Please stop buying Serpa holsters

[Maksim 1,504]

Here is more food for thought... how many of the people who use the Serpa would still have accidents happen with any other holster because their finger would go in there anyway?

[Ray Ray 3,566]

This topic is getting me pissed. Why not say, "Don't buy guns because you could get shot"! fugg!

[vladtepes 1,060]

I prefer holsters with no retention system.. my favorite being the Raven holster.. no retention at all..

 

but I still use a Blackhawk.. when I open carry a gun I prefer a holster with retention.. and the Blackhawk holster gets it done for me.. and sure some people screw it up..

 

people have negligent discharges for one reason.. they make a mistake.. some guns have light triggers.. some have awkward safeties.. some holsters can catch a trigger.. others can put your finger near the trigger when you draw.. but at the end of the day the equipment is not what it unsafe.. it is the user.. My personal experience with Blackhawk has been great.. but that experience is moot.. just because it works for me doesn't mean it will work for anyone else.. but the reality is more this.. if you work the system you have.. and burn it into your muscle memory.. you should not have issues as have been described..

 

I have seen some VERY scary holster work with or without Blackhawk holsters..

[vladtepes 1,060]

Being the trigger is what makes guns shoot I guess I'm one of those certain people that does feel its exponentially unsafe outside of certain parameters.

 

I respectfully disagree.. it is not the trigger.. or the hammer.. firing pin.. etc.. it is the operator of the weapon that makes the gun shoot.. that does not mean that I necessarily would go with an unusually light tripper.. but that does not mean that a light trigger is dangerous.. do the right things.. and the gun will not go off till you want it to.. do the wrong thing.. and you will negligently discharge the weapon.. simple as that..

[Maksim 1,504]

it really all boils down to, and I think we can all agree...

 

the equipment is not the dangerous part, it is the user, however the equipment has the ability to bring out the worst in people as some of the designs while designed for specific duty, are not as forgiving to improper use and/or some people who are incompatible with the equipment.

[vladtepes 1,060]

it really all boils down to, and I think we can all agree...

 

the equipment is not the dangerous part, it is the user, however the equipment has the ability to bring out the worst in people as some of the designs while designed for specific duty, are not as forgiving to improper use and/or some people who are incompatible with the equipment.

 

I completely agree..

[Ray Ray 3,566]

it really all boils down to, and I think we can all agree...

 

the equipment is not the dangerous part, it is the user, however the equipment has the ability to bring out the worst in people as some of the designs while designed for specific duty, are not as forgiving to improper use and/or some people who are incompatible with the equipment.

 

Thank you

[Vlad G 345]

No, you are wrong. However I'm done, I made the effort I needed to make for my own piece of mind, didn't really expect a different response, if you insist on using them and get hurt at least I'll know I've done the best I could to warn you.

[Jon 264]

Way late to the party, figured I would add my $.02 as well.

 

My Sig P226 came with a Serpa holster, and I use this gun for gun games only. The holster and gun will never be used for anything other than USPSA, Steel, or IDPA. If I get into some 3-gun stuff, I will not use either the gun or the holster. When I draw, I have a relatively heavy DA first pull, and my finger indexes on the frame. For all these reasons, I see no sense in getting rid of the Serpa for another holster. It would be an unnecessary expense. If my gun did not come with the Serpa, I would have bought a Bladetech or something similar.

 

For carry/tacticool/3-gun type stuff, I want retention, and I don't trust the Serpa button due to the possibility of it getting gummed up with stuff, nor do I trust the design when drawing from awkward locations. For this scenario, and for the guns I would use in this type of situation(HK), my choice is some sort of thumb-break, and leaning towards Safariland.

[blksheep 466]

These are good.

 

http://www.copsplus.com/prodnum746.php

 

 

or this

[blksheep 466]

Or this

 

http://www.copsplus.com/prodnum745.php

 

[LorenzoS 100]

I am late to the discussion, but I am not a fan of the Serpa. It is clear to me that the use of the trigger finger on the retention lever increases the chance of an ND. Of course this can be trained for, and it would take a number of other simultaneous mistakes to get an ND. But in my book there is no compelling benefit to this increased risk since ther are other better retention holsters available such as Safariland 6377 / 6378.

 

Increased risk for no benefit does not compute for me.

[vladtepes 1,060]

just got back from the mall.. sitting with my 27 in a BH holster.. no one died.. no one was injured.. and I am about to remove the gun and unload it..

 

still here.. i noticed something.. maybe you guys with issues have short fingers.. because as I cleanly drew the gun.. my finger was not anywhere near the trigger.. like I point my finger rigidly as I am pointing at someone.. that hits the button and I draw.. I do not poke the button I am hitting it with the pad of my finger.. NOT the point..

[JackDaWack 2,895]

 

 

How hard is it to keep your damn finger off the trigger....

