FBINAA Associate Magazine Oct/Dec 2021

Continued from "SAF Retention", on page 26

the primary lock of the SLS would be futile as the strap would prevent the gun from being drawn.

The Safariland 7377 7TS is a solid platform for the ALS system. These holsters are built from SafariSeven—a nylon blend that Safariland developed with DuPont. SafariSeven won’t wear down the finish on a firearm and won’t lose any of its structural integrity if it is exposed to heat or water. LEVEL II RETENTION For higher level testing, the holster undergoes the same basic test with additional retention devices added into the mix. Each additional step in a retention device allows for the test to be repeated one additional time. With a primary locking device and a secondary locking device, a holster may qualify as a Level II Retention Holster. The primary locking device would have to withstand the five-second test, and then the secondary lock would be subjected to the test again. The first step with a Level II holster is determining which is the primary retention device. This is always the first step an officer would have to make in order to draw a firearm from the holster. Likewise, the secondary device would be the last device holding the gun secure. Consider the Self-Locking System (SLS). This is a device that requires two distinct paths of movement to disengage. The SLS is a strap that covers the rear of the holstered firearm. Any attempt to pull a holstered gun without disengaging

To pull a firearm from an SLS holster, the SLS must first be pushed down, toward the gun. This motion alone isn’t enough to free the handgun. The strap must then be pushed forward. This motion rotates the strap, clearing the gun. The most robust of the Safariland holsters are built from SafariLaminate. This ther- moplastic alloy is used in the bodies of the 6,000 series holsters, like the 6360RDS. SafariLaminate can take a beating and still look new. The 6360RDS can be built with an ALS, an SLS—and more. The 6360RDS is up there with other 6000 series holsters that set the bar for how all other duty holsters are measured. Because the SLS can withstand a retention test twice, hol- sters with SLS qualify as Level II Retention Holsters. To add another layer of security, Safariland uses a Sentry device (almost like a switch) to secure the SLS. With the Sentry device engaged, the SLS can’t be moved down, or rotated forward, out of the way of a clean draw. Any attempt to pull the gun would be thwarted by this strap holding the gun in place. continued on page 34

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