Glock has my attention

[Jim]

I started reading a book last night by Massad Ayoob on combat handguns and the practice thereof. He speaks highly of Glocks. I did a little research this morning and decided that the model 30 or 36 would be right for me.
There are thousands of people out there that will tell me why I SHOULD buy one. I'd like to hear from anyone who disagrees as to why.

[Rick N Bama]

I'm no Glock expert but I've owned 1 & shot several others. The grip angle is all wrong for me and it hurts my hand to shoot one.

Also go to Google & do a search on "Glock Kaboom"

That said, my son owns 2 & will not consider owning another brand of auto pistol.

Rick

[Bret4207]

Glocks have been dependable for me for over 15 years. Be advised they aren't recommended for cast with factory barrels, the plastic parts nick, gouge, wear, abrade, and generally don't stand up well to rough use. They also don't rust. Factory plastic sights are dismal and wear too. They generally go bang every pull of the trigger and are accurate enough with jacketed. They are not pretty.

I'm sure if you pick up other books my Mr. Ayoob you'll find him praising several other makes with equal vigor. It' all part of the "Gun of the Month" club disease all mainstream gun writers seem to go through. But hey, he's feeding his family and he is a good writer.

[Four Fingers of Death]

They are a serviceable unit. I wouldn't be shooting reloads, lead or jacketed in a 40cal or bigger bore and would fit an aftermarket Bbl. I've only used 9mms and 40cals at work. foolproof. If you are an american you will probably think the grip angle is wrong as its not al la 1911. If you live anywhere else in the world it will be perfect. I currently have a 92FS, have recrowned the bbl as it was rough out of the box, 10 mins, $20, easier than warranty work, and got a trigger job done. Benchrest it and it will outshoot my olg Glock 26, any other type of shooting, the Glock would shoot he pants off it, short barrel and all. Those nice green ones are calling me. Anyone wanna buy a tuned beretta with 4x mags :D

[robertbank]

I have to disagree with my friend 4fingermick. While the grip angle didn't give me fits the palm swell certainly did. I shoot CZ's, Tanfoglios and 1911's along with several revolvers so I am not stuck on one particular design but the the Glocks just don't feel comfortable in my hand. Others don't seem to mind.

While popular with Police Departments (Inexpensive to purchase by them), I think there are better pistols out there for the same or less money that are the Glocks equal including but not limited to S&W M&P (One of our guys has one at the club and does very well with it - very dependable), the CZ 75/85 family and of course the Sig 226's. Personally I find the Hi-Power by FN to be a bit dated now.

I guess it boils down to what you want the pistol for. Any of the above will do yoeman service as a defensive handgun and the CZ75/85 along with the S&W are very competitive if you like IPSC or IDPA style shooting.

Gun writers are gun writers as Bret4207 commented so chosing a gun based upon their commentary might be a leap of faith I would not entertain.

Take Care

Bob

psGlocks in 40cal seem to have had their share of problems. I pick up our Conservation Officer's brass in this caliber after their qualifiers and all the cases have the Glock six o'clock bulge on the case. Enough said.

[eka]

Well, I have several of them, including the model 36. The 36 being my favorite followed closely by the 19. The up side is...If you are looking for a rugged and dependable combat pistol, they can't be beat. The 36 is for me close to the perfect carry pistol. The down side...If you are the kind that likes to tinker and customize a little to add your own personal touches to your guns, you will get bored quickly. They are best left just as they came out of the box. Which in my opinion is darn good. You know how you can take a good revolver and sink enough custom money in it to buy a Harley? You just can't do that with a Glock.
They're plain Jane and all business.

Keith

[redneckdan]

I can't really say anything too bad about glocks. They are most definitely not "jam proof". People at the range won't let me touch their glock any more, I have the magical gift to jam every glock I touch within two magzines of shooting. I don't have that problem with a 1911, I think it has to do something with grip angle and the way I hold the pistol.

[trickyasafox]

something to consider- my father had a glock 30, and it was too fat for concealed carry. traded it in on a full size 21. i'd check out the 36, i think it is supposed to be slimmer. i've shot a few and have no complaints.

:)

[ebner glocken]

I have a 19 and a 20. Good guns for being tough, light, minute of person accurate @ 25 yards. Funny thing though, mine shoot cast as a rule better than jacketed......good thing I didn't read about how dangerous that was before I shot over 5K rounds through my 19. My 19 or 20 are not any guns I will take to shoot in any bullseye competition, for that they sell other guns.

[mooman76]

Redneckdan

I think your problem with glocks jamming is in the design and how you are used to shooting. When firing the glock if you don't hold the gun firmly the shell will not eject properly. To further explain when I shoot I hold the gun firmly but let the recoil kick back naturally but by letting it kick back naturally it keeps slide from functioning properly thus the shell from ejecting causing a jam. I know I sounded like I contradicted myself. They call it here where I work limp wristing. I don't care for the termanology because I don't consider it that but for lack of a better word, that's what it is!

