I have often stated that my most useful handguns are go-anywhere, do-anything types. They will defend the home, save my life when carried on the hip, and are useful as field guns. While steel-frame Government Model .45s and four-inch barrel .357 Magnum revolvers are still useful, the Glock has found a place in the battery.
A Glock is good to have. When I first got into handgunning, a 1911 man might have a Browning Hi-Power as a second favorite pistol. Later, having a CZ 75 was also common. Today, that second gun is likely to be a Glock.
Positive Track Record
No matter the skepticism expressed regarding Glock a few decades ago, the Glock’s reputation for reliability isn’t debatable today. The pistols are reliable in every model and rendition. That is a neat trick. Most major makers have had a dud, or two or three.
A few early .40 S&W pistols were less than ‘up to par’ and perhaps submitted for testing too soon. The rimfire Model 44 isn’t as reliable as a centerfire handgun — no surprise. However, the average Glock model is exceptionally reliable.
A couple of Glock’s have been put on the front line in personal defense. I cannot give a higher recommendation. I test a lot of guns, but trust very few. There is a young peace officer who, at times, helps in my testing. He was surprised that all handguns submitted for police testing are not completely reliable.
Tied-up triggers and failures to reset (in one line) dogged Glock’s reputation. Interviewing those who work at indoor shooting ranges, where rental guns are subjected to prodigious amounts of firing, confirm the reliability of the Glock over practically any other handgun. This includes revolvers. There isn’t the one handgun that will fill every role, but a full-size Glock comes close. I have adopted a couple of these models for frequent use.
I don’t want to be arrogant, but I don’t like to give recommendations to non-interested personnel. If they are serious concerning training, that is one thing. Those who don’t understand quality in firearms or spend too much time talking to hobbyist, rather than professionals, will never get it.
Recommendations
For a beginning shooter who wishes to master a concealed carry/home defense pistol, among the best balanced reliable and useful combinations is the Glock 19 9mm. This handgun is the ideal size for most shooters. Recoil is modest. The Glock design offers less recoil than many. The frame seems to give a little and soak up recoil.
A well-designed recoil spring is another factor. With 16 rounds at the ready, the Glock 19 has a good reserve of ammunition. In common with all Glocks, the pistol is reliable. If you pay more than a Glock 19 (for a polymer-frame striker-fired pistol) be certain the pistol has features worth paying for.
If you pay less, corners have been cut to sell cheaper than the Glock. After all, the Glock is the low-bid police pistol. It is among the most affordable pistols with completely reliability.
Modern Glock pistols feature improved ergonomics and an improved grip texture, as well as grip inserts to allow tailoring the pistol to fit your hand. (Young shooters may not realize grip inserts are a recent innovation in handguns. So is the accessory rail for combat lights.)
Glock sights are well-designed combat sights and may be useful to 25 yards. I prefer night sights, but good work may be done with the factory units. The trigger action doesn’t limit a trained shooter, but it is ideal for most personal defense shooters.
The slide is racked, and the striker is partially prepped. A press of the trigger — 5.5 to 6.0 pounds on most Glock pistols — moves the striker to the rear and breaks the striker against the sear. After firing, the trigger resets with a click.
The Glock is a true double action. Quite a few striker-fired pistols are, in reality, single-action pistols. I prefer the safety and durability of a double-action-only handgun for personal defense. True safety is between the ears. Keeping your finger off the trigger — until you are ready to fire — solves a surprising number of problems. This is true of every negligent discharge, save the few involving shoving a trigger against a holster strap as you holster the handgun.
We had negligent discharges when the police used revolvers, plenty of them. This was the reason many agencies converted to double-action-only revolvers. We also had combat heeling (when the shooter grasped the revolver too high, and the result was a high shot). By the same token, quite a few shooters, in the beginning of the Glock’s issue in America, ‘limp wristed’ the Glock.
