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Ok, this is a question about the flash bang holster for women. Now don't run off men, I need your input. If you aren't familiar with this holster it positions the gun underneath the bra, and, uh... the girls... with the grip poking out underneath. It's a kydex clam shell style holster with an unsecured bottom that the carrier can pull out from under her shirt. It gives enough retention that the gun won't just slip out or anything. The holster has a strap that attaches it to the bra.
So now that the explanation of function is done, the problem: the way the holster sits means that basically I'd have a loaded gun aimed chest level at anyone to the left of me. My gun is a Sig p238, and I like to keep one in the chamber, with the safety on of course. I doubt I'll ever have an accidental discharge, but it's something that if it were to happen it could be catastrophic. I don't like the idea of breaking the number one rule of gun safety. Would this type of situation deter you from using a holster even if it were the only option?
A suggestion I was given was to leave it unchambered, even though it would cost me time in an emergency. I would be ok with that, as I usually only wear skirts and dresses to church, and I have my leather iwb holster for other outfits. But with my iwb holster I will have a round in the chamber, and I don't like the idea of not only having different holsters to draw from (I can handle that) but different procedures for drawing. So in one holster I just draw and drop the safety, but the other, the flash bang, I have to draw, chamber a round, drop the safety, then I'm ready.
So aside from offering other holster options, what would you do, or what would you advise a wife or other woman in your life to do? Continue on with this holster and trust her safety training and the gun safety, or scratch the whole idea?

A modern handgun with a firing pin block in a safe holster is an inert object. By safe holster, we mean one that properly covers the trigger so there is no way it can be pulled while holstered.

So you don't really need to worry about who is around you EXCEPT when you are holstering it if you ever needed to draw.
you should practice drawing and not flipping the safety until the weapon is pointed forward at your intended target.

When holstering, be aware of not only who is in the room, but what's on the other side of the wall. Since your Sig has a hammer, put your thumb on the hammer while holstering as an extra precaution.

asbandr wrote:I don't like the idea of breaking the number one rule of gun safety. Would this type of situation deter you from using a holster even if it were the only option?

This is a common misconception about holsters. A gun in a holster is not violating rule 2; never allow the muzzle to cover anything you are not willing to destroy.

When I pocket carry my P238 in a holster the muzzle is pointing at my groin sometimes. When I carry on my his IWB, the muzzle is actually pointing at my leg depending on my body position.

The flash bang is a fine, acceptable holster.

android wrote:Since your Sig has a hammer, put your thumb on the hammer while holstering as an extra precaution.

Wouldn't between the hammer and frame be more appropriate?

The holster is safe. The primary concern in my mind is to practice drawing with an unloaded gun to develop muscle memory for a presentation that does not muzzle sweep your other arm.

By "muscle memory", I am talking at least 1000 practice draws. (Make sure you wear an old worn out bra, because it will get yanked on to death! )

jbarn wrote:

android wrote:Since your Sig has a hammer, put your thumb on the hammer while holstering as an extra precaution.

Wouldn't between the hammer and frame be more appropriate?

I'm trying to picture how that would be done.

I think it would require 3 hands to holster with the flashbang - 1 to hold the gun, 1 to hold the holster, and 1 to put a thumb between the hammer and frame, or a really awkward hand position to hold the gun and get the thumb over the hammer with the potential for lifting the hammer's full cock notch off of the sear - a less than desirable situation.

If the safety is on and the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction during the holstering process (which it should be) I find a thumb on the back of the slide to prevent it from moving out of battery is the best technique for getting the gun settled where it belongs.

Excaliber wrote:

jbarn wrote:

android wrote:Since your Sig has a hammer, put your thumb on the hammer while holstering as an extra precaution.

Wouldn't between the hammer and frame be more appropriate?

I'm trying to picture how that would be done.

I think it would require 3 hands to holster with the flashbang - 1 to hold the gun, 1 to hold the holster, and 1 to put a thumb between the hammer and frame, or a really awkward hand position to hold the gun and get the thumb over the hammer with the potential for lifting the hammer's full cock notch off of the sear - a less than desirable situation.

If the safety is on and the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction during the holstering process (which it should be) I find a thumb on the back of the slide to prevent it from moving out of battery is the best technique for getting the gun settled where it belongs.

lol With the hammer cocked, putting your thumb on the back of the slide puts it between the hammer and slide.

Excaliber wrote: ....
If the safety is on and the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction during the holstering process (which it should be) I find a thumb on the back of the slide to prevent it from moving out of battery is the best technique for getting the gun settled where it belongs.

+1

Considering where the holster is carried, I doubt you'll be holstering a lot in public with a lot of people around. Just go deliberately and carefully and you should be fine.

I'm figuring I'll holster first and then attach the set up to my bra. Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I'll order it today.

jbarn wrote:

android wrote:Since your Sig has a hammer, put your thumb on the hammer while holstering as an extra precaution.

Wouldn't between the hammer and frame be more appropriate?

Dur... Forgot this is an SAO. My BUG is a R9 which is DAO, so I cover the hammer as I holster it.

Ignore that comment and carry on...

As long as you practice then there should be no problems.

I know a few people who refuse to go appendix IWB or IWB at all because of where the muzzle is pointing. They will even recite news articles of people shooting themselves. They of course skip over the fact that it happens when they are not using a holster and are just sticking it down their pants.

jbarn wrote:

Excaliber wrote:

jbarn wrote:

android wrote:Since your Sig has a hammer, put your thumb on the hammer while holstering as an extra precaution.

Wouldn't between the hammer and frame be more appropriate?

I'm trying to picture how that would be done.

I think it would require 3 hands to holster with the flashbang - 1 to hold the gun, 1 to hold the holster, and 1 to put a thumb between the hammer and frame, or a really awkward hand position to hold the gun and get the thumb over the hammer with the potential for lifting the hammer's full cock notch off of the sear - a less than desirable situation.

If the safety is on and the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction during the holstering process (which it should be) I find a thumb on the back of the slide to prevent it from moving out of battery is the best technique for getting the gun settled where it belongs.

lol With the hammer cocked, putting your thumb on the back of the slide puts it between the hammer and slide.

Actually it doesn't because the hammer is not as wide as the slide.

The thumb of my right hand rides quite nicely to the left of the hammer on the back of the slide when holstering my 1911's.

I've done that almost every day for a few decades so I'm pretty sure it works that way.

asbandr wrote:I'm figuring I'll holster first and then attach the set up to my bra. Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I'll order it today.

That's an excellent solution.

Several holster makers even specify that their gear should be used that way. I don't know if that's true for the piece you're considering, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did.