[9.3X62AL]

My old agency has around 1,000 Glock pistols authorized and in the hands of deputies. About the only "failures" I saw with Glocks involved early G-22 or G-23 models (40 S&W), about 2-3 out of 100 just woudn't funcrtion reliably--any kind of ammo, any number of magazines. Owners sent them back to Glock, and Glock made them right in short order. More recently, one of my rangemaster buddies told me that a couple of the M-36 pistols his troops have tried would have magazines disassemble themselves during a firing sequence--floorplate came undone, and mag parts and contents went on the ground.

Other than those instances, the Glocks ran like Swiss watches. Only SIG-Sauer has a reliability rating like the Glock in my experience of high-line service pistols in the hands of shooters with a wide range of shooting skill levels--ranging from very casual to highly motivated. H&K USP follows closely, but a few people have discomfort with its ergonomics (bore axis height). NOTHING made by Beretta, Walther, or S&W comes close. We didn't authorize CZ-75 pistols or any single-action designs, but my experience with the CZ-75 has been very positive--small sample population (4), I caution.

[rugerdude]

Glocks are for the most part dead reliable. I have to give them that. However I have personally seen 2 that had the magazine disassemble like 9.3X62AL mentioned. Funny thing, these were both cop guns too. NOT what I would like to be worrying about when the crap hit the fan. My biggest gripe with them is the grip. They just flat don't fit my hands. Best bet, check them out at a gunshop and see how you like the fit, and see if anyone you know has one you can shoot.

[Bubba w/a 45/70]

Any reason NOT to get one???


Trading it off on a XD45.....the 36 was much more a carry pistol than that XD ever thought of being. It fed everything, shot cast with no problems, didn't go KaBoom! with even a double powdered load (accidental on my part, no real test but very nice to know), and the only way I could make it misfeed was to hold it soo loosely that I darned near dropped it upon firing.

....at least I thought that the trading it off was a good enough reason to NOT get one! ;)


And seriously, the 45ACP bactory barrels are pretty much the only Glock barrels that will take cast boolits without problems due to different rifling than other caliber Glocks (it is more "standard" rifling than other Glocks).

[9.3X62AL]

No in-hand time with the M-36 myself. The concept of sub-compact single-column 45 ACP should just about sell itself, methinks.

Glock 45 caliber barrels are octagonal (8-sided polygonal), while the other calibers are hexagonal (6-sided polygonal). I am uncertain if the barrel form differences explain the 45's good work with lead, or whether the low-pressure/slow-twist nature of the 45 ACP is the reason. With conventionally-rifled barrels, the 45 ACP is more lead-friendly than the 9mm or 40 S&W. I have rather unscientifically assumed that the high-pressure/fast twist formula in 9mm and 40 S&W accounted for this difference. One REAL advantage the aftermarket barrels offer is tighter and more consistent dimensions in the bore, and slower twists. Better case head support in the chamber is also offered.

The whole "lead boolits in factory Glock barrels" is a self-propelled controversy in and of itself. My experience in the M-21 shows that they work fine--other peoples' work may vary from that finding. Let's remember that MANY venues of cast boolit shooting also show varying and uneven success rates for shooters. There are very few "Nevers" and "Always" in this hobby.

[KCSO]

If I had a choice between a Glock and a big rock, the rock would get my vote. I have qualified with several Glocks and shot more and have no use for them. IMHO the Springfield XD is the gun the Glock should have been, and it shoots cast everything with no problems.

If you are a 1911 man you will understand and if you are a Glock fan please ignore my OPINION.

[Bubba w/a 45/70]

If I had a choice between a Glock and a big rock, the rock would get my vote. I have qualified with several Glocks and shot more and have no use for them. IMHO the Springfield XD is the gun the Glock should have been, and it shoots cast everything with no problems.

If you are a 1911 man you will understand and if you are a Glock fan please ignore my OPINION.


I'm not trying to get into a peeing match but......


My XD wouldn't feed, at all, anything in a wadcutter design. Lead semiwadcutter boolits included. And I really didn't feel like sending in the barrel to have the ramp cut for it. That is something the factory should have done from the get go.

I'm a Glock fan. I'm also a 1911 fan. I've owned more 1991A1's than Glock's. My XD shot good, just didn't fit the bill for "it will shoot anything on hand". And I need that in a defensive pistol. When a carry gun chokes on something that it shouldn't choke on.....then I have a problem with it for my needs.

[S.R.Custom]

They are a serviceable unit.

That is about as accurate a description of a Glock as I have ever heard. It is that, no more and no less. Sorta like a Crown Vic taxi or an F150 pickup in that respect...

[9.3X62AL]

Pretty succinct, Super Mag.