Without a proper, locked wrist hold every self-loader will short cycle. At times, ammunition quality — especially remanufactured loads — was a concern. While we got by with these loads using revolvers, self-loaders demand greater consistency. Another advantage of the Glock is its resistance to the elements. When have you seen corrosion on a Glock handgun?
Modern Glock pistols feature improved magazine release buttons and an improved slide lock. There are more models available. Among the standout Glock 9mm handguns is the Glock 43X. While the Glock 43 is a fine hideout, the 43X is a great shooter.
At 10 yards and a little beyond, I fire the 43X as well as the Glock 19. At longer distances, the larger pistol is more useful. I am glad to have both. I haven’t used Glock’s large-frame handguns as often as the 9mm variants, because the original pistols were too large for my hands.
The Glock 20 and Glock 21 handguns are simply too much for many hand sizes. Firing the pistol well at the range isn’t always the same as truly controlling the handgun. Glock addressed this issue with the Small Frame-type (SF) handgun.
The grip has been somewhat, but subtly, reimagined. I was late obtaining a SF Glock, and I missed out on a really good pistol. Today, among my favorite carry guns is a Glock 30SF .45. This compact .45 is a hard-hitting pistol that is more accurate than it should be (for the size). Recoil is manageable and the pistol never short cycles — the bane of lightweight 1911 handguns.
I fitted a set of TruGlo sights to the pistol. I did it myself with the aid of a simple sight pusher. Another pistol, and my most recent Glock, is a Glock 41. This is a long slide Glock. It is lighter than a steel-frame .45, but docile in recoil. This pistol features a 12-round magazine.
Of all the .45s in the safe, including several that cost over $2,000, this pistol is as reliable as any and more capable than many in combat firing. Absolute, slow-fire accuracy isn’t in the league with a custom 1911. Then again, it isn’t shabby either.
Final Thoughts
If I were in the position of many administrators in American institutions, I would simply purchase the Glock for general issue. Time and training is precious. The Glock is a simple pistol to train with, allowing concentration on firing rather than manipulating a safety or decock lever. If some personnel wished to carry and qualify with other types, that would be more than acceptable — after they demonstrated an advantage on the firing range.
Most of us have that choice as civilians limited only by budget and training. While the Glock has become the default choice of many shooters, we have a choice to adopt the CZ 75, Beretta 92, or Colt 1911. But don’t knock the Glock, until you’ve tried it. A Glock is good to have.
There’s no shortage of quality handguns for self-defense today, and Glock has its share fans and haters. But where do you place Glock on the list of your favorite ‘combat’ handguns? Which model and caliber do you prefer and why? Share your answers in the Comment section.
Firing offhand, the Glock is a controllable and accurate handgun. A Glock 19-sized pistol compared to the Glock 17. The Glock 19 is among the best balanced handguns for concealed carry. Glock magazines are metal covered polymer. They have an impressive reputation for durability. All Glock pistols are simple to maintain. TruGlo sights are a good addition to the Glock. Glock’s polygonal-rifled barrels last a long time and provide good accuracy. 
The Glock 45 9mm is among the author’s favorite Glock handguns. Compared to handguns with a double-action first-shot trigger or manual safety, the Glock is much simpler to use well. 
For those who practice, the Glock is a rewarding firearm.
I own two of them, a 17 and a 34.I have other guns and I don’t believe any one of them would let me down but when I have to go to a questionable place, it’s with a Glock.
I started out in the army with a 1911 back in 1966 and really did not care for it. Later, As a big city cop, I was issued a S&W Model 10 which I liked. As a federal agent, I had a S&W model 66 and enjoyed that one. In the late 80s, I transitioned to a Sig 226, but did not care for the de-cocker. In my last job as a state level LEO, I was issued a Glock 22. I didn’t like it at first but came to love it. One of the most accurate and reliable handguns I ever used. I know have a Glock 43X and a Glock 34 which is the most accurate and reliable of all.
