Wow ... Just ... Wow.
I watched all the videos, and noted all the potential Serpa "malfunctions." then I unloaded and tried to reproduce them with my CQC.
No joy.
One I was almost sure would happen, i.e. the holster twisting off of the paddle. Nope. I twisted, pulled, pushed, and torqued and did as many as possible simultaneously, wasn't happening. So I loosened the screws and tried again. And ... nope. The paddle and belt attachments have depressed areas slightly larger than the screw heads that hold it all in position even if the screws are loose, well, right up until the point where the screws are so loose they're already falling out. After all that, I remembered that I once got my CQC (on a belt, not paddle) hung up on a fence and it held most of my body weight for almost fifteen seconds as I worked myself loose. So, I'm not worried about it.
The one where the front sight binds on the plastic tension arm when the pistol is inserted backwards for one armed reloading? Especially with M&Ps? I carry an M&P. I jammed it in, wiggled it, pushed harder, twisted, hit it on the table. Couldn't get it to happen. I practice that particular reloading technique (along with several others) every time I run drills (1000 rounds every week), it's never happened. So, I'm not worried about it.
As for the "sand/grit/gravel jamming the release," yeah, I could see that happening. Due to my job, I've rolled around in the sand/gravel/dirt while wearing my CQC, it's never happened. I have several friends in the sandbox who use Serpas, and we all know how much soldiers roll around in the dirt, they have nothing but good things to say. So, I'm not worried about it.
I could possibly see the finger falling on the trigger as you draw because your adrenaline is pumping and your fine motor control is completely shot. I did the "You lookin at me?" in the mirror a few dozen times. Didn't happen. I'm not saying it couldn't, but, it never did. Maybe because I was thinking about it. Maybe because I have trained myself properly. Maybe because my heart wasn't going 150BPM+ or because my adrenaline wasn't pumping. On the other hand, I practice drills that include high exertion to the point of gasping for breath and shaking hands, and I can't ever remember it happening. So, I'm not worried about it.
Either way, I love my Serpas. They're all CQCs. I've had them for nearly five years and, other than one leather IWB I wear when dressed up and the low profile leather for my BUG, they're all I use. I'm not changing.
Oh, and, I'm not a LEO, but I do spend a lot of time in rough country, jumping fences, climbing various stuff, crawling into tight spaces, and/or rolling around on the ground; retention is important to me and I don't think it's a "for LEOs only" type of thing. If you never do anything active, you
may not need it. For those of us who are active, I recommend it, and the CQC.
So? What's my final verdict? Well ...
I'm not worried about it.
