Do I need to get a Glock for my first handgun?

hso said:

It is all about ergonomics and bone structure.

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Note she makes a point about needing to be able to reach the mag release while the gun is in a full firing grip. Conversely, Shannon Smith says there is no gun on the planet he can reach the mag release while holding with a shooting grip.



I'm with Mr. Smith on this one. You may be able to reach a mag release on some pistols with a shooting grip, but I wouldn't expect it. In addition, there is some advantage to not being able to reach a mag release with a shooting grip as you can't inadvertently drop a mag while you're shooting.

I am a fan of the Glock but didn't start out that way. I originally bought my first Glock, a model 20, because I was interested in the 10mm Auto cartridge and the G20 was one of the only models that didn't have a reputation for rattling itself apart with a steady diet of full power 10mm loads. I never had problems with the recoil as the Glock is well designed to deal with recoil. However, it was hard for me to shoot accurately with it for a while. I had a habit of shooting high because the grip angle was different from the traditional 1911 style autos I learned on. I eventually ended up replacing a SIG P220 with a Glock 19. The 9mm was cheap and common, and allowed me to practice enough to get used to the Glock. I finally figured out that when you push the pistol out you need to have your wrist locked in their downward position. I find it helps to point at the target with your thumb. Normally I would point at target with my index finger on traditional 1911 style pistols but the different angle on the Glock means using the thumbs to point at target, thereby insuring that your wrist is locked in the down position.

If you're just interested in a 9mm, you have lots of choices. Glock makes several excellent ones. I would list the Glock 19 as the best 9mm even made. It's proven, simple to operate and maintain, perfectly sized, with lightweight and excellent capacity. I think there are plenty of reasons to get used to a Glock. You can fix or replace anything that can go wrong with that design yourself with nothing more than a pin punch. Glock has a more complete lineup of calibers and models than just about everyone else. If you just want a compact 9mm, sure, take your pick. If you find yourself interested in the 10mm, or looking for a longslide with the ability to take a miniature reflex sight, your options decrease. Also, the Glock will give you a lot more aftermarket options.

General advice. Buy a handgun that fits your hands.

Auto-loader defensive calibers start at 9mm. Revolver defensive calibers start at .38 Special. Unless you find a revolver in .327 Federal Magnum that seems to punch above it's weight.

Buy a handgun that fits your hands.

Cheap ball ammo is a must for punching paper. Defensive ammo from a reputable manufacturer (not cheap) is also a must.

Buy a handgun that fits your hands.

Get some instruction in the basics. Hangunning isn't intuitive to a beginner. I thought it was stupid simple until I had to teach what I was doing to others. Then I remembered I'd had instruction many years prior, myself.

Buy a handgun that fits your hands.

Ignore the people who tell you what handgun to get. Pay attention to information about potential problems, but the best handgun for me might not the best (and likely isn't) for you.

Buy a handgun that fits your hands.

Learn all you can about handgun fit. An accomplished handgunner can pick up anything and make it work. But when learning, do not add another hurdle to proficiency. Buy a handgun that fits your hands.

Sam1911 said:

Some clarification:

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I just don't know what to say.

To the OP. If you really want a DA/SA pistol get one. Make sure it fits your hands. Spend enough time & money to learn to shoot it well. Glocks are good guns but they aren't the only guns. I would avoid a DA/SA pistol with the safety on the slide as that just feels backwards to me though a decocker only version of the same pistol would be fine to me. Just understand that everyone here has different preferences. Each person has their own reasons. If you get a DA/SA & decide you don't like it you can always sell or trade it & get something else. Of course if you are like most here you may do in addition to not instead of. If you can get some instruction it would probably help. I spent a lot of money on ammunition trying to learn. I finally got where I was somewhat okay after reading a Mas Ayoob book & taking a class. Now my issue is finding time to practice. Instruction would have been a lot cheaper in the long run than buying the ammunition I bought trying to teach myself.

Personally I am not a big DA/SA fan but for some reason I keep finding myself wanting a Sig P 229. Doesn't make a bit of sense.

Get something that feels good in your hand. I would recommend a 9mm Glock but if Glock's don't feel good in your hand, try other brands until you find one that feels good. Rent the ones you are considering if possible. Also consider how you would carry the pistol. 1911 type pistols are typically carried "cocked and locked" (round in the chamber, pistol cocked, and safety on). Some people don't like to carry in this condition.

I shoot often and enjoy shooting my 9mm automatics much more than my revolvers. Therefore, my .38 revolver rarely makes it to the range.

"I’m not sure what “points naturally” even means. If you pick up a pistol and point it at something it will be pointed at whatever something you pointed it at. OK."


Let's say I pick up a pistol and point it at something without looking at the sights. Then, after it is pointed, I glance at the sights. If they are lined up correctly, that pistol points well for me. If they are not lined up, it doesn't.