I own Smiths, Springfields, Kimbers, Sigs, Rugers, and others. But I only use Glocks for my EDC. They are all fun and have their place but when there is even the smallest chance that I will need to defend myself or others I am going to grab a pistol that I know is going to fire every time I pull the trigger. I have Glocks in every caliber they are chambered in and have, in 10s of thousands of rounds have had only one (ammunition related) malfunction. Even my G44 is 100% reliable.
I hated Glocks until I shot one. I’m now a believer.
Bo
Love it lol I am in embassy on that
@PETEINALASKA & @HW STONE: Let me try to reframe your point of reference. In doing so, I will echo what ROCKIT when I say we all have different tastes. Two things will catch a (real) man’s attention, a beautiful woman and a beautiful gun. I know for some guys it is cars, but as I said for real men, it is a beautiful woman and a beautiful gun.
That is the issue here. Define beautiful in womanhood and in guns. Some twenty years ago, I worked with this kid, who thought he was an adult, but no one who worked with him thought he was or acted like one. He made the statement that Ashley Simpson was the most beautiful woman in the world. I held my gag reflex and just said “Please, she is barely pretty.” He asked me who I thought was the most beautiful woman and I said that there was not a most beautiful woman and was going to give him my top five.
When I led with Halle Berry, the conversation devolved into this pup spewing out racial epithets. I was just stating she was a beautiful woman, and he did not let me get to Michelle Pfeiffer or any of the other three on my list at that time. I forget who else was on that list as it was a dynamic process.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, be it in a woman or in a gun. I know more than a few men who are married to women that I feel fortunate that I am not. It is not for me to cast aspersions on their choice. If they are happy with that choice, they are fortunate indeed. When a man finds the woman with whom he can and will spend the rest of his life, he is blessed by the Almighty. My wife and I have been together for 44 years. I am blessed to have had that time with her; although there have been several times where each of us came close to looking into eternity, leaving the other behind on earth. To me, she is still a beautiful woman, even though she does not have the same appearance as the 23 year old who grabbed my heart those many years ago. It would not be healthy for anyone to verbalize that she is not still an attractive woman. She will always be that to me.
That being said, there are gun brands that I would never consider purchasing. I am not a fan of Glocks. That should not cause me to denigrate anyone who chooses one. I would not go out of my way to call foul when someone, who is a fan of that brand or style, lauds that as a choice to use. It is not for me to criticize a man’s weapon brand because I don’t care for it. I love 1911s, but I am not a big fan of Colt firearms. I owned a Diamondback or a Python back 45 years ago. To me, it was bass-ackwards. The cylinder release was all wrong and the cylinder rotated opposite of what a Smith does. Never wanted another one. I like Smiths and have owned several over the years. I still have several, in various calibers, mostly .44 Magnum and .45 ACP. But I will not denigrate any man’s choices who prefers a CZ, Sig, Glock, etc. That is their preference and things like that make the world go around.
One could write paragraph after paragraph about Glocks, but I won’t do that. Suffice it to say that I own many brands of firearms, but as far as handguns go, I keep coming back to my Glocks. In the world of manufacturing and maintenance, the KISS philosophy is supreme. I also shoot H&Ks, Rugers, CZ’s, Springfield Armory’s, Rock Islands, Smith and Wssons, Berettas, FN’s, and Sig Sauers. Did I leave anyone out? Probably. I love shooting my Sig P226, my Rock Island “Big Rock,” 10 mm and my HK VP9 is fun too.
Still, I keep I keep coming back to my Glock’s, especially the relatively new Glock Model 45. Why? For two reasons. One, I can shoot it pretty well. I’m no Jerry Miculek or Hickcock45, but for a “seasoned citizen,” I find that I can control and fire the Glock 45 better than most of my other firearms. The Glock 45 is light weight and it fits in my X-Large hand just fine. And the 9mm ammo is reasonably priced now too. Second is maintenance. If you shoot frequently, you will have to learn to maintain your firearm. Glock has what – about 34 parts? Since I shoot my HK VP9 – it’s a nice firearm – I took the HK armorer’s course. The VP9 has over 60 parts, as I recall. Some of these parts are tiny, tiny springs. During my armorer’s course, we heard many times, “Instructor, my spring went flying.”
