grady

Good review, NickEMT. Just curious, what size SmartCarry holster did you use? The P226 may be my next gun.


Yes, looser is better, both in the body of the pants and in the waistline. Belt doesn't have to be loose, just not real tight. When I draw, I suck my stomach in, so that helps create the room to draw. And when adrenaline is flowing, one can pull the gun out no matter how tight the beltline is.

Not sure how long your Kimber is. My XD slide is 7", with the frame just a tad longer, and it hides fine.

I did one thing different from Charlie's recommendation that helps keep the grip tucked in closer to my body. When I ordered my SmartCarry, I hadn't decided whether to buy the XD-45 compact (4" barrel) or the XD-45 tactical compact (5" barrel). Charlie recommended the medium SmartCarry for the 4" and the large Smartcarry for the 5", although he said the large might also work for the 4". I ordered the large, then ended up buying the 4" compact. The gun sits a little deeper in the holster, but it also pulls the grip in closer to my body than the medium does. I know this because I also own a medium SmartCarry.

Sitting doesn't bother me unless I want to sit with my knees together. I sit naturally with my knees about 18" apart. However, I am also concealing an SP-101 in my dual-holster SmartCarry, so those concealing only one gun may be able to bring their knees closer together.

I can cross my legs and rest one on the top thigh of the other with no problems. My guns hide so well that I often sit like this when talking to our security at work, and none of them have any clue I'm carrying. But yes, loose pants are better. Last year I wore some tighter pants (left over from pre-CCW days) and one retired LEO became suspicous, but he has since moved away.

SC doesn't work for everyone, but for some of us, it works very well.

Gibber

My SC carries my CDP or J Frame in church great. Church is an environment where I am afraid someone is going to place their hand on my gun. SC cures that.

I could just kick myself for not getting one sooner!

P7fanatic

If your pants are so tight that it's hard to get change from the front pocket, they're too tight for the smart carry.
For me, I can only use it with loose pants. Adjust the carry up, down, left or right to suit you. I like mine and it works great with my MK9, 442 and Sig P230. Doubt I'll ever try to carry my P7 in it.

__________________
"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." -Thomas Jefferson

"Liberalism is a Mental Disorder." -Michael Savage

GOOD Gun Control is being able to hit your target! -Myself

Jackle1886

The smartcarry I got from RamRod was GREAT. I wore it yesterday for a wedding, and in a tux I didn't have many options. I highly suggest one. I also danced in it, wore it with jeans, shorts, anything. Very versatile. It won't replace my IWB or OWB for daily activities, but for weddings, church, and other such activities I love it.

__________________
Better to die on your feet, than to live on your knees.

Piglet

Good to have another positive review of the SmartCarry.

The biggest single mistake that people often make when trying SmartCarry for the first time is attempting to make it work with a gun that is too damned big.

I've read numerous accounts from people who became SmartCarry haters simply because they refused to modify their choice of weapon to fit the requirements of their desired concealment level. After the 5'10", 175 lb guy endures one day of trying to conceal a Glock 19 down there, not even being able to sit down, he goes online and calls it the "most uncomfortable thing I've ever tried in my life." Well, I wonder why.

Charlie, bless his heart, claims to carry a full-size 1911 in one of his rigs. I guess he never has to sit down. Otherwise, I just can't understand how he does it, as he is, judging from pictures, of quite small stature.

Nick, I'm glad that the SmartCarry is working out for you. As you've discovered, it is the concealment holster for all occasions. All those custom-made belt holsters - of which I have a number - are great until you lose the option of untucked shirts, an option that some of us practically never have because we have to dress neatly and professionally every day, with tucked-in shirts and well-fitting pants. A SmartCarry with a J-frame or single-stack, subcompact auto is the answer, and a very satisfactory one.