Let's have a candid conversation about GLOCKs.

[FastMover]

Pro-Glock here. I will admit that they are not the prettiest girl out there but the platform is a breeze to learn, they always go bang, and they are affordable. The grip angle is not the best but it is certainly not the worst I've handled.

 

[yeti]

Neither like nor dislike Glock, never wanted one either. I just see no reason to pay for and own a gun I don't want; now if someone wanted to just give me one I think I could grow to like it... how could you not like a free gun?

 

[basicblur]

Glock neutral myself (which is often confused as Glock hater), but the grip just never worked for me. I also prefer the grip safety of the XD over no safety on the Glock (and don't try to tell me that trigger thingy is a safety!).

I get a kick outta some of the podcasts I've listened to lately-they go to great lengths to excuse what I see as the two main drawbacks to a Glock-no safety ('specially with the lighter triggers) and the grip.

I have no doubt that I'd get used to the grip, and if a Glock was my only gun maybe I'd bother, but since all my other guns point naturally, why should I buy one oddball? I don't relish the thought of having X number of guns that all point pretty much the same, and having to go back and forth between all of them and one that does not point naturally for me.

'Course, trigger and grip aside, there are other choices out there these days, much as some wish to deny it.

Heck-waaaaay back when I bought my first polymer gun, I compared the Glock to the Sigma, came home and did my research, and ended up with the Sigma!

It didn't take too much research even way back then to discover perfection is just a marketing term.

I think Glock is probably one of the world's best guns.
I also think it's one of the world's most overrated guns.

 

[wally]

What are reasons why people don't like the GLOCK

Only one reason I can think of (ugly don't count ). The size and shape of the grips just don't fit some people, including me. The new Gen 4 is the first one I can actually shoot well. Still lots of guns I like better, but I now have a Glock I can like.

 

[FruitCake]

I just bought a glock and did the grip reduction and now I love it. The untouched grip is like a brick. A manual safety would be nice because I'm not to fond of the trigger safety. Besides that I'm very happy with it.

 

[longhair75]

I shopped around for a long time before buying my last handgun. I tried glock after glock, but they never felt right in my hand. I fired a couple, but they still just didn't feel comfortable. They were accurate enough but they just didn't suit me.

 

[XDShooter07]

I'm pretty glock neutral. I've owned a G19, an XD, and currently have an M&P. The G19 just didn't fit me at all. The hump in the grip pushes my hand up and over to the right which makes the knuckle of my thumb get bit by the left lower corner of the slide. I liked the gun I just couldn't deal with the way it fit my hand. I held one of the Gen 4's and even with the smallest grip it still did the same thing. The XD and M&P fit my hand perfectly so I like them better. I think they all have the same reliability.

There is one thing I don't like though.... the plastic guide rod. I know it works for them and they are very reliable but it just seems like a weak link to me that could be easily fixed.

Looks aren't an important factor.

 

[hemiram]

I'm not a fan...

1. Plastic!
2. Grip is all wrong.
3. Too light.
4. Very odd trigger.
4. Striker.

 

[TheProf]

I originally did not Glocks... I was annoyed with all the hoopla and Glock fanatics out there. Glocks can't be that good... not to mention that that everyone knows that Glocks are blocks. Just too blocky to carry.

Then...after going through 3 or four other guns... I gave in and acquired a G27. Simply put..."perfection". It offers the best balance of firepower, caliber, size, ruggedness, and reliability. I don't consider it to be a pocket gun...but as an IWB gun, its just almost as easy to conceal as my j-frame. And yes, I actually like the grip angle. And there's a certain beauty in the gun...you know, beauty in simplicity.

Oh.....if only they would make a single stack pocketable 9mm.

 

[Glockurai]

The first time I held a glock it didn't feel right. As I got more into shooting I bought a G34. It's like beer I guess....an acquired taste. I now own a 21sf, a 17, and a 26 and will soon be getting a 19 od. I own other guns but none that I trust like my glocks.

