American women use a firearm to deter a rapist 416 times each day—which is 12 times more often than rapists use guns to commit their crimes. According to the latest prisoner surveys, the number of women using a handgun for protection is estimated to be much larger. When the would-be victims either showed a gun, said she had a gun, or the rapist thought the victim had a gun – for some other reason – the criminal elected to forego the attack. In short, there’s mounting evidence that a well-armed woman is a safer woman.
If you are serious about acquiring and carrying a handgun, get professional help. Most cities have a plethora of options in firearms instruction. At many ranges, you can rent and shoot a myriad of handgun types and brands. Shoot a variety of handguns – both revolvers and semiautomatics, as well as, several calibers – to determine which model you shoot most accurately, best fits your hand and your body.
Once you have acquired a firearm, you must decide how best to carry it safely and securely. The primary reasons many experts council against a concealed carry purse are:
- the serious risk posed anytime your gun is not on your body
- that purse-carry limits your ability to respond as quickly as possible (and we know those seconds are critical)
These are real issues to consider and accept when deciding how to holster your gun.
Carrying your gun on your person is the safest and most effective method, period. But, sometimes this is not the most practical option. And, if leaving your weapon behind (in instances where you are unable to wear it) is also not an option, a concealed carry purse is something you should consider.
The Well Armed Woman possess the following questions to assist you in your decision making:
- Am I forgetful?
- Have I left my purse behind in the last 6 months (in the restroom, a restaurant or store)?
- Am I around small children regularly who can access my purse?
- Am I willing to carry my purse cross-body to minimize risk of someone taking my purse?
- Can I keep a handgun on me and store it properly when it must be off my body?
- Will I vow to always have my gun in a holster in a designated compartment of the purse?
- Am I disciplined enough to practice the awkward draw and use of my gun from the concealed carry purse? (You may very likely need to shoot through the purse to not loose the precious seconds.)
In summary, getting the right training is critical and should include – holstering, deploying, shooting (from various positions), retaining, maintaining, and storing a handgun safely.
If you are unwilling to put the work in, don’t carry a weapon. And if you do carry, develop proficiency before you start carrying. It’s always the smart thing to do.
Snug
Great article. I especially agree with your point on training. There are many fantastic female fire arm instructors (and men as well) who are not “meat head” drill instructor types. Do your homework and find a teacher you are comfortable with. It will pay huge dividends.