Sell me on the Glock 21

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sights

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Hello All,

I am going to get a .45 ACP pistol. I know there are all sorts of opinions, but I need help deciding. Do you fell it is better to get a Glock 21 rather than a 1911 or a Sig 220.

It seems you have to spend a fair amount of coin to make sure the 1911 is reliable. That is what I am looking for a gun that is dependable to protect me and my family. I came from the of use your handgun until you get your rifle.

Which do you think is better of the three?

Thanks,

Sights
 
The Glock 21 is a very soft recoiling .45, and easy to shoot well with on the range. It is a bit cumbersome, so if you do any training and have small/medium hands, you might end up fighting the weapon a bit.

There has been a rash of problems with Glock 21s in LE service over the last couple of years. Some of that was due to mechanical failures in the weapon. Look on www.tacticalforums.com and www.10-8forums.com for more information on these problems.
 
SIG ranks near the top in perfection, and reliability. Glock OTOH, runs
neck-in neck with the SIG; both are functional "combat weapons".:)
Some say, the 1911 requires many $$$ too become what SIG's and
Glock's already are; straight from the box?:uhoh: It has been my personal
experience to find that all of MY 1911's have required absolutely
NO gunsmithing, and run just fine.;)

Price wise, a good 1911 could run as little as $329 for a Rock Island or
Norinco. Springfield Armory has their introductory G.I. model starting
at 'bout $459, MIL SPEC model at $549; and the "Loaded Stainless
1911's at 'bout $749. With their upper end guns runn'in from about
$929-2300*. Kimber's are all over the board too, from a basic custom
model priced at a'bout $639, to the Warrior, Raptor, Eclispe, Team
Match, Gold Combat, etc all well over $1K; with a top out right
around $1400. Then, you get into the semi-custom 1911's that
start near $1500, and run as much as $3500.

While the G-21 would run $549.88 at our shop, the standard SIG
P220A would be a little more at $739.88. So take your pick, as
any of these would make for an excellent workhorse of a gun~!:D

*FootNote: "Professional" Springfield Armory TRP's are the choice
of the famed F.B.I. hostage rescue team.
 
Sights, welcome to THR. The Glock 21 is a fine pistol, but it is BULKY. The grips are rather portly. The SIG P220 is also a great pistol. 1911s are awesome pistols as well. If you like the idea of the Glock 21, but want something in a more manageable size take a look at the Springfield Armory XD 45, and the newly released XD45 Compact. You've got many options in a 45 ACP chambered pistol. Which is the best? That's largely up to personal taste, and how well the gun fits you. Proper gun fit will reduce felt recoil, improve accuracy, and make ownership more enjoyable overall. For more info on gun fit please see; http://www.corneredcat.com/FirstGun/TryOnGun.htm. The rest of the site is full of good info too, particularly the articles on kids & guns in the same house. Also think about if your wife/fiance be using the gun, or if you plan to get her a pistol of her own. Unfortunately you can't always be there, and making sure she has a way to defend herself in those times is something to consider. Please let us know if we can answer any morequestions or otherwise help you thru the process.
 
It is big, but I love it. To put my feelings in perspective, my department issues the P220 and they gave me a brand new one. It's nice, but it is sitting in my safe and the Glock 21 that I paid for is in my holster every night I go to work. I also love my Wilson Combat 1911 and actually carried it on duty for a couple of years, but the Glock is a no brainer for the abuse I put it through and the lack of attention I give it.

Plus, it is a very soft recoiling .45. It is very nice! 13+1 and a rail for a light for under $500!?! Can't beat it! :D
 
Sights, will you ever be CCWing the weapon? If concealment is an issue, I'd go with the Glock 30. 10 + 1 in a very nice package. It's my daily CCW carry. Mild recoil - less than my all steel GI 1911. Plus I can use G 21 mags when not CCWing. I have a grip sleeve on a G 21 mag that makes the grip like the G 21 grip for HD. Good luck with whatever you choose.
 
Ive owned all three of the weapons asked about. The only one I dont own anymore is the P220. It never ran a full box of 50rds without a fte. It also never shot to POA. The magazines were very expensive compared to glocks and even wilson combat 1911 mags. The most the P220 will hold is 8rds compared to the 13 a G21 mag will hold. I know the malfunctions experienced with my P220 are NOT the norm for Sigs, but I also owned a P239 and had similar problems. I got rid of both Sigs and never looked back. I love my G21. Its a soft shooter. The mags are cheap. Upgrade parts are plentifull and cheap aslo.

As for 1911s they are awesome. For CCW I use my SW Commander 1911. Its super easy to conceal and very accurate. 1911s are definitely an aquired taste. If this is your first gun Id say try all three and see which one is most comfortable. The Glock will definitely be the most reliable, and cheapest to own.

Have fun.
 
I've got "extra large" hand according to glove companies, and find the Glock 21 just barely too big. Glock 9mm's and 40's feel great though.

