Drop leg holster?

[Actionjrs]

That's a good point and I am on the slim side I think I might just try it out see how it works for me since every one is different

 

[giggitygiggity]

Is that the issue of shooting your leg as you draw it?

Debris can get behind the release paddle, which locks the gun in the holster. If you shoot standing up on a square range then it will probably never happen to you. If you need to become a worm in the dirt, as sometimes happens in real gunfights, that may be a risk you don't want to take.

Gents, how much validity is in these statements about SERPAs causing people to shoot their leg during drawing or the release being obstructed? I am not saying that these things have not or will never happen and I am not defending the SERPA. However, I will say that in my experience involving hundreds of days spent training in sandy/windy CA deserts and deploying to Afghanistan where 99% of us exclusively used drop leg SERPAs, I never saw either of these two events (accidental discharge due to the SERPA or the release being obstructed). I suspect that such concerns are internet conjecture supported by a couple "once in a blue moon" actual cases.

 

[JTQ]

Gents, how much validity is in these statements about SERPAs causing people to shoot their leg during drawing or the release being obstructed? ...

I suspect that such concerns are internet conjecture supported by a couple "once in a blue moon" actual cases.

Probably not.

https://www.fletc.gov/sites/default...g-room/training-information/holisterStudy.pdf

If you want more opinions, you could probably go to the website for some professional hand gun trainers and see if they have banned the SERPA from their classes.

 

[JTQ]

Actionjrs wrote,
That's a good point and I am on the slim side I think I might just try it out see how it works for me since every one is different

The advantage of a forum is to get other's inputs on the mistakes they made and then you can avoid making the same mistakes, based on their advice. Basically, everybody has said drop leg holster are a bad idea, but the only way you'll really know is try it yourself.

 

[ATLDave]

Some people post questions on the internet to get information. A larger number post questions looking for confirmation.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Originally posted by Dogmush:

I would not be "bugging out", on foot, with a backpack heavy enough I need a waist strap, and only a pistol. So my suggestion there is if your plan includes that, come up with a new plan.

Amen!

If your plan includes bugging out on foot -- next vacation, put your plan into action. Hike to your intended bugout location and spend a couple of weeks living out of your backpack and see how that works out.

 

[AnselHazen]

I have one and it has very specific times that it can be useful. But I would never own one made with Kydex. I hate the stuff anyway but down the side of my leg is the last place I want a rock hard thing like a Serpa holster. Strictly nylon cordura for me if it's a drop leg.

I find it useful for tramping the property and doing livestock chores. I can haul my pistol out faster from a drop leg than up on my waistband if I spook a predator.

I also use it exclusively when at my ranges centerfire pistol competitions. I like it down there for that.

But my EDC is still a Bulldog 31 otherwise.

 

[rondog]

Maybe if you're into cosplay and dressing up as Lara Croft.....

 

[strambo]

I've been issued various drop leg holsters starting when I was a contractor (and actually taught how to set it up right), but have never used one overseas. I run a belt holster whenever I can and a holster mounted to my armor when I can't.

It shouldn't be hard to find an offset belt holster that would work with a backpack waist belt.

I don't think it is a bad idea to get a plate carrier or armor of some sort, it isn't just a SHTF item. Store it under your bed with a spare magazine and light on it. If something goes bump in the night, put it on. If you don't have time to put it on...well that took care of itself then.

At one point I realized I had a big, complex piece of high end armor and plates sitting in my closet. I decided I'd feel dumb if I got shot with armor sitting there useless (too many buckles etc to ever get on fast). So, I had a custom carrier made to fit the panels. Now I can throw it on in a few seconds, even with one hand, and it sits under the bed (with empty holster, 1 AR mag, 1 pistol mag and spare light) ready to go.

 

[benEzra]

Another issue is that (at least for me) it is practically impossible to sprint wearing one, or run at any pace for very long wearing one, at least if you are carrying anything with mass equal to or greater than a Glock 26. If I were going to choose a holster to wear during an evacuation/crisis, a holster that greatly limits mobility would seem to me to be a poor choice.

