body--front, both sides, and back--digitize it for detailed topographical measurements (in segments, like an MRI), ask you if you were right- or left-handed, and then have you select from a pull-down of all commonly available handguns.

Voila! The most comfortable, practical, and concealable choice of carry position, holster type, and belt composition based on your unique parameters. (By the way, if somebody does develop such an app, you'll owe me royalties. Big time.)

I wish that app existed. Otherwise, there's no short and easy answer. Even that whole "detailed topographical measurements" thing is not static: body shape changes with age, weight loss or gain, even with pants worn because of belt positioning.

Although body types, configurations, and sizes come in all genders, everyday on-body carry is often more difficult for women than men.

Let me start by saying that I do not condone small-of-back carry for several reasons that I've written about here before. Other than ankle carry, IMHO it's the carry position that's most likely to get you killed in an emergency.

First and foremost, dress around the gun (as you well noted, Jaclyn; this next is not directed at you, but we get many posts pertaining to it). If a form-fit T-shirt and skinny jeans are more important to you every day than is safety and security, by all means wear the tight T-shirt and skin-fit jeans. Your choice. But guess what? If you're fit, you look just as fit in clothes that aren't skin-tight...in fact, I'll posit you look more fit because you demonstrate it ain't the '80s, and that you're confident enough to not wrap yourself in Spandex. Ugh.

Back on Topic. Generalizing many variables, the main issue with women's on-body carry is...hips. If they wear a holster at three o'clock at the hip, it protrudes noticeably. If they move the belt up to the natural waist, the hip now forces the muzzle of the gun outward exaggeratedly.

Again, recognizing that all body types differ, I see three on-body carry options.

The first is probably the least practical: shoulder holster. Nice in the wintertime, when I use mine, but in Texas in the 100-degree summers...maybe okay for open carry, but concealing it with a shirt or jacket may not be worth the sweat.

Second, move both your belt height and your holster around to search for that elusive spot (for right-handers) between 3:30 and 5:00 where the gun and holster are most comfortable and most concealed. My bet is that if you do this, you'll select something on the latter end, around five o'clock, which I don't love but can accept.

Third: appendix carry. Much here depends upon the fitness level of the carrier, but this may afford comfort, concealment, and tactical advantage (best of the lot). Typically this is carry at one- or two o'clock with an appropriate negative cant on the holster. Equally effective IWB or OWB.

What I've been taught is that the shortest range of motion is always the most efficient. And the fastest. Don't track the gun during the draw; track the entire path of the wrist, elbow, and shoulder of the hand that draws the gun and you'll see what I mean. The more joint articulations and movements are required to complete the action, and the farther those movements are from the center-line of the body, the less efficient it is.

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