Smart carry/thunderwear?

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hedonistic
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Smart carry/thunderwear?

Post by hedonistic »

Of those that have used them I d like your opinion the only down side to my current carry method (4 o'clock) is it is aggravating my bad back. Crying It Looking to get my hips straight again and want some opinions if it works well I like the universality of it.


Pros
Cons
Likes
Dislikes

which one

and what do you carry?
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Ben B.
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Post by Ben B. »

Thunderwear, Kahr PM40 or Smith 642. Usually the Kahr.

Pros: easy to hide when doing normal standing, sitting activities, and I can use it when I go running and it works fine.

Cons:

1) when you need to pee, you unzip and flip the fucking thing up like a visor to make room for Mr. Peabody. This leaves something wrapped in cloth sticking out the front of your fly while you take care of biz. Probably not a big deal, but this thing is for deep cover. Or you have to go in a stall.

2) If you squat down or kneel in dress pants for any reason, it can lever back against the belt and point straight out, so you are pitching a tent with the pistol in your pants.

3) I wear my belts tight, and that makes for a damn slow draw. It's mostly there in case some "hear gunshots, psycho on the loose" scenario pops up. It's too slow for anything else.
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1911pilot
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Post by 1911pilot »

I usually carry my 1911's around 2:45 with an IWB holster. Thunderwear just never seemed right to me. Make sure to keep you booger hook off the bang switch when your reholstering. :shock:
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Post by johndoe3 »

I have a SmartCarry made in Largo, FL. I believe they were the original designer of this type of concealed carry holster, and Thunderwear copied it. I've had it for 3 years. It the same design as Thunderwear, but I believe SmartCarry has better materials and is longer lasting (based on the actual experience of a number of people on different forums). I learned about it from the booth of the owner of SmartCarry at a gunshow.

http://www.smartcarry.com/

The price is about the same as Thunderwear $47.95 versus $44.95. I bought the SmartCarry based on perceived better quality.

I'm very happy with mine, which I had made for a full size 1911, and it carries fine in it. However, now I usually carry with a Taurus 745C, which is a compact, light, single-stack 45 with 3" barrel. The SmartCarry works fine with either the full-size 1911 or my subcompact Taurus 45. They recommend just using a safety pin to close off the bottom of the SmartCarry to have the subcompact ride higher; but I found that I don't need it, since the subcompact rides securely in it high enough because of the grip. I would highly recommend the SmartCarry as a viable purchase versus the Thunderwear. However, like everything it's up to you.

The thing is, you never notice you have it on, and it's comfortable to draw from in a car or sitting. Friends have been unaware that I was carrying, and this is even with shorts and t-shirt in the summer.
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hedonistic
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Post by hedonistic »

Ben B. wrote:
2) If you squat down or kneel in dress pants for any reason, it can lever back against the belt and point straight out, so you are pitching a tent with the pistol in your pants.
:lol:
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Post by digitspaw »

The key to successfully using the Smart Carry is in your apparel. You will do MUCH better by wearing pleated pants/shorts and using an elastic type of belt (preferably one with some leather around the buckle area to dress it up a little)

It also matters how you adjust the holster.

I wear mine high. Just the opposite of what the manufacturer recommends.
Wearing it high, you can place the gun grip and back of the slide right under the belt. I don't mean BELOW the belt. I mean UNDER it. I wear mine 100% on the outside of my tucked in shirt and when I'm ready to go, I just blouse the front of my shirt over the belt. Just a little subtle blousing.

Make sure the slide is under the fly. This will position the end of the grip in the vicinity of the pleats. See pic below of my G26 in a Smart Carry.

Wearing the rig as pictured allows me to draw and double tap COM at 7 yards in about 2 1/2 seconds


Image

Image
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hedonistic
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Post by hedonistic »

I'll have to try wearing mine higher I have worn this one for close to two years, just below the belt. I find every once in while I pinch my man while moving bending, stooping, and sitting in a lower car seat. Not the most pleasant part of my day.
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hedonistic
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Post by hedonistic »

Ben B. wrote: 1) when you need to pee, you unzip and flip the fucking thing up like a visor to make room for Mr. Peabody. This leaves something wrapped in cloth sticking out the front of your fly while you take care of biz. Probably not a big deal, but this thing is for deep cover. Or you have to go in a stall.
I usually just relive myself at the urinal once at the collage some meat gazer got spooked and put stuff in his pants it was still going off, while was running from the rest room.

Fucking hilarious the down side is I unbelt, unzip, and unbutton, opening the fly does not leave enough room.
Islam is an intolerant, oppressive, social, political, governmental institution that preaches hatred and murder it was created by a man who married a six year old child.
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