Purse Holster Guide: How to Carry a Handgun in a Purse Safely

Quick answer: A purse holster holds a handgun in a fixed position inside a handbag and covers the trigger guard. Use one only in a dedicated gun compartment with nothing else in it, wear the bag crossbody, keep it under your control at all times, and practice the draw. It suits days when clothing rules out a waistband holster.

What Is a Purse Holster?

It’s a holster made to live inside a bag rather than on a belt. Alien Gear’s purse holsters, for example, use “a strong hook & loop backing” so they “secure inside handbags or packs,” “keeping the firearm stable, upright, and ready for access.” Wright Leather Works calls its leather Insider “a perfect trigger cover when carrying in your purse, pack or messenger bag.” Tethered trigger guard holsters are another option for bags; see our trigger guard holster guide.

It’s off-body carry, with the risks that brings; see our page on off-body carry and its risks.

What makes a handbag a concealed carry purse

A concealed carry purse differs from an ordinary handbag in one way that matters: it has a separate compartment holding a properly sized holster that covers the trigger and is fixed to the inside of that compartment. Ordinary purses do not provide a dedicated pocket for a firearm, which is the danger in using one. A plain handbag is not enough; the bag must be designed with an area to holster the firearm safely and securely.

Beyond the compartment, three construction details separate a purpose-built carry purse from a fashion bag:

• Where the compartment sits. Some bags place the gun compartment on the body-facing side. Others put a zippered gun compartment on the outside of the bag. One patented design gives the gun compartment a zipper at each side so it can be reached with either the right or the left hand.
• How big the opening is. The opening must be large enough that a hand closed in a fist, as it would be on a firing grip, can still come back out of the bag. One writer advises adding a handle to the zipper fob if it has none: “anything you can grab in a fist to yank the zipper open in a hurry when under stress”.
• The strap. Wide straps are close to a physical requirement for shoulder-carried purses because of the weight. Some makers run thick wire or a metal cord through the strap to defeat slash-and-grab theft; one reviewed bag has a steel-cable-reinforced slash-resistant strap.

Why People Carry in a Purse

Alien Gear notes that “Dresses, fitted tops, or business attire can make on-body holsters impractical,” and describes buyers looking for an option “when wearing clothing without belts or holster support—like dresses, leggings, or business wear.” It adds that purse carry is debated: “Some firearms instructors discourage it because off-body carry introduces unique risks.”

The Rules for Carrying in a Purse

1. Never a loose gun. Alien Gear: “never place a loose firearm inside a regular purse,” because “Keys, pens, or even a lipstick tube can press against the trigger.”
2. A dedicated compartment and a holster. “A proper concealed carry purse is built with a dedicated firearm compartment. Inside that compartment is a secure holster that completely covers the trigger guard.”
3. Wear it crossbody. A bag on one shoulder can drop or be snatched; Alien Gear says crossbody “keeps the purse firmly attached, reduces the chance of theft, and stabilizes the bag against your body.”
4. At hand or in hand. “A concealed carry purse must remain under your control at all times.” If it has to come off, Alien Gear suggests you “loop the strap around your chair leg or place it inside a locked drawer or vehicle lockbox.”
5. Train with it. “Start by practicing at home with an unloaded firearm or a training replica,” then at the range.

How the holster attaches inside the bag

The gun must not shift inside the bag: if it changes orientation, it can end up pointed at you when you draw. Three ways of holding a purse holster in place are described below.

Hook-and-loop lining

Most bag gun compartments are already lined with the loop (soft) side of hook-and-loop, and the holster attaches with the hook (rough) side. One reviewed bag has a Velcro-lined compartment that allows “left-hand, right-hand or top draw”. When the lining is hook-and-loop, you can use an internal holster from any maker you choose. One hook-and-loop purse holster can be attached to either side of a bag’s gun compartment, so it works for both right- and left-handed users.

Elastic band or wrap

One reviewed handbag secures the gun with an elastic band inside a zippered compartment, regardless of the gun’s size or shape. Another design, a wraparound holster made of elastic and hook-and-loop material, is wrapped around the gun to give a custom fit for each type of firearm.

Foam compression

One patented design stretches neoprene over foam inside the compartment; the pressure presses the gun into the foam, forming a pocket that keeps it from shifting.

Whatever the method, most holster purses close the gun compartment with a zipper. Fully close the zipper after each time you access the compartment, and check it before you leave a location.

How to Draw From a Purse

Alien Gear’s steps for a crossbody bag:

1. “Use your support hand to stabilize or open the compartment.”
2. “Insert your firing hand directly into the holster pocket.”
3. “Establish a full firing grip before removing the firearm.”
4. “Draw straight out and orient the muzzle toward the threat in one continuous motion.”