[KCSO]

I've never had a bobble with 170 Lee TL's in my XD. My main problem with the Glock is that it feels like a 2x4 in my hands. The XD has more of a Highpower feel and points more naturally for me. I also highly object to plastic sights and I have replaced a ton of these. The State Patrol orders their Glocks with night sights so they start out with metal sights. The guide rods in the Glocks are also prone to breakage and the XD has a metal guide rod. I would say the true test of these guns will be in 2100 when we see how many are still up and running. I am not convinced a plastic gun will stand the test of time and I will be handing down a 1911 and a Highpower.
Personal preference is a funny thing as just yesterday I had a fellow tell me that his Hi Point was the best pistol he ever owned.

[9.3X62AL]

No doubt about it, KCSO--in some hands those Glock grips feel like you're holding a 12 oz beverage can. Please understand that I'm NOT bad-mouthing the 1911A1 or the BHP--both fit better than the Glock does for me, too. But the Glock fits well enough. Durability? Who knows? We have at least one Glock (9mm) at my agency's armory with over 100K rounds through it, and a 40 S&W with nearly as many. I think both have needed recoil spring assembly replacement, but that has been it AFAIK.

It all boils down to taste, once you get to the H&K/XD/SIG-Sauer/Glock level. Add in the 1911A1 and BHP in good variants to that list. I'm inclined to include the CZ-75 in that group, too--I shot 3 of the 9mm's intermittently that belonged to friends for the past 10 years or so, Mike in CO's CZ-97, and now my own -75 in 40 S&W. The -75 fits like a BHP, and the -97 is only slightly larger. Dollar for dollar, the CZ's give a LOT of pistol for the money.

[Mallard57]

I want a 1911 type pistol one of these days, that being said, I own two Glocks and like them very much. There was a time when I bought into the Glock being a second class citizen but not anymore. I've never had a bit of trouble with either and the more I use my pistols the more naturally they point where I want them to these days.
I guess the one that put me over the top for the Glock was when a very talented gentleman I know, who is a very accomplished pistolsmith(1911 builder) showed up at the local BS spot packing ( Glock 23 if I remember right). His reply when asked about the "Combat Tupperware", "It always works".
Jeff

[davidsparks]

I own a glock 17 and 30. They are both good guns but I had a reloaded case failure( not loaded by me, purchased at gun show), in the 17. It destroyed the frame and blew the remaining rounds through the floor plate. The frame was replaced by glock at my expense and gun is good again. But for me, no more plastic pistols.

[9.3X62AL]

Welcome aboard, David.

That sort of experience would be unsettling as hell for me. Being a total old-school curmudgeon, I think firearms should be made out of steel and wood. Maybe I should join the Flat Earth Society, too. It took over 20 years before I actually bought a Glock, so I didn't warm up to them real fast. With one in the safe now, I like the thing. It works. I'm a lot more attached to the CZ-75 and S&W M-657 x 6", these 3 being my most recent gun purchases. They may be 3 of the best handguns I've owned to date, too.

[LowPE]

Some reasons to not buy a glock:

1. You must pull the trigger prior to field stripping.
2. A weak grip, especially when moving, can cause failures.
3. They are wide, and slightly more difficult to conceal
4. The two stage trigger is not for everyone
5. When you put the field stipped parts in the dishwasher to clean (using tang) the wife gets upset. Go figure.
6. The glock 30 seems bullet sensitive especially with swc.
7. The glock 30 dosen't like winchester primers.

Cheers, I own several and enjoy them very much. I have fired many thousands of cast in 45 acp & 9mm, but never 40.

YMMV.

[1Papalote]

I have 2 Glocks, 19 and 23. I bought them for CC.

Reasons to buy a Glock.

Easy to break down
Magazines are less expensive than all others
They are accurate
They are reliable
Aftermarket barrels for cast shooting
Lightweight for extended carry
They do not rust


1Papalote

[versifier]

They are not target pistols. Some, admittedly, are quite accurate, others less so. They won't win any beauty contests, either. They require a firm grip. They don't fit everyone's hands, especially if you have smaller hands. Grip angle is a matter of personal preference and sometimes of adequate practice to get familiar with it. (If you decide you don't like it, you won't practice with it, no matter what you've got.)

But, they were not designed for competition or for good looks. They were designed as a rugged and reliable combat pistol with a loose chamber to be fed any new military ammunition from various sources. They all pass the pie plate test at 25yds, and once broken in they go bang every time you pull the trigger. (They were also not designed to be fired with handloads, but an intelligent loader can work around that in various ways, as long as the limits of the pistol are kept in mind.)

My 1st gen G23 .40S&W bulged brass so that it was not reloadable. I have read that they have fixed the problem, but have personally seen no evidence either way. I could have gotten an aftermarket barrel for it, but didn't bother as I wanted a .45. My new G21 .45ACP loves handloads and cast boolits and doesn't bulge the brass at all. It is up to several thousand rounds and the only problem I have had was FTF from using boolits lubed with White Lightning tumble lube over loads of Blue Dot powder. Not a hiccup with any other combination, and the lube is great with all other powders I have tested.

[KCSO]

Average pressures for the 45 are about 10,000 psi less than a 40. The 40 loads go from 30 to 35 thou and the 45 goes from about 18 to 25 in the plus P loads. Most military and police care not a whit 'cause they don't reload anymore. Sort of like the 303 British, they always fed 'cause the chamber was some sloppy.

