DK Firearms

SERPA holsters (vs ALS)

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  • WAA

    Sir, I decline to answer, respectfully.
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Sep 4, 2022
    549
    76
    Slab City
    Found a box full of assorted stuff, including several SERPAs. I remember when FLETC “banned” them because people couldn’t keep their finger where it was supposed to be. After that our firearms section had a small calf over them and we couldn’t use them off duty anymore.

    I see Blackhawk still sells them. Anyone using a SERPA? Or is it a “Nobody has to know,” “Concealed is concealed” thing?

    After all, Tex was using a 511 when he shot hisself…
     

    toddnjoyce

    TGT Addict
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    4   0   0
    Sep 27, 2017
    19,285
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    Boerne
    I’m one of the very few who will admit to occasionally using a SERPA still because it fits the bill for the one handgun I have that it’s molded for.

    It was a duty holster for our career field and can’t recall a single incident attributed to them.
     

    WAA

    Sir, I decline to answer, respectfully.
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Sep 4, 2022
    549
    76
    Slab City
    I’ll admit it also. I prefer Don Hume thumb break leather for OWB and that’s what I was digging for when I found these, but right now it’s all I got to tote the G20 out to the woods. We’ll see how she do.
     

    WAA

    Sir, I decline to answer, respectfully.
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Sep 4, 2022
    549
    76
    Slab City
    Just got home. I haven’t felt that self conscious carrying since I was a rook. It didn’t have anything to do with the mechanics of the SERPA…

    I haven’t carried my hawg gun, the Glock 20, for 5 years. Oh I’ve been to the range with it and what not, but I haven’t had it on my hip. Got done out in the hinterlands and stopped at the range to shoot some 357 I’ve had stored for a minute. Sam Colt (no relation?) posted up there about ALS, so I stopped by Big Box to see what they had.

    Now, I know I wasn’t printing because I watched my reflection on the doors and windows walking in. I noticed I also had my arms spread out like Wyatt Earp, like I would if I was wearing my duty rig. Goddawlmitey, I walked around in there thinking everybody was watching me. The weight of the gun, even on a good 511 belt, rotated the grip outward. I could feel it doing it but didn’t want to snatch my pants up and pull another belt hole in front of everybody.

    Plus I had this stupid grin on my face thinking about the only time I used the G20 for a carry gun. We were on vacation at Pensacola Beach, October, and walking across the parking lot after dinner at Hemingway’s. This guy on a bicycle pedals up to us and asks my wife if she has $20 in her purse. Both of us being the po-leece at the time, we explained the difficulties he would encounter if he tried to see how much money was in her purse. He got further and for the rest of our trip it didn’t matter what it was one of us was looking at, the other would say, “Lemme hold $20…”

    Anyway, now that I’m shrinking into late middle age, the Glock 20 is too much gun for me to walk around with. I carried my 686 out the other day, I probably walked around with my arms out with it too but didn’t notice. Good for the woods still, but for every day I have better options.

    I digress… Holsters.

    I found found an ALS Paddle/Belt Combo for my Glock 32. Came home, followed the directions for once, and did some presentations. It’s a smooth and natural draw for me, since the last duty rig I wore was a Safariland ALS/SLS.

    At $60 a pop, this is gonna cost me. But Safariland has built the better mousetrap. I see a box of ALS in my future.
     

    Havok1

    Well-Known
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    0   0   0
    May 10, 2021
    1,775
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    I have a few, but don’t really use them anymore. Only reason I use any retention holster at all is because I can easily swap the ALS on my belt with the QLS mounts.
     

    Maverick44

    Youngest old man on TGT.
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Found a box full of assorted stuff, including several SERPAs. I remember when FLETC “banned” them because people couldn’t keep their finger where it was supposed to be. After that our firearms section had a small calf over them and we couldn’t use them off duty anymore.

    I see Blackhawk still sells them. Anyone using a SERPA? Or is it a “Nobody has to know,” “Concealed is concealed” thing?

