Beginning to understand Glock...

I know a lot of folks think of the Glock as the antithesis of the 1911. But those are my primary carry and competition handguns as well. S&W revolvers hold a soft spot in my heart as well.

Join the club. I never "got it" until I got into action shooting and stepped away from the static range. Then it was like an epiphany, "Hey I actually like this ugly little glock." The ergonomics seem bad, the trigger seems fair (or worse)...but the whole package just works for some reason.

I too am a recently "converted" anti-Glock person. The only Glocks I have ever considered owning are either a 20 or 29, for the sole purpose of having a 10mm all-around outdoor sidearm. But every time I have held or shot a Glock, I have hated the ergonomics. Especially the MASSIVE G20/21. Then the SF models came out, and although they still feel like holding a 2x4, they are a slightly more comfortable 2x4.

After almost a year of debating with myself, and dabbling in trying to turn my 1911 into a .45 Super all-around outdoor gun, I finally said, "heck with it" and just recently purchased a G20SF. I've only had the chance to shoot it once, and put 100 rounds of American Eagle 180-grain FMJ through it. Of course, it fed, fired, and ejected all 100 rounds without any problems, straight from the box without a pre-clean. And although I have guns with much better triggers, better sights, slimmer more comfortable grips, etc., I shot the stupid Glock pretty well.

I don't see myself ever wanting or needed another Glock of any other caliber, but at least this G20SF has opened my eyes a little bit. My favorite thing about this pistol is that the finish seems so thick and tough, and the gun is just so stinking ugly, that I will never hesitate taking it along on any kind of hiking/hunting/camping excursion and I won't care if it falls into a mud hole or gets kicked across a gravel road.

Me too. Ten years ago my Glock groups were always lousy, lately my G19 is my most accurate pistol. I consistently hit 2" plates at 25 yards with mine.

My conversion was similar. I didn't like the pistols, the grip angles, the triggers, the looks. Then one day at the range I fired a friend's Glock 17 much better than the HK P2000 I'd been carrying and competing with for years.

I rolled over after that and have stayed with the line ever since; it would have been dumb to brush off the actual results of shooting the gun with no training in favor of what amount to minor complaints in the past.

They were both surprisingly good. The G21 was much better than the two other .45s I tried

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I find my own 21 suprisingly accurate. I can certainly shoot it much more acurately than any of my other SD guns, even though the 17 feels better in my hand.

I tell people this time and again -- Glocks shoot better in the hand than they feel in the hand. I pick up a Sig, and I'm in Heaven. I shoot the Sig, and that high bore axis makes me wish I had my Glock. Glocks shoot better in the hand than any pistol I've ever owned (and, I've owned a lot). Follow up shots are a BREEZE with a Glock.

There's something about that low bore axis and grip angle that just works. If your only experience is a 1911 or similar guns with the same 1911 grip angle, then it will take a little bit of psychological effort for you to like a Glock. Once you get over the hump, it hits you like a bolt of lightning -- Honey, where have you been all my life!!

Then, you absolutely fall in love with the after-market accessories that comes with owning a Glock. My God, I can't go back to another gun. Heck, you can't find a suitable holster for some guns.

Glock all the way...

I'd strongly suggest an aftermarket 3.5# connector, e.g., Lonewolf, Ghost Ultimate, Glockworx (2#). Also I always polish all the mating surfaces of the firing mechanism. My Glock triggers pull from just over 3# to just under 4#, for my various Glocks.

Rockin the Glock

I always wanted a Glock since they first came out. Picked up a Gen3 22 a few years back and raved to my fellow gun-nut friends. My anti Glock neighbor/friend had raved about his Taurus 24/7 .45. I buried him effortlessly at the range...left him speechless and looking to trade off his taurus. Another guy at work who has about 20 more yrs of gun experience on me bashed my Glock as well. He was always loyal to 1911's and older steel frame Smith 45's. I ran into him at the range, and he hesitantely asked to shoot my Glock. He was so impressed, he went out and bought one in less than a week (which was a big deal because to say he's tight with $ is and understatement). He reluctantly admits it shoots better than his Kimber and newly purchased FNH.

They should ban these things or something

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Funny, I just wrote my congressman a letter on that very topic.

