Are Glocks really all that?

[DenaliPark]

This isn't really pro or anti-Glock. Personally I like them, but I tend to favor Ruger over any other brand. I'm just saying that the whole "the government always goes with the lowest bidder" mantra is mostly just a myth.

And this isn't an anti-Ruger comment, but it illustrates the fallacy of the "it was purchased because it was cheap" crowd. If cheap was that important, then know this, Ruger can likely sell 2.5 SR9's for every Glock purchased by an LEA. I'd wager it costs about $15.00 to produce a single SR9 pistol, Ruger could undercut Glock easily, they have no import fees, no BATFE hoops to jump through to garner import points, nothing!

Interesting thing is, Ruger has never won a single major contract with any LEA for any Ruger centerfire pistol since the Wisconsin State Police dropped their P89's. Coincidentally, they replaced them with Glock's!

 

[SOUTHPAW]

I think there are a lot of people out there that call Glocks "cheap" or simply "don't like 'em" because Glocks perform just as well as another polymer pistol they spent twice as much on and need to make themselves feel better about it...

 

[Pizzagunner]

The standard video gamer has chimed in with the standard video gamer response, which is to say, they have no intelligent rebuttal, so they come up with the above quoted foolishness....

Glock wins because their cheap....If this were the case, then every LEA in north America would be issuing Ruger's.....

So, because you cannot accept that Glocks are cheap and virtually given away to cops relative to other brands, you have to turn to insults?

Gotta say that's typical of the G-thang ownership group.

P.S. You shouldn't pop off about intelligence while continually misusing the possessive 's'.

 

[GLOOB]

What's wrong with cheap? Are we talking about guns here, or handbags and designer dresses?

Trust me. If JMB could have designed his guns so that they would cost 1/4 as much to manufacture, he would have. Glock had better manufacturing processes to work with and some inventive engineers, plus a century of semiauto pistol evolution to draw from.

It's not just the plastic and stamped sheet metal that makes Glocks cheap to produce. Add all the cherry wood, titanium, and whatever other exotic, unnecessary material you want, and the Glock is still cheap to make. Factory workers still have to assemble the gun after the parts are made. The low production cost of a Glock is largely a reflection of the way this ingenious design is extremely quick and easy to assemble from parts. So keep that in mind when you talk about "cheap." Glocks are cheap because a guy in a factory can build or service the gun in 2 minutes - as can the average joe in his own home.

 

[john5036]

For the SD minded guy, I value the Glock over my other pistols. As a recreational shooter Glock is up there with other fine guns and can speak well for itself.

Glock is an excellent firearm, perhaps more excellent than others, but it's not the only excellent one.

 

[DenaliPark]

So, because you cannot accept that Glocks are cheap and virtually given away to cops relative to other brands, you have to turn to insults.

Cite? BTW, you must have a very fragile ego if you can only rebutt with an attempt at grammar enforcement...

 

[Johnny Lightning]

Out of my growing collection of handguns, I would have to say that my G17 is my go to war gun. If the S**T hits the fan Im grabbing my Glock out of the rest of my handguns! Like Ive said before they go bang every time, they dont break easily, if they do they are not hard to fix, there are lots of parts and aftermarket products for them, they are accurate, etc... The glock is kind of like a bulldog of handguns....they are so ugly they are cute!

 

[Pizzagunner]

Cite? BTW, you must have a very fragile ego if you can only rebutt with an attempt at grammar enforcement...

It was not a rebuttal, it was an observation, and your amateur psychology doesn't change your illiteracy.

You should learn, for your own sake, that there is a telling incongruity between claiming intelligence and failing to master fourth grade English.

 

[wristtwister]

Just to clarify something that happened several pages ago, I'm not a "dealer running down a brand"... I simply stated that I don't buy Glocks because I've never found one that fit my hand. I like striker-fired pistols, and own a number of them from other manufacturers... I just don't have Glocks in my collection.

I'll sell anybody that clears the FBI NICS system a Glock all day if they want them. I just don't buy them myself, or believe that they are the panacea that they're made out to be. Some of my personal favorites are "old, steel guns", yet I am also a fan of the SR-9, SR-40 and the FNP, and have several other polymer guns that I shoot regularly. The Taurus slim was one of my favorite guns to shoot for short range and carry applications.

I'm honest with customers, and tell them that mine is just one of many opinions about shooting. My best friend at the store wouldn't have anything but a Glock, but it's not OUR choice... it's the customer's. Not every customer can afford the $1100 1911 or the $1200 Sig, so we try to fit them with the best gun for the money that fits into their budget. We sell a ton of used guns of all ilks, so I see every brand at some time or another. The Glocks are about $550+/- new, and we have lots of customers who happen to have about $500 to spend... so a lot of them go out the door.

