Holster Selection and The Serpa
August/08/2016 11:10
Holster Selection: Serpa Holsters Are Safe - Some Shooters Just Are Not - by Mike "Dug" Garza - Lead Instructor
Good afternoon world, seems like I’m writing my first code program (geeks will get this). My name is Mike Garza, but all my range buddies call me Dug because my ADD kicks in and I am easily distracted. I’ve been around firearms all my life, spent some time in the military and I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night so I’m now a “Firearm Instructor” on an LE range. During our development of the Latent Force Prepared Defensive Action programs we had much debate regarding draw strokes and holsters. Since this is a critical part of the student’s development as a defensive shooter we covered the topic completely to provide the highest level of education for our students so they could make informed decisions on what types of gear to purchase.
In my short 8 years of Range Safety Officer and Firearms Instructor I have noticed one thing - there is nothing new about drawing and displaying your handgun out of the holster. OK, except for Hawaii 5-0's Lt. Steve McGarrett and his front chest carrying rig.
No matter what, you have to go to the holster and retrieve said smoke wagon and point it down range or at a bad guy (situational dependent). 1….2….3….4…. that’s it, plain and simple. If you don’t understand what I mean by the previous steps 1, 2, 3, and 4 then go look up the draw stroke from the holster on YouTube - I’m sure 30k firearms instructors have explained it.
So Dug why are you writing this? Well, lately, I’ve seen a lot of bad press plus schools and instructors being unfairly critical of the Blackhawk! Serpa holster. I don’t want to name my home range because they, as well as others, are starting to get on the bandwagon of “NO SERPAS” because they believe they are dangerous. Then, of course, someone posted another hole in the leg picture, and the whole Serpa debate started again. So, here we are.
“Serpa’s are so bad”
“Serpa’s jam up when sand gets in them”
“Serpa’s cause ND’s because your finger is so close to the trigger…”
Wait, what?
I’m not only going to show why the Serpa does not cause ND’s, but I’m actually going to show why Serpa’s are the BEST holsters for the perfect grip if you need a retention style holster. That’s right, I said it (queue the hate mail and keyboard warrior bashing now), it’s the best holster for the perfect grip while still allowing for retention.
I do get why company’s and instructors ban the holster. Primarily it’s because some “shooters” aren’t up to speed with the foundational concept of staying off the trigger until on target and ready to fire. This obviously translates to liability and insurance, and that is a big deal. But let’s get real. What’s next? Only using guns with external switchable safeties? That is safer, right?
Why blame the holster for the results generated by inexperienced, careless or incompetent shooters? Perhaps my definition of a shooter is way different from that of what the NRA defines as a shooter. That means everyone should practice drawing from the holster. But let’s not draw from the holster or shoot at man shaped or pictured targets. That might be insensitive, therefore no one learns anything. Sorry, back on topic.
So therein lies the rub or root of the problem, liability. Everyone is afraid to train in reality because of liability. Most ranges will out right tackle you if you start practicing your man down drills, or speed shooting from the rig techniques. Insert Tex Rex blowing a hole in his leg here. We had one of those HSLD Army guys shoot himself on our range using an IWB holster. How about the person that got the dingle hopper on a coat jammed up inside the holster and jammed his gun into the holster sending a round through his holster and into the ground. None of these involved the Serpa so perhaps, like mentioned earlier, we should only allow guns with external safeties at the range.
So back to square one since I see my friends trying to wave me back on topic. Recently, I was watching a young lady, let’s call her Nancy, struggle with the presentation of her handgun out of a Safariland holster (I.E guarded, hooded and with ALS, Level 3). For clarification, I have the same holster for my G21SF and I am just as fast out of it as any other holster that I have. After watching her I had to go back and look at my draw in slow speed to figure out why she was having problems. Nancy couldn’t properly roll the hood forward and disengage the ALS lock and get a good high tang grip. Every time she came out of the holster her thumb jacked up her grip so she wasn’t getting a proper grip (see image above). What was happening was that her use of the holster was making her sacrifice proper grip and slowing her speed out of the holster. This translates to more muzzle flip, increased follow up time, and fewer combat effective rounds on target. As LE folks we drill constantly on taking too much time getting rounds on target.
The previous picture shows what Nancy was doing. As humans we like to do everything with our finger tips, and unlocking small devices is what we do best with our finger tips. Unfortunately, it sets you up for failure when trying to acquire a high tang grip.
IMHO, this is where the Serpa blows away thumb-drive retention holsters and hood holsters. Why? Because the Serpa acts just like a kydex holster or limited retention holster (except Uncle Mike’s, that shit will kill you). Let me explain. When you acquire your grip (position 1) all locks and restraining devices must be released or disengaged while you acquire your grip. On a thumb drive holster / ALS that becomes rather tricky depending on the holster. Most rookie gun slingers just take what they can get when acquiring a grip and disengaging the locks on those styles of holsters. This is hard when you are new. Now, what I noticed is that for those that practice and shoot thousands of rounds per year, the grip is actually reacquired after pulling the gun part of the way out of the holster. We are talking milliseconds in time but it is time spent none the less. Until carefully watching what Nancy was doing and evaluating my draw I didn’t even realize that I was doing this.
When I evaluate images of the Serpa draw I notice that you will immediately draw the weapon with a high tang grip and as a result be able to get multiple combat effective follow up shots inside a very short period of time (see image below). In comparison, with my SafariLand holster I have to make sure that everything is perfect before I start to engage the target. Of course there will be those that say “who cares” because attaining a good grip is not THE most important thing, sight picture and trigger control are. Unless we are in a 3-7 yard gun fight.
Furthermore, when we look at our proper trigger finger position on a Serpa we see that it is the same as if it were a Kydex holster. Notice the high tang grip and the trigger is completely visible. So if the trigger finger is on the side of the frame, where it is suppose to be, how can it also be on the trigger? It can’t. The problem is and always will be training scars or carelessness programmed into the gun fighter. Shooters are in such a hurry that they do before they think. If everyone would strictly adhere to all the safety rules no ND’s would happen. If they paid special attention to the 3rd safety rule no unnecessary good guy flesh would be mangled. Never put your finger on the trigger until you are on target and have decided to fire. It’s that simple. Hell, my kids do it when the play Nerf guns in the house. How is it that my 9 year old has that kind of discipline? From a young age they were always taught that Hollywood is a bunch of dumb asses and that no “real” gun fighter would walk around with their finger on the trigger. A habit is just that, until you decide that it will no longer be tolerated.
Don’t get me wrong, on patrol I want my level 3. Why? Because in a wrestling match with a county customer I want retention to keep my gun out of the bad guys hands. But I practice with my duty rig so I’m fast with it. Do I have discipline? Hell yes. I run multiple rigs (range rig, duty rig, off duty rig, admin rig etc.) and I know what I have on when it’s time to play ball. But one thing still remains constant, my trigger finger is straight along the frame until I’m on target and I have made the decision to fire.
Don’t get suckered into the excuses because we all know the saying about them.
As Jose N. Harris brilliantly pointed out (at least that’s what Google says), “Amateurs’ train until they get it right, professionals train until they can’t get it wrong.” In other words, practice and stop shooting yourselves.
Practice perfectly because perfect practice makes permanent. This is a cornerstone of the Prepared Defensive Action programs because it is critical to your success as a defensive shooter.
As I always say, “When the moment comes, what have you memorized so well that your internal order is greater than any external condition?” Think about it and stay safe.