[Craig67]

My first post here and its not about cast boolits :-D

I have a Glock 22 (40S&W). I have fired 350 +/- factory and 50 reloads through it as of now.

Factory ammo is snappy, reloads are 6.2 gr of HS-6 pushing a 180 gr Berry plated. Not snappy at all.

Lee dies iron the bulge right out of the brass, apparently Gen 3 (current manuf) guns don't do this as bad as earlier generations do.

I like my Glock just fine .... but I like my buddy's STI Range Master too :mrgreen:


PS- This is a great forum, the amount of knowledge is astounding.

Craig

[fourarmed]

I had a chance to buy a Glock in .45 from a friend, and Mrs. Fourarmed gave her blessing. I honestly tried very hard to like it, but my trigger finger rubbed so hard against the trigger guard that it blistered in a relatively few shots. If the ergonomics of the thing didn't bother me, I wouldn't let aesthetics bother me. They have a hell of a reputation for reliability.

[DanWalker]

I've shot a bunch of glocks. ALL went bang everytime the trigger was pulled(even a rental gun at a houston gun range that probably had a zillion rounds put through it.)
I've always found them to be accurate enough for their intended purpose. Some have been suprisingly more accurate than what I expected.
I think they're ugly as a mud fence. That being said, I'd sooner trust my life to a glock than I would with the beretta92 I carried for years in the USMC.

[Poohgyrr]

I passed on a G30. Not because it was so dog goned accurate and soft shooting; but because I want my ten round mags to seat on a closed slide. The G30 I tested needed a slegehammer to seat the mag on a closed slide. :twisted:

Oh yeah, it was ugly too, but so are all Glocks. Actually, the large frame Glocks do NOT fit my hands well at all, and this is important.. And I do not like the muzzle blast of the G38.

I am trying hard to say why Glocks are bad.


Otherwise, my 1991 G23 shot maybe 4Kor 5K+ handloads of Western Nevada 175 gr LSWC's (and more 180 JHPs) without any problems before it retired to my brother's for home defense. It made me look almost good in IDPA matches. On the IDPA quals I choked, but in the matches it did fine

Last I heard, Taylor had 170K+ rounds through his G17. What a wimpy gun....


OH HEY... Mas can shoot. I was there when he set a record at our local Sheriff's range, on their Qual course, with a G30. He did fine.


:mrgreen:

[9.3X62AL]

Welcome aboard, Craig 67.

We can be an opinionated lot at times, but aside from that we have a pretty knowledgable group of folks here. I know I've learned a ton here.

[Petander]

Glocks are for the most part dead reliable. I have to give them that. However I have personally seen 2 that had the magazine disassemble like 9.3X62AL mentioned. Funny thing, these were both cop guns too. NOT what I would like to be worrying about when the crap hit the fan.


I once had a full G22 magazine disassemble itself in my vest pocket . :roll:


Nothing bad to say about Glocks, I just don´t like the feel and I shoot some other pistols much better.

[ReAX222]

The glock is a great all go no show gun. I have a 22, 23 and 27. They are no frills. I have a lot of mods on the 22 to make it how I want, a few on the 23 and only a $0.25 trigger job and ghost tactical connector.

My dislikes about glock. The Stock plastic sights suck and need to replaced with better ones. The .40 needs a little stonger slide return spring, I really like 19 pounds, while your working on it, replace the rod with a metal one. Lots of trigger work to get them nice. My fat hands required some trimming around the trigger guard and back strap. Also, my 22's extractor is hard on brass, I have a bunch of cases with burs.

However, I love my glocks and am saving up for a 35.

[Craig67]

Welcome aboard, Craig 67


Thanks :-D

[Adam10mm]

1. You must pull the trigger prior to field stripping.

If the gun is unloaded, this isn't a problem.


2. A weak grip, especially when moving, can cause failures.
As with any semi auto pistol.


3. They are wide, and slightly more difficult to conceal
For some people. I am 5-10/145# and carry a G30 IWB all day long, including bending over at work, etc. No issues, never been made.


6. The glock 30 seems bullet sensitive especially with swc.
This is true. They like RN or TC bullets.


7. The glock 30 dosen't like winchester primers.
Mine as seen over 10K WLPs with no issues.

[JMax]

I started reading a book last night by Massad Ayoob on combat handguns and the practice thereof. He speaks highly of Glocks. I did a little research this morning and decided that the model 30 or 36 would be right for me.
There are thousands of people out there that will tell me why I SHOULD buy one. I'd like to hear from anyone who disagrees as to why.

As several have commented the sights are not optimal. I use Heinie on my G35 and Advantage Arms conversion kit and Meprolites on my G23 and 37. Thise sights are crisp, easy to see and don't wear like the plastic ones. All age very reliable and accurate but as stated no cast bullets.

[Old Ironsights]

I have no use for the full-size Glocks. The grips just don't work for me.

