Thank you for your comments Robert. Many of the positions you have described have been abandoned for more inside the waistband options. Few you describe lend themselves to carrying for concealed today. I hope this helps.

“Strong-side” was anything from 2:30 to 3:30ish as long as the muzzle was vertical and the holster on the dominant hand side. “FBI tilt” was anything on the dominant hand side from 3:30 to 5:00 with the muzzle down, a 15 to 30 degree forward tilt on the hammer/breech; and the grip pointed to 6:00 (or the spine). [this, of course, includes what you’re calling “behind the hip”] “Reverse FBI” was on the dominant hand side from 4:00 to 5:45ish with the muzzle down, the breech/hammer tilted forward up 45 degrees and the grip pointed to 3:00. “Mossad” designated a carry with the barrel horizontal on the belt line at 6:00 with the pistol (I’ve never seen a revolver carried like this) upside down and the grip oriented toward the dominant hand side. Lastly there was “Mauser” which also has the gun horizontal across the back but with the grip down and toward the dominant side. [Almost never seen today, even among the old timers; it is supposedly the way the 1895 Mauser Machine pistol was carried during the Boer and Colonial wars]

Now as I said, I’m old; and a self-confessed Geezer. I learned my weapon skills in my father’s gun shop and from books by the likes of Elmer Keith and Bill Jordan. I was in my prime when the Modern Method was born and Jeff Cooper was knighted by the ghost of our patron saint John Moses Browning. I still carry blue steel and walnut in hand-oiled leather. But I’ve got to know: has the profession of arms really lost some of it’s core knowledge? [It’s happened in the past in our military] Or is this stuff so incidental to the task of building skills in beginners that it’s glossed over in many curriculums? Or is it I’ve spent too much time with gun nuts and holster makers? (surely not possible) I’m just curious, but I would sincerely like to know.

As to one issue of the several in the post, there is the matter of “behind the hip.” As used in carrying a handgun, and in general reference to human anatomy, many people are quite confused.

A handgun carried about the waist cannot be carried behind the hip, for it being on the waist places it well above the hip joint.

The hip is where the femur (thigh bone) connects to the pelvis. What many people refer to as the hip is actually the pelvis. More specifically, a “behind the hip” Carry is actually behind the iliac crest.

A simpler, more accurate description would be had by using referencing a clock face. If the navel is 12:00 o’clock, and the spine is 6:00 o’clock, the so-called “behind the hip carry” would be 4:00 o’clock for acright side carry – or 8:00 o’clock for a left hand carry.

Simply my contribution to a very worthy conversation.

Shoot Straight. We own the missile from trigger squeeze until the missile stops.

Yes. It’s more visuals for “strong side is NOT behind the hip and here is where I needed to clean up my language”, etc.

Haha, thanks…I only need to figure out how to add hours to the day or slow down time 😉

Hope all is well, stay safe.

You do realize there is a picture at the top of the page that depicts strong side carry as we define it?

That is a great point Scott, very applicable to other fields. Well done, all the best.

Jeff,

I see a great Concealed/Covert Carry book in your future with lots of pictures. I’ll check out your “CONCEALED CARRY TTP’S” video through PANTEAO.

Thanks,
Ramin

Take the following from your article. Some pictures would help the uninitiated visualize what words cannot convey at times.

“For instance, a common mistake is in reference to strong side. We define strong side as being on our strong side hip. Where the ejection port lines up at 3:00, there’s a little fudging so between 2:30-3:30 being acceptable due to body composition and girth. However, strong side is NOT behind the hip and here is where I needed to clean up my language.”