“Concealed Carry for Women” by Gila Hayes is a great resource for learning how female characters can pack heat.

Choosing a handgun for a female character (or a knife) doesn’t need to be entirely different from selecting one for a male. I think some writers get too caught up on how a female’s firearm should look and not on the basics, such as the character’s hand size and firearms experience. But there’s one area where gender definitely draws a line in the sand: holsters.

Female characters have some clever holsters available to them that their male counterparts would probably avoid (at least until the moobs come in). One of them is a bra holster, which tucks under the shirt and fixes to a brassiere. One of the most popular models is the Flashbang holster, which is the one I’d recommend checking out for your character.

Rather than try to pretend like I know something about using a bra holster, I figured I’d pull out a copy of my favorite book on the topic, Concealed Carry for Women by Gila Hayes (Gun Digest Books). Ms. Hayes is one of the best writers on this subject.

What follows is excerpted from that book and focuses on the Flashbang, used with permission from the publisher. I highly recommend picking up a copy if your female character is discreetly packing heat.

~Ben

What is the Flashbang Bra Holster?

The Flashbang is the premier bra holster on the market, and it’s perfect for female characters. I don’t know of any legal restrictions related to buying a Flashbang, but know that concealed carry laws in general still. Flashbangs are for sale here if you want to check out the specs. (Photo via Flashbang)

The Flashbang is a Kydex® clamshell holster suspended from the bra band, attached by a small strap going around the fabric between the bra cups. The muzzle of the gun is held tight against the body beneath the bra band or the underwire of the muzzle-side bra cup, and this keeps a small gun like a [small] revolver or one of the ultra-tiny .380s or 9mm semi-autos from flopping out during regular activity.

Ladies report that it takes a little while to become accustomed to the muzzle end of the holster beneath the bra band or underwire, but they also say that they’re surprised at how quickly they adjust and become comfortable with the carry method.

How is it Worn?

With a Flashbang holster the shirt is worn untucked. To draw, the hand slips under the shirt, up to the grips of the gun and pulls down sharply to click the gun out of the clamshell holster.

The Flashbang can accommodate carrying a small gun beneath very feminine clothing that you probably previously thought entirely incompatible with concealed carry.

What are the Safety Concerns?

I have to urge that you use this method only if you can draw and holster the gun without pointing the muzzle at your arm or hand. How tragic it would be if in defending yourself you maimed or injured yourself or a companion by inadvertently discharging the gun while drawing or putting it back in the holster.

~Gila Hayes