Poll: Your Retention Level

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• Please answer for yourmost commonly used holster.
• I know this varies depending on where you are OCing. Use the most common.

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I carry that really dangerous, don't get caught in a sandstorm, Blackhawk Serpa. (The pre-recall one, too)

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I got a rock jamed in mine it could not fall out.Serpa level 9 with stone option.Ha Ha

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Can you purchase serpa holsters at any sporting goods/outdoors stores? Actually, I haven't seen any retention system other than a simple thumb break device.

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I have a question. My leather holster solidly grips the firearm, keeping it in the holster and requiring a firm tug to remove it, however it doesn't have any device that need be moved/removed/deactivated in order to draw. Is this considered retention or not?

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It is my understanding that your (Dreqo) holster would be retention level 0.

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I have a holster thay I can pull my firearm out without effort. If I have to tug, push or pull with a lot of effort, that is considered time taken away from the business at hand. I OC/CC 50% of the time. Pulling a shirt out or up, or a coat back, that's time.

Most, but not all, people that I am around on a day to day bases knows I carry. I carry in sush a way that someone can't just grab it. If you have to lock your firearm to your body then why not just leave it at home.

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On my exposed carry excursions I carry in an Uncle Mike's Pro-3 duty holster on a duty belt.

Without a thumbbreak strap on a holster and no tension screws or special devices gripping the trigger guard, a holster would be level zero. Carrying this way would make you 100% dependent upon your situational awarenes and your ability to defend your weapon form a snatch.

Adding retention devices and skills will help increase the difficulty for someone attempting to disarm you. I'd say it was worth it to buy a little time in the event someone does something stupid.

Of note- in my contact with police in August, it took several tries for the officer to sucessfully draw my weapon from my holster-

with my hands interlaced behind my head-

my stance spread and stationary-

while giving him verbal instructions-

This confirmed to me the value of retention in the event therewas a struggle for my weapon. Even if they did pull on it, Id have a fighting chance.

On another note- I wont be instructing other officers how to draw from my holster again. If they want to inspect my weapon that bad, they will have to learn how to draw without my help. After all, they are the professionals- they should know.

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vmathis12019 wrote:

It is my understanding that your (Dreqo) holster would be retention level 0.

Click to expand...

Thats what I was thinking, too, all though that doesn't make sense to me since it does indeed retain the weapon to some degree. Otherwise, it would fall out if turned upside-down, right?

Anyway I guess mynormalsafarilandholster (not the leather one) islvl 1, all though it's a rather difficult lvl 1 for someone to snatch. I'm more than happy with the security it provides, especially since it doesn't slow my draw at all.

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Can you give descriptions of the levels for the not so educated (me, and probably 1 or two other people )

My Galco SSS has a retention screw that kind of squeezes the leather tighter, would that be considered level 1?

I've seen the Sherpas with the level two index finger switch. I've read about the Level 3 sherpas with the hood that covers the slide.

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I am basing my understanding of retention level on the following LEO website:

http://www.theppsc.org/Staff_Views/Conway/duty_holster_considerations.htm

It states that:

• (a side note, Dreqo's would probably not be considered a level I. Although it requires the pistol to be moved/rocked, this does not clear some internal locking device. This is of course based upon the aforementioned definition.)

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I usually carry my XD45 in a Galco holster with no thumbbreak. However, I does fit rather tight and unless you draw at just the right angle (took quite a bit of practice to get it down) it's just not coming out. Thats not just supposition on my part either, I had a buddy of mine attempt to snatch my gun from several different positions with limited success. And the times he did get it out I had more than enough time to fight back.
Summary: No retention /= Not safe

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I guess my Blade-Tech Kydex IWB holster would bea "Level 0" :question:

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Nice poll!

My Blackhawk SERPA CQC is a level 2 auto-locking holster. It's my only OC holster, and it works perfectly and it keeps the gun INSIDE very well. I've yanked on the thing, and short of breaking my belt off, it keeps the gun inside. Yet the release mechanism is smooth from the owner's vantage point and requires little effort.

There is no thumb break. Just push down on the little lever w/ your trigger finger, and pull the gun straight out. It's one simple flowing natural motion.

Plus, it fits both of my XD's (service and subbie) perfectly.

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DreQo wrote:

I have a question. My leather holster solidly grips the firearm, keeping it in the holster and requiring a firm tug to remove it, however it doesn't have any device that need be moved/removed/deactivated in order to draw. Is this considered retention or not?

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I have an IWB holster that sounds like what you are describing. I do a lot of field work and thought that it was sufficient as it was snug and you could hold the holster up side down and it would stay, but then one day I was leaving the office and running to catch a bus and clunk, out came my gun and landed on the sidewalk. The bouncing up and down as I ran did the trick.

I don't use that holster any more and all my holsters are now level 1 (I am not including my fanny packs as I don't know what they would qualify as, but think of them as level 1, where you unzip and then draw.)



Tarzan

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kmcdowel wrote:

I am basing my understanding of retention level on the following LEO website:

http://www.theppsc.org/Staff_Views/Conway/duty_holster_considerations.htm

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Based on that, my Fobus has retention level 0....
However, the pistol "snaps" into the holster and will not fall out...even if held upside down. I have ran, rolled around on the ground and ridden my ATV all day without ever losing my weapon. The pistol also has to be drawn at a "proper angle" to get it out consistently.

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DreQo wrote:

vmathis12019 wrote:

It is my understanding that your (Dreqo) holster would be retention level 0.

Click to expand...

Thats what I was thinking, too, all though that doesn't make sense to me since it does indeed retain the weapon to some degree. Otherwise, it would fall out if turned upside-down, right?

Anyway I guess mynormalsafarilandholster (not the leather one) islvl 1, all though it's a rather difficult lvl 1 for someone to snatch. I'm more than happy with the security it provides, especially since it doesn't slow my draw at all.

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I see what you're saying. I think most people are basing their understanding of levels based on a scale that doesn't include friction type retention holsters. These holsters do, of course, "retain" the weapon, but in the sense that the poll is referring too, they do not have a retention level.

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When I OC its a 1911 in a thumb break holster 99.9% of the time. I CC most of the time though in a open top IWB holster.

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I guess I'm in the Zero category.

This is my rig from Bianchi. It keeps a very tight hold ontheweapon & requires fast, hard tug to break free. Also like others have said, it seems to lock-up & not let go if you pull the gun from the wrong angle.





It does have an O-Ring type retention device that can be used if I feel it necessary but 99% of the time it remains tucked between the holster & my belt.



This picture from Bianchi's web site shows the O-ring in place.

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I use a G-Code holster it has a retention screw, however it isn't tightened.
Not a pic of my gear
I use the IWB, narrow and standard belt attachments along with the dual mag carrier.