SERPA issues.

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I have a L2 SERPA and had the "drawing in extremis" problem (of course, with me, "extremis" was trying to present from the holster at the range). I never use it any more. There was a vid going around a few months ago of some dude shooting his own leg at the range and there was some talk at the time that he got SERPA'd.
 
I have the same holster. I'm a recreational shooter. I can't comment on extream conditions. But I have no problems with it shooting in competitions.
 
The holster sucks. When you draw fast, your trigger finger will end up in the trigger guard. If the release placed your finger higher up on the slide were it should be, then it only be a POS because it jams
 
The level 3 Serpa is the issued duty holster for my agency. We were working on shooting from the holster under time yesterday (3 rounds in 3 seconds), and I had a couple instances where, as mentioned in that video, I started to pull before fully depressing the button and my gun hung up and ended up costing me a full second and one saved round. It's irritating, but I suppose it can be fixed with sufficient training.

ETA: Our lead firearms instructor also has mentioned a couple times that "It's really easy to get approval to purchase and carry a different holster once you graduate from the academy...hint hint."
 
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No it doesn't, its a bad design when you start pushing the speed. Get yourself a timer and when you get your draw under 1s, get back to me about operator error with this holster

Agree completely. The design of this holster is ergonomically flawed. The design makes it very easy to wind up with your finger on the trigger. If you really need a retention holster, get a Safariland ALS.
 
The holster sucks. When you draw fast, your trigger finger will end up in the trigger guard. (SNIP)...

I find this not to be true. When I draw from a SERPA my trigger finger ends up indexed along the side of the slide.

Now your finger CAN end up in the trigger guard (if you allow it to) but that can happen with ANY holster, right?

I have seen the video. The guy was drawing a cocked-and-locked 1911, thumbing off the safety before he even cleared the holster AND while (unconsciously) using a draw technique for a totally different retention holster with a totally different release mechanism. So yeah, bad things can happen with a cocked-and-UNlocked 1911 in that scenario--right?

Now, if you want to argue that IF you own a SERPA you should ONLY use and train with a SERPA that is a differnt argument--and maybe it s a good one.
 
No it doesn't, its a bad design when you start pushing the speed. Get yourself a timer and when you get your draw under 1s, get back to me about operator error with this holster

So is your argument that the SERPA isn't the fastest holster? Because that may well be true. I thought the argument was that the very design of the holster FORCES you to put your finger in the triggerguard. And that is not true.
 
Agree completely. The design of this holster is ergonomically flawed. The design makes it very easy to wind up with your finger on the trigger. If you really need a retention holster, get a Safariland ALS.

Do you think perhaps this might vary by firearm? That is one complaint that I've heard numerous time about the Serpa. I found it to be true on occasion with an M9, but I have yet to deal with it when using an HK P2000. Every time I draw the HK my finger is along the slide above the trigger. My only complaint is that it sucks to draw under time because that button doesn't like to release when you're already pulling on the gun.
 
So is your argument that the SERPA isn't the fastest holster? Because that may well be true. I thought the argument was that the very design of the holster FORCES you to put your finger in the triggerguard. And that is not true.

The release puts your finger at the bottom radius of the frame, right above the trigger guard. Not on the slide, not even the flat of the frame Your finger will slip into the trigger guard. It happens when you are pushing the speed and dexterity decreases. It works ok when you spend the day at the range and pop of your 50 rounds for the month. But when you training and push the envelope, it becomes an issue
 

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The release puts your finger at the bottom radius of the frame (WITH X_ MODEL PISTOL), right above the trigger guard. Not on the slide, not even the flat of the frame. Your finger will slip into the trigger guard....(OK, here is the disconnect, this is true for YOU. As for me, I'm shooting a SIG 220).

It happens when you are pushing the speed and dexterity decreases. (That is when people shoot themselves in the leg, too, I've noticed).

It works ok when you spend the day at the range and pop of your 50 rounds for the month. But when you training and push the envelope, it becomes an issue

OK--we can both agree that the SERPA is not a HSLD holster. Absolutely. For your goals and with your particular pistol there really are much better options. They do cost more--maybe twice the money--but it is worth it to you, and I'd say you've made a wise decision. (So OK--we are still on the same page).

For a lot of people (in the real world as I know it) having 50 rounds a month of startle-reflex/pivot/engage threat/break trigger is all that they're really able to make happen or to afford, AND (hang with me here) I'd argue that they are way, way ahead of the Mr. Clueless who only THINKS he knows how to use a pistol in self defense (Hey, how tough could it be? Durr-Hurr/jumpcut to a sucking chest wound/bleeding out). AND actually buying and owning a decent adequate $45 holster ($30 used) to practice drawing/shooting from is (in my opinion) FAR more preferable to NOT buying/NOT owning an exhileratingly superb $100 holster to draw from--and therefore NOT ever even start training to defend themselves). Yes?

So, that is where I am coming from. The SERPA isn't the best holster out there, yes, agreed--but it is WAY better than the $100 holster that you Mr. Average Gun Ownder does not own or train with.

If you own a SERPA you must train, train, train--and absolutely be aware of where your finger indexes as you draw.

So that's how I see it. As always, YMMV.
 
OK--we can both agree that the SERPA is not a HSLD holster. Absolutely. For your goals and with your particular pistol there really are much better options. They do cost more--maybe twice the money--but it is worth it to you, and I'd say you've made a wise decision. (So OK--we are still on the same page).

For a lot of people (in the real world as I know it) having 50 rounds a month of startle-reflex/pivot/engage threat/break trigger is all that they're really able to make happen or to afford, AND (hang with me here) I'd argue that they are way, way ahead of the Mr. Clueless who only THINKS he knows how to use a pistol in self defense (Hey, how tough could it be? Durr-Hurr/jumpcut to a sucking chest wound/bleeding out). AND actually buying and owning a decent adequate $45 holster ($30 used) to practice drawing/shooting from is (in my opinion) FAR more preferable to NOT buying/NOT owning an exhileratingly superb $100 holster to draw from--and therefore NOT ever even start training to defend themselves). Yes?

So, that is where I am coming from. The SERPA isn't the best holster out there, yes, agreed--but it is WAY better than the $100 holster that you Mr. Average Gun Ownder does not own or train with.

If you own a SERPA you must train, train, train--and absolutely be aware of where your finger indexes as you draw.

So that's how I see it. As always, YMMV.


What good is having equipment that limits and degrades your training? why get one that is known to have issues when there are many available that don't have issues and are the same price.

Training means pushing to the failure point. Learning what went wrong and why, then taking that point of failure and moving it higher. The failure point with a Serpa is a dangerous place to be, you are pushing your trigger finger towards the trigger guard. No other holster has you actively heading towards danger like the Serpa.
 
I used a SERPA mounted upper left center on my IBA overseas. I liked it a lot and never had any issues and broken in it was very slick and fast. I personally did not like the Safariland in that environment as the fine sand always seemed to get into the lever mechanism.

With both the 1911 and M9 platforms I have no issues with the SERPA.
 
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