Glocks may be ugly by 1911 standards, but they just run, especially if you don’t fool around with your Glock and install aftermarket parts. That’s one reason many competitive shooters choose Glocks.
I have to agree with Bob. There are many Glocks, “But This Glock Is Mine.” Glocks are an excellent first choice combat weapon.
I was a serious 1911 snob for the longest time. There came the day that the department head believed carrying cocked and locked was too intimidating to the public (?) So the change to a Sig P220 was in order.
Eventually issue weapons were the only ones allowed, and the weapon selected was the Glock 17.
Although I still love my 1911s and Sigs, I am the first to recommend a Glock to anyone wanting a reliable pistol for a most reasonable price. If it’s the right caliber round, and not a dud, it will fire it more accurately than most shooters are capable of.
The recent passing of Gaston Glock is sad; however, his pistols will last forever.
Pete
Dont know where to start== first perhaps you should do some research.
I have observed a number of police tests of the Glock over the decades. The XD you champion is not issued by a single PD large or small I am able to find. The XD is recently out of production, replaced by the excellent SF Echelon. XD is a single action design with a grip safety. It is fully cocked when racked, the Glock is a double action only pistol. The Glock is something of a marvel. No other handgun met the needs of the police establishment so well. The only other polymer gun that has made significant inroads is police sales is the Smith & Wesson Military & Police. As for Glock referring to handfit issues they gave us first the changeable grip insert, then the RTF frame, and later the SF frame in big guns. It is what it is. No other modern pistol has been involved in so many successful test programs.
Thanks for reading
Bob
@PETEINALASKA. The very first word in the title. “Glock:” It was an article about Glock, so yes, it was very biased, and rightly so, as it was the topic of the article. My guess though is Bob has probably done a biased article on Springfield Armory too. 🙂
Seems we all have different tastes, so we are ALL fortunate manufactures are listening to ALL of us, as we have lots of choices.
HW STONE. Plastic vs steel, which will last? They both are subject to their own form of kryptonite. What 200 year old steel firearm would you pass down that is safe to fire today? Metal fatigue, corrosion do to black powder, or corrosive primers. So I am glad today we have options.
The Remington Nylon 66 was a trailblazer, which eventually lead to todays “Perfection” in Glock. 🙂
“This is a “your life depends on it” item in a handgun.” Yes, and so are the springs, which probably have a higher, and sudden, failure rate than the plastic parts. I have had to change springs even in a Glock, yet the plastic frame didn’t need it yet.
Rockit– how many one hundred year old plastic water bottles have you owned and used as your sole source for a trip that might kill you if the bottle died?
This is a “your life depends on it” item in a handgun.
And while it tested great when new, the Nylon 66 has had some stay straight while others pick up a curve, but so far no cracks. I loved the Mohawk 10C version, and still own a couple with slight warping just on the shelf. They still work, and the magazine tube magazine design version has thinner forends, and I have only seen a couple of the Nylon guns that developed reliability issues.
.
Apples and oranges.
I love them all, but I carry a Glock, for the author’s reasons.
Thanks for the article!
Glocks, love them or hate them, are based on the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) concept of engineering. Why? Because every single model is put together exactly the same way, no screws, only push pins. The parts may not be interchangeable between different models, but still ALL go together the very same way, including the G44 22LR where many manufactures use a fixed barrel to the frame on their 22LRs, the G44 comes apart just like all the other Glocks. So you learn on one, and apply it to all the other Glocks. Using the simple Glock Tool (basically a 1/8″ punch with a handle), any Glock can be taken completely apart, and put back together without needing any other tool, with the exception of mounting a Red Dot on the slide. It would seem better for Glock to include a Glock Tool with each firearm, instead of the nylon cleaning brush, so they can be deep cleaned annually.