Concealed Carry Crossbody Bags

A crossbody bag built for carry puts the purse-holster rules into the bag itself. What makers list:

• A separate gun compartment. Montana West describes its bags as having “dedicated compartments that keep concealed-carry storage separate from phones, wallets, cosmetics, and other everyday essentials.”
• A lock. Many models lock: Jessie James lists crossbodies such as the “Hannah Concealed Carry Lock and Key Crossbody” and the “Rebecca Triple Compartment Lock and Key Concealed Carry Crossbody.”
• The closure. Zipper or magnet. Zendira says its “magnetic closures offer faster, quieter, more seamless access to your concealed carry compartment than traditional zippers.”

Inside the compartment, the gun still needs a holster that covers the trigger guard, as above. For sling packs, see our guide to concealed carry sling packs.

Using the purse you already own

Inserts can convert a purse you already own. Three approaches:

• A rigid insert panel. A Velcro-lined Kydex panel fits securely in a purse or other bag and keeps the gun and purse stabilized, so the purse does not spill over or tip.
• An organizer insert. A purse-insert organizer that fits into almost any medium or large-sized purse offers a separate pocket for a concealed firearm and a universal holster with Velcro backing.
• Adhesive loop panels. If the compartment has no loop lining, you can add one. One purse holster listing ships loose adhesive hook (rough) and loop (soft) sheets for the buyer to attach as needed. Cloudster’s sling-bag magazine carriers use the same approach: the carrier’s hook-side backing grips a bag’s loop lining, and for bags without one, you clean a spot with the included alcohol wipe and apply one of the two adhesive loop-side pieces.

Whichever route you take, the rule above still applies: the compartment holds the holstered gun and nothing else.

Purse Holster vs Other Bag and Body Options

Keeping the bag away from thieves and children

The rules above already say to wear the bag crossbody and keep it at hand or in hand. These habits close the gaps that remain.

Theft

• Keep the purse in front of you in crowded areas rather than loose behind your body.
• Vehicles are one of the most common places where people lose control of their purses.
• At a restaurant, take the bag with you to the bathroom.
• A purse-snatcher needs only a split second. A reinforced strap (see the strap point above) makes a slash-and-grab harder.

Children

Even with a lock, never leave any purse containing a firearm where children or unaware adults can reach it. Kids are naturally curious and may explore the contents of an unattended bag. One purse maker warns never to assume a child does not know how to operate your gun, never to assume you can hide the purse where a child cannot find it, and never to assume a child is so well-behaved they will not touch it.

Locking compartments: the trade-off

A lock on a concealed carry handbag prevents unauthorized access to the firearm and is a crucial safety feature with small children around. When children are present, one writer states that the only way to carry in a purse is a locking zipper that stays locked, while noting it “dramatically diminishes the accessibility of the firearm”. The risks are forgetting to unlock it, or habitually leaving it locked so the gun cannot be reached when needed. One purse maker never puts a lock on its gun compartment, because its bags are intended for immediate self-defense use, and instead recommends locking the purse in a safe place where only the owner has access. If the bag is not locked up, there is no safe place to set it down; at work, keep it close or under lock and key.

Keeping a Spare Magazine Fixed in Your Bag

A spare magazine loose in a handbag moves around. The Cloudster 9mm Magnetic Sling Bag Mag Carrier and the .45 ACP version hold one in a fixed spot: a flat carrier with hook-side velcro on the back sticks to a bag’s loop lining, and two magnets hold the magazine. Each comes with 2 adhesive loop-side velcro pieces and 1 alcohol wipe for bags without a loop lining.

Purse Holster: Questions People Ask

Can I put a holster in a regular purse?
Only one that stays fixed and covers the trigger guard, in a compartment with nothing else in it. Hook-and-loop holsters need a loop panel inside the bag to stick to.

Is purse carry safe?
With the right gear and habits. Alien Gear’s position: it “can be both safe and effective when used correctly, but only if you commit to proper equipment, training, and consistent habits.”

Shoulder or crossbody?
Crossbody. A shoulder bag can slip off or be snatched with the gun inside.

Where should I put the purse when I sit down?
On you or in your hand. If it must come off, loop the strap around your chair leg or lock it away.

How fast should I be able to draw from the purse?
One writer points out that the average criminal attack lasts less than five seconds and asks whether you can get your hand into your purse, draw and shoot accurately in that time. Drawing from a purse is more difficult than drawing from a holster, so it takes extra effort to make sure you can draw and shoot from it safely and quickly. Dry-firing at home with a gun checked to be unloaded, and no live ammunition in the room, is a good way to practice the draw.

Written by the Cloudster Pillow team. We make the Cloudster Pillow and the Cloudster magnetic mag carriers, and carry Kore belts. We don’t sell holsters, purses or firearms, and no maker paid to be mentioned here. This is general information, not a substitute for professional training; check the carry laws where you live.