Are accidental discharges a problem with Glock 36?

[Grayrock]

Trying to decide on a concealable .45 ACP and I went to my local gunshop and looked at a Glock 36 and a Taurus PT-145 Millenium (NOT the new "Pro"). The owner told me the Glock was prone to accidental discharges when carried in a pocket. He would only recommend it for holster use. I am thinking of the SmartCarry carrier. Am I in danger of blowing off a nut? How safe are the Glocks? To be truthful, I do like the idea of having a manual safety, though the one on that Taurus felt a little too easily disengaged. Can it be made to "click" more firmly? I like the reputation of reliability of the Glock and I've read about frame problems with the Taurus, but I'd like to preserve my manhood, IYKWIM!

 

[Old Fuff]

Glock pistols are not prone to “accidental†discharges, but “unintentional†discharges sometimes occur when a user gets his/her finger on the trigger when they shouldn’t. This is a training/practice issue, not a gun problem.

These pistols should always be carried in a holster that covers the trigger guard (and trigger). They must be drawn with the finger off the trigger – something that should apply to other handguns too.

If you believe you can train yourself to execute a draw without touching the trigger until the pistol is pointed downrange and not toward anything you don’t intend to shoot (including yourself) you will find the Glock to be an excellent weapon. If you are not sure you can do this you should pick something else for a pocket gun. I would suggest a lightweight .38 revolver with an enclosed hammer.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

If you pull the trigger, it goes bang. If you do not pull the trigger, it does not go bang.

And as Old Fluff stated, they should be carried in a holster that covers the trigger. I've carried my 27 for years and to date, it hasn't managed to shoot all by itself yet.

 

[Handy]

The main safety problem with Glocks is that the trigger is light enough that if you do violate a safety rule, you are more likely to get an AD out of it, rather than realizing and removing your finger.

I liken it to walking a narrow log bridge over a long drop. You don't want to stumble on any such bridge, but the Glock trigger is a very narrow log to tread across.

I always recommend the installation of a NY1 Trigger in Glock pistols with the standard connector. Aside from raising the trigger pull to that of a light DA revolver (8 lbs.) and providing a crisp feel, it also removes one of the Glock's only weak spots; the fragile trigger spring. It does not negatively impact shooting.

Otherwise, the Glock is an very safe pistol which is extremely unlikely to go off due to impact. The mainspring is under too little pressure for ignition and there is an automatic firing pin block, trigger safety and the sear itself blocking the striker.

And as the other posters said, use a quality holster that blocks the trigger guard. This could be a pocket holster, but a pocket alone is not a controlled environment.

I would recommend the Glock well over any Millenium Taurus.

 

[MrAcheson]

IIRC smartcarry and thunderwear are both basically concealed pockets rather than well fitting holsters. As such the gun can shift and yes, if your not very careful or are in a hurry you might shoot what that pistol is pointed at. Not a nice thought for anyone.

Glocks should be carried well fitting holsters that cover the trigger guard. You might be able to get away with this type of carry if you use a safe-t-block or have and aftermarket safety installed.

 

[El Tejon]

Grayrock, pocket carry, despite the ink it receives in the gun rags, has many, many problems. IME/O, I strongly urge you to at least consider all angles before you decide to stick a pistol in your pocket because "that's all you need."

There is nothing inherently "unsafe" about the weapon, but rather this method of carry; it is a matter of training and technique. Is there a reason you cannot carry in a belt holster?

 

[firestar]

Like the guy said, carry it in a holster that covers the trigger gaurd and it is no more likely to go off than any other gun. The problem with the Glocks is not that they go off on their own, its that the trigger is so short and light that it takes less movement to make it go off. I think it is more the short trigger stroke than the light trigger that makes them more likly to go off when the user doesn't intend for them to.

 

[10-Ring]

My 36 is just a tad big for my pockets. I prefer it IWB. Easier to draw from there & is ALWAYS in a good holster when I carry it.

 

[cratz2]

The only gun I carry in a pocket is a P32 which has a long and heavier-than-a-Glock trigger pull. If could fit a G36 in my pocket, I really doubt that I would.

Not saying an accident couldn't happen, but it would be much much less likely that it would with the short pull of a Glock.

 

[Handy]

I thought Keltec advertises a 5 lbs. pull on the P32?

 

[Nero Steptoe]

"and the sear itself blocking the striker.."

What sear??

 

[Handy]

For lack of a better, more Glock specific term; the metal piece that the striker hook rests against. This part pushes the striker back, then releases it when it hits the connector.

It performs all the functions of a sear, so I called it a sear.

 

[T.Stahl]

Ah, you mean the trigger bar!

 

[Handy]

Since all pistols have trigger bars, that really didn't describe its function in this context. That piece does two things, and could have been made of two different pieces. I was describing the sear part of that piece.

 

[Nero Steptoe]

Thanks, Handy. I thought you might have been referring to the trigger bar/striker engagement area.

 

[Grayrock]

Handy- can you give me more details about the NY1 trigger job you mentioned? Is it something I can do myself or need to 'smith it? How much $ are we talking, to?

 

[boing]

NY1 trigger spring, $3.00:

http://glockmeister.com/catalog/default.php/cPath/10_17/sort/2a/page/2

Anyone with the slightest mechanical aptitude, and most people without any, can replace Glock parts. It's one of the easiest guns to work on because parts are cheap, and they drop in with no fitting.

Here's a tutorial on detail stripping the frame for trigger monkeying:

http://glockmeister.com/trigger.shtml

Disassembly tool not required. I use an allen wrench.

 

[Handy]

What he said.