Glock .45 opinions wanted

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Hahahaha! Let's get excellent pistolsmith Larry Vickers' opinion on delivering babies, too. He's probably worked on as many Glocks as he has delivered babies! He'd starve to death if his livlihood depending on work done on Glocks. Let's get out the b.s. meter, guys. Them Glocks is just a blowin' up by the thousands. (They must be, since there are a few million of 'em out there, and the design is "apparently" defective.) :cool:
 
Well, not to incite the crowd, but I've not had the legendary perfect-out-of-the-box Glock performance myself. As a matter of fact, I'm 0-for-3 on out-of-the box readiness. G21, G36, and then a G29... all have required replacement of key parts, all have had jams. And I'm not counting the grip reduction/reshaping that I had done to fit my hands better.

They're good guns, now, but not miraculous. No worse, but no better, than various other members of the .45 acp club.

You might try an H&K USP, if you're dead set against the 1911 platform. So far, mine's been bombproof (though I still carry 1911's for fit).
 
Hahahaha! Let's get excellent pistolsmith Larry Vickers' opinion on delivering babies, too. He's probably worked on as many Glocks as he has delivered babies! He'd starve to death if his livlihood depending on work done on Glocks. Let's get out the b.s. meter, guys. Them Glocks is just a blowin' up by the thousands. (They must be, since there are a few million of 'em out there, and the design is "apparently" defective.)
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I suggest you do a little research on Mr. Vickers before you make a statement like that. Larry Vickers is not just a pistolsmith; he is a retired Army master sergeant and a career special forces operator and instructor. I dare say he has seen more than a few rounds sent down range out of the various Glock models.

FWIW, I've fired a G21 and liked it. I've also fired the G36, but I found the recoil of that one a bit much for my tastes (and the one I shot had a Haarts recoil reducer in it). I don't have enough experience with the Glock .45s to comment on their long term reliability/durability.
 
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I have very large hands and I absolutely love my G21. Also use a G30 for sometimes carry. Both have had thousands of rounds through em and nary a malfunction. The only thing I have changed is the plastic crappy sights. All my SD weapons sport Heinie straight eight night sights.(I love those sights) and I also ALWAYS get the stainless steel guide rods. I find they add a little weight to the front of the pistol, and I KNOW the steel will unlikely break, that said I have never had the plastic stock rod break either. Personal preference.

Note: the G21 is not for the small of mitts, it is very thick.
ETA: I tried the G36 and had to sell it, it just did not fit my hand, and I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it if I threw the damned gun at it.
 
Love my Kimbers and my Springfields BUT if you need a down and dirty I can fix it Timex kind of 45, the Glock 21 or the Glock 30 is great.

Love shooting my 1911s but I carry my Glock 21.

People are right - those plastic butt sights suck. I like the MMC adjustable snag-free, low profile, night sights - all metal - sturdy and American made. Adjustable night sights - really.

I like the green tritium dot with a box around it - real fast:

sight11.jpg


Those ride on my big boys - Glock 20 and Glock 21.

If you were in New Orleans, what do you think would do the best job under any conditions? That's right, da Glock!
 
My G30 has not had a single issue with over 2K rounds. Modifications I've done:

3.5# trigger bar
Extended slide release
Mepro's

It will eat up anything from WWB to Wolf to reloads.
 
Glock .45s are great guns, but they are not for everyone. I had a G30 that never had 1 failure of any kind, but the grip was a little too wide for my hands. I sold it and bought a Springfield 1911, which fit my hands much better and it has been very reliable (1 stovepipe jam within the first 50 rounds, no other jams in the 1000+ rounds since.) So there are 1911's available that are reliable out of the box.
 
Alfadog: Obviously, my post wasn't a really serious post. I'll "call" your Vickers and raise you one Hathcock! ;) (Gunny Hathcock's favorite pistol was his G21.) I don't need Vickers' or anybody else's opinion about how well Glocks function. I have enough experience to know that neither Glocks nor any other brand is "perfect." I'd be astounded if Vickers has put more rounds through .45ACP Glocks than have I. Vickers certainly hasn't made much of a living, as a pistolsmith, working on Glocks...of that, I'm positive. Maybe the Glocks that were assigned to his special forces unit were just a bad batch. ;)
 
Rockstar--I'm not trying to get in a name-dropping match with you, nor am I disputing your experience with Glock pistols (or any other pistols). I simply thought your "B.S. Meter" comment about Mr. Vickers was inappropriate. Mr. Vickers has done a lot more than just pistolsmithing, and just because he doesn't make a living working on Glocks doesn't mean he doesn't know what he's talking about.

FWIW, although I am pretty much a 1911 guy, I like Glocks too and think they are great guns. In fact, I bought my first Glock this past weekend (a G19).
 
Alpha: Still wasn't being serious with the "name dropping." The fact that Vickers badmouthed Glock .45's or that Hathcock carried one is largely irrelevant to me. I'm sure that Vickers is competent, as long as he doesn't stray from his area of expertise. I really didn't mean any disrespect for him, and I have seen references to his thoughts on Glocks on other boards. I just happen to disagree with Vickers' opinions of .45 Glocks, and I further don't believe that his opinions are based on any empirical data.

The good news is that Masaad Ayoob probably won't be nominated as a Supreme Court Justice!
 
