After years of promoting the benefits of on-body concealed carry, I was finally able to put into practice what I had been preaching. With a fresh CCW permit in my wallet (thanks to the Bruen decision) I had every intention of complying with that carry method, trying holster after holster and playing the “which one works best” game. It was going well until, when on vacation in Iceland, I made a foolish decision to ride a snowmobile on a glacier—a misadventure that caused me to sustain serious shoulder and clavicle injuries—on my strong side. After the accident, I was relegated to a sling for many weeks, followed by months of physical therapy. Not nearly adept enough in support-side shooting, drawing a handgun from a holster was out of the question indefinitely.
Feeling especially vulnerable, I didn’t want to stop carrying during my recuperation. The immediate fix was to stash my pistol in the generic black crossbody bag I’d bought for $20 from Amazon for my ill-fated excursion. What was intended for a passport and cell phone turned into a perfect temporary solution to my dilemma. The silver lining was that by the time I had healed from my injuries, I held a less myopic view of off-body carry, and gained greater empathy for women who, for a variety reasons, choose to carry in a purse, waist pack or other off-body method. Sometimes it really is the only way.
The fact is, as much as we at NRA Women advocate for on-body carry, evidence suggests that many carry otherwise. A recent survey of women conducted by the The Well Armed Woman (now called Armed Women of America) found that the preferred method of carry by about one-third of women is a concealed-carry purse or pack. The burgeoning CCW purse market substantiates these findings.
One of today’s most prolific CCW purse manufacturers is Gun Tote’n Mamas (GTM Original), founded and operated by Claudia Chisholm, who drew on her design experience with her luggage company to create some of today’s most fashionable and quality purses, waist packs, satchels and more for concealed carry.
Chisholm said her accidental foray into the concealed-carry purse business happened when Kingport Industries, her parent company that designed wallets and leather luggage, was invited to exhibit at the 2009 SHOT Show, a firearm industry trade show she knew little about. As a new, small exhibitor, she was assigned a spot in a tent in a parking lot across the street from the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“No one bought any of our wallets or leather luggage!” she recalled. But, she said, because the quality and price of their products was so appealing, they left with more than 200 requests to make concealed-carry purses and bags—the Las Vegas Sheriff’s Department among those interested. “We all left saying to each other, ‘Guess we are going to be a bunch of Gun Tote’n Mamas!’ ”
Chisholm said it took her another nine months to agree with the team to dive into it.
“After studying what was out there, I was stunned by the poor quality, bad manufacturing and designs being offered to women, like right-hand-only access and impossibly heavy cowhide,” she said. A female sales representative told her, “That is your goal—women need safe, quality products.” Her sales manager followed with, “I have three words for you: Gun Tote’n Mamas.” And the brand was born.
Since its 2009 launch, GTM Originals has been a regular exhibitor at SHOT Show and many more outdoor trade shows nationally. Her bags can be found in most retailers that sell CCW purses, from Bass Pro and Cabela’s to small boutique shops.
Chisholm said the influence from her luggage company was easy. “I was so nervous about how and what these bags were used for, I decided the only production would be at our best leather luggage manufacturer.” In fact, due to GTM’s quality control and construction, the company’s return rate is a remarkably low 1 percent.
The bags that started GTM on its way to its longevity and popularity are the GTM-99 Raven; GTM-20; GTM- 70; and GTM-28 (originally a bible bag). Chisholm says her top-selling bag today is the GTM-CZY/98 Slim Crossbody (shown below in distressed blue), made from their signature distressed buffalo leather that she and her factory created. “The 98 was born by combining several best-selling elements and the constant request for top-draw ability,” she said. “The 98 represents every element of why GTM?”
And about those waist packs (modern fanny packs), Chisholm says they are here to stay. “Celebrities started wearing them as slings, and that changed everything. The look was suddenly fresh, fun and fashionable—not old and clumsy.”
GTM 116 Sling Waist Packs
As for the argument of whether women should be discouraged from carrying off-body, Chisholm says the answer is very simple. “Not everyone can carry on-body. To not have this option is sending a clear message that for those of us that cannot on-body carry, we are dead.”'
