Range Review-Blackhawk Lev 2 SERPA Holster

[ZeSpectre]

All of the holsters for my SIG 229 were open top and I decided I wanted something capable of retention for those (rare) times when I had to go open carry (like in restaurants that serve alcohol...stupid VA law).

Also one of my holsters had started creaking mercilessly no matter what I tried.

So on the advice of my local gun store guy I ordered (because I'm a lefty) a Blackhawk Level II SERPA retention holster.

It's a carbon fiber injection molded holster fit to a specific firearm and "Level II" means that it uses friction and a locking mechanism to keep the firearm in the holster.

It also comes with an optional attachment to turn it into a paddle holster if you so desire.

The SERPA design uses a mechanism that locks onto the trigger guard when the firearm is holstered and unlocks with your index finger alongside the holster. As I understand it there has been some debate about the safety of such a system but I have found that my finger indexes naturally to the area above the trigger so I don't see this as a problem.

The holster is easy to draw from and easy to re-holster. It give you a nice audible click when the locking system has engaged.

While the stiffness of the holster makes re-holstering easy (the holster will not collapse) it does hinder concealment some as it has a fairly sharp outline. I did not find this an issue but I'm a pretty big guy so the gun kinda vanishes anyway. If you switch to the paddle holster configuration you can forget concealment as it holds the gun quite a bit away from the body.

I have found this holster to be stable and it seems to do a very nice job of holding the firearm secure. Not the heaviest duty holster out there but I think it's more than sufficient for the average open carry or CCW use.

 

[Ergosphere]

It's a carbon fiber injection molded holster

No it isn't... it's polymer. I actually called them and asked a few months ago.

 

[Don Gwinn]

Not exactly. Everything but the very lowest end of the line is made with carbon fiber embedded in polymer of whatever the finished color should be.

Ironically enough, the models that look like traditional "carbon fiber" (which has the fibers embedded in a transparent resin so you can see them) actually only have a "faux carbon fiber" veneer applied to part of the holster--but the ones that look like simple plastic still contain carbon fiber.

The "sport" line is the only SERPA holster made with more "standard" polymer.

I wasn't aware of the debate over the safety of the lock switch--what's the concern there? People don't like the way it positions your finger, or it's too easy for someone else to disengage, or what?

Personally I find it puts my finger pretty high on the frame, just about where I'd have it anyway, at least on the 1911 and P220 models.

 

[LiquidTension]

That's the holster I use on duty. I'd say at least a third of the rest of the agents use one as well. I bought two - one to keep on my duty belt and one to keep as a paddle for EDC at the office. I got tired of switching the mounting platform out when we went to serve warrants.

They are fast, stable holsters. I like them a lot.

I did read where someone got a bit of debris stuck in the locking mechanism that effectively trapped the gun in the holster, but it was only one report and I haven't seen any other reports of similar occurrences.