Handgun of the Week - Glock

[Bishop]

This started out as a "Handgun of the Month" series. But after thinking it over, I think there's enough handguns made that I'll try and profile one each week.
Feel free to add your comments pro and con on these handguns.

THIS WEEKS PROFILE IS THE: GLOCK

GLOCK pistols are the perfect combination of reliability and accuracy. Their high-tech engineering and revolutionary polymer construction, create a handgun that can stand up to more punishment than even the most unforgiving conditions can generate.
The technologically advanced GLOCK pistol ushered in a new era in the handgun industry. GLOCK's emergence almost two decades ago brought about a strong force in the world market. The actual sales statistics include 2,500,000 GLOCK pistols sold in over 100 countries to government and civilian customers.
In the USA, GLOCK pistols are in use in 65 % of law enforcement agencies. Among other things, GLOCK provides pistols for many of American's most elite law enforcement agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Police Department and more than 7.500 other agencies at the federal, state and local levels. Police and military agencies worldwide rely upon the GLOCK pistol for its high level of performance and value.
GLOCK continuous innovation is not a catch phrase, but rather an actuality. Starting from the GLOCK 17, GLOCK has developed 37 pistol models in six (9mm, 10mm, .40S&W, .45ACP, .357sig, .380) calibers.
The GLOCK pistol's Safe Action trigger system offers you several very distinct benefits over conventional trigger systems. First, you can choose from several trigger pulls. Second, the trigger is the one and only operative control. Third, is the smooth and consistent pull you feel every time you squeeze the trigger. It makes training much easier because each and every shot feels exactly the same. It also makes a firearm safe.

 

[Bishop]

Another picture

 

[Arise]

Nice write up Bishop. I own a Glock 9mm. The gun has never let me down. I was thinking of selling it and either getting the 40, 45 or 357. Just something w/ a little more punch. What would you suggest?

 

[Bishop]

I have a 26 (compact 9mm) and a 23 (.40S&W). I prefer the .40 caliber for it's added stopping power. And it's a pretty confortable gun to shoot. I only got the 26 because it was a deal from a friend, but would have preferred the 27 (same gun in .40S&W).
Of course the .45acp and 10mm has great stopping power, but the grip frame is pretty large for some hands. The 10mm also has a pretty harsh recoil in the light polymer gun. I'm not really adverse to heavy recoil, since I hunt with a .454 Casull. But the 10mm Glock's recoil is very noticeable.

 

[00BuckShot]

Interesting that you brought up the larger grip. I have two problems with the glocks. If I go to a more compact line then the grip only fits two-thirds of my palm but if I gow with any larger frame, then the grip is too bulky. Maybe this is due to the fact that I was looking at the 45ACP.

My buddy swore by his Beretta 9mm for years until he went to the LAPD academy and his class decided to buy the glocks. He wouldn't be caught without it now.

 

[Arise]

Just reliability.

 

[Csbishop]

I also like glock's I have owned 4 of them and now own 2, a G17 9mm and G20 10mm
Both are very fun and accurate guns to shoot and with 17 rounds of 9mm and 15 rounds of 10mm in a mag
you cant go wrong.

But I like my Kimber custom 1911 .45 a little better. :smiley_rotflmao:

 

[JDC]

I haven't shot a Glock since the early 90's. Has anything changed on the trigger safety? The one I shot felt a little (for lack of better terms) off on the trigger safety depression. To me, it seemed as though I had to depress the safety in further than the trigger to get the trigger release to happen.

Was this just an isolated incident or is this pretty standard on the Glocks?

 

[Bishop]

I haven't shot a Glock since the early 90's. Has anything changed on the trigger safety? The one I shot felt a little (for lack of better terms) off on the trigger safety depression. To me, it seemed as though I had to depress the safety in further than the trigger to get the trigger release to happen.

Was this just an isolated incident or is this pretty standard on the Glocks?

I think it was probably a isolated incident. I've owned 3 Glocks, and have had two department issued Glocks. They've all had a real good trigger feel. I really like the design. The safety is always on untill you pull the trigger. One movement releases the safety and fires at the same time.

