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Old September 6, 2013, 09:53 AM   #26
btmj
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A buddy used a diaper bag... when his kids were still little, all he had for concealed carry was a full size 357 mag revolver. He and his wife modified a diaper bag to transform it into an effective holster. He walked around carrying 2 diaper bags (one of them actually contained diapers and baby stuff), she carried everything else. It worked until he was able to get a smaller firearm.

Nobody is going out of their way to steal a diaper bag.
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Old September 6, 2013, 10:15 AM   #27
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That is a manly man. Good for him!

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Old September 30, 2013, 02:51 PM   #28
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What happens when you purse is snatched?
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Old September 30, 2013, 05:48 PM   #29
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Are you guys talking about a fannypack? or some sort of over the shoulder bag.
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Old September 30, 2013, 06:24 PM   #30
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My wife called those bags "Bauer Bags". You too could be mistaken for Jack Bauer...
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Old September 30, 2013, 06:50 PM   #31
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I am not comfortable carrying my gun anywhere except on my person, I did try it though, I bought a special laptop bag with a easy access handgun compartment.
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Old September 30, 2013, 08:37 PM   #32
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oh .. a bauer bag, nah I wouldn't carry a firearm that way.
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Old September 30, 2013, 10:08 PM   #33
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SS Fast Action Gun Bag circa 1981

When President Reagan was shot in 1981, video showed the Secret Service pulling an UZI out of their Fast Action Gun bag.
Galco makes one but It doesn't look much like the pics from 1981.

Does anyone here understand the setup of that holster?
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Old September 30, 2013, 11:46 PM   #34
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Of the Galco internal holster? Sure. It's a basic elastic pouch, not adjustable for depth or angle, but quite reasonable for a wide variety of handguns.

It has an elastic/Velcro retention strap, which should *always* be used (because as the bag moves around, the gun will wiggle out of the elastic pouch otherwise, no matter how snugly it seems to fit when you first put it in there).

Now the fun part:

To set up the retention strap, first put the short square of the Velcro against the thumb side (inner side) of the holster. Set it up so that you can easily drive your thumb down the side of the gun and break that part of the strap loose.

Then pull the remainder of the strap snugly over the top end of the slide. Don't do the intuitive thing and run it over the grip or backstrap -- if you do, it'll be in the way of getting your hand on the gun when you try to draw. Instead, run it over the top end of the slide on the semiauto, or over the hammer area of the revolver.

Smooth down the remaining, long end of the Velcro over the outer side of the pouch. You are not going to fiddle with that end when you draw -- all the action is on the thumb side of the gun.

There should be enough tension on your elastic/Velcro retention strap that you can easily break the Velcro loose with your thumb as you draw. To do this, simply run your thumb aggressively into place, where it will naturally break loose the Velcro attachment. With the right amount of tension during the set up, the strap flips itself out of your way as you draw.

Hope that makes sense. I have pics around here somewhere.

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Old October 1, 2013, 07:34 AM   #35
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Like many others I'm strongly in favor of on body carry.
That said, I do use a fanny pack designed for CC in certain situations such as when I'm riding a mountain bike.
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Old October 3, 2013, 11:09 AM   #36
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No man-bag for me. The only bag I occasionally carry is a gym-bag, and I absolutely keep nothing valuable in it, since I don't even bother locking it up. I like pocket carry. I rarely carry a cell-phone, that stays in my car.
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Old October 18, 2013, 08:31 PM   #37
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No man-bag for me either. I also don't think a woman should carry this way either because I believe a purse will be the first thing she will be separated from if anything happens, but that's up to them. I don't believe in man-purses or man-caves or man-scaping or bro-mance or any of those things.
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Old November 14, 2013, 10:05 PM   #38
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I have done it. I prefer to carry on the body in a holster, but for me that is not always an option. It's not the best option but I feel that it is better then none. I do not carry this way walking around town. Only when I am in a fixed environment and threats would not appear as quick.
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Old November 14, 2013, 10:48 PM   #39
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Quote:
What happens when you purse is snatched?
LOL, this whole topic just cracks me up. LOL.

If it's a big deal then just get an ankle holster and a J-Frame. That is of course you don't have hairy legs and wear shorts all the time (LOL). Sorry I just couldn't help my self on that (LOL).

Sorry no, man bag or purse for me, just a OWB holster, pistol and a sport coat or jacket.

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Old November 15, 2013, 09:38 AM   #40
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It's not ideal, but often my best option,,,

It's not ideal, but often my best option,,,
it beats no gun at all.

I've been using the briefcase for more than two years,,,
I find it to be practical and very convenient.

I was a university student for 7 years,,,
I got used to carrying a satchel or book bag of some sort,,,
Changing to their leather concealed carry briefcase/satchel was no big stretch for me.

I use this Gun Toten Mama's product,,,
And my Y-Chromosome hasn't shriveled one bit.