Regarding reloads, that is one advantage of shooting southpaw. I can reach magazine release on my G20 with the shooting hand index finger without shifting the pistol. On tactical reloads I was taught to grab the hardest to reach magazine and to retain the partial. This leaves the easiest to reach magazine full and accessible when you have to do a speed/emergency reload. This is of course when you have a plate carrier or duty belt that has multiple magazines on it. If you're like most of us and only carry one spare on the belt for EDC, the point is moot.

Only if you are sure that's what you want is a Glock.

If you like DA/SA I would look at the CZ PCR , and the CZ 75 . Most likely when you decide to CC you will end up with a striker fire pistol , so you might want to start of with one . I would look at the Walther PPQ 9mm , it has a very good feel to it and the best trigger of all the striker fire pistols IMO .

IShootMemeCalibers wrote:
Do I need to get a Glock for my first handgun?

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No, of course not.

Nobody on earth has a NEED to buy any particular make of handgun. They need go gun that fits their hand, that they are comfortable using and can afford. If that happens to be a Glock, then so be it. If it happens to be something else, then so be it.

No you do not need to buy a Glock as your first handgun.

They work, they are reliable but I would never ever own one (at some point I was tempted to get a Glock 20 because I like the 10mm round...I did shoot it, I did hold it in my hands, I did look at it but, in the end, I could not "pull the trigger"....no pun intended) ...I do not care about striker fired pistols and I never will....they are cheap and simple, their best attribute...that's about it...they are good for lazy shooters that cannot (or do not want to) spend time learning the nuances of their sidearm.

My personal suggestion is to get the SA/DA pistol that fits best your hands from a reputable brand and learn how to use it and the different trigger pulls....there are a lot to choose from.

I've been through a whole bunch of guns over the years trying to find what I like and honestly, it's hard to do better than a good striker fired 9mm for self defense use. Lots of good ones available from a variety of manufacturers in both full size or compact versions. Get one that fits your hand well and make sure it's got good night sights that you can see well and you should be well served. Make sure you have at least 3 mags, get a good holster and then spend your money on ammo and if available, some training and go shoot the snot out of it. You'll be WAY ahead of the average Joe IMHO.

If your getting a gun for primarily defensive use, don't worry about getting a .22. Spend the money on 9mm ammo instead and practice.

As far as Glocks specifically, it's hard to beat a Glock 9mm G17 or G19 for that kind of duty IMHO, especially for the money. My choice would be one with the RTF2 frame or else a Gen 5 as I really dislike the finger groves on the standard Glocks. Either get the factory night sights or a special edition with better sights. I also like a Larry Vickers slide release and mag button on the Gen3's as I find them easier to manipulate. If you can find a Vickers edition Glock they're GTG out of the box. Couple bucks more, but money VERY well spent IMHO.

So far we've all mentioned buying something that "fits" or "feels right" or "points naturally".

So how do you define those things? It all a bit subjective because there are no hard and fast rules, it's all what suits you, in the end.

First is grip angle, the relation between the line of the bore and the line of the grip frame. Pick a spot on the wall some distance in front of you. 20 feet or so is good. Do not take your eyes off that spot and push the handgun out from the centerline of your body to that spot. Then look at the sights. Are they reasonably close in elevation? Left and right can be compensated for in how you hold the pistol. Up and down is determined by the natural angle of your wrist holding the gun. If up and down is close, keep it in your list of considerations. If not, toss it out.

Then there's grip width. Can you comfortably hold it in your hand? Too wide or too narrow will be uncomfortable. Just as important is grip length. Is it too long to conceal well or is it too short to allow more than a two finger grip?

On to trigger reach, the distance from the rearmost point of the grip frame to the face of the trigger. Can you comfortably get your finger on the trigger without contorting your grip?

Are the sights functional? Or are they simply decorative bumps on top of the handgun?

Can you manage the controls? Safety if applicable, magazine release and slide stop. Can you operate them with your support hand (mag release and slide stop) and shooting hand (safety)?

Choosing a first handgun should involve having as much variety as possible in front of you and eliminating them one by one based on what is more or less suitable than the others.

I'll admit I did not have time to read all the posts here.. I might recommend a Kahr pistol, probably in 9mm.
Nothing not to like.

FWIW, I don't like how Glock feels, but have never actually shot one.

IShootMemeCalibers said:

I'm looking for a gun that will give me a good training base for general pistol shooting, but is also a quality piece. ... I'm generally getting into this for self-defense reasons, and due to my limited budget, and the fact that none of those seem suitable in that sense for me currently, I'm looking into a modern semi-auto in an SD caliber (maybe I'm wrong?). The obvious recommendation is "get a Glock".

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I really don't want to create any "passion" on this response, but Glocks, in my view, are expert's guns. And it's the last gun I would be comfortable carrying.

