Posted: 7/19/2006 3:51:26 PM EDT
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Safariland Raptor II/III What do you guys think of these holsters? We are switching from Sig 229 to Glock 22, and I'm not sure what holster the dept. will be buying. Currently, they issue Uncle Mike's retention level III holsters, the one's with the grey straps all over them. If that's the style they will be getting for the Glock, I am planning to upgrade, and I was considering the Raptor. What's the general consensus on this model? Are there real benefits for the III over the II? I understand the additional finger switch, does it cause significant delay, or does it solely depend on training? How much extra "retention" should I look for? I'm sorry if this is a redoux, I've been monitoring and searching lately and haven't seen much on this question. We haven't done anything in the way of defensive tactics yet in school, so please excuse my ignorance regarding retention. Thanks, and I appreciate in advance any replies... |
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IMO you can never be too safe. Go with the level III and practice with it every day to become proficient. Those extra retention devices could save your life and if you practice with it you will find you can draw your weapon just as fast as someone with a less secure holster. Anyway...you cant go wrong with Safariland. |
| They are a really good holster as long as they do not get too wet. I was working a traffic accident for about an hour in the rain. I was totally wet. My next call was a possible prowler. When I arrived I could not get my gun (Glock 22) out of the Raptor holster. When I got back to the station I was able to fight the gun out. It was dripping wet and the lining of the holster had swollen up. Another guy on the department reported a similar incident. If you don't work where it rains a lot you should be fine. I am in western WA and all it does in the winter is rain. I now carry the Safariland 295 front break holster and love it. |
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They will send you some for T and E I liked it because it will automaticly secure level 3. We had a deputy loose his duty gun after he couldn't get his 070 resnapped before begining a wrestling match. Bad guy got 2 in the back from a back up gun for the mistake of picking up the dropped duty gun. Could of been much worse and a hell of a lot better. I go guns alot and the raptor fits my style of police work better. Training didn't like it because the hood can rotate back and prevent the gun from being reholstered. BULLSHIT reasoning but they have to consider the least skilled employee when making gear decisions. The 6004 has a protective guard to stop this from happening. The 295 is the fastest holster in the world and I call it the give away special. Two guys from a depatment I worked for were disarmed and one shot while carring the "give away special" I liked the speed but no security from a front take away. Would never carry it again unless ordered. |
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I've got the Level III Raptor, and love it. Switched to it on my own after my issue Safariland SSIII kept giving me problems. With a little practice, the finger switch won't give you any problems at all. I have found that they can be a little tricky to reholster -- if you're not careful, the action will want to cycle against the resistance. You can overcome this with thumb placement, but it's hard if you have to do it under stress/in a hurry (ask me how I know...) Still, as I said, I love it and would recommend it in a heartbeat. |
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I have the level three and I love it. I switched from the level two non-raptor with the hood, and it didn't take too long to retrain the muscle memory. You may want to put some grip tape on the finger switch, as it can be slippery when your hands are wet or sweaty. I roughed mine up with the dremel, and that worked great. ETA The only downside is there is not a raptor to accomadate the M3... I miss having the M3 ever present now that I'm on evenings/nights... |
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My guys hate them. They are asking for new holsters right now. Ours are less than a year old. We have had the hood rotate back and cock our SIGs several times to different officers. I just ran them though a week handed drill and nearly all of them had a lot of trouble getting the gun out because of the release button being so small and spring loaded. All of my guys have removed them now. The troops want 6280's and 070's and that is what they are going to be getting to replace these POS Raptors. If you like them use it. |
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All our guys who use it love the Raptor Lev 3. Only negatives I can see with it is weak hand draw is very difficult. The new ALS appears to be a better system. Also - the hood guard should be a standard item on every SLS holster. Very effective at preventing the hood from coming upon until you want it open. |
| I've been using a Safariland Level II raptor for about 3 years now. Not one single problem with it. Weak hand draws are a lot easier with a level II raptor then the level III as others have mentioned. As far as the hood rotating backwards and cocking a Sig, I've never heard or seen that before. My guess is the SLS hood must have been defective from the factory. The SLS hood, for me has been very reliable. I first started using the SLS hood back in 1997-98 |
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My experience w/ any of the more advanced security holsters that safariland has available is good. There is going to be a balance of speed vrs. security w/ all of them. I'm most familiar w/ the 070 and 6004/6280 models. The issue that I have is that I don't believe it to be a wise choice to equip everyone w/ the higher security holsters because not everyone will practice enough and subsequently are moderately incompetant w/ the draw. In most cases it's weapon retention techniques that have to be strongly drilled IMO in order to have your troops be safe. I just wish that there were more holster options for a light mounted on the weapon. Once you experience how useful they are, and how not to abuse them (after all you will be pointing a weapon in the same direction as the light) it's frustrating to be w/out them. |
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Bumping this one up for a little more discussion. Anybody have experience with the Sentry installed on your Safarilands? How about the 6360 ALS? It's a level II, but I think the ALS is quite a step up from just the SLS. I also think, from looking over the models as I have yet to get one on my hip, that the draw motion is much more natural / fluid with the ALS. With the Sentry installed, that's a lot of movement for your thumb, but is it realistically trainable? I have not gotten an ALS with Sentry in my hands yet. I've carried a 070 for about 11 years or so. But the SLS is looking like a very attractive option. I'm not all that sold on the spring loaded fingertip on the Raptor. Discuss (please?) |
| I carry a Raptor Level III along with a Sig P-220. Have been doing so for a couple of years and have zero problems/issues to report. I'm also a firearms instructor and have taken this combination to several classes, including tactical shooting classes and nothing failed, nothing broke, nothing cocked my pistol, etc. |
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I'm a big fan of my 6280. I don't expect my holster to hold onto my gun for me if someone is jerking on it. Only help a little, probably not at all. Holding onto it is up to me. When I draw, I want it NOW! 6280 lets me do that without difficulty. No dance. Just flip the hood (feels similar to a thumb break to me) and draw it. Certainly not a fan of the "contraptor" type holsters (See NorCal's cartoon). |
| I have been using the level III raptor for 4 1/2 years now with bith a berreta 92f and a glock 22. As long as you practice with the holster you will be fine. I have drawn the gun from the holster with the hood up under very stressful conditions and i didnt even remember having to think about the draw. As long as you train with it the movements will come natural. I have also used the 070 with both guns and a 357 revolver. I never liked the snaps because the gun was harder to reholster and if you do not rebutton it there is no security. The raptor will automatically go into a level II once you reholster the gun. This is better if you have to reholster and immediately go hands on with somebody. Merely rotating the hood back up will bring you back into level III. I think you will not be disappointed if you go with the Level III raptor. |