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Thread: Blackhawk Serpa CQC holster

  1. #1
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    Blackhawk Serpa CQC holster

    [Rant]Folks, please stop buying this holster! I see this holster constantly in basic pistol classes and it is really a bad idea.

    So what's the problem with them you ask? There are two main ones.

    First, the retention system in this holster CAN create bad muscle memory in the shooter and get you shot! When you attempt to disengage the retention system, your trigger finger should be straight along the tab (that releases the gun). When the gun fails to come out of the holster, the shooter becomes more aggressive and uses the tip of the trigger finger and presses in on the release tab. The finger then stays in this position and ends up in the trigger guard as the gun comes out of the holster. This will eventually cause an ND.

    Second, the retention system has large openings around it. This can be filled with debris (rocks, dirt, etc) and lock the gun into the holster. This is of course a bad thing when you are wanting/needing to shoot someone.


    When owners of the Serpa CQC are confronted with the above two issues (especially number one), the common answer is; "My finger is always straight when I operate the tab." BULL CHIT. While it MAY be that way on the square range when the sun is shining and you are not under the slightest amount of stress it all changes when you are in a hurry and the gun is NOT coming out of the holster.

    True story. An LE firearms instructor here in Ohio recently shot himself in the leg with a Serpa holster. This guy was very squared away and a good shooter. He was doing some speed drills and was attempting to draw quickly. When the gun failed to come out, he pushed down harder with his trigger finger. This same finger then ended up in the trigger guard and the gun went bang.[/Rant]

    Just Say NO!





    C4

  2. #2
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    Don't use a serp unless you have the herp! There. Now nobody will use them, grant!
    Acta Non Verba

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by lethal dose View Post
    Don't use a serp unless you have the herp! There. Now nobody will use them, grant!
    LOL, nice.

    I understand why people buy these things (they are available and are cheap).

    McDonalds is everywhere and cheap, that doesn't mean that it is a good place to eat.




    C4

  4. #4
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    Good Call Grant...

    This holster is made to be appealing to the same idiots who buy a Springfield XD for its "extra safety features".

    In all honesty, I stay away from everything BlackHawk! makes because it's shit gear mostly made in Viet-F$cking-Nam...
    Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1

    Owner of MI-TAC, LLC .

    @MichiganTactical

  5. #5
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    I, along with many others I worked with used SERPA holsters...nary a problem. Gave me 3 years service in Iraq with no NDs. Thinking operator error over design.

    KISS

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gargoyle View Post
    I, along with many others I worked with used SERPA holsters...nary a problem. Gave me 3 years service in Iraq with no NDs. Thinking operator error over design.
    As a secondary weapon mounted on a plate carrier, I can actually understand using it (as there are not a lot of options).

    The operator is at fault for releasing the tab with the tip of their finger and then riding it into the trigger guard. The design lends itself to this though and makes it MUCH easier for shooters to have an ND (as the example I showed did).



    C4

  7. #7
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    I see dudes who are the "real deal" using them overseas all the time. 99% of the time it's because it was issued (via COTS purchase).

    Shit, our box of "issue gear" is full of Uncle Mikes holsters and mag pouches mixed in with Blade Tech gear; some dudes don't know the difference.

    There is always a supply guy somewhere reading a gun rag who gets the idea that this would be a great thing to buy a case of...

    No matter who uses a SERPA... it's still a complete piece of shit, and there are dozens of better choices out there.
    Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1

    Owner of MI-TAC, LLC .

    @MichiganTactical

  8. #8
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    I believe most guys grind off the inside tab to prevent the almost certain ND.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by supersix4 View Post
    I believe most guys grind off the inside tab to prevent the almost certain ND.
    I have heard this.



    C4

  10. #10
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    Gotta agree, POS.

    My initial experience with this Serpa was shortly after its first release when I did a T&E on this holster for my employer quite a few years back. I noted potential issues that eventually showed up amongst general users. While I never had the locking device actually lock up on me during real use, I was able to easily create the issue with debris in the locking device causing the weapon not to come out of the holster. While I never experienced it under real training conditions I can easily see how it could happen. I was one of the early Serpa haters and boy did I take a lot of flak for that back in the day when they were the latest and greatest piece of sliced bread.

    I re-visited this holster about 1 year ago and did another T&E on it and found myself doing a lot of pure speed drills, which I never really did during my first evaluation. During this second eval I noted that under induced stress of say a timer combined with speed in mind, I had far too many failures to release the weapon. This is the point in which I began to see the phenomenon of curling the trigger finger to do a positive or hard "press" of the serpa's release button. Invariably under high speeds this caused me to drag my finger a bit along the holster as the weapon was being drawn out. Now I never went as far as shooting myself in the leg, but I actually came to the realization that this is a serious potential for bad things, even in a very experienced shooter. Actually I saw this to be a potential with more experienced shooters as they really start pressing the pace. I will admit that most times I had no issues with the draw, but there were enough occasions where I noticed issues that it became a legit concern for me. Again, I noticed more issues with this problem, the more proficient I became with the holster and the more I pushed the pace. Perhaps something about a more gross movement with the straight index finger not allowing me a good release under speed.

    I run this holster in a video or two of mine. Again for the majority of the time draws worked well, but if you notice in the below video of the 10-8 drill I actually have a couple issues on the draw, where I need to reposition my grip slightly or where I double clutch the weapon because I didn't hit the release well. This can be especially seen in the last stage of fire stage 12. Also half of the stages or so start out of the holster, so my failure rate is not acceptable. I also ran this holster enough where I became just as efficient as others I know that run it 100% of the time.

    10-8 drill with the Serpa http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05P9ARD4cj4

    Again IMO, the holster is not acceptable.
    Last edited by Surf; 06-10-11 at 12:45.

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