My First Glock !!!

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OldnTired

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I have read much about them and watched plenty of videos watching other people shoot and talk about all the different models. For the first time in my life (don't laugh) I went to a shooting range and shot a handgun for the first time at age 62. I shot a used revolver I've owned for 20 years and had never shot, a Ruger GP100 and I chose 2 Glock rentals after all the info I have taken in about them, a 19 & 23. After 200 rounds, .38, 9mm, .40 & 357 mag, I have a new found hobby now. I'm hooked. I did love the Ruger and will be buying another revolver at some point, but I'm not sure which of the 2 Glocks would be the best choice. I have been told the 23 can shoot 9mm & 357 sig with a barrel swap, but do I need a 40 caliber at all or just be satisfied with the 19. Both guns felt similar in my hand and I liked the feel of them better than their full size brothers, 17 & 22. A 9mm Glock is much harder to find than a 40 caliber here in CA also, but they are around if you look hard enough. That has me puzzled as if there may be a reason it's more desirable. Any opinions and/or WISDOM will greatly appreciated by this newbee. Thank you ahead of time for any and all replies "Oh Mighty Weapon Masters."
 
If I didn't reload, I would get a 9mm and not consider a .40....I am not a diehard Glock fan. As a matter of fact, I don't own one. I have carried a Glock 22 for 17 years as a duty weapon, though.
 
While at the range I saw a beautiful looking semi-auto in the case and asked about it because it only said Springfield and the person working there said it was a 1911 and then showed me he was carrying a 1911 while at work as well.
 
As a beginner I can honestly say there are too many to chose from, but there's no hurry, thanks for your answer ColtPython.
 
OldnTired

Not a big Glock fan either (I do have one, a Model 17 that I bought not long after they were first introduced in the U.S.). My favorite 9mm. would be my Browning Hi-Power. Finally found one (Mk.II), that has a great trigger, great sights, and decent safety. The ergonomics on this gun are perfect for my smaller size hand and accuracy is first rate as well, especially for a service type handgun.

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Welcome to THR, OldnTired!

OldnTired said:
. . . . For the first time in my life (don't laugh) I went to a shooting range and shot a handgun for the first time at age 62.
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Better late than never!
OldnTired said:
I shot a used revolver I've owned for 20 years and had never shot, a Ruger GP100 and I chose 2 Glock rentals after all the info I have taken in about them, a 19 & 23. After 200 rounds, .38, 9mm, .40 & 357 mag, I have a new found hobby now. I'm hooked.
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Please give your bank account our most heartfelt condolences.

OldnTired said:
I did love the Ruger and will be buying another revolver at some point, but I'm not sure which of the 2 Glocks would be the best choice. I have been told the 23 can shoot 9mm & 357 sig with a barrel swap, but do I need a 40 caliber at all or just be satisfied with the 19. Both guns felt similar in my hand and I liked the feel of them better than their full size brothers, 17 & 22. A 9mm Glock is much harder to find than a 40 caliber here in CA also, but they are around if you look hard enough. That has me puzzled as if there may be a reason it's more desirable. Any opinions and/or WISDOM will greatly appreciated by this newbee. Thank you ahead of time for any and all replies "Oh Mighty Weapon Masters."
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My first question: What are your plans for the gun you seek? Range work, CC, home defense? Some or all of the above?

IMO, the G19 is the Goldilocks Glock. Not too big, not too small, but juuuuuuust right. Given that the G23 is the same size, it has to fall into the same category. 9mm and .40 are both perfectly suitable calibers, but 9mm is cheaper. If you're just looking to punch paper, 9mm will suit you just fine, and be easier on the wallet than .40. That said, I've heard tell of folks who could not find 9mm during the last ammo crunch, but said that .40 was still available. On that front, there's something to be said for conversion barrels. When I bought my Glock (a G19), ~3 years and ~1800 rounds ago, I seriously considered going the conversion barrel route. I didn't go that route, for a variety of reasons, but lots of folks said I should. (Mind you, they were perfectly happy to advise me on how to spend my money . . . )

Since you're just starting out, I'm going to suggest that you try out a variety of pistols, including two that have already been mentioned: (1) a 1911 in .45 ACP; and (2) a Browning Hi-Power (or one of its clones). You've already tried a DA Revolver (at least I think the GP100 is DA . . . ), and striker-fired polymer pistols. The two I listed above are SA semi-autos. There are also DA/SA semiautos. Every pistol shoots differently. Part of that is based on the type of action, so get out and try a few different actions.

