New Glock 21 Advice?

[GunAdmirer]

I traded for a like new, recent production 3rd generation G21 this afternoon. I've shot a friend's G21 before and found it to be quite accurate. The grip is big but fits my hand pretty well. I've had many Glocks before.

Any advice on the Glock 21? Any ammo pickiness? Defense ammo weight/brand preference? Quirks? Must have upgrades or accessories?

I would appreciate your advice and thoughts. Let's not get into kabooms or anything like it, please.

 

[Full Metal Jacket]

excellent choice. no ammo pickiness--it'll feed anything. no quirks either

i put +2 pearce floorplates on my g21sf's mags. nice to have 15 rounds of .45

 

[pvthouse]

I bought one maybe 5 months ago and love the thing. I have shot everything from 15/50 rnd of chechz ammo to premium dollar plus a round sd ammo. Not a single ftf or fte after 1500 rounds. For sd ammo I have used speer gold dot 185 gr jhp and remington pdx1 230gr jhp and it loves both. As far as upgrades goes I wouldn't mess with the internals, there are aftermarket parts out there but they are not needed. If its going to be a nightstand gun then I MAY suggest tritium night sights. As usual don't use lead reloads. My usual rounds are fiocchi 230gr rn. Just cause they are cheap and go bang. Its a very accurate and dependable weapon. Treat it well and it will most definently do the same in return.

 

[skipsan]

I recently impulse-bought a G21. Still don't know why, but its a nice pistol.
Seems to take all the crappy reloads I can feed it without any issues. I did buy an Advantage Arms .22 kit, also on impulse. It also works fine also, but the aluminum kit on the plastic frame results in such a light combo, I'm not sure how much of a training aid it really is. Feels like a kids plastic squirt gun with trigger to match.

 

[dawico]

I love the G21. Treat it like any other Glock and it will be fine.

 

[Full Metal Jacket]

I recently impulse-bought a G21. Still don't know why, but its a nice pistol.

i recently impulse bought a Glock 29 10mm lol

glocks have that affect on folks

 

[amprecon]

Your 3rd generation should have the accessory rail on it, I've found the Streamlight TLR-3 a nice accessory for a nightstand gun and easily removed for carry. This model is of complete polymer construction and is very compact for the amount of brightness it produces.

The Glock 21 is a great pistol and utterly reliable and accurate.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/streamlight-compact-rail-mounted-tactical-light-tlr-3-69220.html

 

[GunAdmirer]

I usually buy a plug, spare recoil assembly and floorplate for each Glock I buy.

I couldn't have made a better deal on the G21.

I had a nice 1911 for awhile that I foolishly sold. I've been content with my 9mms until the last few months. I just wanted to add a .45 back to my collection. Like I stated, I shot a friend's G21 nearly a year ago and shot very well with it. I've had nothing but good luck with Glocks.

I plan to use it mainly as a home defense or truck gun because of its large size. I'll carry the G19 when I need to carry something.

No problems with flat point bullets or plated semi wadcutters?

 

[skipsan]

Aside from a few rounds of factory ammo for break-in, the only ammo I've used in my G21 is 200 gr Berry plated swc. No issues.

 

[amprecon]

The very first thing I have them do to it before I even leave the store is have them replace the 5.5lb disconnector with the 3.5lb one, it makes a world of difference.

 

[Full Metal Jacket]

^^agreed.

the 3.5lb actually gives a 4.5lb pull so it's not too light for carry, for folks concerned about that. glock started calling it the "4.5" connector a couple years go. not sure why glock ever called it "3.5....

 

[Nushif]

Hmmm ... So the 3.5 connector will give me a 4.5 pull ...
How hard are they to install for an utter n00b like myself?

 

[Full Metal Jacket]

^^a mildly retarded monkey can field strip a glock

just search for "glock connector" on youtube, there's a bunch on there, walk you through everything, my friend.

pm me if you have any questions about it.

 

[Sgt_R]

I like a plug, extended slide release, medium mag release, and 3.5# connector on my Glocks. My full size also has a tungsten guide rod. Everything can be installed in about 20 minutes, and the only tool needed is a small punch.

Other than that, buy a couple spare mags, a good holster, and as much ammo as you can afford to shoot.

