School me on "Smartcarry"...

**trio** · 05-31-09, 01:59

Or Thunderwear if that is your preference...

I am looking for deep carry options, and have been going round and round about possible solutions...

things I have considered:

1) Buying one of the suddenly popular "mouse guns"...an LCP, P3AT, etc....i have two problems, though...first, I am not wild about pocket carry and secondly I want my primary carry to be at least .38 (of course if this becomes the only option, i certainly believe in mouse gun > no gun theory)

2) Buying a Kahr PM9....i would have to get over the pocket carry issue if I got this, but it seems like it may be a viable option....my biggest problem is that for everyone i see who swears by the PM9 I see someone who swears AT the PM9....

3) The question presented....I am a "glock guy" and currently carry a G26 either IWB or on my ankle when in need of something more concealed ....I will also carry a Maxpedition bag when in gym shorts, but I do think that screams "gun"... I am going to be in a few scenarios where even IWB may be too visible, and I may be in shorts....I have pocket carried my G26 before, but, erm, it aint a very comfortable pocket gun...sooo...

i am on to the smartcarry/thunderwear possibility....I understand that it makes the gun harder to access but...

1) is it really that much slower than from an ankle rig?

2) the times I have pocket carried and done draws, even with a J-Frame, I have a hard time doing it....the main reason is I have really big hands so when my hand is closed around something (like the grip of a firearm) its significantly bigger than the pocket opening...so I am wondering the timing of a smartcarry versus this for me....

3) comfort?

4) is the holster part of it well constructed enough that I would feel comfortable w/ a G26 in it (NY1 spring/ghost connector)?

if this is a feasible option it is certainly way cheaper than getting another gun

any feedback or alternative options is always welcome, as is practical experience in any of the scenarios i presented

**the_1iviper** · 05-31-09, 11:14

trio-i picked up a smart carry when i first received my chp.i carried a g33 and an officers acp in it.the g33 fits good,the colt actually fit it well but that damn beavertail

the outer layer is thick enough that if you tried to intentionally pull the trigger with the gun in the holster,you can't.that was my concern with it considering the area where the muzzle was pointing

i didn't use it but a few times b4 i switched over to a don hume iwb with a clip.i'm in jeans about 98% of the time and it works perfect for me,easy on easy off and very comfortable.

i think the one i have is for up to 35" waists,if you want to try one out and it's the right size for you,let me know and i'll drop it in the mail to you.

**LMarshall73** · 05-31-09, 11:58

Actually wearing a Smartcarry right now holding my G19. Draw is a little slower than my normal AIWB holster, but is doable.

ToddG · 05-31-09, 17:03

I've been playing with SmartCarry for a few days now (they sent me one for long-term T&E). For those who are unfamiliar, it's basically a jock strap that holds your pistol rather than a cup.

Comfort, when worn properly (very low) gets four out of five stars. It's clear you're wearing it and, depending on how you normally situate yourself down there it may get in the way a bit, but it's not at all uncomfortable. Actually, it feels almost exactly like wearing a fanny pack. The only slight hiccup is when you need to use a restroom ... getting it out of the way takes a little gymnastics and isn't particularly subtle if you're standing at a urinal.

Concealability I'll give five stars. My full size P30 is noticeable at the butt (gun's, not mine) if you know where to look but it could just as easily be something in a pocket, etc. The ability to carry a full size gun PLUS a spare magazine with a tucked-in shirt is pretty amazing. I feel like I could go just about anywhere (sans metal detectors) without being spotted.

Speed gets two stars. It's a lot faster than I expected once I got used to it, but it's definitely substantially slower than my Looper.

SmartCarry, standing:
2.05 sec average to first shot
range from 1.60 to 2.54 (SD of 0.36)

Looper + untucked polo, standing:
1.01 sec average to first shot
range from 0.87 to 1.16 (SD of 0.09)

SmartCarry, sitting:
2.19 sec average to first shot
range from 1.79 to 3.26 (SD of 0.45)

Looper + untucked polo, sitting:
1.31 sec average to first shot
range from 1.02 to 1.65 (SD of 0.20)

This was done with a stopwatch dry-fire, so the data is certainly not perfect. My wife's reaction time from hearing the click of the hammer to hitting the stop button also needs to get factored in. I was aiming at an 8" square at about 5yd distance.

The real difference is consistency, which in the SmartCarry's defense would probably improve if I practiced with it more and worked out some of the techniques better. Still, I was far more likely to fumble something with the SmartCarry. In one case, I had a sitting draw of 3.26 ... in comparison, I had a fumble during seated Looper draws that worked out to 1.63 and 1.65 ... both faster than the best I could do from the SmartCarry.

I'm going to try the same test again strong hand only at some point, because I think the SmartCarry will be noticeably harder to draw without being able to move the waistband out of the way.

Value gets four stars. Quality of material seems good. Because it's not gun-specific, I did need to take a safety pin and "size" the holster ... without that, the gun sat far too low and draw speed was pathetic. Price is almost identical to a standard Looper.

15/20 total rating from me.

**Cardiac Nurse** · 05-31-09, 17:32

I just went to the Smart Carry website. I don't see it working for me....but looks like it would work well for others. I think I'm going to continue looking at my concealed carry options.

**FromMyColdDeadHand** · 05-31-09, 18:13

Todd- What do you think about safety with these? If you did make them out of Kevlar, would that stop a AD (but maybe with a lot of gas tatooing?)?

I like the idea of this and AIWB, but how much of a real world risk is it compared to standard hip IWB carry?

Thanks!

ToddG · 05-31-09, 18:19

I've yet to perfect a technique for reholstering the gun with SmartCarry. As such, my response after drawing the gun would have to be AIWB Mexican until I had a chance to get things put back where they belong.

Drawing the gun I see no problem unless you draw with your finger on the trigger. In that case, sucks to be you.

**FromMyColdDeadHand** · 05-31-09, 18:43

Originally Posted by ToddG

I've yet to perfect a technique for reholstering the gun with SmartCarry. As such, my response after drawing the gun would have to be AIWB Mexican until I had a chance to get things put back where they belong.

Drawing the gun I see no problem unless you draw with your finger on the trigger. In that case, sucks to be you.

Premature emasculation.