# SERPA warning/issue



## Cabbage Head (Oct 12, 2009)

I was sent a pdf file about this.  There are a couple photo's with a pistol indicating where the contact is made to jam it all up.  No idea how to add it.  If you need it just PM and I will forward it.



"Serpa Holster Information
At a recent Summer Firearms training I witnessed an officer practicing the support hand (only) reload and stoppage
drills. The officer had inserted his G21 reversed, into his Serpa holster and was unable to draw it out, until the
holster had been partially disassembled. A screw was removed and a part of the holster fell out, allowing the pistol
to be drawn.
I mentioned this to a list member who reported the following regarding Glock pistols, and I’ve subsequently had
notice of the same circumstance taking place with a S&W M&P.
From a technical evaluator:
“I was able to duplicate the problem.
Look inside the empty holster. Along the back wall, there's a plastic bar that starts in front of the trigger guard and
ends about halfway to the bottom of the holster. As the gun is inserted, that bar is compressed against the holster
body by the dust cover, creating a friction fit. If you insert the gun upside down as described, that lever is
compressed first by the front sight, then by the balance of the slide, creating the same friction fit. The trouble starts
after the front sight clears the end of that bar. The FS is taller than the slide, and after the end of the bar clears the
FS, the bar snaps down onto the slide. When you try to pull the gun back out, the bar catches the FS locking the gun
in place.
You can correct the problem by removing the screw that holds the bar in place, or you can slide a long narrow
paddle of some sort in to raise the bar above the FS allowing it to clear.
Fatal flaw: This cannot be corrected while in the fight. The gun is stuck.
I could duplicate this holster failure with Glocks 17, 21, and 23 and the appropriate Serpa for each. Unknown how
other designs might be impacted.
If users insist on keeping the Serpa, they must not employ this particular method of refunctioning the gun.
There are many other, high quality, holster options which have no such problems.”


----------



## DA SWO (Oct 12, 2009)

Am I reading this correctly?  If I put the weapon in upside down the holster malfunctions?


----------



## Pete S (Oct 12, 2009)

I don't know why people like the SERPA anyway.

Safariland or Bladetech are the only way to go.


----------



## JJOIFVET (Oct 12, 2009)

I think SERPA is a piece of shit. My company went to Mid South a couple of years ago and out of 70 SERPAS, 45 of the buttons fell off. I now use Safari Land with the thumb break.


----------



## Ranger Psych (Oct 12, 2009)

SOWT: yeah.. some places teach to use the holster to hold the weapon for reloading when one arm is down, if it's your primary side you're putting it in the holster backwards to reload it easier. 

for me, I never like that... I just put it inbetween my knees and rack it off the rear sight on my gear.


----------



## 104TN (Oct 12, 2009)

Front site against a boot heel works too.


----------



## Ranger Psych (Oct 12, 2009)

That works too, I just prefer the rear sight since you can have a bit more gross motion with the body as well as still keep from flagging yourself. 

I use the holster as normal for reloads and slide racking if it's single handed on my firing side, but use my belt or duty belt out and away from the body for slide racking, and hold the gun between my legs for reloading if it's weak side I'm forced to use.


----------



## DA SWO (Oct 13, 2009)

JJOIFVET said:


> I think SERPA is a piece of shit. My company went to Mid South a couple of years ago and out of 70 SERPAS, 45 of the buttons fell off. I now use Safari Land with the thumb break.



Wear and tear? Shitty construction?  
Had a SERPA on my last deployment, but was a fobbit so it didn't get beat up much.  I like the attachment system (again, fobbit pov).


----------



## Cabbage Head (Oct 13, 2009)

Ya, the photos show the pistol inside the holster backwards.  

I have mixed issues with the holster in general.  I like the simplicity of it, yet have heard issues with people under stress, while activating the release placing their trigger finger immediately inside the trigger guard upon drawing the pistol and having a ND.  Not a good thing.

So far I have been using it as a duty holster and for SRT (both level 3).  So far no complaints.


----------



## Dallas5101 (Oct 19, 2009)

*No problems so far with my SERPA*

I have been using my SERPA for just over a year and a half now with no issues.  I have taken it through Mid-South twice, T1G, SFAUC, and a deployment with only minor scratches.  I now have 2, one drop leg that I never use and another I have mounted on my pistol belt with a 3" drop on it.  It works great for me.


----------

