How to make female comfortable with loaded ccw

[akoba]

As the title said. Ladies how did you or how long before you get comfortable concealing loaded handgun?
My wife just got her ccw last week. She start carrying last Sunday (loaded/1 in the chamber) while watching in movie theater, shop in wal-mart, and go to church. She said she is uncomfortable that its loaded and might the gun will fire. I told her it will not unless there is a finger in the trigger. Beside she carry a LCP (long trigger full) and will add tommorow the LC9. The next 2 days she is still carrying it but nothing in the chamber. I told her its not adviceable but i let her get use to it first for a while.

What you ladies can say about this?

Thank you

[onequickshift]

Honestly its about comfort, pro and con to carrying 1 in chamber or not. There is always a chance for accidental discharge, or the adage of assuming your gun is always loaded wouldn't hold true.

If she decides to go hot, she should be aware of leather holsters, especially ones that don't hold their shape to well or older worn ones, they can move the trigger back. If she chooses to have the longer motion route of having to pull the slide back to insert a round, than she has to train that way, and know that in a high stress situation she NEEDS to do that, not draw, than fire...cause nothing will happen...

I myself regardless where I am, home or etc, always have a round in. Home invasions usually catch people off guard, or a mugging, etc. Fewer steps, easier execution.

To feel comfortable about that, I had to do alot of repetitive training, over and over. Eventually one gets over it be supportive and don't be the naggy hubby, cause that can really make one feel rushed. Regardless of what she eventually chooses to do, just be supportive. For some people going hot is for them, for others, they want that added extra step...makes them feel comfortable. My Aunt does that.

Goodluck!

[tacticalcity]

As the title said. Ladies how did you or how long before you get comfortable concealing loaded handgun?
My wife just got her ccw last week. She start carrying last Sunday (loaded/1 in the chamber) while watching in movie theater, shop in wal-mart, and go to church. She said she is uncomfortable that its loaded and might the gun will fire. I told her it will not unless there is a finger in the trigger. Beside she carry a LCP (long trigger full) and will add tommorow the LC9. The next 2 days she is still carrying it but nothing in the chamber. I told her its not adviceable but i let her get use to it first for a while.

What you ladies can say about this?

Thank you

I am not a lady, but I didn't grow up around guns and was very nervious carrying with one in the chamber at first. So I think I have some good advice. I do not think this is a gender specific issue but rather a comfort and skill level issue.

It was not until after I took a 4 Day Defense Handgun Course and put 1000+ rounds down range and spent four days, 8 hours a day learning how to be completely safe and effective working with a firearm from the holster that I became confident in my ability to safely carry loaded.

There are lots of courses offered in the Competition and Training Section that have very affordable prices. I strongly recommend a 4 Day course however. 1 or 2 days is just not enough time for someone with her reservations to get over them. The short courses are great for a refresher or even just as an introduction to firearms. But to truly gain comfort for CCW, nothing beats the full four days of training.

I think her reservations are a sign that she should not be carrying at all. Not yet. She knows she is not comptent yet. She needs more training and she knows it.

I do not mean that as an insult. I think it is good she knows her limitations. She knows where her skill level is at, and it is not where it needs to be. I would listen to her if I were you. With more training she will gain both the skillset and confidence needed to carry loaded. She'll know when she is ready, and have zero reservations about carrying loaded once she reaches the proper skill level.

[Steyrlp10]

Ditto on more training and of course, there's the option of not wearing a holster. A couple of years back, I won a Glock lap top case. I don't own a Glock (my Better Half does,) but whenever I look at the case, I laugh. It's got a compartment for the gun.

How does she feel about gun purses?

Naturally, it's all about what's within easy reach for her and again, I suppose that would be in the direction of more training...

[akoba]

Ditto on more training and of course, there's the option of not wearing a holster.
How does she feel about gun purses?

Naturally, it's all about what's within easy reach for her and again, I suppose that would be in the direction of more training...

She said she is ok with the gun purse and thigh holster. Now i have to find some gun purse. She like the recluse holster too but she can put it in her back pocket. lol

Tacticalcity.... Thank you sir for the advice. I will encourage her about that 4 day training.
Onequikshift .... I will stop forcing her to load 1 for now and rushing about the advantage of chambered gun.

[jermedic]

I would let her get used to it at her own pace and try to get some training if possible. Another trick would be to have her when she is around the house wear her setup with a snap cap chambered. After doing that for a while she will be able to see that the gun will not fire unless she pulls the trigger. It may just be that she needs to do baby steps before she feels 100% comfortable with having a round chambered. Either way, be supportive and don't try to push her into something she is not comfortable with and have her not want to carry at all. good luck to both of you!

[c.j.]

...
It was not until after I took a 4 Day Defense Handgun Course and put 1000+ rounds down range and spent four days, 8 hours a day learning how to be completely safe and effective working with a firearm from the holster that I became confident in my ability to safely carry loaded.

I see you already thanked tacticalcity for this, but I wanted to add a big +1. I just got back from a Front Sight 4 day handgun class, and I believe it's perfect for exactly her situation. There were plenty of women (and men, for that matter) in my class who had received a CCW but just weren't comfortable or confident enough with it and found that particular class to be very useful.

There are plenty of certificates floating around (including some mid-week ones that were available last year between $69 and $99) so the class can be done fairly affordably.

[Maleficarum]

I would let her get used to it at her own pace and try to get some training if possible. Another trick would be to have her when she is around the house wear her setup with a snap cap chambered. After doing that for a while she will be able to see that the gun will not fire unless she pulls the trigger. It may just be that she needs to do baby steps before she feels 100% comfortable with having a round chambered. Either way, be supportive and don't try to push her into something she is not comfortable with and have her not want to carry at all. good luck to both of you!

I do not have my CCW just yet but I did something similar with my first pistol (G17) when i got it as a nightstand gun, minus the snap cap. I cleared it and let it sit, for a few days and nights on end (in the safe, on the nightstand, etc) to make myself confident that it would not go off round or not without my direct say-so via slow press to the rear. I now have no reservations about it sitting with one in the chamber as long as it is in sight within my control.