Mine only feels vulnerable when she's nekkid. Usually when showering.

Lol at all of the people saying a lion attack will be some blindsiding event out of the darkness with no chance to shoot at it.  Many times when you're outdoors you'll hear or see something that allows you to ready yourself.   Hell the lion might even stand in the trail licking its teeth at you.  During those times you'll want to have a gun.

I'm not trying to be mean but this is silly.

You're being overly dramatic. It's great you want to carry, but concealed is safer. How about you conceal now, and then reevaluate the idea of open carry in a few years when you have more experience with the whole thing?

Like others have said, husbands, even instructor husbands make crap teachers. You need to take in some classes. You're putting the cart before the horse.

And welcome to arfcom.

Yes this does change things a lot.

See, men see the world through male eyes, women see the world through female eyes. Kind of obvious but let me explain.
Men are skill based, warrior in thinking, outcome or goal  based and when there is a job to do, you do it.

Women I have found are process based, the goal is less defined and more a journey of  enjoy the ride getting there (or at least understand the ride there)

Self defense (the act) is not a journey, it is a clearly defined goal. Stop the attacker, If they are trying to hurt us, we have to hurt them more to get them to stop. If they are trying to intimidate us, we have to out intimidate them to get them to go away. A gun is a very effective "talisman" in that goal. Many ARE intimidated by the sight of a gun. Mission accomplished.

But what if the attacker is of a mindset that the sight of a gun does not intimidate him? Then what? He may have a background of violence to the point that the sight of a gun is just  more justification in his actions to harm you (it's a challenge to his perceived authority over you) Many attackers, in their sick twisted mind, have every right to harm you.

At that point it's put up or get shut up. If you wife lacks the skill, she could learn, that's true, but it speaks more to a mindset. Some women take to the skill of a gun like a fish to water, most women can learn and be proficient but deep down lack the will to actually take a human life (basically faking skill), and some women treat a gun like a dead snake covered in shit. They will bear handling it if they absolutly have to, but their life would be much happier if they didn't.

You will have to have a conversation with your wife, it will have to be a frank and brutally honest conversation.  You (the man) will have to accept whatever answer she honestly gives you. Men have a hard time seeing the world through women's eyes,  and we tend to force our beliefs onto the women because we see their view as irrational, but to them it is not.

If ....IF she decides to carry a gun, she will have to bear the responsibility that if the "talisman" of intimidation (the gun) does not work, her display of the gun may worsen her attack, or pending a negative outcome and the gun is taken from her (dead or alive) that it possibly be used against someone else someday.

Owning a gun is a huge responsibility (like having children) it sounds so easy, everybody is doing it, how hard could it be?

It is only after pondering the ramifications (all of them both positive and negative) that owning and using a gun for SELF DEFENSE, is an order of magnitude greater than any other mortal endeavor most humans will ever conceive.

Good luck, be patient, have honest conversations with your wife, and accept HER point of view on it. That IS her reality. And then, accept it and love her for her qualities that made you marry her.

She may get attacked and die someday, but, unless you live in downtown Detroit or Gary  or  Los Angles,......it's not "highly likely" but stuff happens to good people, that's just life........that's the way it goes. Live life to the fullest until then.

Take her to the range and drill those skills with her and tell her cc is the best option.

Adults make bad decisions. If one spouse is experienced in an area where another is inexperienced, isn't it the former's role to advise the latter? By saying something like "Honey, that's tarded. I signed you up for classes this weekend, lets go CC holster shopping."

Your pimp hand is weak. You probably let your woman get up on the furniture too.

She wants to carry, encourage it.  But not open.  OWB with unzipped cover garment, light jacket or whatever.

Done.

Why doesn't she just open carry when she gets to the wooded area and trails, it's the old saying just because she can doesn't mean you have to.

I'm not saying surrender to everybody else's will. But compromises help everybody get along. There's a time to stand up to principal.

And the time to work with what's available to get your intended goal accomplished. (Safety on the trail from vicious mountain lion protection open carry)

Passing Mrs. Jones orchid garden, and children's playground, (concealed)
it's obvious she's not trying to make the point that she has a firearm. And can open carry wherever she wants and nobody can do anything about it.

So a compromise should satisfy her needs.

Everybody happy

Additional thoughts
after taking the time to read all posts, it seems your concern isn't so much (open carry or concealed but her safety)

Justifiably so the fact that she's not proficient with A firearm changes the whole scenario training .and just as important feeling confident is the most important aspects of your question . Might be better to invest in a dog , don't walk alone , some type of pepper spray , a lot of other choices .A bitch to get shot in the leg and becoming mountain lion brunch .
Just saying

Open or Concealed you'll need to practice getting out of the holster. You can do that home. If you open carry I'd suggest a good retention holster and at least a 9mm.
Honestly if I was going to where I had to worry about mountain lions I'd want a rifle or shotgun and probably not carry my young one there with me. Shooting a charging mountain lion isn't going to be easy I'd guess.
I think you're more likely to run into the two leg critter types
What ever mode of carry you choose, practice. Too many carry a gun on their hip and think it's some magic tool.

Get her a flash bang holster.