If one carefully obeys the cardinal rules of gun handling, one most likely will never have a problem. BUT, and this is the issue, people make mistakes. We sometimes get fatigued, even careless.

And this is not the gun to be forgiving.

The problem with the Glock is that you load the magazine, jack a round into the chamber and now the only remaining step in handling the gun is to fire it or to unload. Even carrying it is problematic. The thing about the Glock is that it's ready to fire and there's very little take up in the trigger. If I took my Sig Saur P220, jacked a round into the chamber and the holstered it, carrying it with the hammer back and ready to fire (without a safety) -- I think most people would consider that reckless. The primary difference is that there's at least more take-up in the action of the Sig.

In short, I don't know anyone who would put a round into the chamber and holster it with the hammer back and not have a safety. (I certainly wouldn't.) So I also would not carry a Glock with a round in the chamber, ready to fire. I think if you're an Army Ranger or a Navy Seal, or if you belong to a SWAT team, fine. You are trained adequately, but I believe many of these unintentional police shootings we hear about in the news are done with Glocks.

If you can be trained to keep your finger off the trigger, you can be trained to disengage a safety. With Glocks you or someone else can be shot each time the trigger is touched. For a first time handgun, I'd get a good .357 revolver or a small 9mm pistol with a safety. If you decide to go with a Glock, get some training, then spend a lot of time with it unloaded just to get a feel for it.

Stargater53 said:

I really don't want to create any "passion" on this response, but Glocks, in my view, are expert's guns. And it's the last gun I would be comfortable carrying.

If one carefully obeys the cardinal rules of gun handling, one most likely will never have a problem. BUT, and this is the issue, people make mistakes. We sometimes get fatigued, even careless.

And this is not the gun to be forgiving.

The problem with the Glock is that you load the magazine, jack a round into the chamber and now the only remaining step in handling the gun is to fire it or to unload. Even carrying it is problematic. The thing about the Glock is that it's ready to fire and there's very little take up in the trigger. If I took my Sig Saur P220, jacked a round into the chamber and the holstered it, carrying it with the hammer back and ready to fire (without a safety) -- I think most people would consider that reckless. The primary difference is that there's at least more take-up in the action of the Sig.

In short, I don't know anyone who would put a round into the chamber and holster it with the hammer back and not have a safety. (I certainly wouldn't.) So I also would not carry a Glock with a round in the chamber, ready to fire. I think if you're an Army Ranger or a Navy Seal, or if you belong to a SWAT team, fine. You are trained adequately, but I believe many of these unintentional police shootings we hear about in the news are done with Glocks.

If you can be trained to keep your finger off the trigger, you can be trained to disengage a safety. With Glocks you or someone else can be shot each time the trigger is touched. For a first time handgun, I'd get a good .357 revolver or a small 9mm pistol with a safety. If you decide to go with a Glock, get some training, then spend a lot of time with it unloaded just to get a feel for it.

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If you don't feel safe with a Glock, you probably shouldn't own or handle firearms at all. I am no Navy SEAL, but I've been carrying and shooting Glocks for about 12 years--about 1/3 of my life--without incident, because The Four Rules are a religion for me. If your safety is between your ears, the Glock is as safe as anything on the market.

Only thing is, I not a huge fan. I've tried a number of guns over a good number range trips, and I'm not partial to Glocks. Now, I'm not experienced enough to know what I shoot well (I don't shoot anything well ) but I know that Glocks don't sit as well in my hand and the triggers are a little harder for me to use. Judging by the other options I've tried. I'm pretty sure that if I already had good shooting skills, and was looking for my choice weapon I wouldn't get a Glock .
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You've pretty much answerved your own question.

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As Trunk Monkey noted, you pretty much already indicated that the Glock is not the best fit for your preferences. I do appreciate Glocks but have often moved away from them. I too appreciate a hammer fired pistol and also like DA/SA. Some options to think about:

- Walther PPQ is similarly sized to G19 but with much better ergonomics, albeit striker fired
- Kahr CW9 is slightly smaller than a G19 but single stack holding only 7 +1 rounds. It is striker fired but has a long smooth and light trigger pull
- Sig P250 (discontinued, but still available) is smaller than a G19 holds 12 +1 rounds and is DAO but has a trigger similar to Kahr but not as long. This is a hammer fired gun and probably has the best DAO trigger I have encountered to date
- CZ 75 (P01, PCR) the compact CZ are comparably sized to the G19. Hold 14 +1 and are DA/SA or some are SA with a safety (I wouldn't recommend for someone still learning and getting the feel of things as there is too much to think about in a defensive situation). Ergos on a CZ are excellent but the DA trigger pull is a bit stout

With all that being said, Glocks are super easy to work on and accessories can be found anywhere. I started on striker fired guns and have actually moved in the other direction preferring hammers and DAO or DA/SA

Trust me this won't be you one and only purchase

JONWILL said:

If you want a Semi auto Handgun. If you want or like the SA/DA can't go wrong with a CZ PCR (Pride of ownership gun) or P-07 Lightweight, great trigger and very accurate.

