Females with Firearms: Appendix Carry

Women & Guns
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https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/females-with-firearms-respected-not-mocked/
From the blog post:

I mention these insane infomercials because that’s the kind of example that came to mind when I read a tweet from Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts about female gun owners. Commenting on an image showing a woman wearing athletic shorts with a holstered firearm, Watts wrote: “What’s the statistical probability that you’ll shoot yourself in the [female parts] instead of shooting a bad guy while wearing Tomi Lahren’s so-called athleisure wear?”

Women can be nasty to each other. So it doesn’t surprise me that Ms. Watts made the comment she did. I haven’t been able to find a similar comment about how men carry by her. :woman_shrugging:

In honor of, Ms. Watts, what do you like about appendix carry?

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I have a Sig p365, thinking about a Sig p238 looking for some advice
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Well, aside from conversations between the Ladies here on our Forums about all the wonderful options women have, and the way a man’s mind sometimes travels considering such things…

as to Ms. Watts; I fear she may find She could have significantly higher odds of causing herself a life threatening injury in the kitchen with a food prep knife which is not correctly sharp.

All I can say about women being safe holstering appendix; there is no hurry to holster the weapon, man or woman: be slow, be smooth, be safe. Remember, clear your clothing away from the trigger guard before driving the weapon in.

Oh, and keep your kitchen knives sharp!

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What do I like about it? My firearm is easily accessible. I can easily see everything especially when holstering. I will know if anything is in the way or if something is in the holster. Not something you can do with carrying past the 3 o’clock position. It’s comfortable for me to carry appendix. I don’t have a hard piece of metal pressing in my back when I sit.

This should be said of anyone not just women.

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In reply to the original question. Nothing. Can’t bend over, can’t squat, can’t sit.

To the broader question, as an instructor for a goodly number of years I have always found females in general to be better students than men. Most ladies do not have a preconceived notion of their abilities and how things are supposed to work before ever laying finger one on a gun. Most of them ask very intuitive questions that “should” be asked by students. That said I’m a guy and physically I am “Aerodynamic” the only curve I have is on top of my head so my standard “stick it behind your right hip” does not work for many of the women I have taught. It is a short coming I have and I recognize it.

If I cannot quickly find a position for the lady to carry comfortably (unless it’s a military shoot, where you wear it where they tell you) I refer them to a couple of lady friends that carry for a “consultation & holster party”. They get together and do what girls do to try and figure out the best place for them with out some well intentioned guy having his hands on or near parts he shouldn’t be messing with. That and my fashion sense is about zilch.

Any woman that goes through the process to learn about firearms is A-OK in my book and I have no concerns that they will shoot themselves or have their gun taken and used against them. Mrs. Watt’s statement is just ignorance and an appeal to “feelings” rather than facts.

Cheers,

Craig6

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LOL! I think I need to throw a holster party! I really like that idea…

If the instructor is solid and has earned the students respect and trust, there is less issues with touching as the concern about motive is somewhat removed.

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@Dawn I’m not worried about their comfort level, I’m worried about MINE!!! :laughing::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Cheers,

Craig6

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You’re right, I’m sorry I do not know how to bold italic or bold + up font in this forum engine. I might have been more clear to the general population in my intent. I can see clearly the concern I had about saying anything in this topical was justified. Please forgive.

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…^^^^^^
Bold = B
I = Italic

image
image.png932×350 23.6 KB

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strong text emphasized text
The mark up from the graphical interface in the editing engine: Reply shows two 42’s (**) lead and close for Bold. One 42 (*) lead and close for italic.

@Dawn, by chance? Do we have up and down text sizing? I’m not seeing it as default options atm.
Thx!

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@CHRIS4 all is good.

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Only if you use HTML language. I’ll see if I can find my cheat sheet after my next meeting. :slight_smile:

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We need a Love button in addition to a like button.

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Nothing to forgive, we’re good with conversation here. Clarifying a point by someone else is not an indictment, you’re all good. :grin:

I reeeeeally wanted to rant about Shannon Watts’ dislike of other women and her imperialist attitude, but that wasn’t the point of this post, so I sat on my hands for a couple days until the urge went away. :unamused:

Appendix… except at the range or when I’m OC, that’s pretty much how I carry. Basically it’s a lot about how I’m built, short waisted and a generous helping of curves. And that I carry a larger gun.

I can’t easily draw from 3 o’clock because the gun is in my armpit before it clears the holster. 4-6 o’clock doesn’t provide good concealment and it hurts when I sit. The best cover I have is The Girls, who provide excellent concealment if I wear a shirt that drops straight and doesn’t cling.

