Blackhawk serpa level 2 holster?

[JDriver1.8t]

Been using my serpa holsters for my glocks for the last 5 years. I haven't shot myself or the ground yet.
This has been for EDC, and it tactical mulit-day classes. It has never jammed or broken.

With proper use, they are perfect. If someone doesn't know what they are doing, or uses the holster incorrectly, then the chanced for a ND increase.
Your finger stays straight, not hooked. That solves 100% of the issues, even if you try to slide your finger 'down' when you draw.

 

[CO-Joe]

I've been using a Blackhawk Serpa for several years now and have to register a MAJOR complaint about them:




They don't make one to fit my S&W 629 !!



...aside from that I love it for comfort, retention, and it doesn't mar the finish on my guns.

I'd REALLY like that too...because it should also fit a 329PD, and that would be a sweet, sweet outdoors combo.

 

[XD9mmFMJ]

I have the Serpa Level 2 holster, and I absolutely love it. Best holster I've had yet, and only cost me about $33, which is great compared to the $85 I have paid for others, including a very nice IWB custom made leather holster. The draw is quick and completely effortless. It's really hard to imagine how someone could get their finger into the trigger guard and pulling the trigger back on withdrawal. If the finger is straight and flat, it's nearly impossible to do. In fact, I dare say if the finger is straight and flat, it is completely impossible to get it to go into the trigger guard and pull back on the trigger. I have no problem trusting my life to a Serpa holster at all, despite all the arguments against it.

I think operator error is the only error. Cars can go out of control, run into houses, flip over and over, etc. but they don't just do that without someone causing it. Someone should have taken Tex Grebner's holster (the fella who shot himself like an idiot on youtube, with an IQ no higher than 90) and did repeated speed draws and close quarters drills to prove it's not the holster, but the operator.

 

[ghost913]

serpa lvl 2

i freaking love my serpa i own a springfield xd9. its a fantastic holster, i have the the belt loop attachment, paddle attachment and even the leg platform. i love this holster i spent altogether a little over 90 not including shipping costs from cheaperthandirt.com. i oc with my serpa all the time, the main feature i love about the holster is the push button to release my firearm to draw im quite good with drawing now. i love it and i recommend buying it.

 

[MainelyGlock]

I have a grey one for my Glock 22. As J_Oliver said, practice as much as possible with it! I personally feel more comfortable with it than any FOBUS holster because of the lock, but it does take some getting used to.

 

[JPnPDX]

I have a grey one for my Glock 22. As J_Oliver said, practice as much as possible with it! I personally feel more comfortable with it than any FOBUS holster because of the lock, but it does take some getting used to.

I love the two that I have. I carried one for my M9 pistol in the Army. No problem doing transition drills between the M4/M9. Not one issue while on the pop up ranges. Not one single problem while on missions drawing while gloved.

My other one is newer for my P228 with the new finger grove. Draws quite nice with the new grove. I love these things.

 

[Grapeshot]

I love the two that I have. I carried one for my M9 pistol in the Army. No problem doing transition drills between the M4/M9. Not one issue while on the pop up ranges. Not one single problem while on missions drawing while gloved.

My other one is newer for my P228 with the new finger grove. Draws quite nice with the new grove. I love these things.

Welcome aboard OCDO and thanks for your service.

I have 4 Serpas and have never had a malflucktion. My only disappointment was in the faux carbon fiber finish on one of them - very soft and abraded easily. Fixed that by removing it and gluing a heavily grained piece of leather in its place. Liked it so much I did the same to two mag cases. Now I have a "dress" serpa set up.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Welcome aboard OCDO and thanks for your service. I have 4 Serpas and have never had a malflucktion. My only disappointment was in the faux carbon fiber finish on one of them - very soft and abraded easily. Fixed that by removing it and gluing a heavily grained piece of leather in its place. Liked it so much I did the same to two mag cases. Now I have a "dress" serpa set up.

Pics?

 

[Grapeshot]

Pics?

Will try to find one or take new in the next few days and post here.

 

[J_Oliver]

Welcome aboard OCDO and thanks for your service.

I have 4 Serpas and have never had a malflucktion. My only disappointment was in the faux carbon fiber finish on one of them - very soft and abraded easily. Fixed that by removing it and gluing a heavily grained piece of leather in its place. Liked it so much I did the same to two mag cases. Now I have a "dress" serpa set up.

That sounds like something I'd like to do. Dress holsters, who would have thunk it...

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

 

[DocWalker]

Welcome aboard OCDO and thanks for your service.

I have 4 Serpas and have never had a malflucktion. My only disappointment was in the faux carbon fiber finish on one of them - very soft and abraded easily. Fixed that by removing it and gluing a heavily grained piece of leather in its place. Liked it so much I did the same to two mag cases. Now I have a "dress" serpa set up.

