Disabled shooter needs advice

[Reloader]

I have recently had a partial amputation on my right leg and am wheelchair bound. I also have a CCW and am looking for new options for carry. I have ordered the SMZ from Mr. Null and need other options for a hide out on my person, but it cannot be a belt or ankle holster, obviously. It needs to remain on my person and survive having the wheelchair turned over, in case of an attack. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Greg

[Daniel964]

How about a fanny pack?

[Delmar]

Reloader-is the wheelchair permanent or temp until you heal up enough for a peg? I'm a below knee amputee right side is the reason I ask.

Shoulder holsters are a pretty good deal from a chair, and I have a Miami classic with hold downs on both sides which does pretty well.
IWB is pretty much out, but a fanny pack or a cross draw should be good.

[duck_god827]

I Would Go With A Sholder Holster As Described Above For My Money

[P95Carry]

I too would think shoulder rig. I used to carry (95 in Bianchi X-15 and it was pretty good). Have now gone for OWB these days.

In fact - more I think on it - sho rig has to be way to go. :)

Hope things mend quick Greg - and that you get a prosthetic and so - get around better again.

[skidmark]

There are a number of vests that I would recommend. Coronado Leather, Magills, Concealed Carry Outfitters are just a few of the not-5.11-type that are out there.

You get a holster (crossdraw) plus lots of room for accessories as varied as reloads & flashlights to extra places to stuff your looe change - all above the waistline. I have literally hung upside down (NOT a pretty sight, I can assure you) without anytrhing coming out of the interior pockets/holsters. I did lose some change from the little outside pockets.

I got rid of all my gun-toter vests when I found my first "concealed carry" type vest, and now have an actual wardrobe of them. Range from basic biker vest to paisley satin to fake-fur lined in styles. I have a bad back and found another bonus - taking the weight off my waist/hips and putting it across my shoulders reduced pain & fatigue.

stay safe.

skidmark

[OF]

I would say a shoulder or cross-draw would be the ticket. You'd think the same type of rig that would be appropriate for car-carry would fit your needs.

The fanny pack would be an option as well, but I think it would be down the list from shoulder or cross-draw due to the low speed and relatively complicated draw - although it would be easier to have your hand actually on it early if that was required.

The problem with cross-draw rigs is that if the gun is revealed in the holster, it's available to your attacker almost as easliy as it is available to you. Only a problem if you flash the gun to the wrong guy...

Hell, go with all 3 :)

- Gabe

[Reloader]

Thanks to everyone. I forgot about the fanny pack and vest options.. I have been using a prosthetic device and am on the mend. Thanks again guys. Call if I can ever do you a favor. Will let you kmow abouth the SMZ shoulder holster from Mr. Null when it comes in. It is a custom double carry for twin Model 66 2.5" models. one with the Crimson trace grips. Greg

[model 649]

Wishing you well on your recovery, Greg. I carry a 649 (go figure) in the SMZ and it works very well for me so far. The color really does matter (mine's white) and has hidden itself in plain sight a couple times on windy days. I will tell you to practice drawing from it ALOT. it is unlike any other holster I have tried. Yes it is noisey (POP!), but very fast in getting the gun in front of you. The thin straps took some getting used to for daylong wear, but excellent concealment on my slight frame is difficult and the SMZ does it well.
Josh

[YammyMonkey]

Hope you heal up quickly.

Might want to look into a belly band or Smartcarry/Thunderwear kind of deal, would work better wearing sweat pants or something with an elasticized waist and no belt I'd imagine.

[sm]

So sorry to hear of your condition, I too hope you heal and recover soon.

In working in a limited way with disabled folks, or impaired ( even temporarily) I too have found the under the shirt carry - such as Galco , Smartcarry , etc., work very well.

Another is the Milt Sparks VMII.

We actually set up "what ifs" - I can empahthize as there is nothing like being on a ramp of a handicapped van and being "tumped" over. That is a bad fall and one's senses are out of whack.

One thing I found and folks keep handy in the chair - compressed air horn, like found in the marine section of the discount stores. Carries much further than voice and attracts attention. Folks kept one in vehicle as well.

The concerns of being "tumped" and 1) weapon being found, or 2) falling away from body - well the Galco and VMII kept the weapon on person and undetected.

Deep BUG , the NAA .22 mini in a shirt pocket, or IWB at the front of pants works well too.

