Comments like that don't make any sense. Just because they all use a firing pin doesn't make them all clones of a Glock. They are all completely different in the layout and function of their "similar" parts and materials. It's like saying every sports car being produced today is just a clone of sports car X...it's just not true. The fact is, at the end of the day they are ALL just sports cars. Each one is different and offers something the other might or might not have. Your preference determines which one you like or buy.
Since the comment was mine, allow me to retort:
I'm using the term "clone" here not to denote identical dimensional parity, like the way, say, the slide from a Colt 1911 can be put on a Kimber or Springfield or Rock Island Armory or Rock River Arms receiver and still (probably) function. I'm using it to denote a similar route of construction. You say:
Just because they all use a firing pin doesn't make them all clones of a Glock.
but I say look at the similarities:
Polymer frame
double-column magazine for class-leading capacity
Steel slide (carbon or stainless)
trigger-mounted safety (at least on the Glock, Sigma, Steyr, and the stillborn Kimber)
no external safety (exc. the XD's grip safety, bless Springfield, and the new M&P .45's manual safety, thank you S&W.)
all-black original color scheme (with some earth tones available as the model matured)
1913 P. rail on all current offerings
no provisions for dressing up the gun with
fancy grips
Of
course they aren't identical. And of
course the later ones feel better. But since H&K's early plastic models from the 70s were practically ignored, I'm going to call Gaston the father of this entire line.
And just to set the record straight, I'm such a Ruger fan, that when they do put one out in .45 ACP, I'll almost certainly buy it. I just don't know how much I'll love it.