OTOH, I like ALL of the Mini Glocks, and carry the G27. Apparantly the short grip negates all the other problems I had with the full frames.

There is a guy who will bob a G23 grip down to G27 dimensions for those who, like me, prefer a slightly longer slide length, a'la the CCO/XO.

[JMax]

I shoot only WW primers consuming 20k/year w/o problems. Many of those are fired w/revolvers in ICORE matches where EVERYONE uses Federal primers to insure ignition and the balance in my Glocks and a few 1911's. Dillon has handy chamber gages that should be used in press set up and checking ammunitions as there is something wrong when WW primers don't work.

[DAL357]

I'll bite on this hook.

I, too, read (I own it) the Ayoob book you speak of. It's not bad, no better or worse than many other books out there on self defense with a handgun.

Yes, I agree that he is hot on Glocks in that book, but that's not necessarily a bad, or good, thing. Personally, I like Glocks, at least some Glocks. Of the two you mentioned, though, the 30 and 36, I don't care for either. I owned a 36 for a short while, but I didn't like the relatively narrow grip; it's recoil actually hurt the web of my hand. With the 30, although I've never owned or even shot one, I find its grip too 2x4ish for my hand (admittedly, I have small hands). Don't get me wrong, I think the .45 ACP is one of the all-time great rounds (I still have a 1911), but I just don't care for either of those two Glock platforms.

After reading the book, I went out and purchased a used Glock 26 (9mm) and worked with that for a while, but I eventually sold it to finance an AR180B. The 26 is a fine little gun, but I just didn't connect with it. Finally, I went back to carrying my old S&W 642 snubby .38 Spl., and I don't regret it one bit. I like the versatility of carry of a small, 5-shot revolver.

Today, I have only one Glock left, a 34. I don't carry it, but it's the best of the three Glocks I've owned, (I'll qualify that with the following) for me. BTW, I don't have a problem with the grip angle of a Glock. Now, if you want to try a terrible grip angle, try my Makarov.:(
DAL357

[Swagerman]

Glock bashing is not a nice form of criticism...having said that I find the Glock to be butt ugly, a rotton grip form, trigger that looks like it came off a cap gun, and they occassionally go kaboom.

But my opinion is not really valid because I only base it on asthetics of the gun's appearence and the horror stories of seeing pictures of their kabooms.

Plastic guns just don't do it for me. The Glock will never be on my 'got to have it list'.

And to top it off I've nerver even held one in my hand...because I'm so put off on it's looks. UGH! :takinWiz:

Sorry to be so bashful about it.

Jim :mrgreen:

[spurrit]

I'm no Glock expert but I've owned 1 & shot several others. The grip angle is all wrong for me and it hurts my hand to shoot one.

Also go to Google & do a search on "Glock Kaboom"

That said, my son owns 2 & will not consider owning another brand of auto pistol.

Rick

Judging by the pic, he's what? 2 weeks old? He'll want a Sig when his soft spot fills in. :groner:

[spurrit]

Personal preference is a funny thing as just yesterday I had a fellow tell me that his Hi Point was the best pistol he ever owned.

My cousin has one of those. I was convinced I'd get cooties, a rash, and start vomiting if I touched it, but I'll be damned if I didn't actually kinda like it! I still don't want one, but I wouldn't be afraid to use it if I had to.




As for why NOT buy a Glock? Have you ever tried to beat someone to death with a piece of plastic? Get a SIG! (preferably, a 220)

[spurrit]

I want a 1911 type pistol one of these days, that being said, I own two Glocks and like them very much. There was a time when I bought into the Glock being a second class citizen but not anymore. I've never had a bit of trouble with either and the more I use my pistols the more naturally they point where I want them to these days.
I guess the one that put me over the top for the Glock was when a very talented gentleman I know, who is a very accomplished pistolsmith(1911 builder) showed up at the local BS spot packing ( Glock 23 if I remember right). His reply when asked about the "Combat Tupperware", "It always works".
Jeff

If you'd wiped your butt with your hand your entire life, you'd never realise how nice toilet paper is, either.

[azcoyhunter]

I own a Glock 30, I cast and Reload for it.

Once I got the Crimp figured out, works great.

One problem, I lost a magazine that had 10 rounds in the magazine.

Riding and looked down and GONE!!!

Now I only have 9 rounds in magazine.

I love the grip, the small size, the round is great!

Clint

[Poohgyrr]

Ummm, reasons not to get a Glock include the other pistols that are so good.

I like my G35 and it's probably a keeper, but also have several pistols that I often shoot better with.

There are several good 1911s out there; mine is much better at the following: concealment, carrying, handiness, and accurate shooting. It is a seriously sweet carry piece.

My Hi Powers all handle and shoot better.

I have a 5" (yes, five inch bbl) S&W 5906 that is better at everything except maintenance.

And!!! For wheelgun shooters, S&W makes 7 and 8 shot 2 1/2" to 4" .357's. With good grips that fit your hands, these are proven and will do the job.

Two areas where Glocks excell is in parts replacement and detail stripping.

