Wife Looking for Concealed Carry Purse

[03Lightningrocks]

It takes a brave brave man to go sewing on a wifes or daughters designer handbag!!!

LOL... we have already argued over it. She told me If I screwed it up she would make me buy her a brand new one. I think those things cost more than a gun. I like the Velcro idea... that seems safe enough.

[03Lightningrocks]

This may be a bit off topic, but is there a class in the DFW area specifically geared towards womens carry issues and self defense? I have already read several things in this thread that I would not have thought about when trying to school my daughter in this area.

[TexasGal]

this may be a dumb question, but how do women protect against a 'snatch and grab' of the purse? Those happen so quickly, I doubt there would be any time to reach in and draw...

I Prefer on the body carry, but I also carry a casual bag that is designed like a Messenger bag:

http://www.amazon.com/Baggallini-Messen ... =8-3-fkmr0

This one looks nicer and still works for a snubbie/small frame:
http://www.amazon.com/Baggallini-UTC308 ... pd_sbs_a_2

The straps are strong and wide and I carry it across my body with the bag positioned just below my waist in front of my right leg. The back has a large deep zipper compartment that faces me. When I carry my gun in that, my hands are free and it can't easily be snatched off me. If the purse were snatched, the gun stays in my hand.
With this bag, I can push a grocery cart, look around, and have my hand on my pisol at the same time. It is not specifically a CC bag, but it is easy to sew or fabric glue velcro in the zipper compartment to attach any common velcro backed holster inside like one from a CC fanny pack. Don't carry a gun unholstered and loose in a purse. These two purses are reasonably priced and come in a variety of colors. Hope this helps.

[TexasGal]

This may be a bit off topic, but is there a class in the DFW area specifically geared towards womens carry issues and self defense? I have already read several things in this thread that I would not have thought about when trying to school my daughter in this area.

You are in luck, there will be a Women On Target class offered in Terrel on May 1st 2010. This is a women only class and is geared for the beginner. Here is the info:

Terrell - May 1, 2010
Pistol
Includes eye/ear protection, targets, ammunition, loaner .22 firearms, .22 ammunition, and lunch. Note: "Participants may bring their own firearms and ammunition, any caliber, subject to Club inspection and approval. Please bring your own eye protection (safety glasses or prescription lenses.)"
$25
Preregistration deadline: April 24, 2010
Terrell Rifle & Pistol Club; Terrell, TX
Contact: Sue Sivess Franks; 903.356.3000; sivfran@yahoo.com

Also, if she does not already know about it, have her check out http://corneredcat.com/ and Limatunes on youtube. Both great women who love teaching other women about concealed carry.

[TLynnHughes]

This one looks nicer and still works for a snubbie/small frame:
http://www.amazon.com/Baggallini-UTC308 ... pd_sbs_a_2

Oooh...this one is nice and look, it has an extra magazine holder....errr, I mean cell phone holder right there on it.

T.

[RugerP345]

OK guys and gals, my wife and I went to Plano last fall and bought her a Galco concealed carry purse in dark brown. What she is looking for is some other colors, more "fashionable" like she said.

She got a catalog from Coranado a couple of weeks ago and didn't see anything there she liked either. She said she has looked around on the internet and still hasn't found anything she liked.

Where do we need to try next? She will not consider a holster to carry on body of any kind.

Help!

My daughter has a similar issue. She does not like the styles of the concealed carry purses she has looked at. It has me thinking there may be a market for converting stylish purses to concealed carry purses. She has a coach purse that she likes. I have been looking at ways to sew a holster inside it somewhere.

My wife went to a shoe doctor and had them sew her holster into her Coach. She had them cut one of the internal pockets out and sewed it under the liner and onto the exterior shell of the purse. Can't even tell its been modified. They also sewed a piece of velcro where the pocket used to be so that it can be closed up. She lost a pocket, but gained a concealed carry compartment. She also leave stores with her hand on her pistol, JIC.

[mikeintexas]

Thanks for all the replies! My wife does have a couple of Coach purses that she really likes. Maybe we can take one and have it fitted for a holster to see how she likes it. I would rather have her carry on body, but I have realized when to talk and when not to.

Mike

[KFP]

My daughter has a similar issue. She does not like the styles of the concealed carry purses she has looked at. It has me thinking there may be a market for converting stylish purses to concealed carry purses. She has a coach purse that she likes. I have been looking at ways to sew a holster inside it somewhere.

A pocket holster (I think that's what they're called) and some industrial strength velcro can do wonderful things.

T.

I don't have any direct experience with them, but I learned about "inserts" being made for women to use in different purses while watching Clint and Heidi Smiths new DVD on Concealed Carry for Ladies (excellent video). It looked like it was similar to what TLynn describes, but a hard sheet of leather, with a leather holster attached. One holster actually had a tab that looked like it stuck out just above the zipper to make it easy to index and unzip. I believe that John Ralston from 5 Shot Leather made the ones that Heidi showed on the DVD.

They seem like a great idea to me, as it's possible to use the same holster for various purses that you already own and like for their looks too!

[CompVest]

I think you are all making it a lot harder than it needs to be. I use an off the shelf Fossil purse bought at Macy's for my primary carry. This purse has multiple pockets/compartments. One pocket is dedicated to my handgun. I keep my handgun in a DeSantis pocket holster. This covers the trigger guard and keeps the gun oriented in the direction I need it to be in order to pull my purse off my gun. The DeSantis work great as it sticks to the inside of the purse thus it stays in the purse and doesn't come out with the gun.

[mikeintexas]

Thanks CompVest. That is what my wife and I were discussing before supper this evening. I think she may try the pocket holster in a seperate compartment before looking for a more "fashionable" color purse. The Galco she has is a very nice purse for winter being dark brown for winter.

Thanks for all the ideas!

[MeganT]

I am in the process of converting "cute" and "stylish" hadbags into concealed carry purses beacuse I am having the exact same issue as your wife.. there is nothing out there for someone under the age of 60 that a woman would feel proud to carry! I plan on having a website up soon and it helps to know that other people feel the same way that I do and hopefully all the time and effort I am putting into this is worth it!!!

Thanks!

[Salty1]

Look at the following link, they make fashionable purses and are not priced too high. We have some in stock, if your in the DFW area and want to check them out just let me know....

http://www.guntotenmamas.com/

[Ldy AlliDu]

Look at the following link, they make fashionable purses and are not priced too high. We have some in stock, if your in the DFW area and want to check them out just let me know....

http://www.guntotenmamas.com/

I have one, I love it and the quality is fantastic.

[SewTexas]

if you pick up a gun like an LCP or a small revolver and a purse with an inside pocket and a reasonably firm outside, you can easily carry a gun just like you are carrying in a 'gun purse'. I carry in my Miche big bag, I carry in a in leather purse I bought from the mall.

[FAAPOD]

Here's something that my wife bought, along the lines of a pocket holster (in fact they make those too). Scroll down to the bottom of the page:

http://www.concealmentspecialties.com/products.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

She's only had it about a week, so she's still working with it to see if she likes it.