1. As you know, if you're tired of 1911s jamming, then there are MANY other options besides Glock, including, as pointed out, a better 1911 (which one gave you trouble?)

2. I've had both the 21 and 30 glock and like them both. They were ok anyhow - nothing special - a little overpriced as all glocks are. Best thing about them is lotsa holster and other aftermarket item choices. My only advice would be to get one chambered in 'Aay Cee Pee', not that funky GAP round.
 
I used to own a Glock 21 and it was flawless. I have a Glock 20 10mm now and it's just a bit sweeter. Like others have said, you have to replace the sights, Heinie Straight Eights for me.
H&K USP is the only other .45acp that was 100% reliable for me. Glock ergonomics are far superior (for me).
There is a nice old second gen. Glock 21 at my local FFL I've been thinking about.
 
PO2Hammer: Per Mr. Vickers, your kids are going to break out in a rash, and your dogs will go blind! Be careful! Be very careful! :evil:
 
G36

I love my G36. I carry it every day in a shoulder holster on top of a T-shirt under a loose fitting button down shirt. Works great even in Texas!

ChickenHawk
 
Larry who?

I had several 30's and liked them alot. Never a problem. I liked them so much I went for the 29... and that only because it's better Cougar medicine.
 
I have a 21 and have put about 5,000 rnds through it never had a failure.. The grips are large but it does fit my hand and is very comfortable.

I have used it as a carry weapon on occasion. I have no complaints with this pistol at all.. :)
 
I retired my 1911a1 years ago. I carry, and shoot a G21, or G30 every day. I'm a total Glockoholic.
 
Yes Larry Vickers is a .45 expert and was in Delta Force. We know this because he tells us over and over and over...Clint Smith at Thunder Ranch has good things to say about the Glock 21. I'll go with his opinion and my own experience. Particularly like the new G21 SF.
 
I have had the chance to shoot the 21sf (short frame) and really like it -- new features & friendlier grip make for a nice little set up ;)
 
I have shot the Glock 21 and haven't had much of a problem with it at all.

If you want something more compact, there's the G-30. Nice gun with 10+1 doses of tender .45 lovin'

I don't know anything about the .45 GAP though i have heard mixed reviews about it.
 
No opinion on Glocks. However, when quoting experts for pro or con on your position, have them provide numbers. If these guys are dealing with hundreds or thousands of machines and encountering 2 or 3 with issues, that's one thing. If they work in Mayberry and it's Andy Fife's only service gun, that's a bit different. Don't use expert advice that is not backed up with numbers. That's misleading. Real data is king, experts are typically good at talking.

I work in an engineering environment, I make my decisions based upon data, not hearsay from experts with no stake in my expenditures or decisions on multimillion dollar valued product. The data here from individuals supports the purchase of the glock 45, but not entirely. The "expert" opinion pulled into play by an individual, whether valid or not, is effectively hearsay, nothing more. If Mr. Vickers himself chimed in, that would be different.
 
I was tired of my Glock 21 jamming so I dumped it and bought expensive 1911s. All is good now.

You can get a dud with whatever brand you purchase. None of them are 100% perfect.
 
If First-Hand Experience Counts...

...My experience with Glock has been great!

I got into this in October 2005, my first purchase being a new 3rd Gen G21.

The only far and few between problems I've had with this great combat handgun, in about 9200-rounds, are ammo and/or modification related. Here it is, in a nutshell (FTF = fail to feed), my G21's history:

. FTF During Training--New Shooter, Limp Wristing It!
. Several FTFs--Bad Shipment Blazer Brass Ammo, Cartridges Varying 1/8" In Length!
. Installed LaserMax--No Problems!
. X200A--No Problems!
. 10 mm Conversion Experiment--Several FTFs With Various Ammo Types!

Beyond the above mentioned "tweaking" and "learning", my G21's been 100%! It is my bedside Gun (pic attached) and I'd trust it with my life.

For a LEO's take on the G21, read this:

http://www.commtechreview.net/lawsec/likglock.htm

I bought Judy a new OD G19 for Christmas 2005. Here is its history, in the broad strokes:

. FTF During Training--New Shooter Limp Wristing!
. Several FTFs--Problem Traced To One Of Five New Magazines. No Problems Since Replacement!
. Installed LaserMax--No Problems!
. X200B--No Problems!
. New 33-Round Magazine--No Problems!

In about 7500-rounds, this G19 has been 100%! This is probably my favorite Glock, as it does everything well, and manages to be cute! ;)

As ammo costs escalated, I bought myself a G17 in the summer of 2006. Smart move as the gun has paid for itself inside a year on ammo savings alone! Issues Include:

. There Aren't Any! Something Like 7500-Rounds Without A Hiccup!

What can I say? Why wouldn't I be pleased? Glock has delivered as promised, on three purchases!

All three guns have aftermarket sights--as a great man once said, "Glock perfection ends at the top of the slide."

Accessories include X200 A & B, two LaserMax units, Meprolight, Trijicon and Dawson Precision sights, "Hogue Grip", two 33-round magazines, "Butt Plugs" all around, and a G21 LWD 10 mm Conversion Kit.

I'd recommend the G21 or G30 (which I've rented) without hesitation. If you find the grip(s) uncomfortable, check out the new G21 SF.

--Ray
 

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