Disguising the Draw

[CCT125US]

I figure whispering "police" while looking over the off hand shoulder would buy a bit of time..

[JAD]

I have thought about this but have never come up with a good way to practice that I thought was really representative. However, because I am grossly uncoordinated, I do try to practice moving while drawing and drawing one handed very frequently, as well as while seated and buckled in.

[NickA]

It sounds stupid, but when this comes up I always think of magic guys, like former pickpocket Apollo Robbins. Or the time David Copperfield was mugged and supposedly able to keep his wallet and phone through sleight-of-hand. There's all kinds of videos of Robbins absolutely fleecing people without them knowing. Never looked into it much but there's bound to be something to learn from those guys.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[BN]

I wonder about this as I, like most women, carry a purse. it’s small, and in any event I don’t believe in off body carry. I carry my purse on the right because I am left handed. Feigning anything in this scenario poses some extra technical challenges given these factors. Just something I’ve been considering.

https://www.gtmoriginal.com/products...lder-bag-black

My wife has this bag. She wears the strap cross body with the bag on her strong side. The gun draws through the top of the bag, just like a normal strong side holster. When she carries the bag, it goes everywhere with her. It is never off body until she gets home.

[Medusa]

thank you. I appreciate the benefit of her experience. I won't completely rule it out, but...

I still don't like off body carry, because a simple purse grab then becomes a struggle for a handgun. And while I'd like to think my purse could never come off during a day, it's not realistic for me in terms of, eg, taking care of basic bodily functions or eg you get to the coffee place and meet your friend for coffee, or etc. You're not gonna leave your purse on during stuff like that, or anyway I don't, usually. I understand everyone's experience varies.

https://www.gtmoriginal.com/products...lder-bag-black

My wife has this bag. She wears the strap cross body with the bag on her strong side. The gun draws through the top of the bag, just like a normal strong side holster. When she carries the bag, it goes everywhere with her. It is never off body until she gets home.

[BehindBlueI's]

Cool. Me I'm pretty big on belt line and never have warmed to pants pocket carry. Now I've done it. Once was in a termination meeting of an employee our PI discovered had shot his wife a few years earlier (she said it was an accident he shot her in the ass) and broke a guys leg in a bar fight. The termination was for hefty theft. There was a big retired detective now our PI present but my hand in pocket while seated was not going to be fast. NPE palooza at that place and time.

The nice thing about a pocket carry / AIWB combo is each position covers the other's weaknesses quite nicely. AIWB works quite well while seated. Pocket carry, as you note, sucks while seated. AIWB is more difficult to disguise under direct observation. Assuming a robbery, pocket carry is ideal. AIWB excels at pure draw speed if the shooting has already started. Pocket carry, not so much. Pocket carry is also very resistant to gun grabbing.

Two belt carried guns is certainly an option. I think the primary difference would be mostly in the realm of the hypothetical. The difference in retention if entangled being the primary one. A definite outlier, I think, and probably not really important as a decision point.

Personally, I carry strong side and ankle. I also have not found a pants pocket/gun combo I like. I can't shoot anything smaller than a Shield well enough to feel comfortable carrying it, and I can't really pocket a Shield without looking like I've got a pocket full of gun. Ankle isn't as good while seated as appendix is, certainly not as fast, but it's the best option that works for me.

[BehindBlueI's]

I still don't like off body carry, because a simple purse grab then becomes a struggle for a handgun. .

I think this is the correct way to look at it. I've had more than one case of women injured during a purse grab because they were pulled down by the strap of their purse. This is particularly true of the older ladies, the ones who can least afford a hard fall. I have yet to see a purse gun successfully deployed during a purse grab. I have seen guns lost to the mugger.

Somewhat on topic, be rather careful of men who hold the door for you and evaluate their body language carefully. Purse snatchers sometimes use this ruse to be given close proximity to your bag as you go by.

[Wondering Beard]

I wonder about this as I, like most women, carry a purse. it’s small, and in any event I don’t believe in off body carry. I carry my purse on the right because I am left handed. Feigning anything in this scenario poses some extra technical challenges given these factors. Just something I’ve been considering.

Caveat: I've never carried a purse, I am far from being a tactical guru and the following just occurred to me.

Have you thought about bringing your purse to your centerline , even a bit past it and make believe you're fumbling with it and talking to the BG while your strong, left hand, goes discreetly for your gun (being partially masked by your purse). Managing to angle your left side away from the BG (left foot back) as you do the above could help even more.

I have no idea if this is doable for you but maybe it can help you come up with more ideas? Maybe using a bigger purse to help mask your draw better?

[NH Shooter]

12,000 lux to dark-adapted eyes does a good job of disguising the draw. Getting used to carrying the light in your weak hand while traversing sketchy places at night is not a big deal at all, and neither is learning to use it in conjunction with a weapon.

[Hambo]

This is my usual recommendation, to pair a pocket carry with AIWB. The need for a BUG is minimal. The need for an alternate primary is a better way to think of it.

That's how I roll every day. My phone is also in a front pocket, so I can start by offering keys, iPhone, then J-frame. I also keep my hand on the pocket gun while at the gas pump. Looks natural, but if I have to start handing over valuables it's a completely natural draw.