Holster/gun ideas for petite woman CCW

[DedPyro]

...98, 99, 100%!
Not really interested in introducing myself : ) but I would like some ideas if you have them. My fiance is looking to carry and we've been struggling with holster/gun combos. We both would like to see her able to carry a 9mm but I never realized how small she is until she tried concealing her SA EMP 9mm or a Kahr CW9. We've thought about .380 ACP but it's so expensive and hard to find.

Let me start with saying she's 5'1" and 95 lbs. It's essentially like trying to get a 12 year old girl to carry and not print. No offense if you are that small, she knows she's a little pixie. Anyhow, are there any females around that size that have found comfortable guns/holsters that work for them? She wears pretty fitted clothes so any ideas would be helpful.
Thank you.

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[gryghin]

My wife is barely 5' and we are going through the same dilemma. I know that there is a NRA instructor that is female here on the West side. I saw her card at Frontline Arms the other week. I was thinking of introducing my wife to her, so that they would be able to find a solution.

 

[DedPyro]

Oh that's great. Let me know how that goes. I'd be interested how that experience is. We've kinda come to the conclusion that she's going to have to make comprises on everything like grip length, barrel length, capacity, concealment location, holster type, and likely caliber. I just wish ranges rented out micro 380s to try.
Something to think about, I just ordered a narrow belly band from Thewellarmedwoman.com for her to try. It's on the way. I'll report what she thinks of it. Training will also be much more difficult because she will likely need to have quite a few carry locations to practice with. The most important thing we're keeping in mind is that any gun is better than no gun. So if we have to sacrifice some desirable features it'll be worth it to have at least something that goes bang.

 

[Kinvo]

I work with a lady that finally settled on purse carrying because of this problem. I realize this isn't for everyone but with form fitting clothes and/or fashion style sometimes carrying on your body isn't an option. Or she changes how she dresses and can conceal easily beneath lose fitting shirts or light jackets.

I am not a big guy so I have to carry at 4-5 o'clock so I don't look deformed and still wear looser fitting clothes to hide I am carrying.

 

[SHPD_Retired]

...98, 99, 100%!
Not really interested in introducing myself : ) but I would like some ideas if you have them. My fiance is looking to carry and we've been struggling with holster/gun combos. We both would like to see her able to carry a 9mm but I never realized how small she is until she tried concealing her SA EMP 9mm or a Kahr CW9. We've thought about .380 ACP but it's so expensive and hard to find.

Let me start with saying she's 5'1" and 95 lbs. It's essentially like trying to get a 12 year old girl to carry and not print. No offense if you are that small, she knows she's a little pixie. Anyhow, are there any females around that size that have found comfortable guns/holsters that work for them? She wears pretty fitted clothes so any ideas would be helpful.
Thank you.

There is a website called a well armed woman. My wife found some things there.

 

[nastybynature]

My wife is 5 ft. tall and under 120lbs. She carries an XD9SC in a Winthrop IWB holster at 4 o' clock. It conceals well and is a great shooter, especially how quickly it returns to target. If it is a really hot day and less clothing is necessary, she has a S&W .380 bodyguard in this holster and then it will fit anywhere including her IWB or pocket.

 

[Mark W.]

You might also look into the New Remington R51 its a very compact thin 9mm it has very tapered corners and is designed specifically as a EDC. They are currently hard to find due to just hitting the market but in a few months should be easier to find. They are supposed to sell around $400.00 based on their MSRP beware of people trying to make money reselling them right now while they are hard to find.

Its actually a little smaller then a Bersa Thunder .380 for comparison.

http://therock.remington.com/firearm_ModelR51.php#.UynLA7lOWzc
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_R51

 

[Pink Pistol]

There is a website called a well armed woman. My wife found some things there.

So glad I found this forum. Being 5'2" and 102lbs, I share the same frustrations regarding properly concealing a pistol. I just visited the well armed woman site. The bra holsters look a bit daunting, but The Annie might fit the bill.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Cornered cat is a good website for the ladies too, lot's of wardrobe discussions and such. CC issues are very different for the ladies, the average dude is going to have some homework to do to be a student of his lady and the selection of her other personal bodyguard. It requires a lot of patience, reading, talking, training and some trial and error to get her fit with the right setup. Like most good things with her, you can't rush it. We have it narrowed down to a J model S&W or an LC9 for my wife. We are clear that IWB is not an option.

 

[PaulZ]

take a look at the Wyatt Deep Cover I have for sale on the pistol forum

 

[gryghin]

... I just wish ranges rented out micro 380s to try.
Something to think about, I just ordered a narrow belly band from Thewellarmedwoman.com for her to try. It's on the way. I'll report what she thinks of it. Training will also be much more difficult because she will likely need to have quite a few carry locations to practice with. The most important thing we're keeping in mind is that any gun is better than no gun. So if we have to sacrifice some desirable features it'll be worth it to have at least something that goes bang.

I just ordered a IWB holster from Alien Gear Holsters for her to try out. We've been going to Clackamas Public Safety Training Center to try out different calibers and have settled on .380 for her. If you want to meet there PM me, I have an LCP y'all can use, if it doesn't sell, and a Sig P238. My wife likes the P238 and is working on accuracy.

