As a preface, I'm a 1911 guy. I like it, I shoot well with it, so it's my choice. Personal preference, you might say.
So, the other day, I was visiting a friend's house, and in the course of cleaning several guns, he asked me to clean his duty weapon. It's a Glock... 17, I think. 9mm with a pair of 15-ish round magazines. He got me the book, I read the instructions and stripped it down, and went to scrubbing.
I got it spotless with no problem, but in examining the pistol, I started to wonder about a few things. There is really very little metal to the pistol. Of course, the slide and company is steel (I assume, I didn't look that closely), but the internals struck me as very light for the job they're doing. All these little stamped (I think) parts and tiny springs... well, I wonder just how effective they are. Do they really last, and do the (in my opinion) tiny frame rails continue to fit properly with wear? Also, what's the deal on the guide rod? I can hear the recoil spring scraping against it when I work the slide. Gah! It's such an awful sound. And why a flat coil spring? Is it superior in some way to a round coil spring?
Also, I thought it was unbelieveably light. My 1911 has some flip to it, but wouldn't a pistol this light be difficult to control? I've seen Glock shooters do very well with their pistols, but it seems like something that light would be difficult to shoot well.
Who designed those finger grooves? They looked like they were molded into the frame, and they're uncomfortable in my hands and his. What's up with fixed ergonomics like that? Are they supposed to feel funny but just work right when you shoot it?
The frame itself, if you'll pardon the characterization, feels like a toy gun. Actually, fully assembled it feels rather like a toy. That doesn't change my approach to it as a weapon, but does it feel strange forever, or is that something you get used to? Also, what genius came up with the open void behind the mag well? I'm guessing it's there to reduce weight while still keeping the grip the desired shape, but jeez, I found all kinds of grime in there. It was chock full of lint from being carried all the time, and it was a bit of a pain to clean it all out.
The really nagging question I have is one of tastes. On my 1911, I have upgraded parts for quality, adapted or replaced parts according to my taste, and have done what I like to make my pistol personalized. I didn't really notice anything you could do to a Glock to improve or personalize it. I know it has fewer controls than the 1911, but what can you do to change it into a personal weapon instead of a cookie-cutter service pistol?
Now, there were some things I really liked. It took only a few drops of oil to lube it according to the instructions. One bottle of CLP will last a lifetime, even if it feels like it's insufficiently lubed. I also found it remarkably easy to conceal. It's ugly as homemade soap, but the shape of it does disappear nicely in my buddy's concealment holster. It was really quite comfortable, too. Disassembly was VERY easy, and there wasn't any danger of putting a recoil spring cap through a window. The magazine spring felt consistent all the way through loading. The magazines themselves had a good solid feel to them. Most 1911 magazines feel a little rickety even if they're decent quality.
So, help me out here. What's the big deal about these guns?
So, the other day, I was visiting a friend's house, and in the course of cleaning several guns, he asked me to clean his duty weapon. It's a Glock... 17, I think. 9mm with a pair of 15-ish round magazines. He got me the book, I read the instructions and stripped it down, and went to scrubbing.
I got it spotless with no problem, but in examining the pistol, I started to wonder about a few things. There is really very little metal to the pistol. Of course, the slide and company is steel (I assume, I didn't look that closely), but the internals struck me as very light for the job they're doing. All these little stamped (I think) parts and tiny springs... well, I wonder just how effective they are. Do they really last, and do the (in my opinion) tiny frame rails continue to fit properly with wear? Also, what's the deal on the guide rod? I can hear the recoil spring scraping against it when I work the slide. Gah! It's such an awful sound. And why a flat coil spring? Is it superior in some way to a round coil spring?
Also, I thought it was unbelieveably light. My 1911 has some flip to it, but wouldn't a pistol this light be difficult to control? I've seen Glock shooters do very well with their pistols, but it seems like something that light would be difficult to shoot well.
Who designed those finger grooves? They looked like they were molded into the frame, and they're uncomfortable in my hands and his. What's up with fixed ergonomics like that? Are they supposed to feel funny but just work right when you shoot it?
The frame itself, if you'll pardon the characterization, feels like a toy gun. Actually, fully assembled it feels rather like a toy. That doesn't change my approach to it as a weapon, but does it feel strange forever, or is that something you get used to? Also, what genius came up with the open void behind the mag well? I'm guessing it's there to reduce weight while still keeping the grip the desired shape, but jeez, I found all kinds of grime in there. It was chock full of lint from being carried all the time, and it was a bit of a pain to clean it all out.
The really nagging question I have is one of tastes. On my 1911, I have upgraded parts for quality, adapted or replaced parts according to my taste, and have done what I like to make my pistol personalized. I didn't really notice anything you could do to a Glock to improve or personalize it. I know it has fewer controls than the 1911, but what can you do to change it into a personal weapon instead of a cookie-cutter service pistol?
Now, there were some things I really liked. It took only a few drops of oil to lube it according to the instructions. One bottle of CLP will last a lifetime, even if it feels like it's insufficiently lubed. I also found it remarkably easy to conceal. It's ugly as homemade soap, but the shape of it does disappear nicely in my buddy's concealment holster. It was really quite comfortable, too. Disassembly was VERY easy, and there wasn't any danger of putting a recoil spring cap through a window. The magazine spring felt consistent all the way through loading. The magazines themselves had a good solid feel to them. Most 1911 magazines feel a little rickety even if they're decent quality.
So, help me out here. What's the big deal about these guns?
You might as well go all the way and shoot it.
