Ladies Concealed Carry 101 - Drawing From A Concealed Carry Purse

Ladies Concealed Carry 101 - Drawing From A Concealed Carry Purse

Between its effectiveness, durability, and style, investing in a conceal carry crossbody purse is one of the most logical investments for women to carry their handguns both securely and safely. Part of that stems from concealed carry purses being highly versatile to meet unique women's concealing needs, and part is due to most on-body methods being hard to carry productively when wearing certain attire – eliminating the need to leave a firearm at home.

According to Pew Research, about 1 in every 5 women report owning a gun. However, only about 26% of conceal carrying women conceal carry outside of the home, with on-body conceal carry inconvenience being one of the primary reasons.

 Overall, the insurmountable task for women to carry a firearm safely and effectively has been overturned with the rise of ladies concealed carry purses. However, as any responsible firearm owner knows, investing in the proper gear for concealed carry is one thing but fully understanding how to draw from it is entirely another.

Drawing From Your Purse The RIGHT Way – A Step By Step Guide

With a conceal carry crossbody purse, there are actually two distinct ways you can safely and productively draw your firearm: drawing from your strong side (from the back side of your concealed carry purse) and the crossbody draw (reaching across your body to retrieve your firearm). For many, the crossbody draw tends to be easier and more comfortable, especially if you are in a sitting position. That said, for concealed carrying women wanting to pursue the crossbody method, a left-handed woman should carry her purse on her right shoulder and vice-versa in order to reach across with the dominant hand. This can also make theft much harder than if it was resting on one side of your body.

Keep in mind that drawing a firearm from across your body should also render extra care, as an incorrect technique could cause you to sweep others around you with the muzzle, which is especially risky during defensive situations in public. In addition, draw speed might be slightly hindered by the extra motion, which is why you never see the cross-draw technique in competitive shooting in the IDPA and IPSC. With that in mind, do what feels best for you and be sure that regardless of your most comfortable preference, take specific training, know the steps for safe drawing, and practice often.

Step One: Unzip And Grip

If you find yourself in a harsh circumstance when drawing your concealed carry is necessary, the first thing you'll need to do is swiftly unzip your crossbody purse and grip your firearm with your trigger finger remaining straight out. To help with the seamlessness of this transition, use your non-dominant hand on the side your purse is resting on to hold the purse in place and then push it away once the gun is out. Again, this process should be done quickly and correctly without hesitation and will require extensive practice to feel confident in doing so if a real threatening scenario occurs.

Step Two: Clear

As soon as your gun is out of your purse, your aim should immediately be either at the threat or downward based on what the unique situation renders. If your gun is also equipped with a thumb safety, quickly disengage it while concurrently keeping your finger away from the trigger guard. Remember, your muzzle should always be pointed at the threat or downward, and you should never rest your finger on the gun trigger until you are 100% ready to shoot.

 Step Three: Hands Together

Once your non-dominant hand is free, carefully bring it to your gun to optimize your support, aim, and stability. Yes, one-handed shooting is possible, but attaining a firm, two-handed grip can make all the difference in accuracy. Much like the motion of drawing, putting your hands together with the finger still not on the trigger is another "art form" that must be perfected before applying in real-world situations.

Step Four: Look And Be Present

With hands together, the muzzle facing the threat and your stance is ideal to withstand trigger backlash (formally known as the tactical shooting stance), your goal now should be to remain as present and focused as possible. Still being aware of your surroundings to accentuate everyone’s safety within the vicinity, look and be present, demonstrate that your attention is not deterred or broken from what is going on in front of you, and above all, bring your finger to the trigger and shoot if shooting is the only option.

Additional Do’s & Don’ts To Be Mindful Of

Alongside understanding the steps required to draw firearms from concealed carry purses safely, there are some other cornerstone factors that all conceal carrying women should be mindful of:

• Always be sure to pull your purse out of the way. If necessary, drop it to the ground. Conceal carry crossbody purses were designed for unmatched durability for a reason.

• Practice dry firing at home and at your local range. It will feel awkward initially, but the more you do it, the smoother and faster it becomes until it's one continuous, second-natured motion.

• Going without saying, be prepared for the consequences of your actions. No matter what situation you are in that requires you to draw for self-defense and/or the defense of others, your next moves will cause a chain reaction that you need to be ready for, regardless of what that might be.

• Whether you are in a hostile circumstance or not, always have situational awareness. Being aware of your surroundings, watching body languages, and making eye contact with people are what can help you act fast and accurately if an emergency situation does arise.

• You should be able to draw quickly out of your purse. This means knowing exactly where your firearm is in your purse at all times and not having other items, such as non-lethal resources, hinder your ability to reach for it. In most cases, ladies concealed carry purses feature Velcro holsters and/or dedicated compartments to solidify secured placement.

• Never adjust your gun placement in public. Though it may seem harmless to you, someone passing by could see that as a threat and cause an unstirring situation that could have been avoided.

• If you draw your concealed weapon, be ready to shoot. Meaning never merely flash your firearm to de-escalate a situation with an assailant. Once you draw from your concealed carry purse, you must be ready to shoot both mindfully and without hesitation. Notably, drawing with the intent to shoot should always be the last resort.

• As a conceal carrying woman, NEVER leave your bag unattended. The only rule exception is if your purse is locked with concealment zippers and you are in a secure location. For reference, all Lady Conceal purses feature locking zippers.

Concealed Carry Purses - More Than Just Staple Fashion Adornment

Overall, owning a firearm is one of the most significant decisions you can make and one that requires new levels of responsibility to ensure you and those around you remain safe. Though much of that stems from fully understanding your firearms capabilities, the other half of that is mastering your preferred version of concealed carry. And if you are like the many fashionable conceal carrying women, then that method is likely concealed carry purses.

Ready to get started? Click here to discover your ideal conceal carry crossbody purse and begin mastering the art of safe, effective, and successful drawing today. Also embellish your security by filling your purse with non-lethal resources such as pepper spray, whistles, tactical flashlights, and other self-defending options like the Lady Conceal security alarm keychain. 

In summary, the decision on how you would like to proceed with ladies concealed carry is entirely up to you. But with its proven benefits and appeal, having a quality concealed carry purse on standby (and knowing how to draw from it) is a fundamental way to optimize your safety, security, and confidence. Because if there is one thing for sure when it comes to the notions of controlled self-defense, having a firearm inside a concealed carry purse is much better than not having it at all.