If considering first Glock... don't make my mistake

[Bamashooter]

Own A G19, G22 and G27, shoot the G27 the most and the best. And for the Glock fanboy haters go to the Sig forums and listen to their drivel! And yes I have a Sig,: prefer my Glocks.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

.
.
.
I did not even consider G26 - small gun is not supposed to be as accurate as the larger one, and having to curl the pinky under the butt seemed unnatural.

And that was my mistake.

I rented two different G26 in the last two months.

I am shooting as good with them as I do with my G17. That's without the pinky extension. I just bought one and with pinky extension it's every bit as comfortable to hold as G17, while still being much smaller.

G17 is still as great of a gun as it was when I bought it. But I could've gone with G26 from the start. It's just as good - at least up to 25 yards - and much more concealable.

So, if you are considering your first Glock... definitely rent and shoot G26.

I'm not a Glock guy at all. But this is a classic example, in my opinion, of a "mistake that's not really a mistake".

You got yourself a fine gun by any measure...and simply learned afterwards "HEY! I think I'd like THAT gun TOO!"

Which means you now have a reason to buy yourself ANOTHER gun!

(I know...as if people really need a "reason"...)


Plus, you have this really neat lesson you learned that you can pass on to others.

 

[Armor Snail]

32 with a frame reduction would be perfect IMHO.

 

[jrmiddleton425]

I've only owned and ever fired my G27 (among Glocks).

Just curious if the same paradigm seems to hold true for people who have fired the 27 and larger Glock .40's?

.

I've seen a lot of used G27s for sale barely fired. .40 S&W is a snappy round, recoil-wise. I have no problem shooting a Glock 30, but with anything other than light handloads, my 23 is actually painful. I would imagine that a 27 is so small as to be difficult to control.

 

[CountGlockula]

Thanks for sharing. Doing your research extensively, will pay off. I ended up first taking a basic handgun class, read up on all Glock models, became a member of a rental range and shot all their Glocks.

I looked for comfortable grip and accuracy. Of all the Glocks...including revolvers and other semi-automatics...I ended up with a Glock 35. Almost 10 years later I own 6 Glocks.

The 35 is used also for competition and I have a G27 and G23 for carry. I found that since I started out with a .40SW and am VERY accurate with it...that's MY gun. My Glock Gen4 17 is good too, only when I don't have money for .40 ammo.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Wanderling]

Well, before shooting G26, I shot one other small pistol - I think it was a Bersa in .40 - and I couldn't hit a wide side of the barn with it... nowhere near the bullseye from 10 yards. I decided that I just wasn't accurate with small pistols. G26 shoots like a large one.

 

[sugerwater]

The G26 is a Rite of Passage for Glock owners. I hate to use stupid internet terms, but my 26 is a tack driver. My other Glock is a G23.

 

[malakili]

I agree that a G26 with the 10rd mag certainly shoots just as well as it's big brothers, and the shorter grip technically makes it less likely to print.

However, now that I find myself carrying my 26 with a G19 mag (and sleeve) for higher capacity, I have to wonder whether it was a mistake to not just stick with the 19 I used to have...

 

[Wanderling]

If I ever find myself in a situation where 10 shots is not enough, it's one BAD situation.

People used to go out with a 5 shot revolver and a moon clip & considered themselves well armed.

Well, I took the little Glock for a test today. Fired about 150 rounds, 100 brass / 50 aluminum.

1) I did get 3 BTFs, I think all from aluminum ammo. Doesn't bother me but something to watch out for. My G17 doesn't do that. No other issues.

2) I was as accurate as I can possibly be at 15 ft; at 25 ft I was shooting to the left until I changed the finger placement; with my G17 I taught myself to press the trigger with the middle of my finger pad, like the softest part of the index finger; on G26 I improved considerably by placing more of the finger on the trigger. Once I did that (I was shooting mainly one-handed as it's the most likely SD situation) I was hitting what I wanted. I am curious if that's the size of the gun, or that weird ribbed trigger on G26. My Siderlock just came in the mail, so I will change the trigger & see how that works.

3) Despite being rather careful, I did get a slight slide bite. So, GFA goes on. I don't think it will make the gun print more, if it does I'll just live with slide bites. It's a SD gun, I already have a range toy

4) There's absolutely no difference in shooting the factory magazine plate vs pinky extension, none, zero. It looks cooler and is more comfortable to hold but once I start shooting any difference goes away and unless I look I don't know what mag I have in the gun. So the extension will be off my mags. No reason to print more if I don't have to.

Overall, it didn't disappoint, a very neat little gun and a pleasure to shoot.

 

[Captains1911]

If I ever find myself in a situation where 10 shots is not enough, it's one BAD situation.

People used to go out with a 5 shot revolver and a moon clip & considered themselves well armed.

People also used to read by candlelight and travel by horse.

If you ever have to use your gun at all its a bad situation. If you are going to prepare though, might as well prepare. Multiple attackers are not uncommon, and one shot stops are rare. That's why an extra mag is never a bad idea.

 

[krs]

G19 is my 'grab it when the dog goes nuts' gun in the house and it carries nice for me in an OWB holster a little way toward around my back. Noone has ever spotted it when I'm wearing a coat or overshirt untucked.

Tried the littler version once but the small grip had me feeling like I as gonna' drop it. I've got lots of small pistols but I guess it's the fatness of the little G26 that made it weird.

The only thing I like about Glocks is that they always fire (the MAIN thing) and I never think about its finish or looks at all.

 

[AK103K]

If I ever find myself in a situation where 10 shots is not enough, it's one BAD situation.

