papajohn1964 wrote:Whats wrong with Serpas? I have a level III and I like it, of course the only thing I have to compare it to is a Uncle Mikes that we were issued at Ft Sam for our M-9s, I hated the twist thing on those....
If you send 10 minutes browsing the links that come up with
suarez international serpa holster you'll see that Suarez International plus many other training schools ban the use of Serpa holsters.
If I believe what I see browsing the net (an important caveat!!), a small excerpt of training schools combined with comments banning the Serpa includes
Suarez International
Gunsite
Tactical Response (James Yaeger)
KR Training, Austin -
http://www.krtraining.com/Newsletters/July2009news.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Todd Green of Pistol Training.com says the following for his classes:
• Duty, range, or concealment holster with suitable gunbelt (SERPA holsters strongly discouraged)
Sully of Defensive Edge and SLR15 had the following to say on his forum
http://www.TacticalReality.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (you have to register to read that forum)
The Blackhawk SERPA holster can be problematic. I had some Canadian Mounties attend a class I was teaching in Reno at the IALEFI conference. We were shooting from all sorts of positions in the desert. What resulted was a SERPA holter getting jambed full of enough earth that his Glock couldn't be removed. We had to beat the handgun from the holster. Look at something different, some like the Safariland SLS, my preference for a duty belt is the Safariland SSIII 070.
From: MSG Paul R. Howe (retired) Oct 2005 Newsletter
BLACKHAWK SERPA HOLSTER
I have witnessed and been informed of several problems with this holster. First, it is carbon fiber holster with a trigger finger push button unlocking device. Two officers in my last Tactical Pistol Instructor course could not make the times from the draw with this holster. The push-button mechanism was difficult to index/find under stress and even after six days, they still had problems.
Another problem brought to my attention from a recent student was tactical training problem. During a scenario, he exerted excessive pressure from his trigger finger to the unlock button and when drawing the weapon, drug the finger along the holster and into the trigger guard, discharging the airsoft weapon prematurely into his leg during his draw sequence.
Trigger fingers are just that, for the trigger. I think it should remain straight and have one function, to index the trigger. The current thumb break snap or hood is the way to go.
From MDFI Training - "Please note: We will no longer allow Serpa holsters in class."
Tom Givens of Rangemaster is not a fan.
John Murphey of FPF Training in VA Bans them as well
(Secondhand) Student from a Louis Awerbuck said he didn't like them during a Handgun class in April of 2008 Link
I was at a Magpul Carbine Class where Chris Costa said he didn't like the Serpa. As he stated in this thread
From Firearmz Blog:
"The Georgia Public safety Training Center has banned the use of all Blackhawk Serpa Holster or any other holster that has a retention release mounted over the trigger. Negligent discharges had lead to that decision as if it would be a surprise to anyone. A real rocket scientist had to design that."
I've heard that John Farnam bans them in his classes but haven't confirmed it...
Andy Stanford, (author of Surgical Speed Shooting and trainer with OPSinc) bans them.
ETA:
2nd hand info but interesting nonetheless...
From A Blackwater Carbine Course Student Review dated 06-11-2009
http://forums.officer.com/showthread.ph ... oint/page2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Blackhawk SERPA holsters should never be used on duty. I learned that debris can get behind the release latch and trap your pistol in the holster. An officer was killed on the street due to this flaw. Safariland holsters were highly recommended."