Chisholm says that options are a must to allow all women some form of protection, and she echoes the sentiments offered in the previously referenced survey on carry methods. “Women don’t always wear clothing appropriate for on-body carry; women come in all shapes and sizes that cannot accommodate on-body; and women and men may have disabilities preventing them from on-body carry,” she said. “Our Sling Back made it to production after testing it with a wheelchair user at SHOT Show who lost use of his legs. He had instant access wearing it on his front chest.”
But most importantly, as with on-body, off-body practice is a must and essential, she says. “Many members of the two largest women shooting organizations have told us how they keep their hand in their bag ready if the environment is a potential threat. That draw will be faster than on-body.”
Is there a right way and a wrong way to purse carry? “Absolutely!” says Chisholm. “Once you have chosen to carry off your body, that does not change the fact it is still your holster with a gun in it. That purse is now your Holster System and it must, must, must be on you and held by you at all times.”
Chisholm emphasizes that this is why most of GTM’s bags are designed to not carry everything. “Carrying your life in your bag may end your life. Too much stuff will hinder your draw. Too much stuff can distort the access point whether it’s a zipper or magnets.” She implores, “And never ever leave your bag unattended around children, even for a split second. Keep thinking it is your holster—which you would never leave unattended.”
For exactly this reason, Chisholm says GTM worked with an industry liability attorney and concealed-carry expert Vicki Farnam to create their GTM User Manual, available at gtmoriginal.com.
To that the end, Gun Tote’n Mamas has also teamed up with the Sportsman’s Warehouse and Buds Gun Shop and Range for purse-carry classes taught by Donna Anthony. “With her impressive background, it is worth it to have her perspective too. Part of her class is reviewing the bags students bring on their own. She goes through that thoroughly, so all understand what is safe and what is not,” said Chisholm.
To the naysayers who will not flex on their unfavorable opinion of purse carry, Chisholm says, “Everyone has the right to choose their protection and how they want to carry it. This is as fundamental to gun rights as it gets.”
SLG2 Founder Karen Butler presents Gun Tote’n Mamas (GTM) CEO Claudia Chisholm with Safe LivinG’s 2024 Excellence in Safety Award during the 2024 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sidebar: Purse/Bag/Sling: How to Use Your Conceal Carry
The free course taught by Point Blank Firearms owner and instructor Donna Anthony provides three-hour instruction on how to properly handle, draw and holster a gun from a concealed-carry purse. Featuring Gun Tote’n Mamas bags, this course does not require any experience and welcomes all to attend. “When carrying in a purse, it’s crucial to understand how to safely handle and draw your gun, as well as maintaining situational awareness,” said Anthony. “Your purse’s design can also affect whether you have a three-step or five-step draw. A quality Holster Purse System makes all the difference when it comes to your personal safety.”
With an impressive array of 35 professional certifications including SWAT, NRA, Active Shooter, USCCA, vehicle assault Off Body Concealed Carry Instructor, Anthony’s course focuses on teaching both the 5-step and 3-step presentation of drawing from a purse. Consumer participants also have the opportunity to respond to real-life situations, ensuring a hands-on and practical learning experience.
Vicki Farnam on Off-Body Carry
Acclaimed firearms instructor Vicki Farnam is a staunch supporter off-body carry, and now includes off-body carry methods in her repertoire. Called FlexCCarry, the program focuses on gear/bag selection, the know-how, and getting the proper training. With more than 35 years in the firearm training circuit, Farnam has compiled her experiences into a comprehensive collaborative book, “FlexCCarry Solutions: A Positive Guide to Off-Body Carry.”
Operating under Defense Training International, her group provides a listing of independent instructors certified to teach the methods. “We teach only instructors, so that they can teach other people,” she says.
Farnam reminds us there are times and circumstances where off-body carry is beneficial. ”We forget that there are people who suffer from physical challenges, that they cannot put a gun in a holster on a waistband,” she says. “Those people should not be told they can't protect their life. Should they?” —John Petrolino
