To Glock or Not to Glock?

I really like this topic. I have been tempted to Glock. I typically want to hate them. I think of them as the Mac of computers. You pay extra for the logo…

I am an M&P guy so far, and I’m very happy. I love my M&Ps. I know it’s debatable, but I like a safety on my gun. Most striker fired pistols do not have safety’s. I really like polymer striker fired pistols. They’re reliable, affordable, easy to maintain, and can take a beating. Glocks don’t have safeties (not saying they should) and they are more expensive than m&p.

BUT I still use glock as a gold standard when researching firearms. I often start looking at high quality fire arms that run $800-$1200. After looking at those, I realize Glock is not exactly unreasonably priced. If I had to make a list of recommended firearms, glock would be on it. They’re obviously great guns.

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It goes bang when I squeeze the trigger. It doesn’t break the bank for me to own. It’s accurate enough that if I miss, it’s me not the gun. I don’t have to spend a grand in after market parts for me to like it.

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I remember shooting a friends G17 circa 1988. I got bad slide bite, and any time I tried after I also got slide bite. A few years ago the GF purchased a G17 gen4 to use for 3gun. I liked shooting it enough, did not get slide bite, and for magazine usage purchased the G34 (long slide 9mm). To my dismay I shot it very well; my scores improved. Later I got a G19, and then a G41 (long slide .45acp). I can say I have a love/detest relationship with the Glock. It is plain ugly, utilitarian, black, boring, etc… Part of the reason to get the G19 was that I prefer to carry whatever platform I am competing with. I have over 40k through that G34 now, and it just runs, minimal fuss. My GF has moved on to another pistol (that works way better for her), but I cannot let go of the G34.

I can conceal a G19 just fine, or the now re-purposed G17. I will say though that after concealing a full size 1911 for decades, it is easy. :smiley:

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Me to i do like sigs alot as well. And am on the market to get one in the next week. After months of diffrent carry systems my glock19 will be tough to conceal on summer unless i fannypack it. Which is fine but that system has its flaws as well. So im considering a sig or a baby glock.

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I have no problem with Glocks reliability and I wished my favorite brands had Glock’s aftermarket support… but I don’t own a Glock. I have just never shot them well and I have put some time behind Glocks owned by friends thinking I would catch on, but it never really happened for me.

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I’ve never loved them, but I never hated them either. I totally respect them though. Out of the box a military grade 1911 is super reliable with ball ammunition, but is not very accurate and doesn’t function well with JHPs or other bullet profiles. The slide to frame fit was intentionally loose so that dirt getting into the gun wouldn’t cause a jam, but that meant poor accuracy. Tightening up the frame to slide fit greatly improved accuracy, but can degrade reliability. Opening up the ejection port, polishing the feed ramp, altering the lips on magazines, etc. were necessary to make 1911s the workhorses of today (and that now come from the factory with these alterations). 1911s also could be customized for feel and looks in almost infinite ways. Glocks always were just good guns out of the box. Not with as much potential for tuning them up as 1911s, but picture perfect for self-defense. So it was easy to be passionate about a 1911, while the Glock was never something I developed that emotional attachment for.

I shoot a Glock ok. Not as well as a 1911, but no complaints. However Glock has lost its uniqueness and there are other polymer-framed, striker-fired, double-stack guns that I prefer. So it’s no longer 1911 vs Glock, it is also SIG vs Glock (for me), and xxx vs Glock in many other cases.

That said, I’d never tell someone to avoid Glocks.

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For me?..to Glock…why?
1. proven reliability…tupperware works.
2. OEM parts availability…they are everywhere.
3. aftermarket support…holsters, mags, customization, parts…second to none.
4. 34 parts…a monkey with a crowbar can maintain and repair this tool.
5. manual of arms…simple, succinct, safe.
6. Glock Blue Label program…first responders, law enforcement, military, and those retirees need to look into.
I grew up on 1911’s…had a fascination with wheel guns…have owned or currently own CZ, H&K, SIG, Beretta, Wilson Combat and others…for me, it is to Glock.

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For me not to glock dont like the way the feel or shoot dont get me wrong they do what they are ment to do I shoot a Sig Sauer p320 it is a little bulky for consealed carry it is a very accurate gun but then it is perfernce of what you like

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The Gen 5 19 is the first Glock that I have held, cycle tested, played with reset/creep/break, checked grip angle/ sight alignment and in the end didnt find anything objectionable and instead thought to myself…‘I could shoot that…’
It was on my ‘maybe one if these days’ list when Corona turned everything upside down. But the fates must have been looking my way since I found one N.I.B. with tritium sights at the local shop last weekend. I bought it.
Now I’m hoping I don’t like it too much because that will mean I wasted lots and lots on Sigs…
:thinking:

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Never had a GLock and never will own a similarly configured safety system. 2 cases in point.

  1. National news about experienced federal agent
    accidently shooting a customer when he hurriedly picked it up.
  2. An Army reservist accidentally died fro a neck wound after accidentally holding the handle and trigger safety at the same time.

I know you can throw them up against a wall without an accidental discharge.

I prefer a positive 1911 safety. Both incidents could have prevented.