[smilie=1:

[MtGun44]

I believe and teach that the Glocks are "serviceable units" and are
generally workable and reliable pistols.

The 40 cal kaboom issue is still a boogaboo to me, but I'm not up on
what is the root of the problem, don't really care too much because. . . .

I just can't stand the grip angle, and then the added finger bumps on
the front made it worse and ultimately -

I truly hate the darned trigger pull. Not 'can't hit with it', not 'won't work',
just dislike it intensely and cannot imagine why I would want use it.

My most commonly shot pistols all have light and crisp single action pulls
in the 2 to 3 lb range, some in the 4 lb range. Short, crisp and light . . . .
AHHHHH ! :-D Revolvers and semi-autos, many different calibers - all
with nice trigger pulls.

Long, heavy and crunchy. . . . . :(

I'd use one to save my life if it was all I had access to, and know I'd be able
to use it reasonably well. Buy one??? not a chance in hell. If I need a
9mm - the wonderful Browning HP is everything the Glock is not, and mine
has NEVER failed to function since 1975 when I bought it, including a lot
of weird ammo experiments. Not once failed to feed, go bang or eject with
any load whatsoever !! :-D Totally amazing to me. Grip is just excellent for my
hands, I've managed to get the trigger pretty nice (stock HP triggers are no
world beaters in my experience).

So - enjoy your Glocks! If they suit your hands and you like their ways, have
fun, we can all celebrate diversity and be happy that there are lots of different
designs available and we can get what suits our needs and styles.

Bill

[spurrit]

Ummm, reasons not to get a Glock include the other pistols that are so good.

I like my G35 and it's probably a keeper, but also have several pistols that I often shoot better with.

There are several good 1911s out there; mine is much better at the following: concealment, carrying, handiness, and accurate shooting. It is a seriously sweet carry piece.

My Hi Powers all handle and shoot better.

I have a 5" (yes, five inch bbl) S&W 5906 that is better at everything except maintenance.

And!!! For wheelgun shooters, S&W makes 7 and 8 shot 2 1/2" to 4" .357's. With good grips that fit your hands, these are proven and will do the job.

Two areas where Glocks excell is in parts replacement and detail stripping.

[smilie=1:

Parts availability is fine, but I like Sigs. Never had to replace a part. Except for the one I lost.

I hear of a Glock KB about every month or so, but rarely hear about them in other guns.

[Old Ironsights]

I own a Glock 30, I cast and Reload for it.

Once I got the Crimp figured out, works great.

One problem, I lost a magazine that had 10 rounds in the magazine.

Riding and looked down and GONE!!!

Now I only have 9 rounds in magazine.

I love the grip, the small size, the round is great!

Clint
9+1 = 10 in the gun plus 10 in each of the spares. Easier to count rounds. :mrgreen:

[spurrit]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vceh44UK-8I

[Bret4207]

You guys think the stock Glock trigger is bad, try the mandated NY trigger I'm forced to get by with. 11-14 lbs of creep, crunches and shuddering. I still managed to get my Distinguished Expert Bar but I don't know how I did it! The new 45 GAPs with the finger grooves make it even worse somehow, I think because they force my fingers to spread a bit and my arthritis hates that.

BTW- Dano67 had a trigger so bad they took it back!

[MtGun44]

Bret -

I feel your pain. I had two female students that couldn't continue to shoot
the Glock as the grip frame was sawing a hole in their very soft female skin, really.
As to the bumps, I agree whole heartedly and have friends that have filed them
off and stippled the front strap with a fine tipped soldering iron. The regular
Glock trigger is so bad, I can't imagine how good you must be to shoot top
scores with a 11-14 lb version! Skill triumphs over the machine.

Just for fun try out the new Ruger SR-9. It is so far above the Glock IMHO that
if the world was fair (and it is not) they will sell 4 SR9s for every 9mm Glock, with
the caveat that the SR9 proves reliable. It has a very good trigger pull, a great grip
and you will find it hard to believe they got a 17 rd mag in that nice grip. Low
bore center (like the Glock) and nice adjustable sight that looks durable. The
safety is a bit small, not as bad as the old stock HiPower, but close. I predict the
first aftermarket part for the SR9 will be a better safety lever. Good ambi
mag release, just liked the feel (didn't shoot it) so much more than a Glock that
I can't tell you.

But - to the point. . . . .

What is a Dano67, if you pardon my denseness?

Bill

[Bret4207]

A Dano67 would be my partner/pal/friend/arch enemy. Depends on the day and if my wife is being nicer to him than me!

[spurrit]

MtGun44,

I've been noticing there are quite a few of us here from Ks.; maybe we should have a Catboolits.com get together/shoot/fistfight. ......

Personally, I like to play chess, screw....... Let's play chess.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The Springfield XD sells in Australia under the manafacturer's name HG or something, I can't remember exactly. They are a Turkish gun I am told and sell cheaper than a Glock here. I have had a Glock 26 which consumed 9mm lead reloads without a hitch, as squillions of Glock 17s mostly and others have doen here in Australia at the pistol ranges.

