[Bruce M]

This may well have been posted before and if so, may advance apologies.

The holster itself is usually a point of some drama here.

http://www.federaltimes.com/videonet...c-SERPA-Lockup

[CA Escapee]

I know years ago when the Serpa holsters first came out guys at a local range were buying them for IDPA matches. (This was in California where 99.9% of the people at the matches didn't have a CCW permit; lucky for them.) When they found that if you pulled the pistol before pressing the button the pistol would stay locked in the holster they quickly quit using them.

I had never heard of the Serpa getting locked up by dirt; probably because the shooters got rid of them so quick.

I never got a Serpa, or the Bianchi version. Now I see Galco has a version with the on/off button.

Bill

[Sharkey]

Bought one for my G19 and quickly sold it. They have also had a lot of ND's with them as well. Our agency issues them (I'm guessing cuz they are cheap) but you can buy your own and I have a Safariland Duty holster.

[SCmasterblaster]

http://www.bianchi-intl.com/

[Bill Lumberg]

Nothing wrong with Serpa. They do not in any way contribute to ND's. That said, they may not protect idiots well enough. The serpa (for the few who have not used one) requires the user to position their finger away from the trigger, away from the trigger guard, in the proper indexed position. Pretty much a perfectly postiioned release mechanism. Unfortunately, folks who have no business carrying a gun sometimes move their trigger finger from the release button down to the trigger guard and press the trigger, then blame the holster rather than admitting they equal fail. Not very concealable, limiting use for ccw. Not terribly strong, limiting use for uniformed patrol in law enforcement applications. This holster remains heavily in use by law enforcement in non-patrol applications, where 5.11's or jeans are appropriate. Rightly so.

[The_Sheepdog]

I've never had an issue with my either of my holsters. I carry a lvl 3 w/ xiphos light on duty and a cqb off duty. The only thing I didn't like was being locked into only the xiphos as a light but blackhawk has solved that problem by putting out a new holster that accepts different lights

[SCmasterblaster]

They have been around for fifty or more years (I feel old).

[HKLovingIT]

I have stopped using mine because I bought a Safariland ALS and liked it a lot more. So I bought a bunch.

I don't know if the Safariland ALS is susceptible or not to locking the gun up in the holster because of dirt or debris. If anyone has 2 cents on that I'd like to hear.

As to NDs with the SERPA. I dunno.

Is it wrong to say that unless there is a mechanical failure with a pistol, holster or interference by something in the trigger guard (other than a finger) that ultimately it comes back to the user? I think it is the user.

Is there a difference between an ND [Negligent Discharge] and an AD [Accidental Discharge] beyond just terms?

I don't think a holster can cause the weapon to discharge unless something like a thumbreak strap gets caught in the trigger guard when holstering, but even then, it seems that it comes back to the user paying attention to what they are doing. I suppose some designs may be made in such a way that the user needs to pay more attention.

On the plus side, the SERPA and the non-locking version of it is one heck of a fast drawing holster.

[dvrdwn72]

Almost all ranges I compete at have made the serpa holsters "illegal" to use at the facility. Although not illegal in idpa or uspsa YET.Seems like the only way to fix stupid nowadays is to ban something.

[Lowjiber]

When I'm just working around the yard, I often slip my G26 in a Serpa (paddle configuration)...no problems. Of course, I'm not crawling around in the dirt either.

[HKLovingIT]

Originally Posted by CA Escapee

I know years ago when the Serpa holsters first came out guys at a local range were buying them for IDPA matches. (This was in California where 99.9% of the people at the matches didn't have a CCW permit; lucky for them.) When they found that if you pulled the pistol before pressing the button the pistol would stay locked in the holster they quickly quit using them.

I had never heard of the Serpa getting locked up by dirt; probably because the shooters got rid of them so quick.

I never got a Serpa, or the Bianchi version. Now I see Galco has a version with the on/off button.

Bill

That's something I actually liked about them. Since it is a retention design, or that was my primary intent in owning it, if someone was yanking up on your pistol they couldn't hit the release and get it out. I found with the ALS that if you are pulling up on the pistol, then you can indeed hit the release and out it comes. I added the ALS guard to them and all is well.

[RussP]

Originally Posted by Bill Lumberg

Nothing wrong with Serpa. They do not in any way contribute to ND's. That said, they may not protect idiots well enough. The serpa (for the few who have not used one) requires the user to position their finger away from the trigger, away from the trigger guard, in the proper indexed position. Pretty much a perfectly postiioned release mechanism. Unfortunately, folks who have no business carrying a gun sometimes move their trigger finger from the release button down to the trigger guard and press the trigger, then blame the holster rather than admitting they equal fail. Not very concealable, limiting use for ccw. Not terribly strong, limiting use for uniformed patrol in law enforcement applications. This holster remains heavily in use by law enforcement in non-patrol applications, where 5.11's or jeans are appropriate. Rightly so.

If you do not like the holster, don't use it. Sell it here on GT to someone for whom it will be appropriate.

If you are going to be rolling around in sand and gravel on top of your holster working particles into the activation mechanism, this probably isn't the holster for you.

If you are not willing to spend hours developing muscle memory that keeps your trigger finger off the trigger during the draw, don't buy the holster.

Oh, yeah, maybe I missed it, but another "reason/excuse" for not owning this, the button makes it easier for a street thug to grab your firearm and use it against you.

Oh, yeah, the paddle version, it can be ripped off your side by that same street thug. It breaks real easy.

Whatever reason you choose, make sure you come onto the internet and let everyone know why you chose to not try the holster. It may keep another person from trying it, too.

[Bill Lumberg]

We still issue these to special teams, F.I's and brass, and find zero problem with them. That they are not Tex Grebner-proof will likely eventually cause their removal from the market, which I will find (if it comes to pass) quite annoying. FLETC has already prohibited them from basic classes, not because of a holster flaw, but because Basic students with unknown skill levels can and have had issues. Rather painful ones. They are (or were as of a month ago) still allowed in advanced firearms classes. We tend to follow FLETC's lead. If they go to an outright ban due to repeated user error, we probably will too. I own and like my issued serpa, and the ones I own personally (I have one for my glocks, and one for my 1911). There are better and worse out there, to be sure.

[B.Reid]

If you grab someones gun that is in a Serpa and pull to the side they will break away like it did in this video. I have gotten rid of all of my Serpas.

[Riverkilt]

Fine....just fine....I just bought two...one for my M9 and one for my G24.

Oh well, clean the gun...then clean the holster.....

[Bill Lumberg]

"Then my training kicked in, and I called my parents...."