 

[smartshot]

If I were a target shooter, I'd hate glocks, but what makes them not accurate, makes them reliable and durable. When they first were introduced to Law Enforcement and Military they dropped them from a helicopter then shot them without any problems. I know many other guns that I wouldn't want to drop from a helicopter. At the end of the day, a Glock is a fantastic affordable production gun that has been around and proven itself worthy.

 

[FriedRice]

I want to like Glocks. I just don't. Not many educated reasons. They feel wrong in my hand. They don't conceal (for me) very well. They're ugly. The mag usually bites my palm. The trigger bites me sometimes. It seems they don't like me either. I keep trying to find Glocks I like and I can find only aspects of them I like. I like the crisp reset of the trigger. I like that I can buy 4 for the price of guns I normally buy. I can still shoot well with one so they are functional.

I just don't like polymer guns. I much prefer metal and lots of it. I dunno why. One day maybe I'll find a Glock I like. I hope so.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I'm another neutral person. It can take a magazine or two to readjust your natural pointing though if you shoot both American grip angle guns and European. Shoot a Glock extensively and then shoot a 1911 and you'll be shooting low, vise versa with going the other way.
They are very plain looking and can't really be dressed up. They are usually very reliable and plenty accurate. I see them as a utilitarian tool. They won't work as a BBQ gun but if the zombies invade its what I'd go for. It's a gun you can toss around and not gasp when it slides across the pavement like you'd do with your $3,000 custom 1911 uber-blaster.
Kind of like that car that you don't care about when it gets a door ding but keeps running no matter how you mistreat it.

 

[WardenWolf]

I don't care for Glocks. Lots of reasons. All the evidence I've seen shows them to be mass-produced with poor tolerances and a general disregard for user safety. Around 25% of them can fire out of battery. This, coupled with a partially unsupported casing can, and has, resulted in guns blowing up in peoples' hands. Additionally, tests done on the Glock .40 have found it to have the same barrel outer diameter as the 9mm, meaning the width of the barrel wall, and thus its strength, is significantly less, despite firing a much more powerful round. Given that this is also the caliber most likely to suffer a catastrophic malfunction, I find this safety compromise unacceptable.

All I see on the Glock are compromises. Compromises that jeopardize peoples' safety. I personally consider them inherently unsafe handguns for this reason. I do not believe Glock cares enough about making its guns safe. I believe they care about their cheap manufacturing price, reliability, and reputation for accuracy. Because I value my fingers, I will not buy a Glock.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

It is an extremely well thought out utilitarian pistol: it is cheap, the manual of arms is short, it holds a lot of rounds, it is easy to clean and maintain and it is effective enough to win competitions in the proper hands. It is basically the standard which other pistols are measured against.

People don't like them because: (1) Some people don't like the grip. I didn't either at first, but am now fine with it however I understand if people have this issue, (2) other pistol designs offer different compromises - i.e. more accurate but heavier. I understand this group of people too. (3) then there are the people that love their $5,000.00 custom 1911 and cannot understand why anyone would want a glock, sigma, XD etc., and will not shut up about how special their gun is. I find these people extremely tiresome. It's like the guy who drives a Ferrari and snickers at your Mazda then asks for a ride because his Ferrari is in the shop, or it is raining out and he doesn't want to hit a pot hole.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Why are Glocks so popular and why have they taken over the world as the staple of all handguns?

Because Glock offered them to police departments at a severely undercut price compared to other makers. Once Glock secured the law enforcement market through low pricing, the "every police department uses them, so they must be the best" fad caught on. Now they're here to stay.

With that said, they are very reliable, and I own a G19, G17 and soon a G26. They are still the second most ugly gun I know of, the first being the HK P7, but I do like the magazine interchangeability and the wide variety of holsters and such offered.

 

[IMTHDUKE]

I want to like glocks, but every time i handle one i just cringe at the "blocky" ergonomics.

Not trying to dine on anyones sacred cow, i just can't personally warm up to them, when there are so many other choices that feel better in my hand.

ditto

 

[Bubba613]

You can't boast to your friends about owning one. You won't overpay for a pistol. You can't make a cool clicking sound with the manual safety. You have to buy extra ammo to fill all that magazine capacity. You can't justify buying two by saying the other is "for when the first one is in the shop."
Pretty much the polar opposite of the 1911.

