Today, I want to address the story that just came out in the news. You know, the one that everyone is talking about. I want to talk about the Michigan woman who shot herself while adjusting her bra holster (according to reports). This is a very tragic and sad story. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the victim.
I am not sure if this story has gained so much steam on social media because this involves a bra holster or not, but I have not yet ruled out that theory. I have seen a ton of comments about this so here is my take.
For those of you who don’t know there are many different bra holsters on the market today. It is assumed that the holster the woman in the story was using is one of the more popular bra holsters on the market that attaches to the front part of the bra. From there the holstered gun is tucked under the wire part of the bra. I have one of these holsters and use it from time to time. If the gun is properly holstered with this particular model of holster it is impossible to shoot yourself in the face.
Yes, I said impossible. I am not one to speak in absolutes, but let me tell you that there is something about this story that does not add up. The assumed holster is made from a thermo plastic material and is a “clam shell” design, in which the entire trigger guard is very well protected. It is so well protected because the holster is molded around the trigger guard. The whole gun (except for the grips) is covered by the holster. In order to holster your weapon you have to physically snap it into the holster. To get the gun out you have to quickly and forcefully pull it out. It won’t fall out on its own and it takes some technique to draw or remove the gun.
It is not difficult to use this holster, but if you are new to it, it can take a bit of practice. The proper way to hostler your gun when using the assumed holster is to snap the rear part of the slide into the clam shell then with an upward pushing motion you secure or snap the muzzle into the clam shell. This is done with your finger off the trigger and while grasping the holster at the top without your hand in front of the muzzle. At no time should you point a loaded gun at any part of your body! When fiddling with a new holster (if that was the case here) and gun combo it is imperative that you use a fully unloaded gun to work out the kinks. Better yet, use a dummy gun! This way you can be sure that you are being safe while you are working out the carry method.
When you are ready to move onto holstering a loaded gun, you must remember and make a point to keep your trigger finger as far away from the frame of the gun as you possible can. This is also the way we recommend holstering guns into any holster that you may be using. If we make a conscious effort to always keep that finger away from the frame and trigger, we can help to ensure our safety.
Keep your finger away from the gun when holstering it!
My opinion is that if the deceased was using the type of holster that I am envisioning, then the holster could not have been being used properly. If it was a different type of bra holster then it is still likely that it was being used improperly, or it is also possible that the holster had a flawed design to begin with. What appears to be more likely is that we have a woman who was not following the rules for safe gun handling. We already know that breaking these rules can have catastrophic results. Let’s take another quick look at what those rules are since we really can’t see them enough.
1. Treat every firearm as if it is fully loaded and ready to discharge.
2. Never point a firearm at anything you are not prepared to destroy.
3. Do not allow your trigger finger to be inside the trigger guard unless and until you are in the very act of intentionally firing the weapon.
4. Always be certain of your target and what is beyond it.
It appears to me that the first three rules were broken and quite possible the last rule as well. We may never know the full circumstances of this story. I do know that I will continue to remind people of these safety rules every chance I get. It is my obligation to follow these rules and help others to follow them as well.
If there are ladies along the Front Range who have questions about holsters etc … I have a class for this stuff. We spend lots of time on holsters and how they work. I’d love to have you join me sometime. You can check out the class here.
Be safe out there and Carry On, Colorado!