Carry corset is my favorite because its literally so comfortable I can’t feel the gun, and it will fully vanish a full sized glock G21 or my ruger p89. I have a couple IWB kydex holsters that are also effective but not as comfy.

The carry corset I wear has a trigger guard you can position to increase safety, but it wouldn’t bother me to wear it without that as it’s made of pretty substantial stuff. Just like with purse carry, nothing else should be in the pocket with the gun. Corset or kydex, holstering should never be a speed event, and should always involve looking the gun into your holster.

On the kydex holster I use a more backwards cant than some might as that decreases the opportunity for muzzle dig when I sit. Also less of a problem on those of us who are high waisted because our belts sit higher towards our ribs. On the corset, I can carry strong side, but for the bigger guns I carry crossdraw as that’s the best concealment.

Corset is definitely a slower draw than kydex because the gun goes fully in the pocket with the grip covered, but like anything it improves with practice. Crossdraw has disadvantages if you’re in a clinch, and both crossdraw and strong side appendix draw require awareness of your muzzle sweep.

I learned a better method for appendix presentation from the holster at the USCCA DSF course last weekend so that’s pretty useful . :grin:

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Don’t know how it is for girls but I always carry my appendix with me, whether or not I also carry a gun. It’s really no trouble.

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@Dawn YA SEEEE!!! This is why I refer out :rofl::rofl:

Cheers,

Craig6

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:joy: @Craig6 I hear ya :rofl:
But on the other hand, when I work with a firearms trainer, I’m essentially putting my life, and the lives of my family, in their hands. If I’m queasy about discussing things like breasts with my trainer, how am I going to get proper instruction? I mean we’re talking life and death here. The Girls are worthy of deference and respect, but they’re not more important than my life, or the lives of my family.

^^^ That. by the way, is a useful tactic in addressing this. When you stack them up against the value of protecting their family… well most women go all mama-bear and get over it.

Personally, if a male firearms instructor says we need to deal with the question of boobs, fine, let’s deal with it. :woman_shrugging: I mean, is he going to short me on my education because of my cup size? Not teach me something he knows he should teach me because I’m wearing a bra? Are we really NOT going to discuss something that could save my life or the lives of my grandchildren because he might have to say the word “breasts” or because it might make me uncomfortable if he does?

If you’re my teacher, suck it up and teach me.

Now all that said, I am a fan of starting new women students with female teachers because it increases camaraderie and builds on the “if she can, I can” feeling. And there are some conversations that certainly flow more easily and draw on common experiences. I think EVERY woman should have some female teachers along the way. There are differences in what we find comfortable, where our physical strengths are, and how we think and react that its really important for all teachers, male or female, should know.

And… I’ve had exceedingly few opportunities to study with women teachers. So you men need to just get over it and get on with teaching us :joy:

@Craig6 here’s your homework… :wink: practice this, because it’s a pretty useful thing to say as a teacher:
Since we have women in this class, at some point we may have to talk about… breasts. If we do, it will be because how you carry, how you draw, even shooting position may be affected, and what we’re doing here is pretty important stuff. I’m letting you know now so if it comes up, you won’t be surprised.

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Some behind the scenes changes would have to be made for that. I keep pushing, but it’s not at the top of the priority list yet, @MikeBKY.

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@Zee :rofl: Talk about going all Mama Bear :rofl:

Actually part of my intro to me is “I have been in medicine for 30 years so when I talk about parts of your anatomy and movement I will use the correct medical terminology, if you don’t know what I am saying ask and I will rephrase it.”

That said for pistol I generally end up teaching two levels of student’s A: “This is a gun” types and B: “Put your gear on, we’re doing Mozambique’s to get warmed up and see what you’ve got.” The first group is probably not going to be drawing ANYTHING from a holster and the second group is well beyond that.

My main teaching focus is rifle, long range rifle (with a little carbine and pistol for fun). The topic of breasts often comes up for prone and some positional shooting (especially the DD crowd) and it gets addressed in detail if required.

Cheers,

Craig6

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I’d come study with you @Craig6, any time. :grin:

You and the Mama Bear, I think we’d get on just fine :+1:

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@Zee You ever get out VA Beach way I’ll get you on steel out to 1000 yards before Noon and with a little luck from the wind gods on at a mile before then end of the day. We could play pistol and talk about breasts in between :rofl::rofl:

Cheers,

Craig6

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