I feel sort of dumb asking this but what is mexican carry? Any pics showing it would be cool.

Thanks and hope all had a very Merry Christmas
Joe.

Inside your pants with the grip hooked over the belt,usually in the front.
I've done it with a 45 or a model 60 for a short walk when a holster wasn't handy.I wouldn't try running though.

That's when you take a gun and just shove it in your waistband, no holster. It's not recommended.

There was also a variation with a leather strap or shoe string. One end went around the belt and the other end went inside the waistband. The slide or barrel of the gun went into a loop on the end of the part inside the waistband.

Not sure if it was the way Eli Wallach as Tuco carried his 1851 Colt, with a cord wrapped around the gun stuck inside his coat.

Not sure about Mexican carry but I can tell you that I have seen x-rays of about how far you can stick a small revolver or pistol into a certain body cavity. I know that's called "boofing".

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Vaya con Dios

In the 1961 movie "One Eyed Jacks" Marlon Brando carried Mexican carry. He just stuck in the britches just to his right of the buckle.

The Barami Hip Grip...made for Mexican Carry.






...I'm not really a fan.

From time-to-time over the last forty years,I've carried a full-size Colt .45 by sliding it between my belt and jeans with the muzzle stuck into the little watch pocket of the jeans. Very comfortable and pretty secure too. Try it if you haven't already. Sorry about you southpaws.
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

In the old days of carrying the SAA Mexican style here in the West, the loading gate was opened to give a little extra retention.

Iggy's description of using a string to retain the gun is/was popular by the street boys because when your piece needed to dumped the string provided a level of deniability that couldn't be had if you were wearing a holster.

Note to OP: If you are asking about "Mexican Carry" and your choice is a Glock or other striker fired sidearm...fagetta about it!!

Bob

Well now---this should draw some fire from the covered wagons.
I do like leather. I don't like to carry a revolver in the pants without a scabbard.
Now, boys, I been carrying a gun for over 40 years sans a scabbard. Most of the time it was illegal but tht is another topic.
Flat guns ride real good at about 4 o'clock---even in a car---and they don't have to be small guns either.
I carr a Sig P-220 and several Colt or Colt clones in Gov size this way a lot. Cocked and locked.
Keep your booger finger off the trigger.
There was a renowned old Texas Border Ranger by the name of Charlie Miller who did it this way with his old Colt Commercials.
He even went so far as to tie the grip safety down with strips of rawhide.
On day, at qualifications, he was encountered by a young RO who accousted Charlie for carrying as he did--saying "that it was dangerous."
Charlie, reportedly stared the youngun down and said "son---If this ol thing aint dangerous, I don't want it."
This same man tracked a Mexican back into Mexico and they got in a gunfight. Both were wounded and Charlie called out to the Mexican to come out and lets finish this. One of us has got to get to a doctor. His report--which I have read on this incident--say "I'll be d+++++ if the *** didn't come out."
When he died, the Boys gathered round him and his guns were displayed on the casket. One Ranger said "If only those guns could talk."---His Captain said "OH, my Lord no boys--NO NO NO."
You do it your way.
Blessings

Charlie and his gun.

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TEXAS, by GOD

In va I used to Mexican carry my g27

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Rob

Mexican carry with a bare trigger Glock is not a good idea, check out Raven Holsters if you want to do this they make a trigger cover that works very good. Also it does not work as well with shorter barrel guns.

Always put a wad of rubber bands around the "wrist" of the grip when using MC.
Keeps the revolver (or 1911) from slipping down your pants as easily as without.

About 30 years ago the Mexican government had a huge gun confiscation program. Many of the guns were bought by a large Virginia importer and resold to dealers, I recall buying a dozen 1911's for $165 each. I joked that I could always tell if the previous owner was right or left handed by which side was more rusted.. from Mexican carry

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Old paratrooper in NC

I used a clip draw (google it) on my 642. Retention was awful. Slid out of pants while talking to my customer. Felt it sneak out and got caught in my sweatshirt. Get a holster!

If you follow gaijins' advice above ,be sure you wear underwear or you will suffer traumatic hair removal from your belly. Don't ask how I learned this! Nick

I read where a local gang banger was carrying Mexican style. An accidental discharge deleted his privates. Ouch. Think I'll opt for secure carry.

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Randy
SWCA #2548

We called it a Mexican carry when I wrapped a thick rubberband around the grip of my 2" M36 SB and stuffed it in my waistband. I still have that M36 and it shows the signs of wear from carrying like this.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Not only Mexican. My GFather was deputy sheriff in 1890s Texas and often carried his SAA .45 in front waistband, with loading gate open to keep it from falling thru. I recall every time it came to mind my GMother remarked what it did to his shirts, her washing woe, etc.

See Deputy appointment. After 1900 he was Justice of the Peace.

This thread reminds me of a Mexican friend I had years ago. Ho told me I had better watch myself because he knows Mexican Judo. I thought ,cool, a south of the border martial art and I asked him to show me some Mexican Judo. I kinda steeled myself because I figured he was going to use me for the demonstration. He got into a Kung fu like stance, pointed at me and went, "Judo know if I have a knife, Judo know if I have a gun."

Massad Ayoob did an ariticle on Mexican Carry a few years back. While the practice obviously did not originate in Mexico, the term apparently got coined after the Mexican revolution of the early 20th Century, when Mexicans lost their right to be an armed society. Packing a gun in a rig was replaced by stuffing the muzzle inside the waistband for those who were defiant and had no intentions of running around disarmed. In this day and age of permitted concealed carry and better concealment leather than ever, it is not a good practice.