 

[DedPyro]

I just ordered a IWB holster from Alien Gear Holsters for her to try out. We've been going to Clackamas Public Safety Training Center to try out different calibers and have settled on .380 for her. If you want to meet there PM me, I have an LCP y'all can use, if it doesn't sell, and a Sig P238. My wife likes the P238 and is working on accuracy.

Oh that's great. I'll talk to her and let her know. Thank you!

 

[redmud]

My wife is 4'9" and I have been looking and comparing for a while now one thing for sure I decided it needed a built in laser sight. I just know that if some idiot is going to draw on us or put our lives at risk I will be in front of her.

I tried a few small pistols at a store once, working the slide and what not and the Kahr .380 is difficult to pull back the slide and the Beretta Nano was weird to release the slide in a pinch she might get confused and forget to pull it back to release it. The Sig P238 was the easiest but no laser sight. So for now it seems like the Ruger Lcp is the best option for us

 

[DedPyro]

My wife is 4'9" and I have been looking and comparing for a while now one thing for sure I decided it needed a built in laser sight. I just know that if some idiot is going to draw on us or put our lives at risk I will be in front of her.

I tried a few small pistols at a store once, working the slide and what not and the Kahr .380 is difficult to pull back the slide and the Beretta Nano was weird to release the slide in a pinch she might get confused and forget to pull it back to release it. The Sig P238 was the easiest but no laser sight. So for now it seems like the Ruger Lcp is the best option for us

Sig offers a laser for the p238 my suggestion is before buying anything, go to a couple of gun shows and encourage her to pick up everything. Depending, you may have to start handing her guns. There you'll find a lot more options. Grip it, rack it, aim it, test the trigger break and reset, manipulate the magazine release, see if they'll let you insert a magazine, some have pinky extentions. Then just make a list of what's comfortable, compare round count, weight, extended magazine and accessory options as well as costs. Then go back to the gun show another month and do it again. She may have refined her preferences. This is how we found her EMP which is her winter and bedside gun. I wanted her to have something that was hers and besides that she fell in love with it. It was so bad I thought she might sneak off to go hold it in the stores instead of coming home.
Another thing to note if it's been overlooked, with less upper body strength, she will have to find her own way to rack a slide. Trust me, I understand some are just not happening.
What my fiancé found is (she's right handed) holding the gun very close to her body, point it left, grip the slide just behind the ejection port with her thumb over or behind the rear sight (this is more of a palm grip, less fingers), hold tight and push the gun with her right hand as opposed to pulling the slide with her left. For admin purposes until she can break something in, one option can be to break her grip, hold the back of the slide with her right hand, gripping in such a way that her thumb is under the beavertail area and her fingers are behind but close to the ejection port, then essential close your fist and get the slide to crack open, then work the slide open as described before. This takes a little more manipulation but less strength. She saw me doing this while breaking a pistol down for cleaning and for her it helps get the slide moving if she's struggling. Also to note that with lots of practice, so don't get frustrated, she can now rack the slide on guns she previously could not. Hope that helps your wife or anyone else.

 

[fredball]

Welcome Aboard

 

[DedPyro]

Welcome Aboard

Thank you. I've been here for about a year but just recently getting more active.

 

[coop44]

Most women I've known have a purse big enough for a change of clothes, lunch, and a 12 gauge.

But seriously, always a fan of a 2" round butt model 10. If anyone wants to carry successfully they will have to (nearly always) alter their wardrobe to conceal. That being said, I have found after carrying for a few years (ha ha), that most people aren't looking. They are usually totally engrossed in their own concerns.

 

[DedPyro]

Most women I've known have a purse big enough for a change of clothes, lunch, and a 12 gauge.

But seriously, always a fan of a 2" round butt model 10. If anyone wants to carry successfully they will have to (nearly always) alter their wardrobe to conceal. That being said, I have found after carrying for a few years (ha ha), that most people aren't looking. They are usually totally engrossed in their own concerns.

I agree on both fronts. I've changed my clothes slightly and have found most people don't take note and aren't looking. The primary difference is, that I've found men have to make less changes and are also not as concerned with fashion to the same degree as women. Options of on body carry are even further complicated when they're tiny. I like to illustrate it by comparing a gorilla to hiding a 3" gun and a mouse trying to hide the same gun. This is all an exercise in trying to avoid off body carry as much as possible. We're realizing now that it will have to be included in her list of tools. Actually what I've realized is that she's going to need about 4 different guns and a dozen holsters to accomplish the "always carry something because something is better than nothing" mantra I chant : )

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Have her check out
The "Well armed woman" facebook OR there is this gal on youtube:
Failphotography? Or something like that?

My woman is petite as well, she likes to appendix carry, but shes looking at the bra holster system.. It sounds silly but women DO have different carry methods.. The one I don't advocate is the "purse/bag" carry.. Just because her purse can getaway from her, not to mention its an extra step to draw.. But then again there are purses designed for retention as well as a quick draw.
My woman is very slender, 5'10 and about 120-130 she can conceal a G19 or my Taurus 605 with ease.

Id say it depends on her daily activity as well as her profession in terms of her carry method.
Let us know if she finds a preferred method of carry!

 

[coop44]

of course there is an alternative, I could introduce her to my ex wife. She had a penchant for knives, big ones.