My dept use 40S&WGlocks (22 is the model I think, the only one we had at work, everyone callled them a Glock, I never heard anyone call it by the model number :) ). They use reloads for practice and they have had several Glock Kbs. Once on the second shot in a new gun, so the problem ain't leading. Our chief armourer seems to think that the gun will fire slightly out of battery and the case head is not supported well, to ensure reliability apparently is a bad mix and causes a Kb occasionally. When they bought them I recommended that they get some aftermarket barrels for the training guns. They may be caused by the occasional case not being crimped properly and the crimp being a littleprous may be preventing the gun from going into battery 100%, I don't know this ger a fact, but just a gut feeling).

I have had:

CZ (great ergonomics, worked well)

Ruger 45, (good, accurate, but a goofy trigger, and I didn't like the DAO)

Beretta, (great ergonomics, potential accuracy great, but stand on your hind legs accuracy left something to be desired, that big air gap on the lhs of the front 'reciever ring' on mine is a bit distracting)

1911A1, (nasty little pistol!!! bit me everytime I didn't draw it very carefully)

Colt Commander 45ACP, (very nice, didn't bite me as much, shot nicely)

Colt 1911 38 Super, Govt' sized frame, new about 18 mths ago, I can't remember the model, nice pistol, shoots well and doesn't bite unless I draw it quickly and don't get a good grip).

With big hands, I find the 1911s the hardest to shoot, I have to get the web of the hand right in there which is hard to do in a hurry. I like the idea of the 1911 in condition one, but if I was going in harms way, I don't think I'd be grabbing a 1911. Once I have a good grip it is hard to beat, but getting a good grip in a hurry is sometimes hard to do.

I think its time I tried a SIG.

Mick.

[JMax]

I started life as a cop carrying a revolver. We went to 1911's and they were good especially with a beaver tail grip safety ( I too have very large hands) and in the late 90's the department added Glock 21's to the list. We had Colt, Ruger & S&W revolvers in 38 SPL and 45 Colt and 45ACP autos from S&W, SIG, Colt/Springfield and then Glocks. I was lead FA instructor & dept armorer and saw what worked in the real world. The Glock was probably the most cop proof of all the auto pistols but all were too large for many officers hands. We kept Colt revolvers (a nightmare to keep in time) and S&W autos because two members of the command staff liked them (YUCK).

DA/SA pistols like the S&W and SIG caused training problems as officers had problems dealing with the long DA pull for the first shot under duress. 1911 pattern pistols were ideal for those who spent time and trained with those pistols. The Glock was a consistent performer for all troops.

In 1999 the 40 was allowed and both SIG and Glocks were purchased by officers with few problems and only one KB due to faulty reloaded ammunition. Lead bullets were used, the bullets were seated too deep, a fluffy shotgun powder was used and was compressed resulting in guppy gut on fired cases. Moving to a higher density powder eliminated bulged cases.

As I said I have very large hands and get a case of Glock tracks on my shooting hand when shooting any of my Glocks (all 40 cal) but have never encountered that problem on women due to typically smaller hands. Perhaps some of the women mentioned earlier were somewhat substantial in size.

Now on to the trigger pull. A Glock trigger is much easier to train someone on that a DA/SA pull of a DA pull on a revolver. The 1911 is ideal for target shooting and rules IDPA and IPSC shooting matches but the Glock makes a good showing.

I have seen people gripe about this or that trigger pull being a reason they cannot shoot a particular pistol well but under pressure a well practiced individual doesn't really notice it. Perhaps an excuse. I can state that it is a matter of training and practice when it comes to shooting well not magic triggers.

Is the Glock a good choice? Yes it is. Is the XD better? Too fragile in my observations plus the axis of recoil is too high. Is the new S&W M&P a better pistol? It looks like it could be. Is the 1911 pattern pistol good? A proven performer especially with a beaver tail grip safety but for more advanced shooters.

For law enforcement factory armorer training is mandatory.

[spurrit]

With big hands, I find the 1911s the hardest to shoot, I have to get the web of the hand right in there which is hard to do in a hurry. I like the idea of the 1911 in condition one, but if I was going in harms way, I don't think I'd be grabbing a 1911. Once I have a good grip it is hard to beat, but getting a good grip in a hurry is sometimes hard to do.

I think its time I tried a SIG.

Mick.

Mick,

Get a 220 and a 226. Same size, uses the same holsters, and works real well for me. BTW, though rare, the 220 CAN be had in 9mm. I never had one simply because I don't like the 9 mm.

JMax,

The M&P looks pretty wierd, but I couldn't help being impressed with it. Very little recoil or muzzle flip. Fit my hand well.

[Poohgyrr]

Mick,
Get a 220 and a 226. Same size, uses the same holsters, and works real well for me.


Just a heads up on something weird. Used to be that Sig only made one P220 and it uses P226 holsters. But now they make a few versions; far as I know, they still all use the same 226 holster - except for the 220 Carry model (has a fatter slide or something).