Also, go look at .22LR supplies in your area. If you can get .22LR, I'm going to suggest that you look into getting a .22LR pistol. There's no substitute for time on the trigger, and there's no more economical way to get that than a .22LR, if you can get ammo. It's been in short supply for a while, but if you can find it, it's still less expensive than 9mm. Around here, cheap 9mm (115 grain Perfecta or TulAmmo BrassMaxx) runs a little over 20 cents per round. I've been buying .22LR for 4-6 cents a round. That means I can shoot a whole lot more .22 for the same cost as 9mm.
 
Welcome.
As Spats said, the 9mm will be cheaper to shoot. Looking online right now you can find 9mm for $.17 a round and .40 is $.22 per round before shipping at the low end. I imagine the split would be about the same locally. That savings can add up quickly. .40 is a fine caliber but it tends to be a bit snappier. That doesn't bother me at all but it can be a factor.

I don't own a Glock. Not because they aren't fine weapons, they are, but the fanboys drive me crazy. I prefer steel pistols so most of my pistols are steel. I like the CZ75B and the Browning Hi Power over all the others. Easy to shoot with nice triggers. If you want high capacity then the CZ.

If you like the Glock and shoot it well then by all means buy it. You will not be disappointed and it will NOT be your only semi purchase.
 
I've shot both, carry a G23 at work as a duty gun, train with the G23, and have a personal G23. With good 9mm ammo in a SD situation, the bad guy will tell no difference. I like the 40 cal, and compared to some other 40 cal handguns I've owned the Glock isn't as snappy recoil wise. You can always convert it with a few 9mm magazines and the barrel for fun or to fit ammo availability. I also prefer the Glock night-sights over factory standard sights. Have fun with whatever you decide!
 
The first two Glock pistols I ever shot belonged to the father of my girlfriend at the time in high school. On Thanksgiving day we went out back to put a few holes in things while the turkey was cooking. I shot the Glock 22 and the Glock 27. I ended up liking the 27 more and wound up buying one years later. Eventually I found it to have too much recoil and sold it. Long story short I now have a Gen 4 Glock 19 and love it.
 
Its my belief that the Glock 19 is the best of the bunch (9mm). I have many Glocks in several calibers, BTW.
 
IMO, the G19 is the Goldilocks Glock. Not too big, not too small, but juuuuuuust right
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I'd have to agree that the 19 strikes an excellent balance.

Having said that, did you pick up a S&W M&P? Most people find the ergonomics of the M&P preferable IME.

Personally, I'd have a tough time deciding between my Baby Eagle and my S&W 5906 for favorite 9mm, but both of those are discontinued, so you're not likely to find one that you can rent to try out.

Another that has really grown on me is my Diamondback DB9FS.
 
I've been a Glock fan since my first one around 1985, but I'm no slobbering fanboy, and can see how some folks don't love them. That being said, they have a LOT going for them.
They're reliable, they're accurate, they're light, they're simple, they have outstanding CS support from the manufacturer, they have many aftermarket products, they have inexpensive magazines that work, they're highly popular and therefore have good re-sale/trade value,and so on.
The G19 is great, but i personally went back to the G17, as I like the longer sight radius and the larger grip. Go play with both, and make your decision, you can't go wrong either way.
But, there are numerous other polymer-framed 9mm's that are solid guns, and cost roughly the same (or even less) than the glocks. If you can, try to handle stuff from Walther, S&W, Springfield, Ruger, etc.
Also, I would stick with 9mm versus .40. The newer 9mm HP's are most effective, and cost less than 40's. Also, .40 is going out of style in a pretty big way, you'd have a much harder time selling or trading a .40 than you would a 9mm.
Also, though a Browning Hi-power is nice and all, they cost nearly twice as much as a Glock. This is not the ideal pistol to recommend to a "beginner".
The CZ75 uses the same Browning design and also has a steel frame, and is by all accounts (including mine) a very fine pistol, but is more ergonomic, and you can get into one for around half as much as a Hi-power. If you wanna go steel-framed 9mm, the CZ75 is your huckleberry. ;)
 
Glock 17 and 19

Glock will fix almost anything for free.

