Unsafe at any speed or Serpa Holster

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  • wcd

    Grandmaster
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    Dec 2, 2011
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    Have to admit I like mine and use it in fall and winter months. With all the negative press they get, how is it not safe for a 1911? If your finger indexes the slide, safety is on until your on target, what is the big deal? I do not see the issue?
     

    Dead Duck

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    Unsafe at any speed of Serpa Holster

    I didn't know Corvair made a holster? :):


    If you train with it and you don't have a problem then it's all good.
    I know lots of people that still continually train with theirs. I still have a hand full that I still use with no problems either. If you read some of the bad press you will see that a few cops basically blamed Blackhawk for their boogerfingering while drawing AND some while re-holstering. (leaving their finger in trigger guard) Most could have been avoided but their design is kinda questionable using the trigger finger to unlock the holster.

    There are other holster companies out there now that weren't available back then when Blackhawk flooded the market.
     

    ECS686

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    Dec 9, 2017
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    The Serpa holster like Appendix carry is safer than the hysteria goes on about. It's all dependent upon the individual user. Like driving a car, usuing power tools etc.

    That being said most people do not train or condition themselves to use a Serpa safely is more of the point.

    Several DOJ SORT teams use Serpas and have since 2007 time frame with Sigs and Glocks have had no issues. And while I get the concern of the buttons location if someone has bad handling skills with a Serpa they will have bad handling skills with all holsters..

    Just like the ones that have had an issue (AD) with an appendix holster would have had the same issue with a 3-4 o'clock holster but people want to blame the holster instead of lax gun handling.

    Depends on. The person , their skills and if it's really for them or not.
     

    Fargo

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    Mar 11, 2009
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    Used one for 7-8 years, it was fine although the paddle broke most of the way off which didn’t inspire confidence.

    Never found it to be unsafe. Using an ALS these days, which has its own issues with tucked in shirts obscuring the release.
     

    Anima mundi

    Plinker
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    For the standard blisterpack model, the paddle/belt attachments are flimsy and will break undergoing daily stresses (getting torqued against chairs/desks/snagged by seatbelts) and the retention mechanism is of dubious reliability when exposed to dirt, dust, and extended range use, resulting in people either getting guns locked in the holster or left unable to reholster them.

    I've heard the military Serpas are better for attachment but have no experience with them. I've seen enough durability issues with the things that I will never use one while we live in a world with Safariland, G-Code, and other reliable manufacturers.
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
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    For the standard blisterpack model, the paddle/belt attachments are flimsy and will break undergoing daily stresses (getting torqued against chairs/desks/snagged by seatbelts) and the retention mechanism is of dubious reliability when exposed to dirt, dust, and extended range use, resulting in people either getting guns locked in the holster or left unable to reholster them.

    I've heard the military Serpas are better for attachment but have no experience with them. I've seen enough durability issues with the things that I will never use one while we live in a world with Safariland, G-Code, and other reliable manufacturers.

    They do offer two models to the civilian market too; The CQC and Sportster. I wonder if those videos of them being torqued off of belts to demonstrate the cheapness are the Sportsters and not the good ones? The sportster is half the price and advertised as for casual/range use, whereas the CQC is advertised for EDC. I presume the CQC is fiber reinforced nylon, and the sportster is just simple plastic. Inquiring minds and all...

    I have one of each, and outside of slight color variations, I cant tell the difference.
     
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    HoughMade

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    I have a Serpa that I use at the range and for plinking. It fits both my M&P 9c and M&P 22. It's not that I wouldn't trust it for defensive carry, but I always carry concealed in an IWB.
     

    Ark

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    There is no reason to purchase a holster with a design deficiency you are forced to train around in order to avoid shooting yourself, when the market is full of other options that do not have the same design deficiency.

    Yeah, a 1911 has a safety, but I still want to vote with my dollars and avoid setting a poor example for anyone else. The Serpa needs to be off the market.
     

    rhino

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    For the standard blisterpack model, the paddle/belt attachments are flimsy and will break undergoing daily stresses (getting torqued against chairs/desks/snagged by seatbelts) and the retention mechanism is of dubious reliability when exposed to dirt, dust, and extended range use, resulting in people either getting guns locked in the holster or left unable to reholster them.

