Top Four Things to Know About Purse Carry

With the coming summer months, the question crops up once again, “what’s the best way to purse carry safely?” In the Fall-Spring, it can be much easier to conceal on the body. Outwear like jackets, sweaters and vests can easily cover the print of your handgun as you carry it inside the waistband. But, as the heat forces you to shed those layers, replacing them with your Summer wardrobe, concealing your pistol may become difficult or impossible. Off body carry is a great solution to this issue, especially for women. Carrying in a purse is an effective work-around, but there is much to consider before electing to do so. In this blog, we will discuss the top four things you should know before carrying in your purse.

1. Is Purse Carry Right for You?

Carrying off body is something you should think about a lot before doing. It takes a little more attention to detail than just putting your handgun in the waistband. If your pistol is in your purse, gone are the days that you can just put it over your chair at the coffeeshop, or place it in the basket of your shopping cart. It’s critical to always know the location of your handgun to stay safe, and to ensure it is in your possession instead of unattended.

If you don’t mind wearing your purse crossbody or keeping it with you always, then carrying in your purse should come naturally. But, if you are prone to leaving it at your desk all day at work, you may have to consider adjusting your habits.

 

2. How to Select the Right Purse

Choosing the right purse for concealed carry matters! To stay safe, it’s important to find a purse designed specifically for daily carry. Keeping your handgun separated from the rest of your purse’s contents helps you know exactly where your firearm is and how to access it. This also helps prevent accidental discharges due to snagging.

Our recommended concealed carry purses have subtle and designated pouches for your handgun’s concealment. These purses have built in holsters that you can adjust for right- or left-hand draw and any orientation!

Another thing to consider is the style of the handbag. If it doesn’t fit your daily style and preferences, you probably won’t use it. Thankfully there are some incredible companies we are proud to share with you that don’t sacrifice their style for functionality. To see our selection of concealed carry purses, click here.

 

3. Dry Fire Training & Purse Carry

Just like when you started carrying inside the waistband, the importance of building aptitude in drawing your pistol from your purse cannot be understated.

Dry fire is a great way to build the necessary muscle memory to keep you safe. Dry fire is simply utilizing your firearm without live ammunition to train. Essentially, “live fire” is the practice of visiting the range and shooting “live” rounds. Dry fire is the use of the firearm, safely, inside your home to train.

Dry fire can be more helpful than live fire, especially when learning how to carry in a new way. When done right and safely, dry fire can help you build fundamental skills you often cannot practice at the range, like drawing from your purse. Dry firing will effectively tell you where you need to continue working to improve yourself. To learn more about dry fire training, check out our blog on how to get started.

Dry fire can also be done using Frontier Justice’s MILO Simulator. After practicing your draw consistently, schedule a time with a member of our training team in the simulator to practically apply your skills.

A real firearm is fitted with a laser light that is picked up by software connected to a large projector. This allows the effect of real-time shooting and gives you the opportunity to practice drawing from the purse to engage a target. The simulator is a great way to enhance your training by adding a layer of situational decision making to the mix. To schedule a simulator session with an instructor, click here.

4. Continued Education: Learning the Best Practices

Undoubtedly, the most important consideration in carrying a firearm at all is quality education. Helping you in your educational journey is our passion here at Frontier Justice, and we offer a variety of courses to help you along.

If you are just getting started with your journey in firearms, we recommend our Basic Pistol Skills I Course. If you’ve already completed that and are ready to begin learning how to carry a handgun, our Concealed Carry class is right for you.

If, however, you’ve finished both these classes already and you are looking to learn more about how to best carry in a purse, we are now proud to offer our Safe and Effective Purse Carry course.

This class is a great extension to our Concealed Carry course! This class covers the unique safety issues faced by carrying in a purse, discusses how to incorporate purse carry into your daily life, and how to best practice accessing your firearm.

A Lifelong Journey

Continued education is all about dynamic learning that helps you prepare for whatever you may need! If you believe that purse carry is right for you, come join our Expert FJ training staff to learn all about the unique and dynamic considerations that go into it! Schedule your Safe and Effective Purse Carry course today.