Serpa Holsters Professional opinions

[BehindBlueI's]

I use one and I'm always on a look for a different option. I like the active retention. Passive retention holsters are fine, but I would hold the same argument. If you're in a situation to get thrown down into the snow, mud, etc. or you're "bumping it on the door jam" and breaking the holster, what are you going to do when your gun is knocked out of the holster and away from you? With the serpa, someone isn't just going to grab the butt of the gun and snatch it away. I want some sort of active retention.

If your passive retention/friction lock holster coughs the gun up because you get knocked down, hit it, etc. then your holster sucks. There's plenty of suck holsters out there. There's a big difference between a well crafted and well fit holster and an Uncle Mike's universal sausage sack, though, and a pretty big middle ground.

As a general guideline, if you can't hold the holster upside down and gently shake it without the gun falling out, it probably doesn't have sufficient passive retention if it's OWB. IWB can also rely on the pressure of the belt, and I jokingly say you should be able to hang from the monkey bars without your gun falling out.

If your holster is collapsible, made from soft nylon, is sold by size instead or class of gun instead of a specific model, it'll probably fail this test. It it's quality kydex or leather pressed/molded for a good fit on a specific gun, it'll likely do better. I'm quite comfortable with my Red Nichols Avenger style holster as I went through Craig Douglas' ECQC with it and am well satisfied with its retention and durability.

For real world gun grabs they are almost never from behind, which is what I would have assumed would be the case. They are from the front or side. Anecdotally, crossdraw holsters seem to be the hardest for the victim to protect and retain, and strong side with a forward cant the easiest. I haven't kept hard statistics, so I could be wrong, but that's how it's seemed to me.

 

[MCgrease08]

Safariland ALS for the win!

CM, you never know if you'll get knocked down, etc.

Safariland is a vastly better product if you like plastic.

As far as equipment vs user... it can be both.

The Safariland ALS holsters are not only more sturdy and less like to fail, but they're also simpler and easier to use. Win-win-win.

I am also a big Safariland advocate. I think the inside thumb release is super easy to use.

 

[Brad69]

The SERPA holster is wildly popular in the Army I do not think it’s the same type as most civilian versions ?
Didn’t hear of a AD or anything really bad about them. Most guys like to wear them on the front of the body armor cross draw style. Some are issued and some are personally purchased I have never used or wanted one.

I personally carried a drop leg hard nylon holster with a strap and a snap and lanyard. IMO a service holster needs to protect the pistol from damage and provide extreme retention. Retention of you sidearm is essential and if you lose your pistol you probably have ended your career.

Didn't really face the same grappling issues the Police have to consider.
If you tried to grab a pistol you were at best going to get shot at worst be curb stomped then shot.

 

[Thegeek]

If your passive retention/friction lock holster coughs the gun up because you get knocked down, hit it, etc. then your holster sucks.

I don't disagree. I would say the same if your holster fractures from normal daily activities (bumping a door jam, hooking on the car seat bolster, etc.). Personally, I'm a big fan of leather. I use a Bianchi yaqui with a thumb stap for my 1911. For daily carry, I love the comfort and ease of a paddle. I also have a bianchi paddle for my Ruger and the Serpa for the Glock. I also have a G-Code incog IWB for the Glock. I use it if I know I'm going to be standing a lot. It's really hard to find balance.

And I always fall back to this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDeKtgkZKmQ

 

[churchmouse]

Great info/opinions. I am now looking at different options but in the back of my mind changing up my EDC is just not something really want to do right now. It will take some re-training as I can get to/remove/come to bear with my 1911 from a Serpa with no actual thought or effort beyond "Get it" in my mind. I already have the muscle memory in place for this equipment. Not saying I will not change up. Just saying I might be a bit lazy right now.....

 

[Vigilant]

Great info/opinions. I am now looking at different options but in the back of my mind changing up my EDC is just not something really want to do right now. It will take some re-training as I can get to/remove/come to bear with my 1911 from a Serpa with no actual thought or effort beyond "Get it" in my mind. I already have the muscle memory in place for this equipment. Not saying I will not change up. Just saying I might be a bit lazy right now.....

Safariland ALS like a 6378 has almost zero learning curve. If you know how to obtain a proper firing grip, the thumb is already positioned on the button, and the release is natural. And no telling your trigger finger to do something it shouldn’t.

 

[churchmouse]

Safariland ALS like a 6378 has almost zero learning curve. If you know how to obtain a proper firing grip, the thumb is already positioned on the button, and the release is natural. And no telling your trigger finger to do something it shouldn’t.

That was the focus of learning to draw from any holster. Keep the buger hook off the bang switch until I have the pistol up and on target. The entire process is not difficult to achieve with repition and concentrate while learning. Finger outside guard laying along the slide. As the gun comes to bear and only then put finger on the trigger.
So the ones you mentio are good pieces...????

 

[STEEL CORE]

Safariland ALS system for me and My G-22:

https://www.safariland.com/products...paddle-and-belt-loop-combo-holster-34851.html

Have just ordered one for my G-43 also.

 

[churchmouse]

Safariland ALS system for me and My G-22:

https://www.safariland.com/products...paddle-and-belt-loop-combo-holster-34851.html

Have one for my G-43 also.

That is a handsome piece. Does the paddle have retention as the Safari does. I like that feature. Until it is time to remove it.....

