Carrying in a Suit

Oldrider said:

Sorry, but I must disagree. SOB carry is an uncomfortable way to carry, unless you're standing up all day, never have to bend over, never have to sit in a vehicle, never have to sit in a chair, etc. Also, depending on which holster you use (butt up or butt down), you may have to adjust the way you draw. Too many negatives when there are more comfortable and useful options.

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And yet a lot of LEO did carry SOB when wearing suits all day. In fact, having two snub noses side by side SOB was one of the ways to carry a NY reload - you drew the off side first to make the on side the easy draw when needed.

And those plainclothes detectives were in vehicles, at desks, etc. One often quoted negative was "You will get hurt more if you land on your back" yet landing on a belt worn holster OWB or IWB won't be pleasant and also indicates lack of situational awareness or tactical skill. Getting into a grapple and hitting the pavement without a gun worn is no improvement.

I could say that IWB is an uncomfortable way to carry - it is for me - riding hard on the hip joint, causing pressure on a nerve sending pain down my leg, requiring a stiff belt cinched tightly to control pants drooping, definitely hampers the draw when sitting and worse if belted in a vehicle. Too many negatives when there is a much more comfortable and useful option - the shouder holster.

A suit is the perfect opportunity and there are many proven rigs which have achieved legendary status for carry for over 30 years. And NO wardrobe accomodation - same size pants no matter what, instead of half the wrong size just to carry. If it had to be belt carry, in a suit coat, OWB would be better. The bottom hem is sufficiently lower to cover almost any pistol with little issue.

No one method is perfect. It's up to the individual to choose to fit their circumstances and a Galco Miami is a great pattern - even if under a summer shirt on vacation.

Dholiday666 said:

Small of back is good with the right holster.

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Oldrider said:

Sorry, but I must disagree. SOB carry is an uncomfortable way to carry, unless you're standing up all day, never have to bend over, never have to sit in a vehicle, never have to sit in a chair, etc. Also, depending on which holster you use (butt up or butt down), you may have to adjust the way you draw. Too many negatives when there are more comfortable and useful options.

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tirod said:

And yet a lot of LEO did carry SOB when wearing suits all day. In fact, having two snub noses side by side SOB was one of the ways to carry a NY reload - you drew the off side first to make the on side the easy draw when needed.

And those plainclothes detectives were in vehicles, at desks, etc. One often quoted negative was "You will get hurt more if you land on your back" yet landing on a belt worn holster OWB or IWB won't be pleasant and also indicates lack of situational awareness or tactical skill. Getting into a grapple and hitting the pavement without a gun worn is no improvement.

I could say that IWB is an uncomfortable way to carry - it is for me - riding hard on the hip joint, causing pressure on a nerve sending pain down my leg, requiring a stiff belt cinched tightly to control pants drooping, definitely hampers the draw when sitting and worse if belted in a vehicle. Too many negatives when there is a much more comfortable and useful option - the shouder holster.

A suit is the perfect opportunity and there are many proven rigs which have achieved legendary status for carry for over 30 years. And NO wardrobe accomodation - same size pants no matter what, instead of half the wrong size just to carry. If it had to be belt carry, in a suit coat, OWB would be better. The bottom hem is sufficiently lower to cover almost any pistol with little issue.

No one method is perfect. It's up to the individual to choose to fit their circumstances and a Galco Miami is a great pattern - even if under a summer shirt on vacation.

Click to expand...

Oldrider said:

I spent 30 years in law enforcement; municipal, county, state, and federal, uniform and plainclothes. I never saw anyone wear a SOB holster after one shift (usually it came off during the shift). And I never saw the two holsters back-to-back method either, except in movies (Nicholas Cage in "Face Off"). I knew many officers that carried two guns, I did while on patrol, but they were in individual holsters, one strong side, and the other concealed in an off-side pocket or holster. SOB may look good for TV and the movies, i.e., NCIS New Orleans and The Fugitive, but in the real world, it doesn't work.

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Why We Don't Recommend Small Of Back Holsters

Although fashionable for years, SOB holster are generally seen as unnecessarily dangerous for the reasons cited above and more.

Expandable waist band suit pants, for IWB, are common and can be added by a tailor while a little forethought.

If you going to need to take your jacket off during the day, you'll need to consider that as well.

I carried OWB with a paddle holster (under non-slim fit suits) for years which allowed for easy adjustment/removal/replacement when necessary.

Also consider pocket carry...

Plenty of us successfully/comfortably carry/carried during our suit wearing work years...