R

 

[DustyVermonter]

I shoot 230gr UMC for target practice and have not had any issues whatsoever, which is pretty standard for all Glocks.

My personal preference for defensive ammo is the Hornady Tap 230gr hollow points.


Go to www.ThePrepared.com this site will tell you everything you need to know, if this link does not work than just google The Prepared Glock 21 Torture Test and you will have a new found respect for your new impulse buy.

 

[REAPER4206969]

How hard are they to install for an utter n00b like myself?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfyytGNqohY

 

[Sapper771]

The only ammo that I had an issue with in my G21SF was some jacketed semi-wadcutter bullets, but they also had a very short OAL. Other than those, no others to report. I have ran 185gr, 200gr, and 230gr weights from several different manufacturers with no problems.

Accessories are a personal thing. I had to go through some trial and error to figure out what accessories were worth their weight.

-Probably the most important item is ammunition. If you don't already reload, you may want to look into it. You can save yourself a lot of money by loading your own. The cheapest ammo at my local Wal-mart is roughly $20 for 50 rounds. My cost is $8 per 50 rounds. I started out using a single stage press. My start up cost was right at $800. The press had paid itself off within the first 6 months of use.

-I would recommend a good set of night sights. I prefer Warren Tactical sights or Heinie straight eights.

-If you plan on carrying it, a good holster is a must. I carried my G21SF in a Blade-tech NANO IWB. I also used a Galco summer comfort IWB, but did not like it as much as the Blade-tech.

-Its good to have plenty of magazines. I like to have at least 6 mags for my carry gun. I can run three as range mags and use the other three for carry. I like to have plenty of mags on hand, so the more the merrier

-I like the extended slide lock lever, but not for use as a slide release. I find that it is easier to engage when you are manually locking the slide back for admin purposes.

-The back strap channel plug is optional, but I use them. I have heard both yays and nays on them.

-I have a stainless steel after market barrel for my G21 so I could shoot my lead reloads. My barrel is from Lone Wolf Distributors and has been reliable so far. They normally run around $100.

-The stainless steel guide rods are optional as well. Some of my Glocks have them, some don't.

-I am using an extended magazine release on my G17. I cut it down to where it was mid way between factory length and the extended length, so far so good.

-I am testing out a Talon grip on my G17 and I like it so far. The sand decal grips are also good if you find that the frame isn't as grippy as you would like.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Must have upgrades or accessories?

Night sights are nice to have. Nothing else is really needed.

 

[GunAdmirer]

Thanks for all the advice. Your suggestions, experience and ideas are helpful. I'm very pleased with the pistol. I think I will get some spare parts and a light for the rail as suggested.

I need to get a couple of extra mags. How is the latest version marked?

Looks like .45 acp defense ammo is still pretty hard to come by.

 

[A1Fiddler]

I love my Glock 21. Night sights are a must. I have Tru-glo TFOs and they're great. The accessories I opted for are extended slide catch, 3.5# connector/6# Wolff trigger spring, grip plug, and an Arrendondo (I think I spelled that right) +4 extension on one of my mags. 17+1 rounds of .45ACP is just awesome.

 

[Balrog]

One of the great things about the Glock is that you can do pretty much any work you need done on it yourself. Its all on youtube.com

 

[Ben86]

If you have had many glocks then you know what to expect from this one.

From my experience they are really accurate and although the grip is portly, it fits my hand pretty well none the less.

 

[GunAdmirer]

I had a chance to shoot the "new to me" Glock 21 this morning.

I fired two full magazines of 13 +1 rounds with no malfunctions. Accuracy was good. The .45 recoil was noticeably more than the 9mm recoil I am used to experiencing!

I like it. It is a big, heavy and powerful pistol. I would feel real good about having it in a home defense situation.

 

[Ben86]

I need to get a couple of extra mags. How is the latest version marked?

The gen 4 mags have notches on both sides of the magazines. They still work in all glocks.

I'm glad your g21 worked out well, just as I thought it would.

 

[sohcgt2]

I have a G21 and fire Hornady TAP PD or Cor-Bon +p as a defensive load depending on what's available. Like all the others, I have only good things to say about all of my Glock equipment.