That is really how you spell customer service=Glock.

I know first hand. Glock has been more than fair with me many times.

I like 9mm the best.


I am a HUGE fanboy.

Pick up any other pistol. Then pick up the Glock.

There is no comparison-period.
 
OldnTired said:
... but do I need a 40 caliber at all or just be satisfied with the 19.
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When confronted by similar decisions I often chose both :D

For me, cost and availability have always influenced caliber choices. I had favored .40 in the past, but ballistics improvements have essentially eliminated its advantage. Those improvements have largely occurred in recent years.

9mm used to be considerably cheaper than .40. In fact most people laughed at me when I saved my 9mm brass, because 9mm ammunition was so inexpensive. Well, they're not laughing any more. I don't reload (yet) but I have plenty of once-fired brass saved up. Now, 9mm can become difficult to find, and its price has increased (to be fair, so has everything else) but .40 is more readily available. At least where I am.

None of that is likely to remain stagnant, so chasing a particular gun for ammo availability is probably a fool's errand. Who would have thought .22lr would become so scarce? Not me.

Congratulations on re-discovering a rewarding hobby :D Always remember there are stupider ways to spend money. I like to compare target shooting to golf... easy to do, challenging to do well. The difference is that a country club membership is ~ $10,000 a year.
 
Also, all my recent semi-auto purchases have been 9mm. If I had to choose one over the other (oh, the horror!) it would be the 19.
 
Vernon1 said:
Pick up any other pistol. Then pick up the Glock.

There is no comparison-period.
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LOL, now THAT'S getting carried away !! Go shoot a Glock, then immediately after shoot a CZ75. The Glock will feel like cheap,plastic, Chinese junk in comparison :neener:.
(And I say that as a Glock fan that's owned them probably longer than you, or anyone you've even met.)
 
MachIVshooter said:
Spats McGee said:
IMO, the G19 is the Goldilocks Glock. Not too big, not too small, but juuuuuuust right
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I'd have to agree that the 19 strikes an excellent balance.

Having said that, did you pick up a S&W M&P? Most people find the ergonomics of the M&P preferable IME.
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I can't quite tell if this is really directed to me or the OP, but I'll answer. I did handle several of the M&P line. I was specifically looking for something I could CC. I found the full-sized M&P to be a little large for that, and the M&P9c to be just a tad small. Plus, the 9c only holds 12 rounds (IIRC). And while I haven't shot one, the ergos did seem very nice.
 
Vernon1 said:
Pick up any other pistol. Then pick up the Glock.

There is no comparison-period.
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You're right... no handgun fails in every ergonomic department quite like the Glock. :D LOL

Only partly kidding. I have several Glocks and shoot them well. And they work really well. But they do injury to my hands in the process, unless I file down the rear of the trigger guard, which makes them ineligible for IDPA SSP, so I have to leave some alone and deal with the pain.

Pick up a Glock and then pick up a SIG P226 or M&P or CZ75, or H&K P30 or VP9... your hands will say "aaaaaahhhhhhhhh....." that's more like it. :D
 
Pick up any other pistol. Then pick up the Glock.

There is no comparison-period.
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You're right about that. But I think we disagree on whether that's a good or bad thing.

I have a G20 3rd gen, have owned others. There's a lot to like about Glocks, but ergonomics is in the other column; almost any other pistol fits the hand better. Yeah, you can get used to it, even come to like it, but the fat grip, the slightly more obtuse grip angle and huge palm swell are not comfortable for many, and often causes folks to have to consciously bring the muzzle down.

Give credit where credit is due; Glock deserves many accolades. but 'ol Gaston apparently had very oddly shaped large hands and a short Ulna if his creations fit him to "perfection".
 
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