    After all, Tex was using a 511 when he shot hisself…

    The ALS is great. The Serpa belongs in the trash. It's a shitty design that at best, could keep you from getting to your gun when you need it (TxStetson's story is not unique), and at worst can significantly contribute to you catching a round in the leg.
     

    zackmars

    Free 1911 refinishing
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Nov 4, 2015
    5,609
    96
    Texas
    The issue, well one issue, with serpa is that it is using your trigger finger to do something it should never do, anything other than pulling the trigger. Lots of places have banned them other than FLETC.

    Other issues with the serpa

    Highly susceptible to getting locked up by dirt, mud, and other foreign debris

    Molded piece of plastic, and can't be disassembled to remove the gun if needed

    Extremely weak mounting points. Can easy be ripped off a belt by an attacker, or even as something as simple as getting caught in a door jamb


    The ALS/SLS is the gold standard which all other retention holsters are judged by, and aside from some of them not having adequate trigger guard coverage, are just about perfect.
     

    cycleguy2300

    TGT Addict
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    9   0   0
    Mar 19, 2010
    6,769
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    Austin, Texas
    I’m one of the very few who will admit to occasionally using a SERPA still because it fits the bill for the one handgun I have that it’s molded for.

    It was a duty holster for our career field and can’t recall a single incident attributed to them.
    Our dept has had several NDs and at least one injury DIRECTLY attributable to SERPA holsters and they are explicitly prohibited for use on duty. I am sure there is a niche serpa's fill, but I cannot think of an advantage over an ALS holster and can list several disadvantages.

    Надіслано з дому вашої мами за допомогою Tapatalk
     

    Sasquatch

    TGT Addict
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    3   0   0
    Apr 20, 2020
    6,590
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    Magnolia
    I have owned two Serpas - once when they were the new hotness to the market - to try them out vs the other shit-tier holster I carried at the time, that being Uncle Mike's "kydex" injection molded holsters, which to be honest, were far superior holsters to the Serpa for a basic holster. It went away real quick, as it wasn't long before reports of people shooting themselves with the Serpa came out. I didn't want a hole in my leg because of my holster.

    The 2nd I owned, simply because a gun I bought from a friend of the family came with one. It didn't get used.

    I've used a bunch of different active-retention holsters over the years - Safariland is not just head & shoulders above the rest - there are no serious competitors that have mechanisms as robust as theirs, even with them moving production to Mexico instead of the US.

    The SLS and ALS mechanisms are far, far superior to the next best options out there.

    The Bladetech WRS hoods are trash. You have to modify them to not be rediculously stiff to the point of almost being unusable. The Getz Speedlock hoods don't come lubed from the factory and have a tendency to bind. This can be augmented by lubing them yourself, or if your holster builder using them does it - but then, most are using grease, which is going to attract and retain all sorts of crap.

    Comp Tac's hood...meh

    Blackhawk's own "level 3" retention holsters (just a Serpa with a hood) are likewise meh

    Bianchi has their Finger Lock (I think that's what they call it) but I wasn't a huge fan. I had both the concealment version in a leather pancake holster, and a level 2 duty version. The big problem with their design is that you do *not* have a solid, full master firing grip on your gun during the first part of the draw - you have to either use your middle finger or pinky to deactive the locking mechanism by pushing on the paddle. IF you can use your pinky, this ain't so bad. On their concealment version, because of the angle of the dangle it put my wrist, I *had* to use my middle finger. That made for a crap grip on the draw.

    5.11 and Bladetech worked together for their Thumb Drive holsters which used locking mechanism that was defeated by pushing a rather large, easy to hit button with your thumb. I liked the Thumb Drive holster for an open-carry holster when I was out in the woods.

    I've also used Safariland's GLS - Grip Locking System holsters ala their "Pro-Fit" holsters. I'm kind of surprised they haven't integrated the GLS with an ALS mechanism to offer a level three holster that has no hood (which would utilize the Sentry lock to make level 3) - or even be able to bump up to a *level 5* holster by utilizing the Grip Lock, Auto Lock, and Self Locking hood + Sentry. Such a beast honestly wouldn't have any slower draw time than their level 4, just by the nature of how the GLS works to retain the gun.