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For a first gun I concur. I just shot the PCR (75 D Compact) last week and found it very accurate and it fits my hand well. From 7 yards (self defense range) I was shooting 3" groups, which I felt was pretty good for just picking up the gun. It belongs to a friend and we put about 200 rounds through it. My son in law has a P10c and he really likes his and says it is very accurate. CZ has a good reputation and if I were to go to 9mm they'd be near the top of my list.

Don't get a Glock for your first gun. There are so many guns that shoot better at the range.
I have a Glock 34 IDPA gun that I shot IDPA with but there are so many guns that are more
accurate at slow aimed fire. For instance any good smith revolver in .38 Special or .357. You
can shoot .38 Wadcutters very accurately without much recoil and for hunting or defense
load the magnums.
Zeke

Personally I think a full sized 9mm is a great place to start. Cheap ammo. Easy recoil but you still know you shot something. Plenty lethal. Great for home protection. If your first hand gun is a good quality full sized 9mm that fits your hand well you will probably have it for the rest of your life and enjoy shooting it forever.

You can gain a lot of skills with a .22 cheaply but you will find that you will quickly out grow it. .40 is a good round but costs more and has a snappier recoil, not my first choice for a first gun. .45 is a great round and everyone should have a good 1911 for the range... eventually... but a single action .45 is not what I would reccomend to start with.

There are so many quality 9's available you just need to pick something that feels good in your hand, the controls are well positioned for you, you feel comfortable with the trigger pull... and choose a hand gun you find an attraction for. Old school metal framed or new fangled plastic frame any of the quality pistols from a quality manufacture will last you a life time and be something you feel proud to own and hand down when it is time.

I grew up learning on old school SA/DA hammer fired guns like my stainless Beretta 92 before all the plastic fantastic junk hit the market. I will never part with my 92 BUT my plastic Springfields get a lot more use. A gun with a manual safety seems like it should be a necessity for a first gun... but that is just because that is what I learned on.

I really like the Springfield XDm's in 9mm with their 19 round capacity... but pick any full sized 9 from any of the quality manufactues. Springfield, Smith&Wesson, HK, Ruger, Walther, Sig, CZ, Glock, Beretta, etc.

Once you get well versed and comfortable with your full sized 9 you will probably want to branch out to something smaller or bigger (most likely both). When you get a feel for what you like about your 9 you will be in a much better place to choose a carry piece. With the way the world is going you will also probably find you will need a good zombie hunter in .45, .44, 10mm or even a 50! You might find that you enjoy the comradery of competing and want a target pistol, race gun or cowboy gun.

I have never owned a Sig ... but I have never known a 226 owner that hasn't loved their Sig... might be a good place to start looking!

My advice to OP is the same as always, go to a shooting range that has rental guns. Shoot them all until you find one you like, and can conceal. Barring that, get all your shooting friends to come with you and shoot theirs. Brand and caliber are secondary to "I like that one!" No further justification should be needed for your choice. My two cents.

IShootMemeCalibers said:

I've asked a number of people about this, and gotten all kinds of answers from get a 1911, "because it's really easy to shoot", or get a DA revolver "because if you can shoot that well you can shoot anything" to get a 22 "because you can shoot it more often, and the small round will stop you from building bad habits". All those sound legit, but I'm generally getting into this for self-defense reasons, and due to my limited budget, and the fact that none of those seem suitable in that sense for me currently, I'm looking into a modern semi-auto in an SD caliber (maybe I'm wrong?). The obvious recommendation is "get a Glock".

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That sums it up very nicely already. So, all you need is an alternative for Glock that fits your hand better (including the recoil and flip control).

So, in the Glock 19 class the following are guns you might want to examine:

- "Springfield" XD Mod.2

- Walther PPQ - this one has finger grooves just like Glock, but still try it out, the grip shape is different enough

- S&W M&P - IMHO, does not matter if 2.0 or the original

- SIG P320 - this one has very nice features, but also a recall, er., "voluntary exchange program"; not sure if a first-time user wants to deal with it

Just focus on these and select between them... of the Glock. That ought to make it easier.

I left out a couple like CZ P10c and Beretta APX, because they don't really bring anything to the table over the 3 or 4 on the list. Also, I left out HK wares purely for budget reasons. Springfield also offers a compact XDM, which I prefer, but it's probably not for a beginner, because 1) that grip texture, ouch, I saw it imprinting into hands, 2) the roof-shaped slide gives a lot of trouble to some people.