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Firearms Instructor

Back in the '60's, 70's and early 80"s, there was not the vast selection of holsters that are available now..I have mex carried a few times back then, but no way now..
I have Glocks and KelTec's along with my S&W wheelies that have no safety, pull the trigger and " Bang !!"..I use holsters that cover the trigger, pockect carry or paddle OWB's..
There are IWB paddle's that really do away with the need for mex carry..

Ask the Narc cops. A lot of times, holster screams C O P. I have carried a handgun, in a lot of different ways. The Mexican carry was one of them.

As I have said in previous posts, cops are the biggest buyers of holsters, and the largest cross section of lab rats, when it comes to testing. I probably bought 100 of them. Some worked out. Most didn't.

I used to carry a Walther PPK/S and my 1911 while working narcs in the 1970's. In fact, I remember a few years ago when I believe Guns & Ammo did a story on "The Guns of Fresno BNE" from that period. Most of us who worked narc task forces in Central California in the late 70's and early 80's carried our guns in that fashion while U/C to escape detection. Of course, back then, we all had the signature long hair and facial hair, as well as dressing like a typical doper.

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Dave Frost

Mexican carry seems to work OK with longer guns and/or semi-auto's, but when I tried with my 2" j-frames I discovered they didn't want to fall down into my britches but had a tendency to want to pop out of my waistband-- not a good thing. BTW this was in the so-called "appendix" position, not the 4 oclock "kidney" position. I bought a flimsy Ace Case IWB holster & have happily appendix-carried ever since.
BTW "mexican carry" refers to not only holster-less carry but usually also to a 4-o'clock carry position. I guess if it was butt-forward at 4 oclock (heard of a few people doing this) it would be "mexican cavalry" carry?

In my youth, I have carried a gun that way - also, I've dropped a gun carrying it that way. The cost of a good holster is much cheaper than a refinish job :-)

Mexican carry...have not heard this term in decades, made me smile. A lot of detectives I knew in the wheel gun days used clip on holsters or "mexican carry". Some would wrap a thick rubber band or leather shoelace around the grip for traction. Many would also have the hammer cut so it would not snag in clothing. Some same side, some cross draw. If your carrying and not legal you could drop or stash the pistol in an emergency and not get caught wearing a holster..which tells you were wearing a gun. Undercover "narco" cops would do this also because almost no bad guy ever wears a holster.
I dont recommend it, but hey some times you gotta do what you gotta do at the time huh?

A friend of mine, now passed, worked the Mexican seasonal tobacco market for many years in the fiftys and sixtys. He always said the "Mexican carry" was actually in the arm rest of the drivers side door. He said in most all the car wrecks, of which there were quite a few, the driver able to get out of his car, ( usually a large Mercury Monterey four door) with his 1911 in hand first,...... was instantly declared the one not at fault.

A good belt, cinched up, is a good platform for Mexican carry.
I have always found it most comfortable at 3/4 on the strong side.
If you carry it cocked and locked--condition one--it is just as safe as a scabbard-----both require some due diligance in keeping the booger finger mindful of the trigger. That said, there are a couple of safeties that must be manipulated to engage the fireing.
You boys do it the way you want.
Blessings

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TEXAS, by GOD

Not necessarily 'cinched up' with SAA loading gate open -- my GFather (# 19 above) was a tall thin man always wore suspenders, loose waist, probably better suspenders than most. As a kid I never saw him wear a belt, altho he must have have back in his 'LEO' days.

My GFather 1866-1952, Me 1924 - now ------>

Skeeter Skelton used to talk in his articles about this method. In the photos with his articles, he would wear the pistol, often a 1911, just behind the hip on the strong side. And, no, the safety on your 1911 will not mysteriously deactivate - if you don't believe me, try it! If you want, you can have it cocked and locked on an empty chamber until your are sure the safety will not deactivate.

The Mexican carry is usually used with semi autos, as the grip will hook over the belt preventing the pistol from falling down the inside of your pants. A revolver is not conducive to this mode of carry, although I have seen Mr. Skelton model this mode of carry with a Colt or Ruger Single action revolver. The problem generally with Mexican carry of a revolver is that the wider cylinder will result in the revolver dropping through and the curved grip will then not hold the revolver in position.

The "Mexican carry" cannot really be recommended these days. Its usefulness originally, if the period articles and stories are to be believed, is in its ability to throw away a gun leaving no holster for the approaching Federales (Mexican Federal Police) to find during a search.

Whether used by contrabandistas or by American law enforcement illegally in Mexico to hunt down the killer of a Border Patrolman or other "rat of the lowest order," it has pretty well outlived its usefulness as it is possible, with easy on/easy off holsters, to simply discard the holster as well. Not to mention that crossing into Mexico to hunt down a person is not really a great idea these days.

A current Google search for "Mexican carry" has a bunch of images showing the pistol in the front or appendix position. This is not the way that either Skelton or articles from an earlier period (30s to 70s) demonstrated this mode of carry.

This holsterless appendix or front mode of carry has gained some traction in recent years, probably as a "gangsta" mode of carry, although such notables as Gabe Suarez seem to promote this position as well, of course, with a holster. It is fast, but as comfortable as I am with Condition 1 for a 1911, or with the M&P or Glock, I still have reservations about the barrel pointing at "anything you are not willing to destroy," even if a current literary description of the "anything" is "junk."

I posted some time ago about my AD with a cocked and locked 1911. I sat on the sofa, shifted my weight and WHAM, killed the TV because of the positin of my leg. Yes I was shocked and wounded. :-(

NO mexican carry, buy a good holster!