I just bought a 220 Carry model last Fall, and it may be more accurate than my full size, standard P220 that I carry on duty now. But! The doggone thing seems to need P229 holsters. My 220 holsters don't work at all for the 220 Carry. I've bought three new P229 holsters (one for our class A uniform, and two for off duty) and they work fine for this sweet, stubby little Sig .45.

[MtGun44]

Mick,

You need to shoot a 1911 with a modern beavertail grip safety and a commander
type hammer, which is pretty much the std for all modern 1911s in production
now, other than replica types which are exactly following the original military
design for nostalgia reasons. You noted that the Commander was OK to shoot,
and this is the result of the short hammer spur, even if it had the old style short
beavertail. A modern beavertail is cut out for the hammer, which nests down
into the beavertail at full cock, and your hand can ride very high for good
recoil control. Take a look at the CZ Dan Wessons, as these are a really good
production "custom" 1911, so good that to match it would have cost $2500
or so PLUS a new Colt 1911 from a good custom 1911 smith in the mid to late
1980s. Now available in fine quality for well under $1000, total.

Without the hammer bite, I think you'll quickly learn to like (maybe even love)
the 1911 design, esp a modern version with decent sights and a decent trigger,
all things that essentially all 1940 and older military pistols suffered from.

Bill

[MtGun44]

Bret -

Thanks for the explanation - sometimes I get a little lost. . . . . :-D

Bill

[robertbank]

Mick before you run over to SIG take a hard look at the new S&W M&P. I have one in 9MM and it seems to be a pretty fair pistol. Better grip than the Glock by a country mile. With your big hands you could go for the largest palm swell (the gun comes with three). Gun also comes in .40 cal and .45acp.

Go is going over big in IDPA and IPSC Production. Trigger is not a 1911 but when the chips are down the trigger pull will be the last thng you will be worrying about.

Take Care

Bob

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Before buying a Glock, I had the opportunity to shoot one. The gun absolutely did not fit my hand and after a day of IPSC where I was constantly forced to adjust the front of the barrel downwards to see the target, I had a sore wrist and was very tired of it.

I work on a lot of firearms and while I agree the Glock is a dependable gun, it's worthless if it doesn't fit your hand. I would suggest anyone thinking of buying one to take it out and shoot it before making a purchase if at all possible. I did and it saved me wasting my money.

I've shot the XD's and the grip angle they have is much more like a 1911 and I shoot them very well. The XD's are as reliable as the Glocks (I rarely see either in the shop, except for "upgrades" such as night sights, etc.

If after you've tried a Glock and don't like the grip, try the XD. AS far as any out of the box factory firearm feeding lead SWC's, that's pretty much a crapshoot, regardless of brand. The only way to assure this is generally to tune the gun for the purpose.

Dave

[Poohgyrr]

I started life as a cop carrying a revolver. ::: and in the late 90's the department added Glock 21's to the list. ::: I was lead FA instructor & dept armorer and saw what worked in the real world. The Glock was probably the most cop proof of all the auto pistols but all were too large for many officers hands. ::: DA/SA pistols like the S&W and SIG caused training problems ::: The Glock was a consistent performer for all troops. ::: A Glock trigger is much easier to train someone on ::: I can state that it is a matter of training and practice when it comes to shooting well not magic triggers.


I carried my old 686 for a few years, and then per Dept policy changes have swapped between Sig / S&W/ & Glock, with H&K & Berretta also approved. We've seen everything you say above, especially the part about training that I underlined...

Our guys actually did better when the Dept went to Glock .40s only, with the same Qual course. I'm an instructor and our Armorer - the Glocks are much, much easier to keep running. Regular, quality training is the key. Dept budgets are a fact of life and have to be dealt with.

[spurrit]

+1 on the M&P. I've shot them, and they're an excellent gun, plastic just ain't my thing. Anyone tried the new plastic Sig?

[milltownhunter]

i have glocks in 34/35/27 /20/and 29s all shoot very good it seams that with glocks the shorter the barrel they will shoot better groups the only thing you have to change out the barrels to shoot cast bullets lone wolf offers barrels for $99 that you can shoot cast. very good guns the only 10mm i would buy

[xtimberman]

Jim,

I put off trying a Glock for many years - being a old-time 1911 snob and all that. I still like 1911s and BHPs, and I like Glocks, too. Reliable, easy to master, easy to maintain.....and judging by the posts here - polarizing.

You started this thread in Aug. 2007 and it's still alive. I haven't seen any more of your posts on this thread other than the original.......

Soooo, have you bought a Glock yet? If so, how do you like it?

xtm

[spurrit]

http://www.theledger.com/article/20080314/NEWS/803140389/0/FRONTPAGE

Oh, yeah. Glocks are solid. Solid crap. I'd be willing to bet that the Depts. that went back to using Glocks did so at the order of the beaurucrats in charge when Glock made a sweetheart deal to provide guns in exchange for silence.