Women and weapon retention

[crazy2medic]

My wife has been discussing with me getting her LTC and and carrying. She says she'll carry it in purse meant for carrying a gun, I'll insist that it be a purse with the steel cable through the strap to prevent anybody from just grabbing it and running.
Here is my question, if somebody should attempt to do a snatch and run, would she be justified in shooting somebody while struggling over the purse? The BG is trying to steal a purse, my wife is trying to retain her weapon! She is able to draw her weapon in the struggle, would disparity of force make it justified? Would the fact that the attempted theft would be over her weapon even if the BG didn't know that a gun was in the purse!
Opinions?

[Keith B]

Yes. Here it is in black and white

Texas Penal Code - PENAL § 9.42. Deadly Force to Protect Property

A person is justified in using deadly force against another to protect land or tangible, movable property:

(1) if he would be justified in using force against the other under Section 9.41 ;  and

(2) when and to the degree he reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary:

(A) to prevent the other's imminent commission of arson, burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, theft during the nighttime, or criminal mischief during the nighttime;  or

(B) to prevent the other who is fleeing immediately after committing burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, or theft during the nighttime from escaping with the property;  and

(3) he reasonably believes that:

(A) the land or property cannot be protected or recovered by any other means;  or

(B) the use of force other than deadly force to protect or recover the land or property would expose the actor or another to a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.

It's not theft; she is being robbed (forceable removal of of her purse), so deadly force is justified per the penal code

[CZp10]

Keith answered your question, but I just wanted to add that my wife really likes her carry purse from Moonstruck Leather, in case your wife is looking for one.

[crazy2medic]

Thanks for the answers, very much,appreciate you guys

[ninjabread]

If she carries a gun in her purse, I hope she's not one of those women who leaves her purse on a chair, etc.

[crazy2medic]

If she carries a gun in her purse, I hope she's not one of those women who leaves her purse on a chair, etc.

She won't leave it anywhere, when shopping she won't take two steps from the shopping cart if her purse is in it!

[SewTexas]

I really discourage women from making purse carry their main method of carry....that said, it easily becomes such during the summer for me.

[crazy2medic]

I really discourage women from making purse carry their main method of carry....that said, it easily becomes such during the summer for me.

I Concur, I believe it should be on her person, however that's most likely to not happen! I have told her that if she going to do a purse carry I want it to either have the steel cable through the strap or a leather strap that cannot be broken easily!

[RPBrown]

The only times my wife uses purse carry is if we are going to a formal affair or to church. Since we only go to one formal affair a year, she carries on her person. If at church, it depends on her dress as to how she carries. If we are going out to eat after church, she carries on her person.We discussed in length about purse snatchers and theives before she got her CHL/LTC and after a while, she agreed.

[crazy2medic]

The only times my wife uses purse carry is if we are going to a formal affair or to church. Since we only go to one formal affair a year, she carries on her person. If at church, it depends on her dress as to how she carries. If we are going out to eat after church, she carries on her person.We discussed in length about purse snatchers and theives before she got her CHL/LTC and after a while, she agreed.

This will no doubt be a work in progress, I would prefer to have her not purse carry but that may very well be an uphill battle, the carry purses should be meant to defeat purse snatchers, a cable in the strap or heavy leather strap but I will attempt to convince a her to body carry!

[flintknapper]

The only times my wife uses purse carry is if we are going to a formal affair or to church. Since we only go to one formal affair a year, she carries on her person. If at church, it depends on her dress as to how she carries. If we are going out to eat after church, she carries on her person.We discussed in length about purse snatchers and theives before she got her CHL/LTC and after a while, she agreed.

This will no doubt be a work in progress, I would prefer to have her not purse carry but that may very well be an uphill battle, the carry purses should be meant to defeat purse snatchers, a cable in the strap or heavy leather strap but I will attempt to convince a her to body carry!

No question that carry on her person is the preferred method, BUT if your wife will carry at all (purse or otherwise) please encourage that. Most women are NOT going to carry on their person, its just a fact. Yes, a purse could be snatched/stolen, but I'd rather my wife carry daily and take that 1 in 10,000 chance (arbitrary number) her purse will be snatched, than to not be armed at all.

[SewTexas]

The only times my wife uses purse carry is if we are going to a formal affair or to church. Since we only go to one formal affair a year, she carries on her person. If at church, it depends on her dress as to how she carries. If we are going out to eat after church, she carries on her person.We discussed in length about purse snatchers and theives before she got her CHL/LTC and after a while, she agreed.

This will no doubt be a work in progress, I would prefer to have her not purse carry but that may very well be an uphill battle, the carry purses should be meant to defeat purse snatchers, a cable in the strap or heavy leather strap but I will attempt to convince a her to body carry!

Very often women will start with a purse, then will turn to on body after a year or two....just be patient, there are lots of purses out there. look at Montana West, good purses, beautiful, and affordable. Look at Gun Toten Mama (I'm really not spelling that right) those are sort of affordable, they started out being well priced and worked their way to being more expensive. Their are patterns if she wants to make her own, I can point you to those too.

[crazy2medic]

The only times my wife uses purse carry is if we are going to a formal affair or to church. Since we only go to one formal affair a year, she carries on her person. If at church, it depends on her dress as to how she carries. If we are going out to eat after church, she carries on her person.We discussed in length about purse snatchers and theives before she got her CHL/LTC and after a while, she agreed.

This will no doubt be a work in progress, I would prefer to have her not purse carry but that may very well be an uphill battle, the carry purses should be meant to defeat purse snatchers, a cable in the strap or heavy leather strap but I will attempt to convince a her to body carry!

Very often women will start with a purse, then will turn to on body after a year or two....just be patient, there are lots of purses out there. look at Montana West, good purses, beautiful, and affordable. Look at Gun Toten Mama (I'm really not spelling that right) those are sort of affordable, they started out being well priced and worked their way to being more expensive. Their are patterns if she wants to make her own, I can point you to those too.

She'll want a pretty basic purse, doesn't go with rhinestones and studs however if it has picture of a dog on it she would go with that!
Thanks for the input, just have to rake the money for a HK P30sk together first

[SewTexas]

My wife is looking to carry, but she doesn't like carrying a purse and she doesn't like the idea of a IWB or OWB holster right off. So I got to looking and found some nice belly band holsters. So that could be an option.

I have my IWB holster. Plus, I made myself some really nice compression shorts with holster pockets and some corset holsters, they just get a wee bit hot in the dead of summer, lol.

[troglodyte]

My wife has to carry very discretely and is using Undertech's tank and Lethal Lace. I suspect a form of bellyband will be next.

She also has a couple of purses. a plain black one from Coronado Leather and a more western tooled one from Gun Totin' Mama she got at Cabela's.