Blackhawk Serpa level 3

what is everyone's opinion of this holster?

When my stepdaughter was having her baby at Bethesda Navy Hospital, I notice the Navy guards there were wearing Serpa Level 3's. I asked them on one of my trips there how they liked them. Three of them voiced their opinions, and they said they liked them because they were light, comfortable and secure, but they all preferred the Serpa Level 2 models, because they drew much faster. They said that unfortunately, they were REQUIRED to wear the Level 3 units, because of a mandate from Command.

I've never owned or used a Level 3 Serpa, so I can't speak to it personally, but I respect the opinions of these professionals who trained with them and wear them every day.

I have 2 Serpa Level 2s--one for a 1911 and one for a Glock 36, and I love them. The hood on the Level 3 seems like it would slow down the draw by a second or so once you trained with it, but it does offer an unparalleled level of retention security, if that's something you are concerned with. Unless you are an LEO, security guard, or someone who plans on wrestling or grappling with "bad guys", I think the Level 2 version is more than sufficient for everyday carry...

I am not a fan of the level three holsters for the same reason as above, I love my level two holster for my Colt 1911 and wouldn't think of using anything thing else.

For level three retention, I prefer the Safariland ones. I posted my opinion of Serpa's once before and got an ear full. I'm not saying they should be outlawed, I just think that users should be aware of the weaknesses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-rGnMKszxg

SERPA Level III are not available for hammer fired pistols. The third retention element is where the hammer would be.

Levi said:

For level three retention, I prefer the Safariland ones. I posted my opinion of Serpa's once before and got an ear full. I'm not saying they should be outlawed, I just think that users should be aware of the weaknesses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-rGnMKszxg

Click to expand...

And as long as you keep posting this video as a reason not to use a SERPA, you will CONTINUE to get an earful...

This video has NOTHING to do with the holster. It IS, however, a VERY good example fo the dangers of bad trigger-finger discipline.

When Washington DC metro PD switched from revolvers to Glocks in the mid-1980s, they had over 100 "accidental" discharges in the first year--almost ALL of which were officers shooting themselves when unholstering or holstering their own firearms, and ALL of those were due to bad trigger-finger discipline. This was 20 years before the SERPA even was invented...

The Safariland holsters are excellent. I'm not bashing them. I own several Safariland holsters myself (none of which are the new active-retention models though), and have nothing but praise for their products.

But your personal juhad against SERPAs is getting a little tired, ESPECIALLY since you base your entire opinion on a YouTube video of an idiot who:
1) has no idea how to properly handle a firearm,
2) broke at least 2 of Coopers Gun Safety Rules, and
3) obviously has insufficient training and experience with the SERPA

Please, just drop it. You're making yourself look silly...

I got a level 3 and love it. My draw is not slowed down much because the thumb break is so natural. My only complaint is that it sticks out a little further than a leve 2 would so it makes sitting in chairs and vehicles a little uncomfortable at times. Other than that, great holster

Herr Heckler Koch said:

SERPA Level III are not available for hammer fired pistols. The third retention element is where the hammer would be.

Click to expand...

Gotta call BS on that. I'm wearing a thigh rig SERPA Level 3 with an M9 in it right now. Unless we're not referring to the same Level 3 SERPA.

I purchased it because the Safariland they issued me was so tight that the weapon could not be removed from it (even with the tensioner screw completely removed). My hunch is that they were stored in a hot warehouse under some kind of compression so the kydex became slightly deformed. No way was I going to trust my life to that.

Even if they hadn't been misshapen, I find I can draw much more quickly from the Level 3 SERPA than from the Safariland. The SERPA requires just a "squeeze" with both the thumb and the trigger finger, whereas the Safriland requires three actions (depressing then flipping the thumb break, depressing the thumb release). My only gripe is that the latch that holds the "hood" that forms the 3rd level of retention isn't tapered, so the hood can't be closed without operating the thumb lever.

i plan on purchasing a serpa 3 soon for my hk fullsize .45

I do like the fact that you can have positive retention and it can easily be deactivated with natural hand placement, plus it can be selectively left in level 2 retention for as long as you want/need.

Wow, posting a video of a guy that admitted that he made a mistake to show issues with a holster that wasn't to blame, and even the person that shot himself says it wasn't the holster. Just wow. Perhaps a little more research before opening your mouth large enough for both feet.