What retention level is your OC holster?

What level are the kydex OWB holsters (i.e Raven or Bravo Concealment) considered? They are pretty retentive and handled a rough bike ride without so much as a wiggle. Frankly they were more secure than my "Level 1" Bulldog snap-retention holster. I will NEVER use a SERPA Level 2 where you need to press a button to release the firearm.

IF with an attacker's hand Only on the grip of the weapon it takes less than 5 seconds to trip/flip/rip/rotate/prestidigitate the firearm from the holster then it's Level-0. Anything that operates solely by friction is unlikely to be Level-1.

I recently added the SLS guard to my already ALS equipped Safariland 6378. There might be an additional .10 second added to my draw time (or I'm just getting older and more arthritic.)

Amazingly, I do not read of anybody using an Ultimate Level retention holster.

We all probably know at least someone who uses one.

It's the person who says they keep their handgun at home in the safe, except for "when I know I'm going to need it".:banghead:

Most anybody with an IQ more than three points higher than a rock knows that if you are "going to need it" you should stay away. Or bring a friend. A friend with a gun. And all his friends with all their guns. (That's sometimes refered to the army in response to the question "Oh yeah? You and what army?")

BTW - I'm still waiting for the verified report of some OCer having their gun taken from them because they were OCing. That three-figure cash reward is building up interest - even if it is at today's paltry rates. Anybody else want to try to claim it?

stay safe.

mobiushky said:

There is no standard way of ranking and no defined meaning for levels.

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Wrong. Put simply, they're the number of ways the firearm is "actively retained," meaning the wearer must do something specific to defeat that means of retention. Friction doesn't count, so the old-style leather holster in which I carry my 1851 Navy Arms .44 caliber cap and ball black powder revolver would be considered to have a retention "Level 0."

Fallschirmjäger said:

IF with an attacker's hand Only on the grip of the weapon it takes less than 5 seconds to trip/flip/rip/rotate/prestidigitate the firearm from the holster then it's Level-0.

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That's one way of stating it, although I would argue the "5 seconds" is highly arbitrary, and therefore not any sort of a "standard."

I submit the following, from a common law enforcement manual:


The questionnaire should have been:

Level 0 (no retention except friction)
Level 1 - One means of retention
Level 2 - Two means of retention
Level 3 - Three means of retention
Other

I haven't a clue as to what "Level 4" might be. A padlock? Lol...

Thus, to answer the OP's question, my tactical holster has Level 1 retention.

since9 said:

Wrong.

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No, he's correct.
If you doubt it, perhaps you may wish to inquire of the people who came up with the idea of, and standards for, "Levels of Security" for holsters.
They came up with the 'five second' rule as shown in the following video.
http://www.safariland.com/DutyGear/info/retention.aspx

If you have some information the standards for retention levels (that I might add were invented by the gentleman/company in the link) aren't the standards by which retentions levels are determined,.... I'd love to hear it.

If you had followed the previous links, you wouldn't be confused as to what a Level-4 holster was, as one is demonstrated at the end of the video.

If a firearm can be removed from its holster within 5-seconds, No Matter if it has 1,2, 3 or 10 methods of retention, then it isn't even a Level-1 holster. Retention levels are about performance, not numbers of devices as you posted.

Friction is a retention level, and not all holsters have it.

A good friction-retention holster will hold the gun while running, jumping, and somersaulting.

Some holsters I would just call a gravity design. Bounce hard enough and it will come out.

So I would not put both of these designs as a zero.

My Bladetech Kydex holster has a noticeable "snap" to it when my EDC 1911 is put into it. It's quite secure, but not against a good snatch. I'd use something different if I was a cop, or had to be around crowds.

I've got a Fobus friction-retention holster for my P22. It's so hard to pull out, I hate it. I can probably adjust it, but I've not gotten around to it.

I've got a Galco King-Tuk for my 1911 also. The friction-retention on this is so good, I can't draw the gun. Seriously. While playing with the gun and holster in my hands, I can get the gun in and out with little hassle. But when I'm actually wearing the holster, I can't find the draw angle at any level of force to get it to give me my gun. I thought I was losing my mind at first.

Okay, I just got a Safariland 7378 ALS paddle holster for my S&W Model 37. I've found it to be more convenient than the Speed Safety spring holster I've been using for it, and it's still concealable. I didn't get the 567BL belt loop accessory with it. (eBay, what can I say?) The holster is available on holsters.com in left and right hand, and the belt loops are available for about $6.00. Shipping for the belt loop is $5.00.

The ALS system is very secure and very fast. Anyone trying a "snatch" would be pretty surprised.