Carrying Concepts

When I carry my Ruger LC9, it sits in my crossbreed holster, inside the belt of my pants. The handle pokes out and occasionally I get weird and scathing looks from people for daring to carry a firearm.  More than that, I have a child with me often and so the contempt seems to multiply. However this is my preferred way to carry, and honestly it's a lot safer for me and my child than the more "acceptable" and concealable carrying in my purse.

There are times I can't wear my crossbreed for aesthetics, and it's simply not made to work with dresses. So I do in fact have a purse to carry my gun.  After feeling shamed by carrying from general populace and the way people were treating me for having a firearm, I had started using the purse more often, just to make others more comfortable.  However the more I carried the purse, I realized the more dangerous it actually was, especially with a child around.

I'm not concerned with Morgan, because she has been informed and educated about guns, and they aren't a curiosity because they are commonplace in our home.  She knows not to touch them without adult supervision, and she understands the dangers. However I do worry about the more capricious children in my life who are less restrained.

When my gun is in my holster, on my hip, I know exactly where it is at all times. I can feel it pressed to my side and there's never a worry that if I look away some tiny hand might decide to make a reach for it. Usually it is under a layer of clothing, and it would be virtually impossible for someone to touch it, much less take it without me knowing.

However if my gun is in my purse, my purse is not always on me. Sometimes I hang it on the chair at a restaurant or lay it down at a friends' house.  This makes it far easier for the curious or crafty to get into it, and get into trouble, even if you are careful to put it out of reach. The only saving grace of this method is out of sight out of mind. If they don't know it's there, they won't go looking.  But that won't help you in a tight spot.

In a holster, my gun is accessible at all times. I reach back, take it, and protection is instantaneous. This is not the case when it is in a purse. First of all, there is the hope that you don't get purse snatched, which would immediately render the gun moot. If you carry the purse across your body to prevent that, then you still have a zipper or some extra step between you and your gun.  If you are in a situation that requires a gun, time is key, and a split second could save your life. That extra moment to get to your gun might cost you.

Carrying my gun also means that there is not a gun stored somewhere in my house that a child might get into. We have a gun safe for hunting rifles and the guns we don't use as much or practice with regularly. This ensures that the ones we might need immediate access to are there when we need them and not somewhere that someone else can get to them when we aren't looking.  It's like having a parachute but not wearing it. If you need it, it won't do you much good just to have it.