WT

 

[Mike J]

I don't own a Glock but I have shot a couple of them. I believe they are good guns. Like others have said there are lots of other good guns out there. You just need to figure out what is best for you.

As far as what Law Enforcement uses one big plus for Glocks is that they are easily serviced by the end user & parts are readily available. Many manufacturers offer great warranties & customer service but you have to send the gun back to them to get it fixed. Glock trains armorers & makes parts available. I believe this is a big plus for them both when getting LEA contracts & making individual sales.

 

[michiganfan]

My Glock 19 to me are the ideal self defense gun. Pull, point and pull the trigger. Every trigger pull is just like the first and subsequent. My HK, Sig and Beretta to me are more accurate, but from a self defense standpoint at combat distance I like that every triger pull is the same. I like no safety. When the world turns to crap and I lose my fine motor skills I want KISS.

 

[DammitBoy]

I tried out a glock for the first time yesterday.

I've been into guns for decades and have shot, bought and traded hundreds of firearms over the last 30 years. I didn't have anything against glocks, they just didn't seem to make my purchase radar. This in spite of plenty of shooting buddies swearing glocks were the bees knees.

So, after yesterday, I'll never own one. That has got to be the worst grip platform ever invented. It's frikken slippery! I have big hands and love my para wide bodies, so this isn't a size of hand issue. I just have no use for a firearm grip that is slicker than whale snot.

 

[gym]

You will find that if you shoot well they are pretty much the same as any other polymer gun, even though I favor them, because I have gotten used to them over the years, and pretty much can fix anything that goes wrong. They are simple to repair and operate, they shoot as good as the shooter, and are compact enough to carry, also they are priced right. In my lifetime I have tried hundreds of guns and always returned to Glock for a carry.
And if there is an incident, and your gun has to go away for a while, it'd not going to break your heart. You can just go get another one and sell one when you get it back. You may loose 50 bucks, but at least you didn't loose a Wilso or Baer. We don't talk to that point much as it's only if you have a problem where you needed to pull your weapon. But I had two removed just because the rookie "saw" the gun when I broke up a fight", he had never seen a stacked magazine,and after confering with 3 other geniuses, he took my gun, and the one in my home, "as they are listed on your permit there, and my sweatshirt rose over the holster. It took a year and a half, in that hell hole NYC, to have them returned, scratched and scribed. So Glocks are overall a good choice. Inexpensive, easy to fix, accurate, and light. Get one, I'm sure you will find it a fine purchase, and you will be buying more guns anyway.Also they are great to keep by the bedside, "in a holster", just pull and shoot, "many others will do the same", but you will find it a nice addition to your collection. Thank God we have gun laws in most states that aren't as scewed up as NYC.

 

[Prion]

My biggest beef with Glock is that they stopped producing OD G19s before I bought one.

 

[DenaliPark]

It was not a rebuttal, it was an observation, and your amateur psychology doesn't change your illiteracy.

You should learn, for your own sake, that there is a telling incongruity between claiming intelligence and failing to master fourth grade English.

Here's an observation, you have nothing of relevance to back up your silliness, not a single piece of evidence that would support such a stupidly, preposterous, blanket assertion...

You were asked a question, your response has been quoted...

 

[DenaliPark]

I tried out a glock for the first time yesterday.

I've been into guns for decades and have shot, bought and traded hundreds of firearms over the last 30 years. I didn't have anything against glocks, they just didn't seem to make my purchase radar. This in spite of plenty of shooting buddies swearing glocks were the bees knees.

So, after yesterday, I'll never own one. That has got to be the worst grip platform ever invented. It's frikken slippery! I have big hands and love my para wide bodies, so this isn't a size of hand issue. I just have no use for a firearm grip that is slicker than whale snot.

Most folks who feel that way have found a miraculous solution to their problem, its called skateboard tape! Of course you might have also heard of Glocks own solution, its called an RTF frame...

 

[Nushif]

For the SD minded guy, I value the Glock over my other pistols. As a recreational shooter Glock is up there with other fine guns and can speak well for itself.

I agree with the first sentence.
Glocks are great self defense pieces because they just work. And that's 50% of what a gun should do. The other 50% should be your ability to shoot it, I think.

