NorthernPF
Regular
- Location
- Ramore, Ontario
As mentioned above I'm trying to find out who sells the Safari Land 6004 holster and the Blackhawk SERPA holsters in Canada, Preferably in Ontario so I can try before I buy.
Thanks
Thanks
Who Sells SERPA and Safariland Holsters??
- Thread starter NorthernPF
- Start date
NorthernPF
Regular
- Location
- Ramore, Ontario
hey
Looking for one that would fit a Kimber 1911.
Looking for one that would fit a Kimber 1911.
bclinehand
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Clearwater B.C.
And why Is that?
..........let me guess you heard from a guy who heard from a guy that read it on the internet that .....................
bclinehand
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Clearwater B.C.
I use Blackhawk Serpa Holsters on all my 1911's as well as my M&P .45 for IDPA and have never had a problem with them ......you wont be dissapointed with either choice
NorthernPF
Regular
- Location
- Ramore, Ontario
But where can I buy them? I'm looking for the tactical thigh holster.
And why Is that?
...people have put bullets into their thighs?
You get stressed, you push that button harder than you should, longer than you should, and your finger slips into the trigger guard as your draw your weapon up and out of your holster.
It's not difficult to imagine.
And it has happened.
Avoid them.
Steve David
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Oshawa, Ontario
If you are wanting a holster for combat style shooting for competition, I too would stay away from the Serpa. I have nothing against the Serpa and I have had many of them, it is good product and serves the purpose, but save the extra $20 or $30 it will cost you over the CQB, but the CQB and buy the mag pouches as well. No need for the Serpa retention system if all you are doing is competition, but there are a lots of dealers in Canada that sell it.
Steve David
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Oshawa, Ontario
The same holster but without the SERPA.
Anyone who cannot keep their finger out of the trigger guard and off the trigger unless they are actually going to fire shouldn't be using any hoster - or gun for that matter. There have been NDs with Glocks when folks holstered them with a finger in the trigger guard. I guess Glocks are unsafe to use, and people should avoid them.
I have a Level 2 Serpa and quite like it.
I have a Level 2 Serpa and quite like it.
I use a Serpa for my 5" Kimber Tactical Custom II and find it to be perfect. It also fits my 1911 Sprinfield 9mm and my Colt Commander .45. Also have one that I used for my Sig 226. Never had a better drawing holster and trouble free. The Blackhawk Serpa holter package opens up and closes again very easily without destroying it and any decent gunshop would let you try it out. You'll have to check the shops around you to see if they stock them but I do recommend then highly despite any bad press you may have heard from the uninformed.
Mike in BC
Argue the point – not the feeling you get when you read my post.
Anyone who cannot keep their finger out of the trigger guard and off the trigger unless they are actually going to fire shouldn't be using any hoster - or gun for that matter. There have been NDs with Glocks when folks holstered them with a finger in the trigger guard. I guess Glocks are unsafe to use, and people should avoid them.
I have a Level 2 Serpa and quite like it.
You index your trigger finger alongside the holster so that as it is withdrawn from the holster it does not enter the trigger guard. Conversely, the SERPA holster requires you to put pressure where there would otherwise be none. Therefore, as you withdraw your firearm from your holster (whether you’d like to or not) you run the risk of having your finger enter the trigger guard. Period. It’s a physical fact of having your retention device over the trigger.
As for myself…
I have only ever ran striker-fired pistols (a S&W M&P and now a Glock 17).
They’re not unsafe, and neither are you. The holster is.
From Paul Gomez – Tac Pro Shooting Center
Over the last year, I have developed some serious concerns with the Blackhawk Serpa Active Retention holster design. Various persons have brought these concerns to the attention of Blackhawk on several occasions and Blackhawk has chosen to ignore these very real issues.
The ‘Serpa Active Retention’ design consists of a plastic L-shaped component which functions as the release button [from the outside of the holster] and as the lock [which engages inside the trigger guard]. The short leg of the L-shaped lever pivots inward [toward the pistol], while the locking tab pivots outward to release the pistol from the holster.
According to the Blackhawk website, ”The release is made using your normal drawing motion, with the trigger finger beside the holster body. … As your trigger finger naturally comes to rest on the SERPA lock’s release mechanism, simply push the mechanism as you draw the weapon and it releases the gun for a smooth, fast draw.”