A friend has a Sig 220 which feels smaller to me than a 1911.

In .45 I prefer a 1911, and have a mil-spec.
 
internet and information

sights,

of the three choices you list I would take the 1911. If you buy one from any reputable brand you don't need to spend any extra. It will work just fine. You can get a lemon from any manufacturer, not just 1911. With 1911 you get amazing trigger, great ergonomics, very sleek form, and the availability of lots of accessories, spare parts, aftermarket parts, knowledge, and skilled gunsmiths.

My SW1911 has not made one single failure so far in a couple of thousands of rounds. And it does not need to be very clean either to function. I'm quite lazy with the cleaning.

Glock 21 which I sold some time ago was just too big for my hand, otherwise it's a good gun. This is indeed a big gun. All the tales of it being a soft shooter are true.

I don't like the SIG double action trigger system, but no doubt these are good guns. Except Sig pro, which is IMHO too sensitive to limp wristing. (I understant that limp wristing is shooter's error, but other guns have never given me problems in that respect. What if you have to fire from less than optimal position?)
 
I once decided to buy a large frame Glock. The 21 seemed like a winner until I discovered the Glock 20 ( 10mm ), it really won me over, the superior model in every way. Since I'm currently in the market for another handgun, most likely in .45 acp, I'm looking quite hard at the Springfield XD-45. It's actually designed for a human hand. I have a Springfield GI-45 1911A1 and it is great, but I don't want to run a whole lot of ammo through it, because I bought it as more of a collectors item. But for a pure workhorse .45, I think I will choose the XD and never look back. The Glock 20 is justified for being large, but the 21 needs to go on Jenny Craig. I say either a well-built 1911 or an XD.
 
If you're a bricklayer, you'll love the Glock. If you're not... not so much.

It depends somewhat on what you're accustomed to shooting already. If the Glock grip angle is what you are familiar with, it will work fine. If you're not used to it, it will point toward the ceiling when you first raise it. Try before you buy. I had one, and hated it. I love my XD-45 ACP, though. Perfect fit, and pointability.
 
Wonder why the poster didn't think of the XD .45ACP?

PS, the 1911 properly executed is extremely reliable as is the P220.
 
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I'm getting ready to trade a 1911 for a Glock 21 since I have never been able to get this 1911 to run right.

Not a Glock fan, but they work out of the box. If you like them, they are great!
 
TC-TX,

Just picked one up today...Service XD 45ACP.

Any words of wisdom before I take her out for a spin?
 
I own 2 1911's and a 220. I can tell you that I had problems with both of my 1911's within the first year of ownership. I have yet to have a problem with my sig with approximately 2000 rds. thru it. Now, I have gotten one of my 1911's to work properly, and I love it.

I'll say this about the 1911 :
IMO The 1911 is the best example of how a pistol becomes an extension of one's own hand. At the risk of sounding a bit over the top; its almost as if God himself forced JMB's hand in designing the gun. The size of your hand doesnt really matter, the gun just seems to "fit". Its ergonomics truly are second to none. If you get one that is reliable, you'll understand the "cult" following. My first .45 was a Kimber 1911. I regret it because of the malfunctions it had so soon after purchase.

The Sig and the Glock are the safe bets.
 
If you want a plastic gun I'd not buy a Glock until you've had a chance to try the Springfield XD. Way better trigger IMHO. These are so good the prices have risen to where they now are about the same as a Glock, not too long ago they could be had for ~$380.

XD45 5" "tactical fits my hand way better than does my Glock 21. I'm a 1911 guy, but XD get my vote for the best striker fired polymer pistol.

I've a SIG P220, too expensive for what you really get (extra mags are pricy and don't hold up all that well) Gun has been problem free but I just don't like DA/SA guns. I got the SIG as my first .45ACP gun many years ago because I believed all the negatives and mis-information about the 1911, but once I started shooting IPSC and got a 1911 for it, I never looked back. I collect guns, but mostly shoot 1911s.

--wally.
 
Redhat,
It's a Springfield that another guy had a lot of custom work done on (not sure by who, but the work appears to be good).

I've switched out mags, went back to factory springs, striped and cleaned it. Only thing left I can think of is the extractor, it looks fine but is the only thing I haven't replaced. I'm at the end with it anyway, I've lost confidence in it and want it gone.
 
OC,

Sorry to hear that. I had a similar experience...Colt '70 series kept stove-piping, I took it to a 1911 gunsmith, he fixed it (extractor), and in 800 rounds I haven't had one single problem.

Have you discussed the problem with 1911 Tuner?
 
another guy had a lot of custom work done on (not sure by who, but the work appears to be good).
Click to expand...
Looks decieve, sorry, but if the work was decent the gun would work! End of story.

Sounds like you got stuck with somebody's problem child. Bummer.

--wally.
 
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