    I've heard the military Serpas are better for attachment but have no experience with them. I've seen enough durability issues with the things that I will never use one while we live in a world with Safariland, G-Code, and other reliable manufacturers.

    This is my primary objection as well. On the bright side, if someone's button/lock gets jammed, they can tear the holster and gun free from their body without much trouble and then use tools to remove the holster from the gun.

    If someone else wants to use a SERPA and they can keep their finger away from the trigger until they're ready to shoot, it's not really my business.
     

    littletommy

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    Did the back end slide out on a turn? Their butts are kinda weighty.
    No, my sister had to hit the brakes hard to avoid a car turning in front of us, and I flew against the back of the front seat, which gave way and sent me into the dashboard. Flying from the back seat wasn't so bad, but the sudden stop SUCKED!!! Had a bunch of broken bones in my face, and still have the scars nearly 50 years later. I still remember the Floyd County sheriffs deputy with the huge smokey bear hat pulling me out of the car and putting me in the back seat of his car. It was the only time in my life I ever got to ride in a police car with lights and siren going.
     

    HoughMade

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    There is no reason to purchase a holster with a design deficiency you are forced to train around in order to avoid shooting yourself...

    Keeping your index finger straight? Seems like something that's a good idea no matter what holster you use.
     

    Ark

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    Keeping your index finger straight? Seems like something that's a good idea no matter what holster you use.

    The Serpa's design induces you to jam your finger into the trigger guard when you get into a hurry. You have to deliberately train to avoid this design defect.

    Numerous other holsters do not have this defect. The faster and harder you try to draw a Safariland holster, for example, the harder it gets to accidentally jam your finger into the trigger guard.

    With this fact established, why on earth would you ever buy a Serpa over another option? I'm sorry if that hurts the feelings of people who bought a Serpa and feel loyalty to their purchase, but it's simply a deficient product that offers no advantage over the competitors...and that's not even getting into the subpar materials or issues with breakage and lockup from debris intrusion. The Serpa is garbage. Nobody should ever buy one, and the people who have bought one should throw it in the garbage and chalk it up to lessons learned.
     

    MarkC

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    The Serpa's design induces you to jam your finger into the trigger guard when you get into a hurry. You have to deliberately train to avoid this design defect.

    Numerous other holsters do not have this defect. The faster and harder you try to draw a Safariland holster, for example, the harder it gets to accidentally jam your finger into the trigger guard.

    With this fact established, why on earth would you ever buy a Serpa over another option? I'm sorry if that hurts the feelings of people who bought a Serpa and feel loyalty to their purchase, but it's simply a deficient product that offers no advantage over the competitors...and that's not even getting into the subpar materials or issues with breakage and lockup from debris intrusion. The Serpa is garbage. Nobody should ever buy one, and the people who have bought one should throw it in the garbage and chalk it up to lessons learned.

    We all have opinions, and experiences with what works for us, and what doesn't. The "perfect" gun/holster/gear/whatever combo remains yet to be invented.

    Go with what you're comfortable with, and TRAIN WITH IT.
     

    Fargo

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    In a state of acute Pork-i-docis
    The Serpa's design induces you to jam your finger into the trigger guard when you get into a hurry. You have to deliberately train to avoid this design defect.

    Numerous other holsters do not have this defect. The faster and harder you try to draw a Safariland holster, for example, the harder it gets to accidentally jam your finger into the trigger guard.

    With this fact established, why on earth would you ever buy a Serpa over another option? I'm sorry if that hurts the feelings of people who bought a Serpa and feel loyalty to their purchase, but it's simply a deficient product that offers no advantage over the competitors...and that's not even getting into the subpar materials or issues with breakage and lockup from debris intrusion. The Serpa is garbage. Nobody should ever buy one, and the people who have bought one should throw it in the garbage and chalk it up to lessons learned.


    Whenever someone follows their opinion up with "With this fact established", I tend to want to tune out.

    I switched from the serpa, but it had nothing to do with finger placement. I find it's design to be faster and easier to clear than the ALS.
     
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