Concealed Carry Options!
Earlier this month, a woman attending one of our DTI Defensive Handgun Classes in OH asked me if she could work out of her concealed-carry handbag.
She later told me that she fully expected me to say “No,” and that I would insist that she use a strong-side belt holster. However, I said that her concealed-carry sling-bag, manufactured by Cakes, was very suitable and that she could certainly work with it during the entire Course. She did, and was able to handily pass her DTI Defensive Handgun Proficiency Test at the end of the second day.
Cakes is a vendor with whom I was not familiar, but their sling-bag is well-designed, well put-together (albeit pricy) and for our training, very acceptable. Other concealed-carry handbag vendors I like, and recommend, include GTM, Zendira, and Ukoalabag
For women (some men too), a concealed-carry handbag represents not only a legitimate carry-option, but for many under some circumstances, the only option. And, I’m happy for them to exercise in training with the equipment they’re going to actually be using on a daily basis, rather than with something used only on a range.
My long-time friend and colleague, Manny Kapelsohn, recently editorialized about the substantial and unavoidable risks inherent with with carrying striker-fired pistols via “appendix carry” (which among many of its advocates is more accurately described as “groin carry”) More than a few terrible injury-producing UDs associated with this practice have happened, and continue to happen!
I join Manny in not recommending for most people (men and women) “groin carry” with striker-fired pistols, particularly in IWB holsters. For most (men and women), a concealed-carry handbag represents a sensible, and a much safer, alternative!
My wonderful student demonstrated to all of us that she could safely, smoothly produce, and re-conceal, her pistol (G43), using her Cakes concealed-carry sling bag, and all without ever inadvertently pointing it at her own body, nor in any other unsafe direction.
She’s “one of us” now!
/John
