Girlfriends and Carrying

Today is my girlfriend’s first day of carrying her gun (G43X in a belly band) to work at the local coffee shop, and because I am so proud of her I wanted to make a post about my experience getting her into firearms and carrying in hopes that it helps other guys that want the same for their SOs.Patience is key when it comes to this.It may be tempting to get your girlfriend to start carrying immediately thinking “what if she needs it tomorrow?”, and it may be tempting to tell her that she should carry all day every day with a round in the chamber like many of us do. Any rational guy would want their girlfriend to have the ability to protect herself at any given moment. Starting with something like pepper spray is what I did to get her in the mindset of carrying a self defense tool.It may be a very long process.Depending on your girlfriends experience with firearms, it may take awhile to get there. We have been dating for two years and she shot a gun for the first time a year ago. Fast forward to about 2 months ago and she acquired her first gun (G43X). She has been sleeping with the gun at her bedside every night since with a full magazine and empty chamber.Holster selection may be much trickier for a womanThis is especially true if you are purchasing the holster for her. I wear a belt everyday and carry a full-size gun in a Tier1 slim but as you know, holster selection is mostly subjective and different to anyone, with exceptions. My girlfriend never wears a belt, so I didn’t expect her to just start wearing one right off the bat. I chose a belly band for her as a Christmas gift as that will allow her to carry in a variety of positions as well as a variety of women’s clothing comfortably.Show her how to practice.Once you get beyond safety rules and unconscious competence with safety, make sure you equip her with the tools she needs to practice, even in times like these when ammo is scares. This means dry fire techniques or laser cartridges. Some women don’t learn well from their boyfriends or fathers etc. Don’t overload her with information and drill her all the time. This may turn her off to firearms all together. This may mean taking a class with her with an instructor that is NOT YOU.On day one of carrying, reassure her of all of her fears and concerns.I’m sure everyone remembers their first day carrying a gun and that feeling that everyone knows you have it and you’re printing like crazy. Be sure to explain that everyone experiences this and it is totally normal. Also be sure to explain that she is likely the only person that thinks she’s printing a gun (unless it is blatantly obvious, in which case you should help her with concealment techniques).She may also be very hesitant to carry with a round in the chamber; this is also a perfectly normal concern to have on your first few days or weeks carrying. Is it ideal? Absolutely not, but you should not pressure her into doing it if it makes her uncomfortable. Carrying a gun with an empty chamber is better than not carrying a gun at all. Just make sure you explain that when she’s practicing her drawstroke, it need to include charging the weapon.Lastly, be sure to exclaim just how PROUD of her you are. Positive reinforcement is a good thing. If you’ve got your dick screwed on straight then you should feel good about the woman you love taking the steps to protect herself.I would really like to hear from other guys what has worked for them in getting their girlfriends to carry. I would also like to hear from all the women what worked for them in the beginning stages. via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/34M8pPZ