Good Luck

[TechBrute]

I don't know if it would work for you, but you may want to look into the Wilderness Safepacker. I have a couple of them. One has a shoulder strap and might work for you across the shoulder on the weakside, kind of in a cross-draw arrangement.

[runswithscissors]

Greg, I have actually had training in self defense for the handicap. A shoulder holster would be your best bet. While a fanny pack is nice, sometimes a thief will immediatly try to grab the fanny pack as soon as you reach for it thinking it will be an easy take. The shoulder holster will allow you to hide that side of your body to decrease the reaction time of your assailant while you act like you are reaching for your wallet. Also, play up the wheelchair aspect, the thief has picked you becuase he thinks you are an easy target. Make him think you are an easy target(only if held up) and he will let his gaurd down. Instead of the bad guy getting your dough, he can now get your hollowpoints in his chest. :neener:

[Reloader]

Reveived my double SMZ> Works great! Thanks Ken!

[Typhoon]

Nothing to add to the discussion, but good thoughts and prayers coming your way from California. Hope you feel better soon.

[antarti]

Having attended a class that dealt with defense for wheelchair-bound, I can offer a couple things that made tremendous sense.

1) Carry 2 pieces, a snubby .44mag revolver (easy to get to) and then your regular piece in deep concealment.

2) Load the .44mag with the hottest blanks you can get your hands on or reload, load your CCW piece with your preferred ammo.

Reason being: You are your most vulnerable being "dumped" from the chair, and that seems to be a way the dirty bums treat somebody chair-bound if nobody's around and they want to roll them.

In any case, anybody wanting to take something from you has to get close enough to touch you, when the .44 can come out, get pressed against them, and get shot. A blank pressed up against a head or tissue can REALLY do some messy damage. You still retain the option of going for your CCW piece instead.

A side benefit is that if the .44 is "liberated from you" and fired at you from only a couple feet away, nothing other than a bad powder burn and loud noise is forthcoming, only you know its loaded with blanks. While they are entertaining themselves "shooting" you, you should be getting to your "real" CCW piece and giving them a nastier surprise.

It was real hard for anybody to get close to the instructor without his being able to press that muzzle into some appendage or their gut... might work for you.

Rapid recovery and all the best...

[Third_Rail]

antarti, why not just actually shoot them? Blanks would be hard to defend in court... premeditated murder, etc.

[antarti]

The entire point about using blanks (no pun intended) is:

Should you be disarmed of it, it probably won't be pushed up against YOU and kill you, the BG won't figure that it's loaded with blanks until it's too late for him as you go to your main weapon, or he's fired all the rounds "at" you with little to show. Again, getting "dumped and disarmed" and defenses against it were the main theme.

Like I said, you always have the option to draw the pistol loaded with bullets, but BG is gonna have to touch you to rob you, and a .44mag with hot blanks pressed against your side (esp your head) will likely do more damage than a .380 shot from 2 feet. We are talking about a REAL .44 mag revolver here, not a starting pistol.

For me, it was something I had never even considered, but made a lot of sense as an option (in addition to a regular CCW), especially after I saw how impossible it was to get to the chairbound instructor without getting that thing pressed up against me.

As far as court:

I would think "I had a fat, black, shiny 44 mag revolver loaded with blanks your honor... I wasn't out to kill nobody, just keep myself safe. I thought anybody sane would be scared just lookin' at it, and walk away instead of attackin' me viciously like that. I didn't know it'd blow a soccer-ball size hole in his gut, but he did try to kill me" to be far more effective in court than "I emptied my Glock into the punk gangsta style on general principles, yelling 'Look at you now! Look at you now beotch!"

You could also counter "You mean it wouldn't be pre-meditated murder if I used 6 REAL BULLETS instead of BLANKS?" I think any jury would have a good laugh at that one.

Besides, who is the victim here? Anybody who attacks somebody in a wheelchair isn't going to get any sympathy from a jury, but the victim would get a pass (at least here in God's Country) even if they hitched the still-breathing attacker to their car and dragged them on the highway until just shoes were left.

[OF]

Uhhhh...I have to disagree with the blanks thing. You might be over-thinking this a little.

KISS. Real gun, real ammo, real self-defense.

- Gabe

[Reloader]

Blanks can still kill, some up to 30 feet. I appreciate the thought, but I don't think it would be defensible in court. remeber the goofy actor Jon-Erik Hedxum committd suicide with .44 blanks.