Safariland ALS

[Paul Gomez]

I received this note via a couple of different sources earlier today.
I've put out some feelers to get more details. I haven't seen any issues with the ALS but I am always interested in hearing about this sort of stuff.

/////////////////////////////

This is a notice to all Law Enforcement Agencies using the Safariland ALS Holsters.

Provo Police Department, in Provo, Utah has experienced malfunctions with Safariland ALS Holsters. Officers experience failures when shooting prone and gravel was introduced into the body of the holster. Gravel became trapped behind the ALS mechanism causing a re-holstered pistol to lock inside the holster. When this happened the pistol could not be removed from the holster without specialized tools. This failure occured with 58% of the ALS equipped holsters while training officers in specific gun fighting drills on the ground.

Provo Police Department has made Safariland aware of this issue.

////////////////////////////

 

[Nolacopusmc]

That is the same tpe of issue as with the Serpa. Any holster with a moving locking mechanism is prone to foreign objects getting behind said mechanism and jamming it. We have about 1500 officers using these holsters and have experienced no major malfunctions. Now granted, we fire in an indoor range, but as a concealment or normal enviroment duty holster, I do not forsee any problems.

 

[spanky]

Interesting.

 

[spanky]

That is the same tpe of issue as with the Serpa. Any holster with a moving locking mechanism is prone to foreign objects getting behind said mechanism and jamming it. We have about 1500 officers using these holsters and have experienced no major malfunctions. Now granted, we fire in an indoor range, but as a concealment or normal enviroment duty holster, I do not forsee any problems.

As I see it, the issue comes into play when you're rolling on the ground and really need to get to your gun.

 

[Nolacopusmc]

As I see it, the issue comes into play when you're rolling on the ground and really need to get to your gun.

Valid point, but so far, this is all that has been heard on these holsters. they are still new, so the jury is out. It would be interesting to see what these specific drills were. I missed the 58% part. That is a little high. Really high actually. Again though, any locking mechanism is succeptable to that. I have even had snaps lcok up on me.

 

[Paul Gomez]

Valid point, but so far, this is all that has been heard on these holsters. they are still new, so the jury is out. It would be interesting to see what these specific drills were. I missed the 58% part. That is a little high. Really high actually. Again though, any locking mechanism is succeptable to that. I have even had snaps lcok up on me.

I'm working on it. As Jeremy said, the problem is that if the holster ties up when you most need it, you're kinda screwed. Now, while I've never seen an SLS or ALS tie up in such a way that you couldn't get the gun out, I have seen the SLS seize in the open position due to grit and crap buildup.

Yeah, somebody told me about them damn Serpas once...

 

[topgunz1]

We have a ton of safariland holsters in service for years without any problems. The only issue I ever had was with my old one that locked into the ejection port and required the weapon to be rocked backwards before you could draw. On a cold day I couldn't draw my weapon. I think it expanded with heat and got stuck