 

[Pilot]

I want to like them. I have shot some with good experience, but can't warm up to them. Trigger feel and grip angle are my issues. If I had to carry one I would, but since there are other options, I won't.

 

[ET]

I own and use Glocks. I like them as well as most all guns. I'm not into bashing any gun. Some people think it is their duty to tell others that their choice in guns is wrong or a certain gun manufacturer is junk. I don't see what they get out of doing that. I have defended Glocks, Sigmas, Judges, TCPs & Taurus in general just this week. I find myself defending these guns to people who have never even fired one, much less owned one. I own them and have had good service out of all of them. Gun lovers bashing guns makes no sense to me. Plus, threads like this which fish for such comments aren't my favorite either.

 

[Old krow]

People don't like them because: (1) Some people don't like the grip. I didn't either at first, but am now fine with it however I understand if people have this issue, (2) other pistol designs offer different compromises - i.e. more accurate but heavier. I understand this group of people too.

Yeah, pretty much. My 1911 wasn't 5k, but I like them a lot, they work for me. I like the accuracy and the weight doesn't bother me so much. I had a G19. Not a bad gun at all. Never a malfunction, went bang, easy to clean, small, and inexpensive. I gave it to my girlfriend and bought a 1911. Then she bought another G19... so I bought another 1911. I dunno how long we're gonna be able to keep this up though

She can shoot hers very well, so while mine are in the shop we're okay

 

[benzy2]

I just picked up a 34. Nice pistol for the range. I was looking at it and a M&P 9mm Pro with the 5" barrel. It was a toss up. I personally like the grip angle of the glock. For me, it makes me position my wrist in a more solid position to be looking down the sights, which is a good thing. With the aftermarket out there quite a bit is possible. There were other pistols that are similar in capacity and sight radius that would be good options as well, but I liked the glock and went with it. Not the only pistol in the stable, but one that works well so far. Mine has been as accurate as any pistol I have owned.

 

[TuckerNielson]

As neutral as Switzerland

I'm surprised by how many "Neutrals" are out there. I am also neutral. A very experienced Shooter gave me some advice when I was purchasing my first firearm. He told me to buy what I shot well and take everyone's opinion with a grain of salt. They are just opinions after all and you know what they say (opinions are like armpits yada yada). Two very good firearms that I shoot terribly are Glocks and Sigs. I have no explanation for this. Everybody talks about the grip angle etc but I found nothing about either gun that was offensive to me. I just didn't shoot them well. I purchased a XDm 9mm because I shot it rather intuitively - after ~9000 rounds I can shoot it lights out (at least in an air conditioned range ). Now I like revolvers. I never got bit by the 1911 bug either - although I'd like to buy one in 2011 for the 100 year historical factor.

I'm also surprised by how many people have described how "ugly" they are - which just confirms my belief that guns are just 'man jewelry' for many.

 

[pmec]

I bought a 26 recently and it fills the bill. Yeah, the grip is a tad wide for me but I got used to it quickly. Tares down in under 10 seconds for cleaning... works for me! For CC, the small handle doesn't cause an issue with printing. I've shot everything from handloads to cheapies without a problem.

All in all, it's a great and reliable concealed weapon and fun to shoot at the range. I have no regrets buying it. When I hit the lottery, I'm planning on visiting Bill Wilson for my next pistol!

 

[MCMXI]

I consider myself to be Glock neutral as well. Like many here, I just can't get excited about a Glock but I can see why others like them. I've shot a bunch and shot them well. We all know that Glocks are reliable and accurate enough, but they're not unique in this regard. My "problem" with Glocks is purely aesthetic. If I can buy a pistol that shoots just as well, is just as reliable, but is considerably more appealing (to me), then that's my choice. I'd NEVER choose form over function and luckily I don't have to.

The best Glock that I've ever shot was a G17 this past Sunday but it was no $450 G17. This particular one has so many upgrades that it's an $850 pistol!