Me and the Glock (26)

[Lohman446]

I guess I have a lot to learn. I'm still a year away from being able to get my carry permit. I'm not buying a pistol until then. I was basically considering a Glock without any doubts just for reliability's sake. Why all the hate lol, they seem like a great product.

Also, any suggestions as far as what one should get for a purely personal defense purpose? I was thinking a G23 since it's compact but still fires a pretty decent round. Then again, I'm a beginner as far as pistols go. Not to hijack the thread, but any suggestions on a low cost, easy to maintain sidearm for a beginner?

If money is an issue remember this

A well placed 9MM bullet is far more effective than any .45, .357, or .40 that misses.

People are down on the 9 as a great defensive round. It probably isn't, but the same people who then point to the .40 seldom bother to mention the .357 gives you the same capacity with better stopping power, or that the .45 is much more reliable for stopping power. They seldom get into discussions about the 10MM. The 9MM is a VERY GOOD defensive round if it does not fall into the great category.

The 9, in the hands of a competent, practiced shooter is a proven reliable round and cheap enough to get plenty of practice with to become said competent shooter.

Than again, if you are only going to run 50 round a month through for practice the 40 does have better stopping power well still being a readily attainable round.

I keep the choices easy by keeping one of each around (.357 SIG Sig Sauer, 357 Mag (does my Ruger Blackhawk count?),. .38 special in S+W airweight, .45 Kimber, and a .40 in the Sigma series. Oh yeh, theres a .380 or two around somewhere .)

That being said for day to day carry I find the Sig simply too heavy. The Sigma has too long of a trigger pull, The .380 Keltec is a great pocket pistol but nothing more. That leaves the carry stable to be the .45 and the .38.

I personally am not a fan of the .40. It has a very sharp kick - I know its not more but it feels like more than my .45. Than again, I shoot across platforms so its hard to compare evenly.

[VTLO910]

The method of operation between a 1911 and a glock is so different that muscle memory for one doesnt work with the other.

THIS statement is so true... I trained so much with my GLOCK, that when I draw from a holstered position, I inadvertly hit the safety ON and not off on my 1911 Kimber, which is why I will never carry it for self defense purposes... NOTE: This is MY personal experience, and a 1911 style may be for you...


The best advice I can give to anyone is this.

Shoot only the caliber you can shoot comfortably and accurately. Shotting a higher calber means nothing if you don;t hit your target.

If possible, pick up every gun you can, and if possible, rent one and shoot it... Every person is different and the ergonomics of how your hand fits the gun is more important. BUY what fits YOU best, not what fit anyone else.

Educate. Take classes, learn more about firearms in general, and learn about the laws that will affect you. Having the RIGHT to own/Possess a firearm also means you have a RESPONSIBILITY to know the laws about them and when lethal force is/is not justified.

Lastly. PRACTICE...!!!!!!!! As already mentioned, "Muscle Memory", it take somewhere in the relm of 2000 CORRECT repetitions for you to be able to do something by muscle memory... Train properly and you will ACT, and not react when you deem it is necessary to draw your firearm.

Of course, never drawing a firearm and walking away from any dispute is the ultimate win.

[warbeak2099]

If money is an issue remember this

A well placed 9MM bullet is far more effective than any .45, .357, or .40 that misses.

People are down on the 9 as a great defensive round. It probably isn't, but the same people who then point to the .40 seldom bother to mention the .357 gives you the same capacity with better stopping power, or that the .45 is much more reliable for stopping power. They seldom get into discussions about the 10MM. The 9MM is a VERY GOOD defensive round if it does not fall into the great category.

The 9, in the hands of a competent, practiced shooter is a proven reliable round and cheap enough to get plenty of practice with to become said competent shooter.

Than again, if you are only going to run 50 round a month through for practice the 40 does have better stopping power well still being a readily attainable round.

I keep the choices easy by keeping one of each around (.357 SIG Sig Sauer, 357 Mag (does my Ruger Blackhawk count?),. .38 special in S+W airweight, .45 Kimber, and a .40 in the Sigma series. Oh yeh, theres a .380 or two around somewhere .)

That being said for day to day carry I find the Sig simply too heavy. The Sigma has too long of a trigger pull, The .380 Keltec is a great pocket pistol but nothing more. That leaves the carry stable to be the .45 and the .38.

