[Hoser]

I've always heard that carrying in a small-of-back holster is a "NO-NO" in case you fall on your butt or tailbone, you can do serious damage (like paralysis)!

But I keep hearing a lot of people talking about how they carry full size governments or others in SOB or MOB holsters.

What's the story -- thumbs up or way down?

 

[Secmat]

As a general rule, the SOB holster isn't any more concealable than IWB or some OWB holsters. They are slower on the draw too.

 

[Dane Burns]

The ability to hurt yourself with a SOB holster is real. But you are more likely to hurt the syatic (sp) nerve in a fall or the spine, not the tail bone generally. Speed isn't an issue if you practice and concealability is better than a strong side holster. Comfort however is not.

The majority of professioanls I know carry a full size service pistol at the point of the hip or just behind the hip in a FBI rake. It is concealable, fast, easy to protect from a weapon retention standpoint and last but certainly not least, semi-comfortable there. Even at that I would give the nod to the behind the hip and FBI rake over the two for being more user friendly and more concealable.

 

[JLM]

Don't forget, with a SOB rig, you are more than likely to sweep yourself with the muzzle, upon drawing. Granted you CAN draw, without muzzle sweep but its kind of awkward.

Try this, pretend you are wearing a SOB rig, and 'practice' drawing from it. I think you'll see what I mean.

 

[imported_Walosi]

Dane Burns comments hit close to home. I regularly carry a P220 in an Alessi MOB, but not in the MOB position. Most comfortable for me is between 4:00 and 5:00. The rig is very thin, with the smooth side out. This allows it to shift a bit without changing position. I have IWB rigs that dig in, no matter where they are worn around the waist and with top re-inforcement and belt straps, add 1" to the thickness. With the clip set behind the trigger guard, the added thickness is just 1/4" for the Alessi. The "FBI" rake, intended for MOB position, holds the butt in close. Worn as above, I can reach it with my left hand. This is one of those "pretty is as pretty does" rigs. It doesn't show a lot of bells and whistles, but it will stay in place all day long, and into the night if need be, without causing enlarged kidneys or trips to the chiropractor.

 

[SNAPCUT]

I occasionally cary my USP45 in a Horseshoe SOB rig, shifted toward my right hip, as opposed the center of my back. I find it comfortable, but not neccesarily advantageous when compared to other more conventional rigs. I try many holsters, and generally return to a Kramer IWB#3.

 

[Steve333]

Based on Walosi's recommendation I got an Alessi MOB and love it. Yep, you can carry a full-sized 1911 very comfortably but that's also true with a decent IWB holster, I do it all the time. The MOB lets you shift the position of the holster to minimize the exaggerated risk of injury.

But I keep hearing a lot of people talking about how they carry full size governments or others in SOB or MOB holsters.