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According to my searches, there have been a few mentions of the Safariland 6377 ALS® back in 2008 but no real discussion (that my searches turned up anyway) of the holster, so here's mine:
First, I love this holster. It seems to be well made and rides very comfortably. It is a polymer hoster with a suede lining (partial); Safariland calls this SAFARILAMINATE®.
Here's the 360° view window of the the holster:
SAFARILAND [360 Views Model 6377] : Holsters, Belts, Duty Gear, & Accessories for Law Enforcement, Military, Competition, and Sporting Enthusiasts
The price is pretty amazing within itself, I paid $38.79 from opticsplanet.com and that includes free handling and free ground UPS shipping) .
optics planet link:
Safariland 6377 ALS Belt Holster - STX Plain Black, Right Hand 6377-83-411 FREE S&H 6377-83-411, 6377-83-411-175, 6377-83-411-225DM, 6377-83-411-DM. Safariland ALS Belt Holster 6377 Holsters, Safariland
It has the Safariland ALS® (Auto Locking System) that provides the same function as the Blackhawk Serpas, but I like it better, much better in fact. That's not to say the Serpa isn't a fine holster or anything, I just like the release mechanism on the 6377 better.
I found an interesting and very helpful thing about the ALS® release - it helps guide your hand to a high grip! The release lever requires a rearward motion to release the gun from the holster. As your thumb pulls the release lever rearward, that same action encourages your hand to a high grip position. When I first began to notice that, I thought it was just a fluke. But it kept happening time after time until I realized it was a real thing.
Once you see how it works, the ALS® becomes transparent to the draw, and possibly even enhances the draw. The following short video is some examples of draws from the holster.
YouTube - Safariland 6377 ALS® holster
Don't you just love that 'snitch' holster sound! It's almost as good as the movies where the gun makes a racking sound everytime it's raised to the shooting level.
You will notice on the last try I didn't get the release from the holster. I edited this video, and it was tempting and would have been easy, to leave the failure out. But I left it in to show how important it is to train with your carry gear. I've only had this holster about a week but training is ongoing. I can't fault the holster in any way, because I've had the same early failures with SERPAs and thumb breaks.
Not as an excuse, but simply as a statement of fact, as the security level of a holster goes up, especially in the presence of higher speeds and higher intensity levels, there exists some increased possibility of not getting a release. Hence again the importance of training with your gear!
OK, back to the holster itself. About the catch, or lock - it's just a bit wimpy if you ask me and it probably is even if you don't ask me. All it is, is a quite small 'snag' that engages the front edge of the slide ejection port. But, what can I say, it does work and seems quite secure although I'm sure it's not as secure as Safariland's rotating bail holsters. I imagine the a pretty tight fit is needed to optimize the catch which may explain why the instructions specifically state that "...any unnecessary movement in the muzzle area is eliminated."
About that Safariland laminate: It covers the entire inside of the holster EXCEPT the part that will make contact with the top of the slide, and hence, one of my 'hmmm' points about the holster. The Glock sight, stock sight is plastic of course, comes in direct contact with a polymer part in the holster. There is a sight track over part of the holster but the final inch or so does not have a sight track and in fact has a hole with a brass insert that the sight will come in contact with. Have to see how that plays out.
The cant is just about right for me; the belt slots are attached with screws, suggesting the cant might be adjustable, but I have not explored that and see nothing in the instructions about adjusting the cant.
The gun, a Glock 17 in this case, sets quite snuggly in the holster and there is very little room for the gun to wiggle at all, which is pretty rare for a polymer holster.
OK, now for the 'I love it BUT' part. It's a bit big for concealment, well for the G17 at least. It works, but I do have to wear my longer cover garments. Also, I think the holster sets just a bit lower on the belt than most concealment holsters. I think the length would be about right for a G19 size gun.
If I discover other things, good or not, I'll try to update the thread.
Tangle
First, I love this holster. It seems to be well made and rides very comfortably. It is a polymer hoster with a suede lining (partial); Safariland calls this SAFARILAMINATE®.
Here's the 360° view window of the the holster:
SAFARILAND [360 Views Model 6377] : Holsters, Belts, Duty Gear, & Accessories for Law Enforcement, Military, Competition, and Sporting Enthusiasts
The price is pretty amazing within itself, I paid $38.79 from opticsplanet.com and that includes free handling and free ground UPS shipping) .
optics planet link:
Safariland 6377 ALS Belt Holster - STX Plain Black, Right Hand 6377-83-411 FREE S&H 6377-83-411, 6377-83-411-175, 6377-83-411-225DM, 6377-83-411-DM. Safariland ALS Belt Holster 6377 Holsters, Safariland
It has the Safariland ALS® (Auto Locking System) that provides the same function as the Blackhawk Serpas, but I like it better, much better in fact. That's not to say the Serpa isn't a fine holster or anything, I just like the release mechanism on the 6377 better.
I found an interesting and very helpful thing about the ALS® release - it helps guide your hand to a high grip! The release lever requires a rearward motion to release the gun from the holster. As your thumb pulls the release lever rearward, that same action encourages your hand to a high grip position. When I first began to notice that, I thought it was just a fluke. But it kept happening time after time until I realized it was a real thing.
Once you see how it works, the ALS® becomes transparent to the draw, and possibly even enhances the draw. The following short video is some examples of draws from the holster.
YouTube - Safariland 6377 ALS® holster
Don't you just love that 'snitch' holster sound! It's almost as good as the movies where the gun makes a racking sound everytime it's raised to the shooting level.
You will notice on the last try I didn't get the release from the holster. I edited this video, and it was tempting and would have been easy, to leave the failure out. But I left it in to show how important it is to train with your carry gear. I've only had this holster about a week but training is ongoing. I can't fault the holster in any way, because I've had the same early failures with SERPAs and thumb breaks.
Not as an excuse, but simply as a statement of fact, as the security level of a holster goes up, especially in the presence of higher speeds and higher intensity levels, there exists some increased possibility of not getting a release. Hence again the importance of training with your gear!
OK, back to the holster itself. About the catch, or lock - it's just a bit wimpy if you ask me and it probably is even if you don't ask me. All it is, is a quite small 'snag' that engages the front edge of the slide ejection port. But, what can I say, it does work and seems quite secure although I'm sure it's not as secure as Safariland's rotating bail holsters. I imagine the a pretty tight fit is needed to optimize the catch which may explain why the instructions specifically state that "...any unnecessary movement in the muzzle area is eliminated."
About that Safariland laminate: It covers the entire inside of the holster EXCEPT the part that will make contact with the top of the slide, and hence, one of my 'hmmm' points about the holster. The Glock sight, stock sight is plastic of course, comes in direct contact with a polymer part in the holster. There is a sight track over part of the holster but the final inch or so does not have a sight track and in fact has a hole with a brass insert that the sight will come in contact with. Have to see how that plays out.
The cant is just about right for me; the belt slots are attached with screws, suggesting the cant might be adjustable, but I have not explored that and see nothing in the instructions about adjusting the cant.
The gun, a Glock 17 in this case, sets quite snuggly in the holster and there is very little room for the gun to wiggle at all, which is pretty rare for a polymer holster.
OK, now for the 'I love it BUT' part. It's a bit big for concealment, well for the G17 at least. It works, but I do have to wear my longer cover garments. Also, I think the holster sets just a bit lower on the belt than most concealment holsters. I think the length would be about right for a G19 size gun.
If I discover other things, good or not, I'll try to update the thread.
Tangle