    For just every day regular joe citizen carry - a holster with a thumb break is fine for open carry, not even needed for concealed carry IMO so long as the holster is molded to fit the gun.

    For a working holster though, or one subjected to being banged around in the field hunting / fishing / hiking or LARPing as Super Ninja Recon Squirrel Power Rangers an actual honest to God duty holster is a very nice thing to have. Keeps the gun on you, where it belongs.

    There's a reason Safariland holsters are on more cops hip than any other holster out there.
     

    WAA

    Sir, I decline to answer, respectfully.
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Sep 4, 2022
    549
    76
    Slab City
    Well the SERPAs aren’t broken, so I’m not going to throw them out. Never know when a situation may come up where they might be useful.

    I’ve already ordered an ALS for the G20. For sure the ALS feels more robust, and I’m really liking how the draw is so similar to my ALS/SLS.

    By the way, did a little experiment out of curiosity… When I draw from the ALS, my finger is on the trigger guard, just like my old SII, SIII, and ALS/SLS. When I draw from the SERPA, my finger ends up on the frame, above the trigger guard. Just an observation.
     

    zackmars

    Free 1911 refinishing
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Nov 4, 2015
    5,609
    96
    Texas
    Well the SERPAs aren’t broken, so I’m not going to throw them out. Never know when a situation may come up where they might be useful.

    I’ve already ordered an ALS for the G20. For sure the ALS feels more robust, and I’m really liking how the draw is so similar to my ALS/SLS.

    By the way, did a little experiment out of curiosity… When I draw from the ALS, my finger is on the trigger guard, just like my old SII, SIII, and ALS/SLS. When I draw from the SERPA, my finger ends up on the frame, above the trigger guard. Just an observation.
    Its gun dependent. Guns with larger trigger guards (or if you have shorter fingers) can make it more likely your finger will "slip" onto the trigger.

    There is also the difference between practicing your draw, and "oh shit, i need my gun out NOW". Yeah it can be trained out, or you can just use the more durable, more reliable holster that doesn't have that "quirk".


    Anyways, serpa will never go away because the dealer markup on them is insane, iirc it was well over 100%
     

    Maverick44

    Youngest old man on TGT.
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    One of the few ASP videos I can stand to watch. Agree with him on the Serpa!
    It's just got too many problems. It's not safe, it's not reliable, and it can't be trusted to actually stay on you belt. The fact that they still make it, and that they somehow haven't been sued into oblivion by all the people who have been injured as a direct result of using this stupid thing is astonishing to me.
     

    candcallen

    Crotchety, Snarky, Truthful. You'll get over it.
    Emeritus - "Texas Proud"
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Jul 23, 2011
    21,358
    96
    Little Elm
    The issue, well one issue, with serpa is that it is using your trigger finger to do something it should never do, anything other than pulling the trigger. Lots of places have banned them other than FLETC.

    Other issues with the serpa

    Highly susceptible to getting locked up by dirt, mud, and other foreign debris

    Molded piece of plastic, and can't be disassembled to remove the gun if needed

    Extremely weak mounting points. Can easy be ripped off a belt by an attacker, or even as something as simple as getting caught in a door jamb


    The ALS/SLS is the gold standard which all other retention holsters are judged by, and aside from some of them not having adequate trigger guard coverage, are just about perfect.
    This quoted for truth justice and merica!

    All of it.

    The training required to properly operate serpa under stress i.e. straight trigger finger using the pad of the finger to press the lock then transitioning to hooking the trigger finger into the trigger guard immediately after draw is just too much for peopl who have spent decades using their trigger fingers to press triggers. Under stress they almost always revert to pressing the lock with the tip of the finger and then if the draw stroke isnt perfect they press even harder to unlock the gun. Then disaster when the trigger finger slips into the trigger guard.

    I have seen serpas lock up with the slightest bit of dirt rendering them useless.

    Safariland allows anneasy transition from thumb snap or no thumb retention to pressing the button. You can also damn near repel from the holster mounted to a duty belt.
     
    Every Day Man
    Tyrant

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