More often than not I have my Beretta 85 tucked snugly,,,
Inside my G-T-M Concealed Carry Briefcase.

Is it the ideal carry option?,,,
No it isn't.

Is it a viable option?
Yes it certainly is.

When I have my pistol in it,,,
The case never leaves my control,,,
Just get used to wearing it to the bathroom.

The shoulder straps of all G-T-M products have a steel cable inside,,,
That pretty much eliminates the cut the strap and run thing.

Carry the bag with the strap crossed over the shoulders,,,
If someone tries a run and grab they have to take you as well.

I carry the bag where it hangs about 8:00 on my left side,,,
My left hand rests very comfortably on the corner where the zipper is,,,
I just keep the zipper handle there and it's always at hand to open the gun compartment.

Is it as fast as a hip draw?,,,
Probably not but it's not slower by much,,,
With a little practice it's not as slow as you would think.

Last year I was present for a violent encounter in a video store,,,
I really liked the fact that my hand was on my Beretta,,,
Without me having to show my gun to the world.

When the cops arrived I simply removed my hand,,,
And zipped up the briefcase before leaving.

Pay a visit to their website,,,
Check out the briefcase and unisex options,,,
If nothing else, you will absolutely love the picture on their home page.

Aarond

.
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Old November 17, 2013, 01:58 PM   #41
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I have used two Armstrong bags. One a fanny pack style for a pistol and the other one for small submachine guns. Good products if you decided to go that route but body carry is preferred. Given how many people I see with guns printing thru their clothes I guess that isn't as big an issue as I have been lead to believe...????
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Old November 19, 2013, 09:36 AM   #42
aarondhgraham
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Printing?

Quote:
Given how many people I see with guns printing thru their clothes I guess that isn't as big an issue as I have been lead to believe...????
That all depends on where you live.

In Oklahoma it was a big deal a year ago November,,,
But then we passed the open carry law,,,
Now printing is meaningless.

But what has printing to do with off-body carry?

Aarond

.
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Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once.
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Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)
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Old November 19, 2013, 09:39 AM   #43
aarondhgraham
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Article in American Rifleman,,,

This months American Rifleman has an article on off-body carry.

They have pics of several styles of bags,,,
Including the briefcase I carry.

The article itself was somewhat bland,,,
They didn't talk about anything we hadn't already broached.

Was it coincidence that we just started discussing this?,,,
Or did someone see the article before I did?

Aarond

.
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Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat.
Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once.
Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it?
Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)
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Old November 22, 2013, 11:02 PM   #44
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Sometimes off body carry is faster

Off body carry doesn't have to be slower. I normally carry IWB. But there are times that I supplement this method by using a canvas attache type bag that zippers across the top. It has a wide shoulder strap. On the outside there is a sleeve that I put a file folder in and a section of a newspaper just for appearance. Inside the bag on the bottom facing forward I place a S&W model 640 five shot revolver with concealed hammer. When I am on elevators or when I am forced to walk on stairways I place my arm inside the bag but not holding the gun. If attacked in an elevator or on a narrow stairway the gun is not withdrawn, it is fired right through the bag. Nothing is faster in that type of situation.

Bill
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Old November 23, 2013, 06:32 AM   #45
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My CCW is attached to my body whenever I'm wearing clothes. I don't even like to leave it locked in my car when I enter a gun free zone, which is why I try to avoid such places whenever possible.

One reason I don't believe in off body carry is absentmindedness. My cell phone is always attached to my body whenever I'm wearing pants. Otherwise I would risk leaving it lying around somewhere and forget where I left it. If I carried my gun in a murse there is no way I could be sure I wouldn't do the same thing. I can see myself laying the murse down somewhere and then going off and leaving it. Many, many, women have done this. They forget their purse somewhere and before they can remember where they left it some crook has absconded with it, stole all their valuables and deposited the purse in the nearest dumpster. Do you really want to risk leaving your firearm unattended in a public place where anybody and everybody can have access to it?
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Old November 25, 2013, 01:04 AM   #46
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@arondg ....because having your gun print can get you shot....
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Old November 25, 2013, 08:36 AM   #47
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I sometimes use a messenger bag (Call it whatever you want). The bag is carried on my left side with the strap over my right shoulder. My CC firearm is carried at around 3-4 o'clock , behind my right hip.
The bag allows me to carry some essentials while out and about, without interfering with my firearm. Backpacks are a PITA for my type of carry.
AFA any negative input from my fellows, or the general public, I can take some good-natured ribbing, but don't suffer fools.
I'm not a proponent of off-body carry. Each to their own, I reckon.
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Old November 25, 2013, 10:50 AM   #48
pax
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Quote:
When I am on elevators or when I am forced to walk on stairways I place my arm inside the bag but not holding the gun. If attacked in an elevator or on a narrow stairway the gun is not withdrawn, it is fired right through the bag. Nothing is faster in that type of situation.
A few years back, some friends of mine helped me with some experiments that I later wrote up for SWAT magazine. We took purses out to the range – some purses with built in holsters, and some purses without built in holsters. We spent the day examining the features of various carry purses and other off body carry devices.

