Can you wear children’s extra-large clothing? Is your seamstress a pinned contact? Do you have dresses in your closet most women wear as shirts? Is there a step stool in any room of your home? Do you define “personal protection” as something a little more potent than pepper spray? If the answer to any of the above is yes, then read on … this one’s for you.
Hi! I’m Andi. I’m a 5-foot tall, 135 lb single mama of two boys. I live in Northern Michigan on my little slice of Heaven with my chocolate lab, Mr. Moose and 11-year-old son, Dwight (the bigger one is 19 and living life). With the luxury of being the queen of my own castle, so to speak, everything in my home is curated for me – from gun collection to steppy stool locations (yes, I have more than one).
While this approach extends to rifles, shotguns and target handguns, today’s conversation is going to focus on what I keep with me to take care of what’s mine on a daily basis. This is what works for me for concealed carry (CC).
But first, a disclaimer.
I drive an F150 with a 5-inch lift and a 625-horse supercharger. You can hear me coming from three blocks away. Oh, and the license plate is “FNSIZD.” While my choice of vehicle is loud and overstated, I prefer my CC companion to be a little less obnoxious.
My sons are 19 and 11. I’ve shot handguns in some capacity since I was 13, and at the age of 21 decided to procure my pistol license (CPL). I carried daily for a few years. And then I had a toddler… The level of chaos, over-stimulation and total lack of mental capacity coupled with stout sleep regressions that lasted forever made me lock up my handguns and just pray for the best for a few years.
The only constant in life is change. As my toddlers became young boys and then men and focus returned, I slowly started to re-engage in the concealed carry life. I evaluated my clothing and accessories again with personal protection in mind. Looser leggings were traded for wide waistband yoga pants and belted jeans. Strategic concept bags and purses replaced diaper bags. And, little by little, I once again became the warrior and protector that I was previously.
For me, hiding or concealing something on my person is challenging. I’m short and have a very short torso. Toward that end, I have learned to integrate my carry into my life, habits and persona. My daily goal is to take care of myself and those I love. With that goal firmly established, I select the gun, caliber, ammunition and carry style that fits my life on that particular day.
As a mama, I gravitate to revolvers as the platform I carry most. I like the double action aspect because it makes the gun more difficult to unintentionally fire. Carrying a semi-auto with one in the tube and a safety engaged, either on body or off, sent my already anxious “mom-brain” into overdrive. Nor do I want to rely on the “draw and rack” process. Toward that end, I spent lots of evenings dry-firing both double and single-action repetitions, with an emphasis on smooth double action control.
For me, that meant I practiced three things simultaneously:
The capstone to this exercise is a controlled and straight release of the trigger. This serves as a follow-through to the shot and is equally important to accuracy.
The technical function aside, I find revolvers easier to conceal – on or off body. I love my 1911s, but the stark angles and protruding corners make printing through clothing inevitable. Revolvers are generally smooth and rounded and available in shrouded hammer options, in many cases.
I have a few wheelguns in my rotation that I both shoot well and carry comfortably. To carry on my person, weight is a big consideration. I like leggings, shorts, dresses and overalls. A heavy gun causes all sorts of wardrobe issues.
I carry a few different, lightweight options in both .22 LR and .38 SPL. Another caliber that lends itself well to concealed carry on my smaller frame is the .327 Federal. Most often I choose my Smith & Wesson Airlite in .22, which holds eight rounds and is easy to conceal under my daily outfit of choice.
A note here on ammunition: Federal has a personal protection load in .22 called their “Punch” line. This is a projectile specially-designed for maximum damage in a personal defense situation.
There are occasions when I crave a little bit of polymer in my life. For those times, I turn to my Taurus GX2 and GX4 Carry, both in 9MM. Both are comfortable to conceal either on or off body and give me the peace of mind of a few more shots at my disposal. The GX4 especially is a great companion if I am riding trails or out in the woods. Loaded with the correct ammo, it bridges the gap between a lightweight revolver and a full size 1911 for addressing two-or-four-legged issues.
Integrating a carry option into your life should be predicated upon practice, precision and personal awareness. Whether carrying on body or off, revolver or semi-auto, comfort and proficiency are imperative. Being vertically challenged just means a little creativity is needed to incorporate a firearm into your daily persona. Find what works for you, your body and your lifestyle.
An editor’s note: we believe that carrying concealed is the first step to take in the commitment to protecting yourself and those you love most. Many of us have also chosen to go one step further, by enrolling in a membership from CCW Safe. Their full coverage plans protect and support you through every aspect following a self-defense incident. Find out more on their website.
Andrea Bogard’s love for the range began at 12 with competitive handgun and expanded to encompass sporting clays a few years later. She became an NSCA instructor at 18 years old and spent the next 18 years getting married and raising two sons, ages 17 and 9 currently. Andrea started hunting six years ago and learned to shoot a rifle and a bow. She is now 41, a full-time writer, homeschool mom and business owner and has hunted three countries, three continents and 19 states. Her sons and lab (Mr. Moose) are the focus of her world. View all posts by Andrea Bogard
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