I had a game plan in place before I bought my concealed carry pistol. I am sure glad that I did. I have heard some horror stories about other women who have not done any planning before they got their concealed carry pistol and permit. One of the first hings that I did was do some reading about a few of the pistols that I thought I was interested in buying. My CC instructor, who was recommended by a friend, who is a police officer, gave me detailed information about the pistol that I thought I might want.
My hands are pretty small, my fingers are not that long. So my instructor told me I would need to look toward pistols that allow me a comfortable grip for the size of my hand. I don't need to consider those pistols that are large and not easy for me to grip. If I can't get my finger comfortably on the trigger I should discount that as a pistol I should try to use. He showed me that the size and weight of a pistol is only part of the pistol that I should sync up with. I must also consider the caliber of the pistol. Small weight pistols can shoot larger caliber bullets. Larger weight pistols can also shoot small caliber bullets. I will need to get the right size pistol in weight, but also one that shoots a bullet that will meet my need of protection. He told me that each pistol will have a different pressure that is required to pull the trigger. Some are very easy, some are medium, and some are hard. I didn't want a trigger that is too easy, nor too hard, but one that is just right.
My instructor took me to the range where he had selected several pistols that I could shoot to help me find the right one. Before I started to fire on the range he taught me the correct way to grip the pistol using a dummy gun. He showed me how to grip with both hands, and keep my finger beside the pistol until I was ready to shoot. He said after I had selected a pistol he would help me purchase it. Then he would train me in how to use it correctly, so I could get my concealed carry permit.
One of the main things I learned in checking out these pistols was that the size of caliber has a bearing on how hard a pistol will recoil. Recoil happens when you fire a gun. Most of the energy of the shot goes out the barrel of the gun. But some the energy is pushed back toward the shooter. That is recoil. Recoil will vary from one pistol to another. The pistol that shoots the higher number calibers like .45 ACP and .40 have a greater recoil than the ones that shoot bullets like the .22 LR or 9mm. Of course that recoil or “kick” is also based on the weight of the pistol. If I get a heavier pistol that shoots smaller ammunition it will have less “kick” than the same weight of gun that shoots the larger bullets. My instructor suggested that I really consider a mid-sized semi-automatic with medium weight that shoots a 9mm cartridge. He said the 9mm would have enough stopping power for self defense. I decided on a pistol that day and asked him to order it for me. When I received the pistol my instructor had me attend his concealed carry class which helped me get my CC permit.
The next phase of my game plan was to decide how I could carry concealed. Since I am very slight in size I decided that I did not want to use a concealed carry holster. I feel I just don't have enough meat on my bones to cover up a concealed pistol. The crossbody concealed carry purse is probably the way to go. Carrying a gun that way made me very uncomfortable. So I turned to look at concealed carry purses as my choice of carry. I did want to be able to vary my way of carry in different situations. I found out that the Pistol Packn Mama website, that sells concealed carry purses, has a page called Pistol Packn Parcels where I could buy more than one concealed carry purse, all of them at a discount. I just need to select the ones that will sync up with me, my gun, and the places I want to carry it.
I decided on the Boston Purse in black. I think it is very classy, a classic crossbody concealed carry purse, exactly what I wanted. It has a long, adjustable strap that I can shorten, so I can carry under my arm or I can leave it long for crossbody carry. It has a lot of space inside the main compartment that I can use for all my junk. It keeps my gun separate from the junk so I can draw the pistol easily. There is a zipper opening on the back of the purse to get into the concealed compartment where my gun is. Other zipper openings help with organization. I think that it is great that you cannot tell that I have a pistol in my purse. I feel very comfortable with my protection from this one. The other concealed carry purse that got was the Shoulder Concealed Carry Portfolio in brown. It is a little more dressy than the Boston purse. It has a lot of the same abilities as the Boston, and I can carry it to work and other activities. I like the under the arm carry that it has. I got both these purses at a discount and love them both. I am now synced up very well with my concealed carry.