I personally am not a fan of the .40. It has a very sharp kick - I know its not more but it feels like more than my .45. Than again, I shoot across platforms so its hard to compare evenly.

Yea I was wondering how much truth there is to the bad rap 9mm gets. 10mm would be interesting too. What I am most definitely going to do is go to a range multiple times before I make a purchase. I have several friends with pistols as well. As with paintball, I'm not going to make a purchase without having test fired different products.

Then again, my dad's collection includes a Colt 1849 Pocket, maybe I'll try that out! J/k lol we're major Civil War buffs. I'm definitely stealing his crappy Pietta repro 1851 Navy and using it as a plinker. Then again, I'd rather see the stares at the range from using the Walker hahahaha.

[Steelrat]

Yea I was wondering how much truth there is to the bad rap 9mm gets. 10mm would be interesting too. What I am most definitely going to do is go to a range multiple times before I make a purchase. I have several friends with pistols as well. As with paintball, I'm not going to make a purchase without having test fired different products.

Then again, my dad's collection includes a Colt 1849 Pocket, maybe I'll try that out! J/k lol we're major Civil War buffs. I'm definitely stealing his crappy Pietta repro 1851 Navy and using it as a plinker. Then again, I'd rather see the stares at the range from using the Walker hahahaha.

With the newer rounds, 9mm has come close to catching up with .40 in terms of lethality. 10mm is not bad, just a little too powerful to handle comfortably IMHO. I still love .45.

[fire1811]

I love my Glocks. I have a Glock 21SF(.45) and a Glock 17(9mm) Both guns have been great with zero problems.

A HUGE selling point for me with Glocks is the maintenance....or lack there of. 5 or less drops of oil and your done.

Glocks are simple. No bells and whistles they just shoot, which is exactly what I want.

[Indignant]

The only thing I would caution anyone about is carrying too many different kinds of guns.

Do you mean at the same time? I would hate to use my 629 when the 686 would do the trick.





Actually, all I have to add is that if you shoot wheelguns double action on a regular basis, the Glock trigger will have a very familiar feel. That is one reason I like 'em, used to shoot a 586 and a 17L in competition one right after the other on the same day.

[Lohman446]

I ordered both New York triggers in them, going to drop each in and see which one I like better to get a stiffer pull for carry. Great trigger on the range but not so much for carry.

I shot it and my S+W 38 last night. Glock has a bit of an accuracy edge (ok, a very noticeable one) and more ammo. Then again, the Kimber outperforms both and my Sig outperforms that, there just not carriable anymore in my mind. Thinking about picking up a second Glock in .45 or 357 Sig for a bit more potency. That being said shooting +P in the Smith accuracy was well above serviceable. The transition is going to be doable.

[CoolHand]

I ordered both New York triggers in them, going to drop each in and see which one I like better to get a stiffer pull for carry. Great trigger on the range but not so much for carry.

I shot it and my S+W 38 last night. Glock has a bit of an accuracy edge (ok, a very noticeable one) and more ammo. Then again, the Kimber outperforms both and my Sig outperforms that, there just not carriable anymore in my mind. Thinking about picking up a second Glock in .45 or 357 Sig for a bit more potency. That being said shooting +P in the Smith accuracy was well above serviceable. The transition is going to be doable.

What makes the Kimber and the Sig uncarriable?

[Lohman446]

What makes the Kimber and the Sig uncarriable?

The Sig is a touch on the heavy side and I just have not commited myself to buying a Polymer framed one

The Kimber I am not entirely comfortable carrying cocked and locked anymore (I understand its safe, I just am no longer comfortable).

[CoolHand]

The Sig is a touch on the heavy side and I just have not commited myself to buying a Polymer framed one

The Kimber I am not entirely comfortable carrying cocked and locked anymore (I understand its safe, I just am no longer comfortable).

So you were comfortable with carrying the Kimber in condition one previously, but not now.

What has changed (in your thinking or otherwise) that makes you uncomfortable now?

No offense or anything intended, I'm just curious what happened to change your mind.

[VTLO910]

One less external safety to be concerned about (is it on of off...? did I knock it on safe...?)


Thats my best guess...

I love the wifes SIG, but it's tough to keep the shorts up in the warmer months with the weight...lol

[CoolHand]

One less external safety to be concerned about (is it on of off...? did I knock it on safe...?)


Thats my best guess...