[djg0770 481]

People, please stop buying cars. Seriously. The brake is right next to the gas and thousands of elderly and unaware people regularly mix up the two pedals and apply the one pedal either unintentionally or totally by accident causing other people harm.

 

http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100720003308AAGGmG8

 

 

http://www.wheels.ca/Columns/article/784681

 

http://www.fark.com/comments/6794592/This-weeks-gas-brakes-mix-up-is-sponsored-by-Surati-Farsan-Mart-San-Diego-Stay-classy-motorists

 

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=8ae7f35d-7833-475b-bdd3-c64e810398c7

 

Really folks, it's so much safer to just not buy a car and just walk...

 

/sarcasmwaythefuckoff

[BlueLineFish 615]

 

How hard is it to keep your damn finger off the trigger....

 

Agreed

[checko 180]

If you use the holster a way that it is not intended it can cause serious harm..........much like the firearm itself. Use it correctly.

[Caine 147]

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid53246191001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAACnIIBGk~,NZYO3xUDM_E0TWMBUpCe8YivKyjrCCqn&bctid=1155868233001

[Ray Ray 3,566]

http://link.brightco...d=1155868233001

 

?????

[Ray Ray 3,566]

 

Please stop buying Glocks

[blksheep 466]

Ray I get your humor...

If the booger stick doesnt go on the trigger 99% of the time the thing doesnt go bang...

 

That is like saying please dont buy guns because they go off if you pull the trigger. Here is a good video of why you shouldnt buy a gun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et33bbA0GeM

[Ray Ray 3,566]

I've been kissed by a scope, thanks.

[vladtepes 1,060]

http://link.brightco...d=1155868233001

 

I guess if you plan to roll around in the dirt.. mud.. and rocks serpas might be a bad choice since some people have had failures.. I am really rough on my gear and have not experienced that.. but that does not make it possible... I still stand by my decision to utilize the serpa for an EDC scenario.. I am about to go to the grocery store.. and will carry my 27 on a serpa.. granted I can appreciate being prepared for anything.. I do not anticipate encountering any situation like the one in the video..

[Caine 147]

I guess if you plan to roll around in the dirt.. mud.. and rocks serpas might be a bad choice since some people have had failures..

It's certainly something that seems to show up mostly in training situations that are conducted in sandy, gravely, or snowy areas and probably not something that has a high probability of happening in a typical cement/blacktop CCW environment. Still, something to be aware of.

 

I do not anticipate encountering any situation like the one in the video..

I don't think anyone anticipates those types of situations...

[vladtepes 1,060]

I don't think anyone anticipates those types of situations...

 

If I were "training" for EDC situation I shoot from my back... shoot from my side.. etc.. and anticipate even things like they were likely doing.. but the environment as you pointed out.. is mostly going to be urban.. the likelihood of experiencing that type of failure is low.. but on the contrary if I were "training" for a "worst case scenario" situation I would not rule out anything.. dirt.. mud.. rocks.. snow.. etc..

 

I guess I allow the environment to dictate my choice of tools..

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Pete, I'm in urban Hudson County. Not in Arizona or Afghanistan. BUT, I get it.

[bbk 188]

If there is empirical proof that the Serpa has the potential for catastrophic malfunctions, why depend your life on it? If its just a range-holster or whatever, I guess its understandable (though it seems like a waste of money to get two holsters at that point).

[vladtepes 1,060]

If there is empirical proof that the Serpa has the potential for catastrophic malfunctions, why depend your life on it? If its just a range-holster or whatever, I guess its understandable (though it seems like a waste of money to get two holsters at that point).

 

because I have one..

that I have rolled around in the dirt with..

that I have drawn from numerous times...

that has been %100 reliable day in and day out..

 

do you own any gun that has in the history of its existence ever had a FTF or FTE?

I carry a Glock.. many individuals limp wrist the gun and get stovepipes.. it does not change my choice of carry..

 

should I decide to "go off the grid" or do some extensive work in Afghanistan.. then maybe I will just use my 23 and Raven..

but if I am just going to the mall.. I think I am still good to go with the Serpa..

[bbk 188]

Wow, Anthony, seriously, your experience is a small, small, small, small, small slice of the larger data. Yes, I have a Serpa too, and I rolled around in mud, dirt, and whatnot with it. Yes, it never caused any malfunctions, nor did I ever have any NDs...

 

However, there is irrefutable data that shows that the Serpa can in fact be a liability in terms of the mechanism. That is where the statement derives from, notably from shooting professionals who have far more data/experience to reach their conclusions.

[blksheep 466]

I think if you run anything hard enough or abuse it bad enough anything can fail including AK's, AR's regular thumbreak holsters etc. I have seen hundreds if not thousands of officers that use the Serpa without any reported issues.