While Blackhawk may intend for the end-user to apply inboard pressure with the flat of the index finger, under stress, shooters tend to push the button with the tip of their index finger. After all, this is the manner in which most people have the most repetitions pushing buttons such as keys on a keypad or phone or ringing doorbells. When the finger pushes in on the release button and the user initiates the upward motion of the drawstroke, the finger tends to stay in motion and as the trigger guard clears the holster, the finger enters the trigger guard and contacts the trigger, with possibly tragic results.
I am aware of two instances where trained personnel have shot themselves using this holster in conjunction with Glock pistols. In August of 2004, a situation occurred with a live weapon that resulted in the shooter losing a 10cm piece of her femur. The other occurred with nonlethal training ammunitions in a force-on-force event in April of 2005. The impact of the NLTA was in the same area as the actual gunshot wound previously mentioned.
Following each of these events, Blackhawk was contacted and advised of the problems observed and concerns raised. In the first instance, they claimed that they were unaware of any previous issues with the design and insisted that the design had been ‘thoroughly tested by law enforcement and military personnel’.
After the second event, they were contacted by at least two people. Again, they stated that they were unaware of any concerns and had heard nothing similar from any sources.
If this were not disturbing enough, in October 2005, while assisting with a class in Casa Grande, AZ, additional concerns surfaced. During a force-on-force evolution, when a student attempted to draw an NLTA-modified Glock 17 from his Blackhawk Serpa holster, he was unable to free the gun from the holster.
In fact, the gun was so tightly held in the holster that, with one person applying both hands to the release button and another person applying two hands to the pistol, the gun could not be freed. Upon inspection, a small piece of gravel, approximately the size of the head of a pin, had managed to work itself into the Serpa release button and wedge the lock in place.
While trying to effect a release of the pistol from the holster, the entire holster popped off of the belt. The three screws that attach the holster body to the belt plate simply slipped through the tracks in the belt plate without apparent damage. Of what use is a retention holster that does not keep the gun on the belt?
In my opinion, the Blackhawk Serpa Active Retention holster is a severely flawed design. It offers the theoretical advantage of security while, in reality, offering none. It does not hold up to the rigors of realistic training. It accentuates the possibility of an unintentional discharge. It is unsafe.
End of article.
Turns out Paul Gomez is uninformed.
ps That article was ripped from WarriorTalk.
I don't know these two trained individuals nor do I know Paul Gomez. In fact, I won't even bother going on a piss contest of who is more 'in the know' or if Tac Pro Shooting Center personnel are more qualified to judge than some other group.
What I will say is that training never stops and new kit requires new training and maintenance training.
One could blabber on about just any piece of kit being unsafe or poorly designed and so on. Kit is partly personal preference....but training is always required.
For example, think of all the firearms which have their safeties inside the trigger guard or near it. Should we say that the M1 Garand is notoriously dangerous because one has to reach inside the trigger guard to take off the safety when he may not be ready to actually shoot?
There are countless service personnel using the SERPA holsters all over, including in sandy locations, where they endure oh...some stress on the two-way range and where crud gets into everything. AND they still use them......
2 NDs doesn't make for a terrible system.
Having crud get stuck in the lever has nothing to do with the holster being unsafe and leads to NDs. Any piece of kit has its limits to being filled with crud, rendered unusable etc etc.
This is not a relevant topic but I'll say something about it anyway.
If a piece of gravel was wedged between the lever and the holster frame, how on earth did the guy even push down on the lever? Or better, why did he not inspect the holster right off the bat as soon as he realised he couldn't sufficiently push the lever down.
Being ham-fisted with two hands slamming on a holster doesn't exactly constitute being smart about the process.
--
PS- I don't think the BlackHawk SERPAs are the end-all perfect system. Far from it. I just don't agree with going all 'you're d!ck will fall off' if you use this or that.
I do like Safarilands, another great holster (6004 or other variant)...but the SERPA is fine as well.
EDIT:
One last note: The mission determines the equipment.
If one is doing action shooting or has CCW in the US, generally that person doesn't even need level 2 or level 3 retention. For simple carry, some said the BlackHawk CQB....The BladeTech holsters are also quite nice and thin.
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