SOB Comments

[jacobsd8195]

My wife finally took the CHL class a few days ago. She originally was wanting to only carry in her purse, but now is considering carrying on her body. Any comments on Small of the Back carry?

[Cobra Medic]

Three words: spinal cord injury.

[Carry-a-Kimber]

First time she falls on it she will move it around to 4:00.

[OldSchool]

Also commonly heard: "I can't reach it!"

[RPB]

I hear that a lot, and I wonder ...how often do these people fall?
I mean if I lived where it was always ice on the ground yeah...

SOB can be great, or can be really uncomfortable.
I don't do SOB in church on the wooden pews ... but did with a very small gun, PPK sized or smaller ... in my big leather office chair a while.

That said 3:00 is where I carry, 5:00 worked, but my back/hip hurt like a wallet was too thick .... no matter what, she'll need to "get used to it"

My "Tuck This 2" adjusts for reverse cant/cant so it can be used SOB/crossdraw, or anywhere ....after trying everywhere, I settled on 3:00 ... same as my hybrid holsters.

Maybe after my back gets more concave from by front pulling it that direction ,,,

SOB with low-rise "hiphuggers/POTG no, but high waist-ed might work, depending on body shape.

Ask the wimmins ... they know better than us fellers.

[Cobra Medic]

Also commonly heard: "I can't reach it!"

I hear that's usually a problem with men more than women. A SOB style holster worn off center works for some people.

My suggestion is stick the UNLOADED pistol in the pants and try to draw. Move it around until you find a comfortable location for drawing and returning that also conceals. Have someone measure the gun's angle and buy a holster with the right cant to keep the gun in that orientation.

[RPB]

Also commonly heard: "I can't reach it!"

I hear that's usually a problem with men more than women. A SOB style holster worn off center works for some people.

My suggestion is stick the UNLOADED pistol in the pants and try to draw. Move it around until you find a comfortable location for drawing and returning that also conceals. Have someone measure the gun's angle and buy a holster with the right cant to keep the gun in that orientation.

That's the beauty of the Desantis Tuck This 2 ... infinitely adjustable with a turn of a screw it "pivots" and tighten... after trying it SOB, adjust it to crossdraw, then to 3:00, or wherever she decides is "right"

Cheap holster to experiment with ($28.00) and I actually ended up using it 80% of the time and many many much more expensive ones are still being broken in slowly and some (ok, LOTS) from the 1980s are in suitcases.

[Excaliber]

I hear that a lot, and I wonder ...how often do these people fall?
I mean if I lived where it was always ice on the ground yeah...

SOB can be great, or can be really uncomfortable.
I don't do SOB in church on the wooden pews ... but did with a very small gun, PPK sized or smaller ... in my big leather office chair a while.

That said 3:00 is where I carry, 5:00 worked, but my back/hip hurt like a wallet was too thick .... no matter what, she'll need to "get used to it"

My "Tuck This 2" adjusts for reverse cant/cant so it can be used SOB/crossdraw, or anywhere ....after trying everywhere, I settled on 3:00 ... same as my hybrid holsters.

It only takes once to produce a devastating and permanently disabling injury. When so many better and safer methods are available, to me it makes no sense to go out of one's way to take such a huge and unnecessary risk. SOB carry is also more prone to accidental exposure than other positions on the waist.

[RPB]

real good point on exposure .... and also IMHO, about the absolute worst spot as far as gun "retention" if a bad guy sneeks up and tries to take your gun. I can defend my 3:00 much better than my 6:00 THAT is a reason I wouldn't carry SOB ... not because my cane/shoe might slip.

[jacobsd8195]

It only takes once to produce a devastating and permanently disabling injury. When so many better and safer methods are available, to me it makes no sense to go out of one's way to take such a huge and unnecessary risk.

Are you saying that SOB carry is more prone to accidental discharge? Or that if an accidental discharge were to occur, it would be in a more dangerous place?

Right now she has a Bersa Thunder .380, but a more slimmer gun might be in the future.

[RPB]

accidental exposure .... when shirt rides up over it and you are unaware that it occurred, but everyone behind you sees it..

Excaliber was replying to me asking how often people fall on their tails ... as I hear that reason all the time ... and I walk pretty well, hardly ever fall... but if one fell on it, fracturing lower spine ... nerves to legs can be damaged and crippling.

gun "retention" is my main concern ... pickpockets are good ... how fast can you get your hand to the SOB position to keep your gun holstered while someone yanks on it? how strong is your arm in that position? (don't even try it if a gun EVER was loaded) just put a hammer, handle side down in the SOB, and try to retain it while someone takes it. (gun barrel is shorter than hammer handle, so gun would be much easier though)

As I said, I can keep their hand pressed onto the butt of my gun at 3:00 (whether the grabber is in front of or behind me) and use retention techniques/leverage pin and spin against them, but SOB ... not so easy, not so fast, not so much... my "press down" isn't as strong when my arm is behind the middle of my back.. no ones is.
Now, imagine this (video) in a SOB position, with the grabber directly behind you, because you accidentally exposed it.
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=-ok79o2NAhA[/youtube]

[Excaliber]

It only takes once to produce a devastating and permanently disabling injury. When so many better and safer methods are available, to me it makes no sense to go out of one's way to take such a huge and unnecessary risk.

Are you saying that SOB carry is more prone to accidental discharge? Or that if an accidental discharge were to occur, it would be in a more dangerous place?

Right now she has a Bersa Thunder .380, but a more slimmer gun might be in the future.

RPB is correct. I was agreeing with Cobra Medic who pointed out that falling and landing on your back with a gun in the SOB position can result in a devastating spinal cord injury and possibly permanent paralysis.

RPB is also correct that it's nearly impossible to defend against a gun grab to an SOB carried weapon. While it's true that gun grabs are not usually attempted against guns that are successfully concealed, the accidental exposure of part of the gun could inspire someone to try.

I've tried just about every carry method you can think of - except this one, which has no advantage that I can think of that outweighs its risks.

[RPB]

My wife finally took the CHL class a few days ago. She originally was wanting to only carry in her purse, but now is considering carrying on her body. Any comments on Small of the Back carry?

Purse snatchers would love that ... I won't mention details of a Police Officer's wife I knew about at a Kroger store incident who lost her gun to a purse snatcher in the parking lot...

As I said above .... ask the Wimmins ....at -> viewforum.php?f=69" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; they'll know, and give the best methods and best suggestions on equipment for on-body carrying
(Or, search the womens sections for "holster" using the forum's advanced search features at -> search.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jacobsd8195]

Thanks for the responses. This will give her some more to think about... she looked at the Ladies section and read some of the posts on carry options and holster recommendations. I normally carry OWB or IWB at 3-4:00, but have never tried the SOB option so I couldn't give her my perspective.

Happy New Year!

[RPB]

She'll like this one ...When she does purse carry due to dress style occasion .........

you KNOW she'll need new purses right?

No thin straps on a purse that are cut easily etc ... maybe purses specially made with a gun compartment ...
and I dunno if there are youtube videos ... but training or thinking about how to carry/hold the purse.)

but surely ........ she'll need to go purse SHOPPING
(and shoes to match)


Still, a Wilderness Safepacker or even a fanny pack, are harder to take away than a purse