 

[lonehoosier]

That was the focus of learning to draw from any holster. Keep the buger hook off the bang switch until I have the pistol up and on target. The entire process is not difficult to achieve with repition and concentrate while learning. Finger outside guard laying along the slide. As the gun comes to bear and only then put finger on the trigger.
So the ones you mentio are good pieces...????

Churchmouse, here’s a pretty good video on how the ALS works with a 1911. I’m not quite sure the guys concern with the safety coming off while drawing. Isn’t that how it suppose to work

[video=youtube_share;JJmQc2yFmu8]http://youtu.be/JJmQc2yFmu8[/video]

 

[churchmouse]

Churchmouse, here’s a pretty good video on how the ALS works with a 1911. I’m not quite sure the guys concern with the safety coming off while drawing. Isn’t that how it suppose to work

[video=youtube_share;JJmQc2yFmu8]http://youtu.be/JJmQc2yFmu8[/video]

I take the safety off as the gun comes up after the draw. It is part of the draw process. I have changed my grip to a higher than what was normal for me and use the safety for a thumb rest so it is now natural movement about half way up. Finger still on the side of the slide. Safety off just as the gun comes to bear if I do my part.
In using any product/gear we have to do our part. We can not blame most of the failures we see on the gun/holster as we have a responsibility to learn the proper use of what we choose to carry. Cars are parking themselves and telling us where we are going now. We are getting complacent.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I’m not quite sure the guys concern with the safety coming off while drawing. Isn’t that how it suppose to work

Ideally, safety off once decision to shoot has been made AND sights are on target.

 

[Vigilant]

That was the focus of learning to draw from any holster. Keep the buger hook off the bang switch until I have the pistol up and on target. The entire process is not difficult to achieve with repition and concentrate while learning. Finger outside guard laying along the slide. As the gun comes to bear and only then put finger on the trigger.
So the ones you mentio are good pieces...????

I prefer the 7TS with ALS, but the 6378 seems to be the most popular ALS equipped holster out there. Using your thumb to disengage the retention is pretty near 1000 times smarter than using your booger hook to disengage a retention device, at least in my mode of thinking? Also the 6378 usually comes with the paddle attachment and the belt loop attachment, and you are free to switch between. There is also an option for tactical use via the Safariland ELS/QRS locking and docking system. So one holster could essentially cover several different modes of carry for the price of a few more attachments.

 

[nakinate]

If you’re looking for something for serious use/duty use then I’d go with Safariland first and G-Code second.

 

[Vigilant]

That was the focus of learning to draw from any holster. Keep the buger hook off the bang switch until I have the pistol up and on target.

Thats the point of NOT using the Serpa system, we teach to keep the booger hook off the bang switch in one breath, then this holster teaches you to press a button with the booger hook whilst drawing, and under speed and pressure, some keep the booger hook curled, and said booger hook ends up erroneously on the bang switch? It was shown in the video the “professional” drew the gun, finger stayed “hooked”, and low and behold, booger hook on bang switch way before it needed to be! He corrected it as soon as he realized what was up, but had he used a thumb retention system like the Safariland, we wouldn’t be discussing this.

 

[Thegeek]

The ALS models look bulky. Not to friendly with concealment.

 

[Vigilant]

The ALS models look bulky. Not to friendly with concealment.

No bulkier than a Serpa?

 

[Thegeek]

Have you handled both? The ALS looks like it stands off the body a bit more. Possibly for the thumb mechanism?
Just watching this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJf2Dic0-BY

 

[Vigilant]

Have you handled both? The ALS looks like it stands off the body a bit more. Possibly for the thumb mechanism?
Just watching this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJf2Dic0-BY

I bought a Serpa when they first came out, no longer have it. I have over numerous Safariland holsters, 12 with the ALS system. I carry AIWB daily, and the 7TS’s are range holsters or class holsters, but I have no trouble concealing a 19 under a button up after class. Mind you I don’t wear the paddle, I use belt loops. I’m taking pics of one now will post in a bit.

 

[churchmouse]

Thats the point of NOT using the Serpa system, we teach to keep the booger hook off the bang switch in one breath, then this holster teaches you to press a button with the booger hook whilst drawing, and under speed and pressure, some keep the booger hook curled, and said booger hook ends up erroneously on the bang switch? It was shown in the video the “professional” drew the gun, finger stayed “hooked”, and low and behold, booger hook on bang switch way before it needed to be! He corrected it as soon as he realized what was up, but had he used a thumb retention system like the Safariland, we wouldn’t be discussing this.

I can see all of this and do not want to be the "Anti" in this but as I said......We can actually train ourselves to use what at hand. My finger lays flat on the release on the serpa. Flat. As I draw it stays flat because somewhere in the recesses of my warped little brain (insert proper schitso emojy...) I know to do this from training myself. So I do not shoot myself as pain is not something I seek out.....

I get it. I really do. I have just always worked to get whats available to work for me. The Serpa has and one day when we are slobbering over a piece of charred dead cow with cheese and possibly bacon on a special bun I will share some more explicit details with you.

The Serpa is not conceal friendly as someone said about the Safari. I would really like to see the ones you guys are saying to get before I drop the nickels and dimes. I would buy lunch if someone would care to let me see one.