What should my first gun be?

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ScottyT wrote:

Not to mention that Blackhawk has some of the best customer service I have EVER dealt with. I broke the paddle attachment on my SERPA (by accidentally shock loading it with my entire body weight) so I called them, explained that it was my fault and asked if I could buy a new paddle attachment. They sent me out a free attachment that I received in 2 days.

Love the products, love the company.

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Agreed.

I too broke my paddle in a similar fashion as ScottyT. I called Blackhawk! customer service to see if I could order a new one.

The customer service agent explained to me that there had been a few paddles broken recently, so they started making them stronger.

She said she would mail me one free of charge. I also asked if I could order two rail attachments for my magazine holders.

She said the have them available, but since I experienced a problem with their product, that she would mail the rails free as well.

+1000 for Blackhawk!'s customer service! :celebrate:monkey

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bbvk05 wrote:

Avoid the SERPA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McE1zyDiEMQ

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Thought that this had been put to rest a long time ago. This has almost obtained status as a bona fide urban legend.

Serpas are widely used and accepted with an extremely good performance record.
I personally own three - they constitute my daily carry holster of choice for both OC & CC. SOCOM just decided to use them.

I only know of one anecdotal story (not be confirmed with witnesses) of a "pebble" jam - my 1911 will jamb if it gets a stone in it!

In any event Blackhawk made a change to their holsters a long time ago just because of the rumors.

The few courses that disallow them, did so not because of any actual, first hand problems, but because of the rumors.
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bbvk05 is posting this all over OCDO - not sure what the agenda is, but it is definitely not a public service announcement.

Yata hey

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I used mine on missions on the US Border in the dust, sand and rock, and i also used one daily for ocing when i could (stupid alabama). And the service is awesome from Blackhawk. I have a lot of there stuff.

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By the way if anyone was curious, I decided to go with the Smith and Wesson sigma .40, it might be a little big but I happened to figure out some one I know has a brand new one for a steal.

Soon as I dig up the money, thats what I will have.

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HansUser wrote:

By the way if anyone was curious, I decided to go with the Smith and Wesson sigma .40, it might be a little big but I happen to figure out some one I know has a brand new one for a steal.

Soon as I dig up the money, thats what I will have.

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The gun you like will be the gun you carry. That is what counts, little else.

When you get it wring it out for reliability. I like to see 500 rd down range w/o problems using carry ammo before my confidence level peaks, but realize that is getting to be more and more expensive.

Yata hey

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Grapeshot wrote:

HansUser wrote:

By the way if anyone was curious, I decided to go with the Smith and Wesson sigma .40, it might be a little big but I happen to figure out some one I know has a brand new one for a steal.

Soon as I dig up the money, thats what I will have.

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The gun you like will be the gun you carry.  That is what counts, little else.

When you get it wring it out for reliability.  I like to see 500 rd down range w/o problems using carry ammo before my confidence level peaks, but realize that is getting to be more and more expensive.

          Yata hey 

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I went and checked it out yesterday. Brand new in box and very clean and feels great, and pretty comfortable. The person who owns it bought two since it was such a great deal(I know him personally)and claims to have shot his over 1,000 times with out a jam ever since the gun was new using cheap shells. I of course know him well enough he would not lie

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HansUser wrote:

Grapeshot wrote:

HansUser wrote:

By the way if anyone was curious, I decided to go with the Smith and Wesson sigma .40, it might be a little big but I happen to figure out some one I know has a brand new one for a steal.

Soon as I dig up the money, thats what I will have.

Click to expand...

The gun you like will be the gun you carry. That is what counts, little else.

When you get it wring it out for reliability. I like to see 500 rd down range w/o problems using carry ammo before my confidence level peaks, but realize that is getting to be more and more expensive.

Yata hey

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I went and checked it out yesterday. Brand new in box and very clean and feels great, and pretty comfortable. The person who owns it bought two since it was such a great deal(I know him personally)and claims to have shot his over 1,000 times with out a jam ever since the gun was new using cheap shells. I of course know him well enough he would not lie

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Just don't bet your life on it. Even factory warranties don't cover that.

Most all guns will shoot hardball fine. More expensive defensive ammo (read large cavity hollow points) sometimes are a problem with a gun preferring one brand over another.

Enjoy and welcome to our world.

Yata hey

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After watching the video on Youtube.com about the blackhawk failing...I ordered a blackhawk serpa cqc for my Ruger sr9. I've heard nothing but good things about them.

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Um, yeah... that guy needs a life.

"If a pebble or something gets stuck in there, you'll have to cut off the holster."

Uh... are you serious? He even mentions all the "crap" floating around in his pocket... um... you wear your SERPA in your pocket?

Aren't you MORE worried about all this fictional "crap" getting inside the gun itself?

Don't you carry any backup weapons? Knives, BUGs, etc?

This is so ludicrous I am writing it off completely. I have done a lot of stuff with my SERPA on, including landscaping, roofing, demo-ing, etc and NEVER has ANYTHING EVER gotten inside my SERPA except dust and dirt. I guess the buttons on my shirt either just won't fall off, or, oh yeah, they are located down the CENTER of my chest whereas the SERPA is at my 3 o'clock... flying buttons away! Bet you can't land in my SERPA with my gun holstered AND seem to lodge right in that special ONE spot! Go on, I dare you!

Loser... :cuss:

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I personally own 5 Serpa holsters. One for each of the 1911, XD.45, M9, and two for the Glock 19. I carry one of them every day in some real extreme conditions. I have literally crawled through mud and dirt wearing my thigh rig and have never had one fail. I know lots of people who use them and none of them have ever had a failure. I have personally had thumb breaks fail, both failure to retain and failure to release. Has anyone here NOT had a thumb break fail? So, the new technology gets slammed because it might fail but the old technology gets a pass because everybody just accepts the fact that it fails all the time.

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Francis Marion wrote:

I personally own 5 Serpa holsters. One for each of the 1911, XD.45, M9, and two for the Glock 19. I carry one of them every day in some real extreme conditions. I have literally crawled through mud and dirt wearing my thigh rig and have never had one fail. I know lots of people who use them and none of them have ever had a failure. I have personally had thumb breaks fail, both failure to retain and failure to release. Has anyone here NOT had a thumb break fail? So, the new technology gets slammed because it might fail but the old technology gets a pass because everybody just accepts the fact that it fails all the time.

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Spoken by someone with hands-on experience in one of the harshest, dirtiest environments in the world - great endorsement.

If someone hasn't had a thumb break fail, they either practice and/or carry but very little. Likely both.

Thank you for your service.

Yata hey