That second one just doesn't ring true though for me.
I sold off my Glock 26 because it well ... it worked too good! I got bored shooting it. It had no pizzazz, no character. I'd say for pure recreational shooting a gun should excite, should be a joy to play with, shoot, clean, show off, etc.
As much as I loved my little Glock 26 I never felt the need to take a picture of it and try my hand and some artsy photos.

 

[Mitch from LA]

Some of yall need to simmer down.

The Glock is a fine pistol, as are many others. No need to insult each other's choices.

 

[Jolly Rogers]

Posted by Denalipark
If however you are a thinking man, then you would have to ask yourself a question, why do over 60% of all American LE carry a Glock, including the FBI, DEA, and the US Marshalls sevice?

Have you forgotten about the most skilled FBI shooters using the Springfield Armory Professional ™ along with the Hostage Rescue Team's and the DEA's top squads? Glock makes a .45 also but they didn't make the cut.
Not to mention the Marine MEU(SOC) units also use the 1911 in modernized form.
Joe

 

[00 Buckshot]

The Glock has a loyal following for quite a number of good reasons, all of which have been mentioned in earlier posts. Glocks are great guns, I have several and would consider getting more if I felt the need. I completely trust Glock to protect me and the family.

As for a salesman "pushing" you toward the Glock over other brands, well that could be for any number of reasons. Maybe too much Glock inventory compared to other brands, a Glock promotion leading to incentives for the dealer if certain sales levels are reached, etc.

Glocks are great guns, but not necessarily the best and certainly not the worst out there. Try different guns, buy what works for you.

P. S. DenaliPark & Pizzagunner - lighten up, your bantering distracts from the focus of the original post.

 

[REAPER4206969]

Have you forgotten about the most skilled FBI shooters using the Springfield Armory Professional ™ along with the Hostage Rescue Team's

The FBI HRT uses the Glock model 22 as well. So does Army Special Forces.

 

[meytind]

http://pistol-training.com/articles/kevhs-very-opinionated-guide-to-the-beretta-92

This article explains pretty well why Glocks are so popular with law enforcement. Just scroll down to the section titled "Do police departments still carry the 92FS and 96F? Why do a lot of departments switch to Glocks and Sigs?"

 

[Double Naught Spy]

This is so silly it's almost embarrassing. Do you have any idea as to what you're even talking about? I'll tell you what, you run along and google up why the FBI & Marshalls service issue Glock pistols! Not just any two LEA, but two of the top LEA's in the world, and they chose Glock's, and you think to chalk it up to, they were cheap? Grow up....

Being a top LEA isn't the same thing as necessarily being a top shooting agency. Both agencies have to deal with budgets. You can bet that the cost of the firearms was an issue with both when it came to their selection process.

The FBI has been almost schizophrenic in its choices of guns, making numerous changes in the last 3 decades.

 

[Alex23]

They are accurate, durable, light, ugly, affordable, and mechanically simple guns. They pretty much sell themselves. I like my Glocks but much prefer the heavily customized Wilson Combat 1911 I shot recently. I'm just about $4k short, otherwise I'd buy that sucker...

 

[LiveLife]

I started out shooting a 1911 and I loved it on first grip and the clean hammer release. I also loved the Sig 226 and CZ75 on the first grip. I actually didn't care for Glocks at first. I handled a Glock 17 in 1980's and said, "Who would be crazy enough to make a plastic gun?"

Almost 10 years later, I was using Sig 226 for match shooting and got to try a friend's Glock 17. I ran the same stage and got faster time with comparable double-tap shot groups having never shot one before. I couldn't believe it! I remember saying, "Are you kidding me?" I ran the stage and the same thing - faster time!

I sold the Sig 226 and bought a Glock 17.

Glocks aren't the guns you are going to "love" at first grip, but most new shooters I help with typically produce the smallest shot groups with them and they report that felt recoil is less.

In recent years, I have gotten favorable reports from new shooters shooting M&P and XD pistols. When they ask what I think, I tell them I carry G27 and sleep with a M&P45, but my wife carries a G27 and sleeps with a G22. Two G22 have been my match pistols for quite a few years now.

Knowing what I know now, I really think the Glock 22 is the 40S&W pistol to beat. Most shooters I know produce faster, tighter shot groups with G22 over say M&P40. For 45ACP, it's hands-down M&P45 for me although I have a lot of trigger time on various 45 pistol models (it was a tight race with a XD45 but I like to shoot SWC).

Are Glocks really all that? When Glocks were released to US markets, compared to other pistols available at that time, yes, Glocks WERE all that. Now, the competition is gaining ground and surpassing on some aspects like ergonomics and ambi-features. Will we be saying "Is Glocks really all that?" 10 years from now? Time will tell.