Glocks and 1911's have more in common than different. Both are among the most reliable pistols, both have the same trigger pull for every shot, and both were very inovative designs. The first 1911's had a flat MSH. The gun shot accurately enough, but soldiers during WW-1 complained of its un natural pointing and that it tended to shoot low during combat shooting.

The arched MSH's was added after WW-1 o change the grip angle and prevent the gun from shooting low and was standard on military guns until the Beretta was adopted. With the arched MSH a 1911 and Glocks grip angle are very similar. This is the more natual grip angle for combat type shooting. The straighter 1911 grip angle common today is probably better on a target gun.

Lots of guys complain about Glocks, but if you take the time to master one you'll understand it's advantages.

Of course I like my 1911's an awful lot too. In slow, carefully aimed fire I do shoot them more accuratly, but when shooting fast the Glocks get back on target faster and are more accurate.

I have a few guns that are pretty, others that I'm just plain sentimental about, etc. But if I was still a fighting man, I'd want to have my pair of Glock 10mm's, a G29 and G20, and a small satchel of ammo along for the ride in a combat zone, or even a civilian defensive situation. They are accurate, rugged, work every time, and simple to clean and maintain. I could substitute a G30 and G21, if I needed to abandon the 10mm for a more logistically-friendly cartridge. Everyone SHOULD own at least one Glock.

Be happy with your shooting skill, don't love or hate something just because it is popular and everyone should own at least one gun capable of shooting a 7 inch group at 25 yards. In my mind those are the major points of the story.

Don't you hate it when that happens.

Yes I like my glock alot I didnt use to know i do

I carry a revolver often, but if I am going somewhere because I have to and I am concerned for my safety (potentially), the G23 goes with me. You know why? I hit what I aim at and can do it consistantly and quickly. What is not to like about a black boxie Glock? It is THE gun I would choose for urban survival. What can I say?

hq said:

A week has passed. So has another thursday night range session.

I took the Glock with me once again, just to confirm that last week's incident wasn't a fluke and it appears it wasn't. Concentrating a bit and leaving a couple of seconds between shots it wasn't difficult at all to hold an offhand ten shot 2½-3" circle @25m. Magazine after magazine. My eyesight isn't what it used to be and large sights seem to help a lot; I was barely capable of similar accuracy with a 6" S&W 17 and the small(ish) target sights required a bit of squinting.

I could use a good, thorough explanation about what's going on. And a cold shower to boot. I've never shot a (nearly) bone stock service pistol this well. Heck, not even my current and former race guns always either, sub 3" groups mean that I'm having a particularly good day. Oh well you live, you learn. For several years I've told people to put me out of my misery if I ever start sounding like a Glock fanboy and here we are.

From now on Glocks are officially hq approved.

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As Lord Vader would say, "You know the power of the Dark Side."

Glocks

I have been carrying, shooting, instructing and maintaining service sidearms my entire career in law enforcement. My first issue side arm was a Smtih model 10 in 75. When I retired I was carrying a SIG 229 in 357 sig. I was issued a Glock 17 in the late 80's....it has a 3 digit SN...and is a first gen gun.
I have worked with most models that Glock sells, and own a bunch of them. My first 17 has had over 100,000 documented rds thru it, it has very little finish left on the slide, having been drawn and holstered a million times or so.
I try to avoid getting embroiled in Glock vs Sig, or 1911 or whatever. Cause to me, they are all tools in the tool box. And everybody has their preferences.
I have supervised firing lines for years, where thousands of rounds were put down range with Glocks. Some people love them, some hate them. Bottom line: they work, they are accurate, and extremely rugged. Have been thru a dozen police armorer schools on various pistols, some you need a tool box full of specialized tools and skill sets to maintain. With the Glock, you need a punch.
There is a reason that the Glock is so popular in Law Enforcement and in military circles. The UK just recently retired their Browning HP's and replaced them with G-17's. That speaks volumes. Enjoy ur Glock.

I agree with all above.
If I was a hand model and had to hold a pistol all day and just demonstrate how cool I look, it would be a Hi-Power.
If I have to shoot something, the Glock 21 is my preference.
Glocks. Shoot. Great.

I've shot several different models of Glocks, and I used to own a Model 27. That small-framed gun just never felt right, despite the fact that I tried a number of magazine extensions, etc.

However, that all changed when I tried a Model 23. The slightly larger frame made a world of difference. I'm looking for a 2nd Gen model now.

Winthepennant hit it on the nose. It shoots better than it feels.