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@Charles102 Both of those examples could be ANY gun, not specific to Glocks.
By following the basic rules of firearm safety both of these issues are avoidable. Especially the “never point a firearm at something unless you are planning on destroying it”.
Bottom line… user error.

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I agree with you, both incidents involved violation of two safety rules and could have happened with any gun. That said, getting used to not having a manual safety take effort. In 1990 the conventional wisdom was that except for true DAO you always wanted a manual safety and few semi-autos shipped without them. Fast forward 30 years and conventional wisdom has shifted towards manual safeties are an unnecessary complication that adds little or nothing to firearms safety. Glock is largely responsible for that attitude change, but it has permeated through the industry.

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I will say, Glocks do have a reputation for being “The Gun” that’s used in a Negligent Discharge… but that’s never the guns fault. Just human error. That’s actually why I like the Manuel safety. It’s not that I don’t trust the gun… it’s a contingency plan for myself if my noggins not working. I am very aware and careful with my fire arms… but I have poured orange juice in my cereal believing it to be milk… :joy::joy: (personal choice, if I kept the gun in one holster all of the time, I wouldn’t feel the safety necessary, but I switch between a holster and a belly band. I like the function of the belly band, but I don’t like the process of holstering the gun in it. I don’t depend on the safety, but it doesn’t hurt me either).

I could see it being a huge issue for law enforcement and military who were trained to use Barrettas like the above post said.

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Do not care for Glocks due to the designs and handling and I feel they are overpriced. Other manufacturers like CZ and Springfield are just as reliable and IMO CZs look tremendously better. YMMV.

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@momo I don’t have Glocks because of any of those reasons. I have them to reliably protect and save my life and those I love. And… I think their simplistic design is highly functional and beautiful. Since I have joined this community I have enjoy the vast amount of difference in people’s choices without insulting their personal choice. Just sayin’.

Yep… it certainly does. :wink:

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For some reason I have always liked 45 ACP pistols. I have two 1911s and a G21. I like and shoot them well. My accuracy is not much different no matter which I take to the range. Living in NJ I didn’t get the opportunity to carry. Having moved to Pennsylvania has changed that. I found both the 1911s and the G21 are too large for me carry concealed. For EDC I have a CZ-82 that works for me both in winter and summer. The G21 is on my night stand; one 1911 is in my truck and the other is in the car.

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I will not own a glock, main reason being the grip angle. I can point any other manufactures gun except glocks or other guns with the same grip angle. I highly recommend everyone read the book “Glock The Rise of America’s Gun”. It is a really good book, and some really interesting accounts and history of the company. The people who say the never malfunction might be surprised to see the section where glock had quite a few guns (in the early days, I’ll give them that) that had blown apart, harming quite a few people and glock made payouts and had them sign nondisclosure agreements to cover it up. Like I said, my personal preference is for other firearms and I recommend any and all gun people to check out the book, awesome story!

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One day I will own a Glock, just because. The G19 Gen5 is on my list, but it’ll take a windfall or an irresistible sale price to get it off the list and into my safe ahead a few others on that list. I have no single favorite brand of firearm; I own several makes and models in different calibers. I do like a great value and so most I’ve bought with special sale pricing, sometimes combined with manufacturer rebates. These offers just don’t seem to happen with Glocks.

I’ve rented a couple models of Glock; nothing special for me. Nothing bad, I just didn’t have one of those “man I’ve got to get me one of these” experiences. People who own Glocks seem to be very pleased with them. Most Glock owners wouldn’t consider anything else, and aren’t too shy to tell you there’s no better option. Some will even trash any other brand. I’ve got no issue with any of that - we’re all entitled to our individual opinions.

Glock owners I’ve talked with all tell me about the same story: The 1st thing they did was replace the plastic sights and the crappy trigger. So I ask myself, why would I want to spend north of $500 on a handgun, only to spend another $200-$300 to “make it right”? Especially when I can spend south of $500 on another reputable reliable brand, with metal night sights and a decent if not excellent trigger, right out of the box. I’ve also been told how easy a Glock is to clean - not a selling point for me, I rather enjoy cleaning my firearm(s) after a trip to the range.

I’ve just never bought into the Glock hype. Nothing against them, the company has done very well and I’m actually glad the demand is so strong for Glock products. This forces any serious competitor to offer more for less - a greater value in my book.

There are several different well made, reliable makes and models of firearms out there, just like there’s many different gun buyers. So there’s something for everyone. My experience has been that as long as they go bang when I squeeze the trigger, they’re all fun to shoot, some more so than others.

Me, I’ll continue adding to my collection when I can, and eventually I’ll make my way down the list to my Glock 19 Gen5.

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I have five Glocks (17, 19, 22, 23 and 42). I’ll get the new .22 after they’ve had some time to work the bugs out. The 17 has had 12,000 + rounds and is still all original. The 19 I’ve torture tested twice to 3000 rounds without cleaning and without malfunctions. I lost count on the number of rounds for the 23. I know it’s far higher than the 17. It has also been torture tested twice without issues. The 23 was my EDC for several years. Unfortunately, due to the ever increasing arthritis in my hands, I’ve shifted to the 19 for EDC and competition.

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My carry is a Glock 26. I like it because it always goes bang, no matter if it is reloads, or those high priced, powder packed, hollow points.

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