There were a half dozen of us, and all of us were experienced, competent shooters. Most of us worked as firearms instructors at the professional level through the Firearms Academy of Seattle.

One experiment we did involved shooting through the purse. First, everybody shot from the retention position, without a purse. Every single shooter there could easily stay within the A zone of the target and get very fast hits, very repeatably, very predictably. That established our goal. Then I gave everybody a purse, including myself. One by one, we shot through the purses at the same distance.

We were shocked at the results.

Several of the shooters could not hit cardboard at arms length distance when shooting through the purse. This was bad, very very bad – because of course, these bags had nothing in them at all. In real life, they would be other things inside the bag that could deflect a bullet when it was launched. This is in addition to the fact that shooting through the bag really requires you to carry a revolver rather them the more common semi auto. And in three cases, we had revolvers get jammed and refused to fire more than a single shot, because the exposed hammer got caught in the lining.

Let me add, too, that in another test, we discovered that a bag with an internal holster would allow you to get the gun completely out of the purse at exactly the same speed – or maybe even a little faster – than simply getting your gun out of the holster without getting it out of the purse. Of course it had to come out of the holster in order to get your finger on the trigger in the first place. We found that was very little difference in the speed between drawing it all the way versus drawing it partway. In other words, shooting through the purse was not going to save nearly as much time as one would envision. Getting your hand on the gun in advance and being prepared to draw, was where we found the most significant time savings.

It is more than likely that repeated practice shooting through a purse would enable somebody to become skilled enough at it to bet their life on it. But I know nobody, personally, who would be willing to buy and then destroy upwards of 200 purses in order to achieve that level of skill, or who would continue destroying say, 10 purses a month, for the rest of their lives, to maintain that skill.

Shooting through the bag is not part of my personal self-defense plans.

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Old November 25, 2013, 11:08 AM   #49
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I've used a lot of stuff over the years to carry a bunch of junk. Briefcase, issue backpack, fanny pack, and lately, hydration bag. The last I picked up cheap from DAV because it had a reflective thermal liner. Nice for carrying necessary daily drugs, and lunch, too.

I've had numerous people go thru my bag when it's at my workstation, whether I'm there or not. Men who would never touch a woman's purse will ransack another guy's bag like there's no element of privacy whatsoever.

I've considered borrowing a few feminine items just to shake them up. Sanitary liners do make good self adhesive sweat bands, ya know.

Therefore, I would never use off body carry for a firearm. And considering the work environment I am subjected to, I can't sling a man bag around all day - but I do need to have a flashlight, pocketknife, cell phone, wallet, hankerchief, pens, notebook, etc on me during my work shift.

I use a very old fashioned concept, I wear clothing with pockets, and I wear only the ones that will fit properly for an active work day. As opposed to some of my customers who wear athletic wear supersized for their physique and who leave everything out in the car, or who carry it all in their hands and dump it on the counter only to call an hour later looking for the junk they lost. We don't have it, there's not even enough to start a lost and found box.

At this point I leave the hydration pack open with the contents displayed - cashews and sugar substitute - to satisfy the curious who would otherwise paw thru it behind my back.

Adding a firearm to the mix is likely not a good idea - especially if the situation demands concealment and even any mention of the issue. Since by overhearing my coworkers know I might be licensed to carry, I'm not going to give them much reason to think it might be in a unattended pack at the back of the building, at my desk, or even in my car - like, parking it on the street just over the property line.

Every situation is different.
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Old November 25, 2013, 12:24 PM   #50
Dot_mdb
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>>Let me add, too, that in another test, we discovered that a bag with an internal holster would allow you to get the gun completely out of the purse at exactly the same speed – or maybe even a little faster – than simply getting your gun out of the holster without getting it out of the purse. Of course it had to come out of the holster in order to get your finger on the trigger in the first place. We found that was very little difference in the speed between drawing it all the way versus drawing it partway. In other words, shooting through the purse was not going to save nearly as much time as one would envision. Getting your hand on the gun in advance and being prepared to draw, was where we found the most significant time savings.<<

Facing someone with a knife in an elevator will not leave time to draw from the bag. I have done some practice shooting from a pocket in a rain coat. First one or two shots produces a hole large enough to push the gun through for normal aiming. That might not happen with the bag.

Practice is the key but it doesn't have to be from inside a bag. This is more or less hip shooting. The key is to always grip the gun the same so it is pointed properly to begin with. That is also important when drawing from a holster but a little less so because of the use of the sights. The gun in the bag technique is better than hip shooting because the whole bag can be pointed. It doesn't have to be static. Admittedly this is not ideal. It is a desperation measure.


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