I love the wifes SIG, but it's tough to keep the shorts up in the warmer months with the weight...lol

If you've ever shot a 1911, you see right away that it's basically impossible to mistake if the safety is on or off, especially when you hold it correctly (in which case, your thumb actually rests on top of the safety, ready to push it down and disable it).

Some people don't like how it looks when in condition one (cocked and locked), but IMO if someone is going to be scared of a gun with the hammer back, they're gonna be just as scared of one you carry in condition two, or one without an exposed hammer at all (DAO).

It seems to me that a 1911 in condition one is at least as safe, if not safer than a Glock in condition two (which is the only option with a Glock, being a DAO). The 1911 has two safety devices that must be disabled before the trigger can be pulled to discharge the round. The Glock only has one safety device, and the act of pulling the trigger itself disables it.

I'm not saying that Glocks are unsafe or anything like that, but rather that there is nothing inherently unsafe about a 1911 in condition one. If a single safety device is enough to make a Glock safe, then two ought to be enough to make a 1911 safe as well (series 80 Colts and all late model Kimbers have a firing pin block safety too, which is disabled when the grip safety is disabled, giving some 1911 three (3) safety devices).

I'm with you on the whole "keeping the britches in place" problem. I don't carry a pistol on my person, but if I did, I'd have to do it with a shoulder holster or some such, 'cause my pants have a hard enough time just holding themselves up.

[Steelrat]

Much as I like 1911s, I think the ultimate carry weapon is a Sig with DAK or an H&K with LEM. Double action triggers are much better than a light trigger in a stressful situation, due to the loss of fine motor control. There are plenty of videos out there showing accidental discharges by officers in stressful situations. The nice thing about the LEM and DAK is that, although there is a longer deliberate pull similar to to a doulbe action pull, it's lighter than a normal double action pull. Plus, there is no safety to screw around with. Pull and shoot, only without the light Glock pull (NY triggers feel like crap with such a short pull).

I carry a Sig 229 DAK, but I'll probably spring for an H&K P2000 SK LEM. Awesome pistol.

[MoeMag]

357 Mag (does my Ruger Blackhawk count?)

Oh yeah. I have started to carry my .45 vaquero when im out on trails. Tho that comes off with the saddle, and the glock is right there when I get back in the truck.

Ya wanna talk about muscle memory... SA guns are just part of our genetics as Americans.

[VTLO910]

If you've ever shot a 1911, you see right away that it's basically impossible to mistake if the safety is on or off, especially when you hold it correctly (in which case, your thumb actually rests on top of the safety, ready to push it down and disable it).

Some people don't like how it looks when in condition one (cocked and locked), but IMO if someone is going to be scared of a gun with the hammer back, they're gonna be just as scared of one you carry in condition two, or one without an exposed hammer at all (DAO).

It seems to me that a 1911 in condition one is at least as safe, if not safer than a Glock in condition two (which is the only option with a Glock, being a DAO). The 1911 has two safety devices that must be disabled before the trigger can be pulled to discharge the round. The Glock only has one safety device, and the act of pulling the trigger itself disables it.

I'm not saying that Glocks are unsafe or anything like that, but rather that there is nothing inherently unsafe about a 1911 in condition one. If a single safety device is enough to make a Glock safe, then two ought to be enough to make a 1911 safe as well (series 80 Colts and all late model Kimbers have a firing pin block safety too, which is disabled when the grip safety is disabled, giving some 1911 three (3) safety devices).


I'm with you on the whole "keeping the britches in place" problem. I don't carry a pistol on my person, but if I did, I'd have to do it with a shoulder holster or some such, 'cause my pants have a hard enough time just holding themselves up.

I am by NO means picking a fight here, but technically the Glock handguns all have three safety mechanisms: 1) the trigger safety, 2) the firing pin safety, and 3) the drop safety. The only way a Glock handgun will fire is for the trigger to be pulled fully to the rear.

You ARE CORRECT in that the act of pulling the trigger disables them, BUT, it is still at least 2x safer then a revolver... Which has none...


I also agree that a 1911 style can be as safe as any other... My comment is based STRICTLY on my personal experience... As my post way above states, my personal training and muscle memory actually causes ME to hit the safety on and not off on my draw stroke... Which is why I will never carry my Kimber for Self Defense... For those who have shot 1911's for years, this may not present any problem for...