Blackhawk Serpa Holster = Negligent Discharge?

Nocturnus31 said:
Yeah I agree it may not be the best place for the release but that is where it is. I know
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Which is why it's a bad holster design.

If the release were well-designed, it would be positioned such that as the draw is completed, the trigger/release finger would automatically end up extended along the side of the receiver, above the trigger guard window.
 
As much disdain as I have for movie quotes, Bob Lee said it best..."Slow is smooth - Smooth is fast..."

It is NOT the holster's fault, I use a Blackhawk Serpa for my EDC, and I practice 'quick-draw', and like someone said, the release button on that holster places your finger parallel to the slide just above the trigger. A conscious effort to move your finger down and into the guard would be required to pull the trigger. Just curling your finger would not do it.

He was obviously taking a shortcut by placing is finger on the trigger before he acquired his target, breaking the golden rule of firearms.

I'm glad he is OK and that he was man enough to show the world his mistakes.
 
I've personally seen people at the range and at competitions get stuck on the draw using this holster. Makes everyone cringe.

If you insist on using a retention holster like this, go to competitions with it (if it's allowed) and see how you do under stress. Practicing at home is not the same. Under stress, your coordination drops, making the draw easier to mess up. If the stress of a competition makes you mess up, imagine what the stress of an actual self defense scenario will do.
 
I'm of the opinion that the Serpa system is a fine way to get killed in a gun fight. If you start your draw a little too fast then you have to stop, push down and trip the release... no thanks. I'll stick to non Serpa kydex or leather. I'm not a cop or a professional gunfighter so I don't need serious retention.
 
I think what a lot of folks fail to realize is that, there is a small tension screw located on the retention portion of the holster. This can be adjusted to create an easier or stiffer 'hold' on the weapon. With a little testing, one can find a comfort spot on that tension and draw effortlessly.

Second-nature is second-nature. Gross motor skills or not.
 
Serpa--to easy to miss a draw in competition. There are better holsters for CCW.

Danger--yep, if you don't keep your finger off the trigger. But that applies to all holsters.
 
I do not understand civilians using retention holsters.
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Ever open carry in a rough area?

Anyway, I'm rather fond of my Serpa holster. I've put a few thousand rounds down the pipe since I got it, including some IDPA competitions, but I'm certainly no expert. Personally, I have not had a problem with getting on the trigger too early due to holster design, although it is certainly something I will have to look out for.
 
1. "Tex" deserves creidt for posting this.
2. The Serpa does create an unsafe condition. There are many who use this holster and train intensly with it, under stress. There are many more who draw only with an unloaded gun, or (relativly) slowly. The ND's seem to happen under high stress, as in this case.
If, as noted, this was the last 'take' of the day, Tex was probably going as fast as possible. A minor glitch in the draw resulted in a 'clutch' response - using more force than needed. I have been in situations where I have done the same - tried to overpower the system (though not on a draw - yet).

There is another posting on the net of a gent who said he was being robbed ( a high stress situation), went to draw from a Serpa, and shot himself in the foot. He includes pictures of the hole in his shoe and foot. The bad guys ran off at the sound of the shot.

The Serpa is the only holster cited by name in several ND's. I do not use one, and will not allow one on my ranges.
 
FWIW. I carry a Glock AIWB daily.

I would much rather have my gun pointed at my crotch/femoral artery in a good kydex holster (I use Dale Fricke) than have my gun pointed at my butt in a SERPA.
 
I don't see this so much as a holster/gun issue. I see it as an issue where a shooter is trying to switch back and forth between equipment that is incompatible.

If you commonly use a pistol with a thumb safety then it seems extremely ill-advised to sometimes practice with a holster that has a thumb release in the same position that the thumb safety would be. Doesn't matter if you're using that holster with a different pistol that doesn't have a thumb safety because you're still teaching yourself a very bad habit. You're essentially training your thumb to release the thumb safety before drawing the gun.

I'm not quite sold on the idea that the SERPA release is dangerous but I will say that I can understand how it could contribute to unsafe trigger finger position under certain circumstances.
 
I see this as an issue where a shooter is trying to switch back and forth between equipment that is incompatible.
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This is my thoughts also.

The shooter switched from a thumb-break stlye holster in which he was shooting earlier that day to the Serpa thats a totally different style of draw.

Don't know about anyone else but the only holster I practice SD speed drawing with live ammo with is the one I cc in and I surely didn't start out fast or with loaded gun doing it.

The Serpa style holster is not my pick but if thats all a person trains with, they wouldn't want to switch to a thumb-break and speed draw with it or visa-versa. I wouldn't think.
 
I agree the holster played a part in the ND. That said I believe a ND is always the shooters fault and can happen to anyone by pure statistics. If your finger is not on the trigger the gun does not go off...period. I understand how the holster is but I dont think it is the holsters fault. He admits hes at fault like a real shooter should. The gun only goes off when you pull the trigger.
 
I don't see this so much as a holster/gun issue. I see it as an issue where a shooter is trying to switch back and forth between equipment that is incompatible.
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I can't believe it took 3 full pages of posts before someone mentioned this. This was the first thing I thought of when I watched the video. Why would you run 2 holsters with different retention systems? I understand that a condition 1 1911 has different safety needs then a Glock, i.e. no thumb release, but if you are going to run retention holsters you need to pick one system that is compatible with any weapon you may carry.

For example, my duty rig is a Safariland SLS, which has a thumb actuated rotating hood. Hence, all of my retention holsters for all of my guns have very similar thumb actuated releases.

Still I have to give respect to the OP for putting this out there knowing what would come in the following replies. I hope your recovery is speedy.
 
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