by Sandy Lindsey
At first, carrying a concealed weapon in your purse may seem like
the ideal solution. But it's not safe. Many criminals specialize
in targeting a woman's purse for the money and credit cards inside.
Do you want to give them your gun also? Of course not. But how
does one carry a concealed weapon on their person when wearing
a business suit, skirt, casual slacks, shorts, etc.
The Pager Pal is a slender leather paddle-shaped holster that slides inside the waistband of your skirt or pants. The belt clip is concealed by either a pager (an empty plastic casing provided by Pager Pal or your actual pager). The Pager Pal works best with slender to medium weight people, and, of course, is easier to use with loose clothing, but this is not crucial. It comes in two sizes: small for firearms of 5 1/8" or less in length such as the AMT .380 Back-up, Colt Mustang .380, or Taurus PT. 22 or .25; and large which fits the Para-Ordnance P-12 and P-13 (which gives you about as many rounds as can be easily concealed), the Colt Officers Model, and revolvers including Smith & Wesson Snubby J Frame sizes. The Pager Pal is comfortable to wear, only a slight angle adjustment is needed when driving in traditional (non-baggy) jeans. We found it easiest to remove the Pager Pal with the weapon in a two handed motion, that took only seconds to accomplish. And, of course, the heavier the weapon, the stronger the belt that you use with it. In all cases, especially with 13 rounds in a fully loaded Para-Ordnance P-12, leather belts worked best. The Pager Pal retails for $49.95 with a dummy beeper, or $59.95 with an actual knife sheath that fits most standard pocket knives including some of the Swiss Army line in place of the beeper. For more information or to order call (800) 561- 1603.
Another option is the Defender Gun Belt which is made of a sturdy elastic band that wraps around your waist and closes securely with discrete velcro tabs. The gun is held in place by a second section of elastic banding that is double stitched at all stress points, and there's even space for a spare magazine or speed strip. The Defender is worn inside the pants so that you don't have to wear a jacket or any particular concealment shirt. Depending upon the shirt and slacks chosen, it will probably take a few seconds longer to get a gun out of the Defender than the Pager Pal, but on the upside when you do reach for your gun you're not holding anything but the gun. A person's weight doesn't seem to play as much of a role in the ability to wear the Defender as it does with the Pager Pal, and there are more gun positions to choose from with the Defender since there is no "beeper" showing. The Defender comes in two sizes: Model 1 with a 3" wide belt for small handguns such as the AMT Back-up (.380 and .45), Colt. 380 Government and Mustang, Para-Ordnance P-10, Taurus PT-22, PT-25, etc.; and Model 2 with a 4" wide belt for medium to large guns such as the Para-Ordnance P-12 & 13, Taurus semi-auto PT-58, PT-908 and Taurus revolvers Model 65,66 and 85CH. On an extremely hot day you might find yourself sweating with the Defender, which is why with all on-the-body concealment systems it is recommended that you use a stainless steel gun that will not rust and has no bluing to be damaged.
The Defender comes with the Self-Defense Guideline Card which contains the seven crucial steps that one must take to lessen the chance of legal ramifications after using your firearm in self-defense. The Defender retails for $29.95 and comes with a no-risk guarantee that allows you to return it within 30 days if not completely satisfied, and you get to keep the Self Defense Guideline Card. For more info or to order, call 1-800-472-2388.
A third concealment system to consider is the Conceal-It Secret Gunbelt, which is made of medical-grade elastic for durability and comfort and can be worn around the waist like Defender, or by adding on the included attachments, can be worn underneath a semi-loose shirt, such as standard button down business shirt. The Conceal-It holds semi-automatic firearms up to a 9 mm Glock 19 and most revolvers. It's easier to access a firearm when the Conceal-It is used as an around the waist concealment system, but in those cases where it's worn under a shirt the seconds it takes to reach underneath it are more than made up for by the fact that you have a gun with you at all. As the old saying goes, "The best gun is the one you have with you." To some extent, though the size of the gun that can be concealed will depend upon the size of the person wearing it as smaller body frames work better with smaller weapons. This holster is slightly larger than the Defender, and if you're planning on using it with a compact .22 or .25 might be a bit of overkill. There is a pocket included for a spare magazine, cash or passport, and features a thumb-break release for greater gun safety without sacrificing access speed. When worn as an under the shirt system, the Conceal-It features a cloth backed skin protector pad so that the gun isn't rubbing against you as you move. The conceal it sells for $34.00. To order call the Belt Company at (800) 442-3627. The Belt Company also sells a video entitled "Concealed Carry: Tips, Techniques and Secrets of the Pros" ($19.95) which shows you how to wear and draw from over 40 difference concealment methods, plus an impressive display of concealed carry shooting (Lenny Magill can draw from concealment and shoot within .68 seconds).
If you wish to explore the subject of concealed carry further, we recommend that you pick up a copy of Hidden in Plain Sight: A Practical Guide to Concealed Carry by Trey Bloodworth and Mike Raley ($13.00). This book covers just about every concealment system available today with plenty of accompanying photos, and includes the pros and cons of each, along with a bit of holster history. It's 111 pages of belt, shoulder, ankle and pocket holsters, accessory holsters (such as fanny pack bags), miscellaneous concealment systems, and contains a special section on concealed carry holsters for women that doesn't talk down to the reader. In addition, there's contact information for the major concealed carry system manufacturers with a brief synopsis of their catalog and a chart on the average access time of different systems. Call B&R Company at (912) 878-0044 with any questions or to order a copy. B&R also publishes a pamphlet entitled Obtaining Non-Resident CCW Permits that's available for $10, or $20 for both it and Hidden in Plain Sight.
When carrying a handgun isn't possible, you may want to
consider a pepper spray. DAC Technologies makes the Magnum Defense
Pepper Spray, which features a hand grip that makes it easier
to hold and harder for a criminal to take it away from you. It
also features a safety that must be depressed when "shooting,"
so that should you be disarmed, it will take the criminal some
time to figure out how to use the device, hopefully enough time
for you to flee the situation. There is also a flashlight which
can be used to illuminate your assailant or light up your front
door when inserting your key. Lastly, the Magnum Defense Pepper
Spray contains a UV identification dye so that you can identify
and prosecute your would-be assailant, and a key chain and belt
clip so that you can choose your method of carry. The Magnum Defense
Pepper Spray is available at most K-Marts, or you can contact
DAC Technologies directly at (800) 216-1515. DAC Technologies
also makes a handy Trigger Lock and Motion Alarm that is vital
for families with children. The Trigger Lock and Motion Alarm
can be used together or seperately, and feature a 120 db alarm
and a hardened steel case. The Gun Trigger Lock and Motion Alarm
fits most handguns on the market today.