Do Fobus & Serpa Holsters Scratch Up Your Gun ??

[billt]

Have any of you guys carried a gun long term in one of these type of holsters? If so do they scratch up a polymer framed weapon? They just don't seem to forgiving in that department. I like some of the SERPA models, but I've often wondered how a Tupperware frame would hold up with constant use?

[fightingquaker13]

Have any of you guys carried a gun long term in one of these type of holsters? If so do they scratch up a polymer framed weapon? They just don't seem to forgiving in that department. I like some of the SERPA models, but I've often wondered how a Tupperware frame would hold up with constant use?

Dittos to that question.
FQ13

[r_w]

Only when they are dirty.  No give so any sand embeds in one side and becomes sandpaper to the other. 

Great for a bump in the night holster, slap the paddle on and go.  But not a great design for crawling through the mud or sandbox.

[mkm]

Short answer:  It depends.

I can only speak for the fobus and I've had mixed results.  I got really blessed (spoiled really) when I purchased my first pistol 5.5 years ago.  I bought a used glock 19 from an individual for an awesome price.  It came with a fobus holster and a couple of others.  I usually keep it in another holster but carried it (up until a year ago) in the fobus.  It shows very little wear over all and most of that is on the slide.

I liked the holster a lot an have a tendency toward brand loyalty (maybe a bit ocd); so, I purchased one for a Walther P22.  That gun was pretty much brand new when I started using the holster and it pretty much stripped the slide.  I don't recall any frame damage, but the slide was in poor enough shape that my brother ended up removing all of the factory coating and duracoating it.  To my knowledge, that gun hasn't been put back in that holster.

I've started using a crossbreed for normal carry on my glocks, but still use the fobus if I owb.

On a related note, I have a kydex pocket holster for my g26, and it has polished the edges in under a year.  Bottom line, if you're going to carry a gun; it's going to get a little worn.

Hope this helps.

[PegLeg45]

I've been carrying my G27 in a SERPA for almost three years. I remove/replace the gun several times per day, every day, and the holster itself has more wear showing (and it's external cosmetic wear) than the gun.
In fact, in my case it received more "holster wear" on the side of the slide from my leather holster before I went to the SERPA. The frame is good. (of course, YMMV)


*Now, I will note that my SERPA for my 1911 did wear the parkerizing off one tiny spot on the trigger guard of my Commander. That was from about three months of carry last winter.

[Sponsor]

[Solus]

Short answer:  It depends.

I can only speak for the fobus and I've had mixed results.  I got really blessed (spoiled really) when I purchased my first pistol 5.5 years ago.  I bought a used glock 19 from an individual for an awesome price.  It came with a fobus holster and a couple of others.  I usually keep it in another holster but carried it (up until a year ago) in the fobus.  It shows very little wear over all and most of that is on the slide.

I liked the holster a lot an have a tendency toward brand loyalty (maybe a bit ocd); so, I purchased one for a Walther P22.  That gun was pretty much brand new when I started using the holster and it pretty much stripped the slide.  I don't recall any frame damage, but the slide was in poor enough shape that my brother ended up removing all of the factory coating and duracoating it.  To my knowledge, that gun hasn't been put back in that holster.

I've started using a crossbreed for normal carry on my glocks, but still use the fobus if I owb.

On a related note, I have a kydex pocket holster for my g26, and it has polished the edges in under a year.  Bottom line, if you're going to carry a gun; it's going to get a little worn.

Hope this helps.

When  you say polished, do you mean down to bare metal?

The Glock slide it Tennifer treated and is infused into the metal and should be harder than any holster.  The slide also has a "coating" over the Tennifer finish and that can suffer wear, but should only expose the Tennifer beneath.  If you see bare metal, I'd be checking to be sure your g26 has a Glock slide. 

Some folks offer a "melting" of the Glock slide.  This is actually a machining/grinding/filing of the slide to round the edges more.  This will remove the Tennifer treatment from the edges since it actually removes metal from the slide.  You will loose the rust/corrosion protection of the Tennifer if you have this done.

[PegLeg45]

When  you say polished, do you mean down to bare metal?

The Glock slide it Tennifer treated and is infused into the metal and should be harder than any holster.  The slide also has a "coating" over the Tennifer finish and that can suffer wear, but should only expose the Tennifer beneath.  If you see bare metal, I'd be checking to be sure your g26 has a Glock slide. 

Some folks offer a "melting" of the Glock slide.  This is actually a machining/grinding/filing of the slide to round the edges more.  This will remove the Tennifer treatment from the edges since it actually removes metal from the slide.  You will loose the rust/corrosion protection of the Tennifer if you have this done.

Yep.... To carify my earlier statements, the wear from the leather belt-slide holster I used to use is really only a minor "smoothing" of the side of the slide. It looks more like a smudge than wear.

[mkm]

When  you say polished, do you mean down to bare metal?

The Glock slide it Tennifer treated and is infused into the metal and should be harder than any holster.  The slide also has a "coating" over the Tennifer finish and that can suffer wear, but should only expose the Tennifer beneath.  If you see bare metal, I'd be checking to be sure your g26 has a Glock slide. 

Some folks offer a "melting" of the Glock slide.  This is actually a machining/grinding/filing of the slide to round the edges more.  This will remove the Tennifer treatment from the edges since it actually removes metal from the slide.  You will loose the rust/corrosion protection of the Tennifer if you have this done.

Sorry for the confusion.  I bought the 26 brand new; it's real.  What I meant by polished is that it just took the black off.  It's not damaged at all.  Although now that I think of it, there is a difference between texture of the 19 and the 26.  They're both gen 3, but I don't no if they changed it a little over time or not.  My 19 is a lot smoother to the feel than the 26, but it's not just over areas that are holstered.

[Ping]

I have seen rubs from both my Fobus and Serpa Holsters on my Glock. Not worried about it at all. The tenifer finish will last. 

[Dakotaranger]

I've seen more wear with my leather holsters.  I mountain bike with my XD in a sherpia and hasn't affected the pistol.