Why no SERPA holsters?

/ hsoi

This is why NOT the SERPA holster.

Some will say it’s not the fault of the holster. To an extent that’s true, but there have been more than enough incidents of people wearing SERPA’s and shooting themselves in the leg. The nature of the holster’s lock and thus the resulting draw just allow for such things to happen.

It’s also demonstration that “one round from a .45 ACP” doesn’t guarantee any sort of stop. Caliber is a minimal concern: being able to place the shots where they need to go matters so much more.

9 thoughts on “Why no SERPA holsters?”

  1. The holster in question appears to have been the 5.11 Thumbdrive which works differently from the SERPA. The 5.11 has the user push down with the thumb to release the pistol which should, in theory, be safer than the SERPA, which releases the pistol when the trigger finger presses on a lever.

    I think what this video shows is the problem associated with being a “gun of the month” type shooter, who wants to shoot 50 rounds out of this gun and 50 rounds out of that gun during a range trip, times the complexity of using a SERPA holster for one gun and a 5.11 Thumbdrive for another. Too many different complex movements, too many different operating procedures, all being attempted by someone who is going too fast for his skill level.

    This just reinforces what we emphasize in class. Pick one gun that you intend to carry or use for self defense on a daily basis. Understand what correct techniques are and practice those techniques for proper form, not speed. Proper form includes knowing where your trigger finger and muzzle are, and waiting to put your finger on the trigger until the gun is aligned with your intended target.

    • He’s not clear in his explanation, but you can see around 2:05 that he switches holsters and THAT looks to be a SERPA (or one with a similar mechanism).

      But your point stands… all the constant switching around of gear is ultimately what lead to this particular instance. Too many motor skills to have to remember, and he couldn’t remember them.

      Pick something that works and stick with it. Equipment is the least concern. You do have to find what works, but once you do, stick with it and move beyond it. Software winds up being more important than hardware…. hardware is fun, but ignoring your software leads to bugs like this.

    • So that further reinforces Karl’s comments about switching gear, and then going too fast for your skill level. Sure he might have the skill level to tackle this sort of drill, but with a gear change that requires a skill change as well, you have to back off and work your way back up.

    • OK, there we go. Either way, Karl’s comment stands.

      I also think it still demonstrates how SERPA’s can be bad news. Or rather, anything that complicates your setup, be it gear, muscle memory, too many things to remember, whatever.

  4. Guys, if you watch the video closely he specifically states that he was using the 5.11 Thumbdrive earlier with his Glock. He then switched to his SERPA and 1911. He then states that he attempted to draw the handgun (and disengaged the safety when doing so), but he didn’t fully release the mechanism, so he more aggressively activated the mechanism with his trigger finger, which released the pistol. Obviously the more aggressive contraction of the trigger finger to release the mechanism resulted in the ND once the pistol cleared the holster. The same damn thing happened to the Top Shot dude some years back.

    • So that reinforces:

      1. what Karl said about switching gear all the time.

      2. that the SERPA design increases potential for trouble.

      3. that he went faster than he should have, given the skill change.

      4. that we’re human, we make mistakes, and we should choose gear and training that minimizes the chance of our human monkey brain causing us problems.

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