 

[Bishop]

That's that part I don't understand. You are always vunerable to a trigger pull related AD. And those seem to happen more frequently with Glocks than any other design. I believe LAPD just removed them from service pending a review of the problem after a series of range accidents and several years ago, Glock began installing 12-lb triggers in response to some lawsuit over a similar problem in New York.

To me, a safety should absolutely block the gun from firing (at least in theory) until released by a deliberate action by the shooter.

As I said earlier, there is a lot to like about Glocks, but they have never struck me as a particularly safe weapon.

I guess I always figured if you pulled the trigger, it's not a accident. Guns are made to go off when you pull the trigger. So your finger shouldn't be in the trigger housing unless your ready to shoot.
During the 32 years I spent in law enforcement, I carried a S&W mdl 59, various .357 mag revolvers, various small auto's like Walther PPK's, a Sig P-220, a Colt 1911, a Berretta 92, a Glock 17, and a Glock 23C.
What we found in training over and over, was that under stress, even from field problems/exercises using blanks and laser handguns, your first reaction always is to pull the trigger. And you usually pulled it 2-3 times before you thought to release the safety.
That's why in the early days (70's), most of us who carried S&W 59's and 39's, always carried them with the safety off. When the later Sig designs came about, they abandoned the safety all together and utilized de-cocking levers. Glock tried to have it both ways by still keeping the safety, but putting it in a place where it could be released as quickly and natural as possible.
There are differant requirements for handguns that are used for daily carry/personal protection, and handguns that you keep around the house/campsite/ motel, etc for personal protection. When your at home, and you hear that noise at night, you have time to get your handgun from the nightstand and flip off the safety. So by all means use a handgun with a safety.
When your a police officer walking up to a car to write a ticket, and the driver turns and points a gun at you, all you think of in a fraction of a second, is draw, point, fire. Same thing with the business man whose taking his money to the night drop at the bank, and someone steps up to him with a gun or knife. Thinking about, and fumbling with a safety is something that you don't do with Sig's and Glocks.

During my law enforcement career I always took pride in my handguns. I had a gold inlaid Colt Python, nickol plated Mdl 59 with rosewood grips, and various stainless guns with custom grips. No matter what my friends told me about Glocks, I just couldn't get myself to carry one because they were uglier then sin and came in a tupperware box.
One day out of curriosity I borrowered one to take out to the gun club. I really liked the way it pointed and shot. I liked the reduced weight. And most of all, I liked the consistant trigger pull. Unlike the double actions guns that most law enforcement agencies insisted on. The Glock has the same trigger pull for every shot. The double actions have a long first pull, and then short pulls. It is not uncommon for the first quick round fired with a double action to be low and to the right. And then you have to readjust for the next rounds.
For personal carry, the Glock is light, and has no hammers, safety levers, or sharp corners to catch on your clothing.

I still have my beautiful handguns like my Freedom Arms, engraved mdl 629, and Anaconda. But my Glock is my combat/personal protection handgun. Still ugly though.

 

[JDC]

Bishop-

In all the live fire training you did with the Glock, did you ever have an issue of not getting your finger far enough around the trigger to depress the safety?

I love your points about home protection and LE use without having to fumble with the safety. I would have never considered that concept.

 

[Bishop]

Bishop-

In all the live fire training you did with the Glock, did you ever have an issue of not getting your finger far enough around the trigger to depress the safety?

I love your points about home protection and LE use without having to fumble with the safety. I would have never considered that concept.


No, you can easily depress the safety with the tip of your finger. It's a pretty simple system that justs puts a bar behind the trigger that stops it until you depress the safety.

 

[Bishop]

How does one depress the trigger without depressing the "safety" also?
You can't. You pull the trigger and release the safety in one motion. If you catch the outside edge of the trigger and pull, the safety will not allow the trigger to move far enough to fire the gun. In fact the trigger will only move about 1/16th of a inch.
If you look at the back of the safety lever, there's a bar that lines up against the frame of the gun. The trigger can't be pulled until the safety lever is pulled flush with the trigger, and that bar aligns with the trigger opening.