 

[strambo]

And you can't hope to conceal it...might be best to conceal it depending on the situation even a full-blown SHTF bug out. With a belt holster, you could just pop your shirt or jacket over it, walk past the police checkpoint (or whatever) then keep moving. A crisis is not the time to get detained by whatever authorities are around and dis-armed (for your safety).

They also make soft armor panels to fit backpacks. The level IIIa soft insert from US Palm for their plate carrier is under $100. Also, most people tend to pack waaayyy too much crap in a BOB. A small BOB (day pack size) with a level IIIa soft armor insert and a belt holster would be ideal IMO. Infantry motto: "travel light, freeze at night." You don't need to be comfortable, or live off the land indefinitely, just get from pt A to pt B.

The best "prep" the average American could make is get their diet and fitness in order, hard to bug out when you died of heart disease 2 years before the apocalypse! Hard to bug out with 50-60 lbs of extra weight before you've added a single piece of gear. (Just a general statement/observation, not an assumption about the OP)

 

[Actionjrs]

Thanks. strambo what kind of plate carrier and plates would you suggest? And what do you mean off set belt holster can you give me a model I can look up? And I'm in decent shape when me and my buddies go camping my backpack always weighs at least 50lbs. All though I'm working on making it lighter.

 

[JTQ]

And what do you mean off set belt holster can you give me a model I can look up?

Here are some offset holsters.

Hillsman http://www.hillsmanholster.com/STIEagleRangeMaster.html

Ready Tactical https://cpwsa.com/collections/holsters/products/ready-tactical-dropped-and-offset-doh-holster

There are lots of others, these just have better pictures.

 

[strambo]

Here is a decently priced carrier with soft level IIIa (stops all handgun, shotgun and subgun threats) front and rear. https://dsgarms.com/usp00400630

This would be my go-to place for hard plates if I needed them: https://www.spartanarmorsystems.com/

They have level III plates (stops rifle, but not AP) at under $100 per up to high end level IV ceramic. Hard plates are heavy, 7-8lbs each. My current set up has soft level IIIa front and rear and a level IV plate in front only. It is for HD so I'll mostly be fighting from a barricade position, but still have IIIa in the back.

I'm not really into gear that much, don't know about all the different carriers. I'd just get the one that comes with US Palm or the one that can be added to the order of plates at Spartan Armor.

 

[tarosean]

Here are some offset holsters.
There are lots of others, these just have better pictures.

Here is another example. Blade-tech DOH

 

[Actionjrs]

Ok thanks guys I'm really diggin that blade tech doh.

 

[JTQ]

Here's the Ben Stoeger set up for the Blade-Tech http://benstoegerproshop.com/bsps-boss-dropped-offset-doh-holster/

 

[lpsharp88]

Personally, I think drop leg holsters are horrible. The pistol bangs on all kinds of stuff, they flop around, are plenty uncomfortable, etc. My unit issued us drop leg holsters for our deployment, and as soon as I figured out the above, I bought my own belt holster and never looked back. If you are considering a drop leg due to LBE getting in the way, waist belt getting in the way, etc., many manufacturers make low ride holster options, or spacers. With those, the holster either sits a few inches lower, or creates a little more of a gap between the waist and the holster. Look at those.

 

[aarondhgraham]

I've made several drop leg holsters,,,

I've made several drop leg holsters for people at my range,,,
They all say the exact same thing.

They are great for showing off and looking cool,,,
But they just don't have the practicality that a hip holster does.

Aarond

.

.

 

[Stand1 Scott]

We used to get issued a Blackhawk Soft panel drop leg holster, it was rubbish. if you had the issued Sig P226 in it, you could eject the magazine by brushing against things. Dire.

Loads of guys bought the Serpa drop leg, as did I. it looked cool, I took mine off the leg rig and fitted it to their patrol low ride belt loop.

much much better. I stuck to that system for 6 yrs.
Now we are issued G17 with the Radar drop leg.
drop legs still suck..