Concealed Carry On The Body Or Off Body?

Discussing how to carry your conceal carry firearm can be a touchy subject. Ladies who every day carry generally have their opinion on which way is better and why. It’s important to remember that there is no one size fits all for every person and occasion. However, the short answer is; on the body is always best whenever possible. Now let’s dig into the nuts and bolts as to why and how.

I carry every day and buy my clothing in order to fit this lifestyle choice and for the most part, I can fairly easily conceal carry on my body. (The only time I had trouble with on the body EDC was when I was pregnant – it’s really hard and expensive to keep accommodating a growing belly.)

It is important to remember that your firearm must be in a secure holster that protects the trigger and is able to be concealed. We do not want to alert the general public that you have a firearm hidden on your body. It must be secured in a way that it will not fall off during the course of your normal activities and is not able to be taken off ie: in the pocket of a jacket is not considered on the body. Your firearm must be easily accessible in the time of an emergency and while there is debate over what it means to be easily accessible – remember, you want to be able to get to it as quickly as possible. Items often used in on the body conceal carry are inside the waistband holster on a gun belt, comfort carry belts, belly bands, ankle/thigh holsters.

There are various shirts, sports bras designed specifically for this as well but finding one that will accommodate concealing anything the size of a Glock 43 or bigger is hard to do so without looking like you have a third boob. I’ll write a blog later on my favorite ways to specifically carry on my body (think comfort and safety with style!) but on the body is by far the best way to be able to protect yourself the fastest and most securely because you have complete control of the firearm when it is physically on you.

Off the body carrying is a bit complicated and is certainly not my favorite choice. Off the body means the firearm is held within another device such as a backpack, purse, brief case or even coat jacket pocket in a secure holster (secure holster is key!). Each of these methods is susceptible to theft or heaven forbid, a child having access to it. If you choose to carry your firearm off your body, whatever bag you are using must absolutely be on you in the most secure fashion as possible (across the body for a purse, backpack on both shoulders etc) and not draped across the back of your chair, checked at a coat closet, left under a table or casually left in your vehicle unattended.

Your firearm must have its own dedicated holster and empty compartment within the bag for maximum protection against a negligent discharge. If you cannot physically keep it near you, as a last resort, place the bag in a locked drawer. For obvious reasons, carrying off the body is the least secure option with the added downside of having a much longer draw time.

However you choose to every day conceal carry, make sure you take the time to practice with your gear. When you hit that gun range, after your formal training session, add an additional period of time to practice drawing from your conceal carry positions. Bring the purse or back pack you keep your firearm in and practice wearing them and drawing from that concealed position. If you have an infant or toddler that you haul around, take a bag of flour or rice that’s an approximate weight and practice drawing while holding that practice bag (not your child). And while I certainly don’t advocate being in a gun fight while holding your child, you might not have an option but to defend yourself and your children and it’s best to be as prepared as possible.

If you carry inside the waistband (which I highly recommend), wear an undershirt/tank under your shooting clothes and practice drawing without fear of flashing everyone around you. (In a real life attack, no one is going to care who you flash if you are drawing to defend yourself.) If you choose to use a purse or backpack, bring it to the range and time your draws. Bring a bag you can shoot through for additional practice – I buy practice bags from the thrift store and modify them to accommodate my firearm for range practice and real-life use.

There will always be exceptions for any situation – yes, I generally wear on the body but earlier this year, I went to an awards ceremony in an evening gown and had to carry in my special purse. While pregnant, I outgrew all my belly bands and didn’t have pants with belt loops, so for a few months, I used a conceal carry purse. Where there’s a will, there’s a way and no matter how you carry, be sure to train often and regularly. The main point is to carry and to do so in the safest, most reliable manner that fits your needs and lifestyle