People used to go out with a 5 shot revolver and a moon clip & considered themselves well armed.

A lot of people still do. More power to them if they are comfortable with it.

I think if youre a little more realistic in your practice, you'll find that 5 round gun, comes up empty, way to fast. For me, two targets, and that 5 shooter will be clicking empty soon after tracking to the second target. Who only shoots one or two rounds and stops?

Id prefer to err on the positive side, and have rounds left over, even if its 16 out of 17 (which its not likely to ever happen, as I shoot in bursts), than to come up 1 short, and its not over.

 

[Wanderling]

A typical drill people talk about is two to the chest, one to the head. Which in a 10-roumd scenario means 3 attackers + one spare. In a more realistic way, given that the BGs have the luxury of picking and choosing when to carry out the attack, if 3 or more armed guys jump you from 15-20 feet, the number of rounds will be less relevant, how many targets can you hit in a few seconds with three bullets each ?

Look at all the people carrying Shields (8 rd mags). I don't feel undergunned with 10.

G19 is a fine gun, but too large for me for EDC. Honestly, I just don't see that much size difference with G17. G26 works way better for me, is much more comfortable, conceals really well, and if I am ever concerned with lack of rounds, I can always get a +2 extension.

 

[Normandy]

Your findings parallel my own. I shoot G26 just as well as the G19.
When I worked armed (concealed) security, the Sarge asked me one day if I'd mind swapping my G22 for another officer's G27, and I agreed to the swap. A couple days later we had to re-qualify, and I'd never shot the G27 before. I scored 2nd highest of the entire security force with that G27, all original equipment, unmodified.

And I have a Para Warthog .45ACP that shoots as accurately as any of my full size 1911's.
I'm convinced that a 3" barrel, thereabouts, is plenty of length to get accuracy.

 

[JFrame]

When I worked armed (concealed) security, the Sarge asked me one day if I'd mind swapping my G22 for another officer's G27, and I agreed to the swap. A couple days later we had to re-qualify, and I'd never shot the G27 before. I scored 2nd highest of the entire security force with that G27, all original equipment, unmodified.

Glad to hear about this experience. Nearly a couple of decades ago, I went shooting with a friend and borrowed his G27. I liked it so much, I wound up getting one.

I have never acquired another Glock, but it's good to get some anecdotal feedback that I may not be missing out on the "total experience" by sticking with just the smaller Glock.

.

 

[TarDevil]

People used to go out with a 5 shot revolver and a moon clip & considered themselves well armed.

But once upon a time the perps were carrying the same 5 shot revolvers.

Non saying they won't do the job today, but times have changed.

 

[giggitygiggity]

I have the G30SF and the G21 and I can shoot the G30SF just as accurately at the G21 even though it's significantly smaller and can be fed with the same magazines that the G21 eats.

 

[DougW]

My carry piece is my early G26 with +2 bases giving 12+1 and 12 in reserve. Short barrel on the G26 makes it a little easier to conceal than one of my G19's. I do occasionally carry one of the G19's or even one of my G17's, and don't feel undergunned with the G26.

 

[george burns]

As you advance in this hobby, you will learn many things, one of them is you never make a mistake when you buy a good quality handgun. What you have is something that you will add to as your collection grows.

 

[ritepath]

The 27/26 and especially 29/30 are way too thick and bulky for how small they are.

I do like the 41,35,& 34...they need to make the 20's counterpart to these.

 

[Wanderling]

The 27/26 and especially 29/30 are way too thick and bulky for how small they are.

I do like the 41,35,& 34...they need to make the 20's counterpart to these.

Well, I was going to buy a Shield before getting G26 but Shield was actually longer in the grip while holding less, eh, bullets in the clip (... asking for trouble )

Glock is a bit thicker, Shield is larger, Glock holds 10 rounds in the mag, Shield 8, Glock is harder to fit IWB, Shield grip sticks out more (both by a small amount).

I guess it's the matter of personal preference.

To me, not having a full grip on Glock 26 did not pose a problem at all - I actually bought a Pierce extension but took it off when I realized I was just fine without it.

If I'd wanted an even smaller carry gun, I'd be looking at Ruger LCP or something similar.

 

[JDR]

My best Glock is still my Gen4 21, I don't shoot the baby Glocks very well.

 

[george burns]

You can put the pierce +2 extensions on like many including myself did. they also make a +4 extension for it and a 15 or 17 round mag with adapter, I carry a G19 mag as a reload, with the adapter. Same with my 30S.

 

[Wanderling]

I ordered GAP plates, as I don't think the Pierce really made any difference to how I shoot the gun, and I am OK with 10 rounds if it prints less. GAPs make it much faster to draw, though, without adding to printing.

 

[ritepath]

Well, I was going to buy a Shield before getting G26 but Shield was actually longer in the grip while holding less, eh, bullets in the clip (... asking for trouble )

Glock is a bit thicker, Shield is larger, Glock holds 10 rounds in the mag, Shield 8, Glock is harder to fit IWB, Shield grip sticks out more (both by a small amount).

I guess it's the matter of personal preference.

To me, not having a full grip on Glock 26 did not pose a problem at all - I actually bought a Pierce extension but took it off when I realized I was just fine without it.

If I'd wanted an even smaller carry gun, I'd be looking at Ruger LCP or something similar.

Yup the Shield and LCP are my only two carry guns. Since solving my EDC problem it's let me focus of large fun guns. It was a long journey (M&P 9c, PT145, P229, G27) but I'm happy now.

I now carry my Shield OWB with the 7 round mags using either no extension or the NDZ extension. I would like to see them shave a few ounces from the Shield it's still pretty heavy for a carry gun.