Getting worried about you grape......"does my holster match my boots".

 

[Spencer73]

I have a level 3 Blackhawk Serpa holster and love it. My only complaint would be that it is a little bit bulky at times. Other than that I love it. The draw is natural and I like the level 3 retention. I think anyone that has a nd with this holster is 100% to blame.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Getting worried about you grape......"does my holster match my boots".

Grape is dapper. Grape knows what the ladies like.

 

[raven81686]

I have a Blackhawk Serpa Level 2 that I use when I OC with my XDsc .40 and let me say I love it!!! I've practiced shooting from a draw many times and never once has my booger hooker hit the bang button unintentionally. When I draw the weapon from the holster my trigger finger lays flat against the trigger guard in the ready postion. With that being said I dont always OC but I do ALWAYS carry when I CC; I use a Crossbreed Super tuck and it is by far the BEST (my opinion) IWB holster I have ever owned. And before I start geting harped by all the OC Only people with my life style/job I cant always open carry. I hope this helps you with your decision.

 

[REALteach4u]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=serpa+accidents

At some point "operator error" crosses over into "design assisted operator error" which simply means that the device's design encourages operator error, which boils down to "bad design".

At some point you have enough data points where you stop blaming the operator "It was user error! You need to practice more!" and start thinking, hmmmm, there have just been too many "user errors".

Given the holster being banned from some firearms schools as well as the growing number of "incidents" I think the Serpa holster has crossed over into the "design assisted operator error" region.

This of course is my opinion, and you're free to form your own. I just bought a Safariland 6377 holster and like it a lot.

O2

I'd like to disagree with design driven operator error, especially with this product. I actually worked a first-aid incident where one of the Serpa holsters was used. It IS NOT the product design, it IS the operator's failure to properly train with the product and products of similar design. As an instructor those who immediately blame their personal incidents with the Serpa on the product's design give me that odd feeling that they likely have other potentially dangerous training issues that they refuse to recognize.

Incidents with the Serpa do not and cannot occur if the trigger finger is not in the trigger guard. Safety violation #1 right there. Issues with the Serpa often are seen because people fail to recognize the sympathetic grip in the human hand. As the rest of the hand closes (fingers curling) the index finger will attempt to follow suit. When the index finger is not properly indexed along the frame or slide (above the trigger area, and because some slides extend over the entire frame) then the sympathetic grip is very likely to take over.

The video from the Texan is an illustration of that training failure and he recognizes it's training rather than the equipment. His particular issue was that he was swapping from one retention type to another between two different firearms while training up close and personal. It proved to be a huge mistake. In the slow motion you'll see his training on the Thumb-drive holster kicks in and removes the safety on the 1911, then the index finger is forcibly used to unlock the release, followed by the sympathetic grip curling the index finger into the trigger. Total training failure and he admitted it, then had the courage to post the video for others to learn from. Training again kicks in for self-rescue.

Caution: May not be safe for work due to language.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYvAxLX6OzE

Accidental discharge: Requires an equipment failure.
Negligent discharge: Requires human input.

Most are ND's, not AD's.

 

[Boba Fett]

I've been using a Serpa Sportster for my airsoft Glock 19 for a while now. I absolutely love the Serpa. Like everyone has said, practice with it and you'll be fine. Even when drawing under stress, lying on the ground, and just about every combat situation you can imagine, I've never had it fail on me. I've even crawled through gravel and sand and didn't have the release get jammed. I have the belt, paddle, and the MOLLE plate, as well as an adapted 5.11 Thumbdrive rig I modified to take the Serpa (5.11 rig is cheaper and fits us skinny people better than the Blackhawk! rig).

Here I am with the vest-mount option



And here is the 5.11 rig made to hold the Serpa



Since it's a pain to take the Serpa off of my thigh rig (you have to take off all the straps), I'm going to get a CQC one soon. I plan on carrying in that with the belt mount.

 

[FlyBoy276]

Ok, I have only used this holster with the 1911, so I can't comment on how easy or difficult it is to get your finger behind the guard of anything but the 1911, but..its pretty difficult. You have to be TRYING to shoot yourself to actually do that. Your hand naturally falls on the release mechanism when drawing, and my finger falls on top of the serial number every time. How 'Tex' did what he did is beyond me.

 

[Aknazer]

http://www.amazon.com/BLACKHAWK-Serpa-Level-Tactical-Holster/dp/B004T1CI60

Works great as a thigh rig and is easy to remove. One thing to note, make sure to fully depress the button. That might seem obvious, but when I was practicing if the button was even a fraction out the gun would catch and not come out of the holster. Thats great, but it also highlighted the need to slow down a bit to make sure I was fully depressing the button before trying to pull up.