What are retentions for holsters ?

[A Fox]

I see a lot of people always telling me get a retention A holster but I'm getting a XD4O F/S pistol for open carry security.
FYI
I'm completely new to any firearms, but I'm very solid on the firearm safety [ Tho the rangemaster at 2A doesn't like my pester when I'm unsure with a firearm]

[sharxbyte]

Retention is a device which prevents a gun from being drawn without first disabling it. A strap or lever serves the purpose.

Here's a Serpa open carry holster for your gun.


A couple more for your viewing pleasure:

https://youtu.be/VUCqk00SKBU

https://youtu.be/pzC7zbpT9cc

Best advice is practice practice practice. know your gun, take it apart, shoot it lots. 500 rounds or more before you start working. Practice indexing magazines, reloading, clearing malfunctions, watch videos on youtube and read a lot. If you're anywhere near Sacramento, schedule a pistol proficiency course with Wes Lagomarsino.

[AreWeFree]

You need to work with your company on training and equipment, since it appears you'll be using this for your job.

[sharxbyte]

Safariland ALS. The Serpa holsters are dangerous to the user and poor quality.

from what I was reading, only dangerous if you have your booger hook near the bang switch prematurely, i.e. bad form...

I cannot speak to the quality.

[onelonehorseman]

Retention can also just refer to the adjustment, that many holster have, for tightening the space between front/rear halves, allowing more, or less, energy required to unholster the firearm. It does not need to necessarily be an additional strap or manual locking device.

[gotthelife4u]

I see a lot of people always telling me get a retention A holster but I'm getting a XD4O F/S pistol for open carry security.
FYI
I'm completely new to any firearms, but I'm very solid on the firearm safety [ Tho the rangemaster at 2A doesn't like my pester when I'm unsure with a firearm]

If you are going to be in a uniform get a Safariland ALS type holster.

[jcri0006]

Safariland ALS Lv3. My son's SF battalion uses Safariland ALS as well.

[MrOrange]

Sounds like A Fox is asking about a level of retention called "retention A".

Haven't heard about alpha levels, but the classic retention definitions have been Levels I-III.

Here's a bit of explanation from the horse's mouth:

Safariland

The previously mentioned Safariland ALS is a Level III, and Safariland has also come up with what they call a Level IV. As you could probably surmise, with these kinds of holsters that require distinct and separate movements to unlock & draw, you need to practice quite a bit before taking one out for reals.

[floogy]

^What MrOrange said.

Retention can also just refer to the adjustment, that many holster have, for tightening the space between front/rear halves, allowing more, or less, energy required to unholster the firearm. It does not need to necessarily be an additional strap or manual locking device.

Any holster has some amount of passive retention. Kydex with an adjustable screw lets you adjust the amount of it, but it's still passive. A "retention holster" has some sort of active retention device. Some even have a couple devices which is called "level 3" IIRC. I think the Safariland level 3 requires the strap to be moved forward and the gun to be canted back to draw because of the two active retention features.

Unless your company requires level III, I'd get one with just a single active retention device. Good luck. Hopefully your job requirement allows you to start up a shooting hobby.

[Snoopy47]

I have both a duty retention (1911) and concealed retention (for a G17 and G19) from Safariland.

They way they are designed relative to the Serpa is that the THUMB is what is used to disengage the retention switch, unlike the Serpa that used the TRIGGER FINGER.

The way the Safariland design is that when done correctly, there isn't additional time added to drawing the pistol. For the Duty holster I disengage the device when on he downward motion as a reach for the pistol. On the concealed holster, and disengage the level III device protecting the release switch, and then on the upward motion release the retention part (level II) that is locking the pistol in place.

Here's how I think the retention levels work.

Level I the only retention is the way the pistol has to be removed from the holster. In the case of my level II holster, the pistol has to come straight up or it gets hung up on the leather lining that is causing friction.

In the case of the level II holster there is not only the level I retention, but a strap locking the pistol in place.

On Level III there is a lever blocking the lever that is locking in the pistol, and then it has to be pulled straight up.

It sounds like a lot, but with practice, when the downward hand motion unlocks the Level III, and the upward hand motion unlocks the level II, and pulling straight up are all coordinated it doesn't ad anymore time with the exception of a RACE HOLSTER used for competitive shooting.

[A Fox]

Thank you all for your replies. They were very much informative, I would have replied sooner but the new post is rushing my training since it turned out I'm replacing the officer.. This weekend.. > . <

two of my local firearm dealers recommended BlackHawk, but reading the recommendations; I believe Safariland would be my choice. I too was uneasy about having a safety release in the area of the trigger. I asked if I could possibly have a ND, I was told no. Thank you all.