Great holster for the money - 511 Tactical Thumb Drive Level-II Pistol Holster for Smith-Wesson M&P

I purchased this holster for use in competition that involves running, moving, rolling, jumping, etc. I wanted the level II retention to secure the pistol through all foreseeable movements that could/would be encountered in competition.

I bought this holster to use with a M&P Pro 5" C.O.R.E. model that I am running with a Trijicon RMR. This was one of the few holsters with the level of retention I wanted that I could find pictured with an optic mounted.

To my disappointment, however, it required significant modification to get my pistol to fit. Upon further inspection and reflection, I realized that the pictured pistol was not a M&P, but a Glock with the RMR mounted at the rear of the slide. Had my pistol been modified in such a manner, I'm sure it would have fit fine. But being the C.O.R.E. model with the RMR mounted in front of the rear iron sight, the forward optic prevented the pistol from fully seating in the holster without pushing the slide back.

This is a good holster for the price. I guess I just wish there were more options out there for pistols with optics. It seems like the optic trend on pistols is only recently picking up momentum, and hopefully we'll see more holsters that are designed to accommodate the optics.

Aside from the experience with my specific pistol, the Thumb Drive mechanism works great and is very ergonomic. The holster feels great when worn, and is well-adjustable to fit the desired orientation. The adjustable bar on the belt clips was difficult to figure out, as I had read in other reviews. But a quick glance through the instructions (I know - us guys hate reading those little instruction booklets) taught me how to quickly and effortlessly adjust the belt bar.

Had this holster been designed to fit my specific pistol (M&P C.O.R.E. Pro) with the RMR mounted, I'd probably give it a 1/5 because it just plain didn't fit correctly. BUT, as it is NOT designed for a M&P C.O.R.E. Pro (does not give this pistol model as an option), but just a regular M&P Pro, I give it a 4.5/5 rating.
Pros: good retention, fast draw, quick re-holster, sturdy
Cons: had to modify with a Dremel to achieve needed fit

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.