I don't think comparing an armed woman to the police is a fair comparison.  Crooks engage police because the police are trying to capture the crooks and take away their freedom, so the stakes are much higher.

A criminal is going to go for the easiest targets.  He would be more likely to pass on an armed woman, just to avoid the shootout.

Ok, that one made me chuckle ...

If a mountain lion decides to get you, you will be well in the fight of your life long before your hand can move to your holster. A hunting mountain lion will have a hold of you by the time you even know it's there.

Shower Possum?  Awesome!

I understand open carry when that is the only option, but if you can carry concealed you should, unless of course it's some political function and used to make a point. A visible handgun is only a deterrent to a half ass criminal/punk and it tips your hand to a crook that might just decide to kill you instead of rob you.

 

I taught my wife well enough and she is now a NRA certified instructor.

 

It's about mindset. The dude with the hatchet clearly didn't mind bring outnumbered and outgunned. Thankfully, he's been removed from any future scenarios.

 

If shower "kitteh" had a cookie in it's mouth it would be comedy gold.

 

Cops are civilians and they open carry all the time.

Oooooohhhhhhh, I agree with the 2nd Amendment as long as you do it the way I approve of.

Didn't know you need to have the tactical advantage of concealment in the woods. As soon as your in the woods you lost any advantage no matter how well you know the woods.

OC in the woods

OC or CC in Semi urban town

CC in high density population (people tend to forget that even if they CC can still loose any advantage they might have had)

I'm fine with open carry. For the people who do it, that's great. It's not for me though. If she wants to OC just let her know how people may respond so she knows how she wants to deal with that in advance. When I carry on hikes and what not I carry owb with a cover garnment of some sort. Maybe a windbreaker or something light would be a good option for her. But, it's her call and I think you should support whatever her decision is on carrying as long as she carries competently.

Well, I was typing the my original post at the same time the main focus nature walk was brought up. Hey if open carry is what she wants then do it. In the woods is different. But I'm assuming she is not going to be the only person on the trail.

She shouldn't be worried about the mountain lion. You'll never see that one coming. I had one get within 50 feet of me above my position on a mountain and didn't know it. my hunting buddy showed  the prints about 20 minutes later. This was about 15 years ago in the copper basin, idaho. So, I'm about as paranoid a anyone about being eaten. Thank god I didn't get eaten.

She should be worried about getting attacked by another man. That scenario is a lot more likely. Thinking you'll project yourself from a cat by yourself.....yeah right. Travel with company. That's the best defense from Felix.

Why not?

Maybe she can teach the OP's wife.

What kind of sick freak poses with possums and rifles in the shower?

Just because you can do something doesn't make it a good idea.

Where in this discussion did 2A rights even come up? You don't have to answer that by the way.

Care to post pics of your Pancho Villa bandoliers and double double OWB dirty Harry Holsters? If I was going to OC a pistol, I  think I just as well have fun with it and go Yosemite Sam style.

Hey look!  Somebody with no real world experience at all!!

In this day and age, I say every God loving American should carry. Consealed or not!

I think it's a great idea..

Yup..........I like CPL carry better.

It's disgusting and wrong. She obviously has issues.

Mine would like to open carry while she walks the dog but her routine takes her onto school property.  So.....................

If you're worried, just ask if she'd want to concealled carry.

you can carry here in my state. schools can post any sign they want just like a mall but it does not make it illegal. Naturally they can kick you out if you offend them,

For those saying concealed carry on a hike I would just point out how much more comfortable it is to carry a worthwhile gun on your hip outside the waistband especially for a woman and especially if we're talking about a decent sized gun rather than some little .380.

Yes the .22 would be better than grabbing a rock but not by much.  If the wife is serious she'll be willing to approach this with some serious training and learn how to use a full size service caliber gun.  

It's not hard.  I've trained widowed ladies and turned them into USPSA shooters.  Will they win nationals? No.  But if they need to they won't forget to flip a safety off or forget how to aim or fumble the draw and shoot themselves in the foot.

Case in point

Tactical advantage.

Dann cat will draw his weapon and gun you down, if he knows you're armed.

Duh.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

I carry in TX where CCW is all that's legal.






 

It is only a political statement if you are being stupid and using it as a political statement.

I open carry when I am camping. Never had to use it but it is there if I need it. I also keep my pistol in my truck every day. Never needed to use it but you never know.

Way I got it figured, a firearm is a tool. It is there for a particular job and that job is not making statements.

The 2nd Amendment is all about exercising your right to keep and bear arms.  Apparently you only support that for those that carry the way you approve of.

You can stuff Pancho and your bandoliers.  You have no point so you make even more stupid remarks.

What?  You can read the mind of everyone who open carries?

Not enough people hunt.  Then you wouldn't be so scared of guns.  You'd respect life, hard work and honesty.

If she's concerned about wildlife I can see open carrying having its advantages.

If I carry a hammer because I need to drive in a nail, I'm gonna hang it off my belt, not hide it under my shirt. If you treat a gun as a tool, you should (IMO) treat it the same way.

You have to reassess the situation as the potential threat changes from four legs to two.

Get a big dog for wildlife walks in neighborhood......and carry but let the dog be the point guard.