Glock magazines cost about half what others do, and I have never heard the first issue with any Glock magazine. Like the Glock itself, the magazines just work.
For me, I would like it better if Glocks had a manual safety OPTION.
Glock also makes a pretty interesting knife.
One thing Glock does not make is a Glock Pistol Caliber Carbine, that uses Glock magazines. That was a hint to Glock.
For those who doubt the durability of “plastic stocks” should read the salesman review of the famous Remington Nylon 66, who put it through the wringer, and wrote his report on it. Basically he told Remington, he dropped it loaded from the top of his house, ran over it with his Suburban Battleship Station Wagon with both axels, sunk it in a lake fully loaded, brought it up, and it still fired, still accurate, no function issues. In conclusion he said it looked cheap, like a toy gun, was incredibly accurate, durable, and Remington can call it whatever the want, but the public is going to call it “PLASTIC”, and when they go into production, he wants one. True story, look it up. LOL
For those who don’t believe plastic will last, should apply that theory to water bottles. 🙁
Bob, I have to admit that I was somewhat disappointed in your article above. I generally find your writing and opinions to be fair minded and balanced, except when it comes to Glock. I found this article to be incomplete and skewed towards Glock products. I know that you think highly of theses platforms and are one of Glocks best cheer leaders. However, if they are such an all-round, best choice, contender as you make them out to be, why isn’t its closest competitor seemingly ever mentioned when you, or most other firearms writers, pontificate on the merits of the Glock? It seems all others are mentioned, manufactures and suppliers, except the closest other viable, in-kind and reliable platform on the market.
I’m sorry but I’m not a fan of Glock. They are a fair platform and have attempted to improve over the years. They have served well by most accounts, but not all, and have a very good public relations/sales department and certainly a large fan club. However, there are a couple of points in design and function that have been or are done better by others and for whatever reason Glock can’t see its way clear to correct these oversights in their own product lines. When they do it is only after someone else comes out with a better idea or product and it seems to causes a loss of market share or embarrass them.
My primary concern, with the Glock platform from its inception, is the ergonomic shape of the lower grip where it sits in the web of my hands between the thumb and pointing finger. Doesn’t make any difference from the Original to current Mod.. A minor concern? No, not minor at all. It’s too square and hurts from recoil after three or so shots making it a very unpleasant platform to field. I am apparently not the only person that has this complaint or noticed this issue as noted on other sites, YouTube and comments from other writers and end users. I have queried Glock in this concern over the years and have never received a reply of any kind so I presume they have no interest in constructive criticism or possible improvements.
Which brings me to Springfield Armory. The apparently Not-to -Be-Mentioned other platform that actually provides an in-king comparability on nearly every talking point.
The Springfield XD, and XDm, series never had issues such as Glock has had and the price point, though comparable, is often lower than a comparable Glock and not because the XD’s cuts corner’s or is a lesser platform because it cost less as you vaguely suggest in the above article. If one is going to carry a Poly gun, one might spend some time doing the research and not just simply go with the hype and public relations campaign. I’m not a “hater” of Glock, however, there are better platforms in the market place to rely on, than the Glock, that do the job designed as well as or better than a Glock and that’s just ..facts. for me, and apparently others, they are simply unpleasant to shoot.
I have to question an article that the author chooses to put the Glock up against other manufactures with the exception of the one who its nearest competitor is actually, That doesn’t seem quite forthright given the subject matter and what should be considered rather important information and sourcing. If the Glock is really better or the best of the category of Poly firearms, then it should be able to stand up along side all comers. That means it must hold its own against such others as the Springfield XD series. I may be wrong, but it seems to me that the majority of the side-by-side, Glock vs. Springfield “tests” I have read, seen or participated in seem to fall in favor of the Springfield more often than Glock. That may just be my own bias, however, I think that there may be some truth to it.
I only take exception here as it seems to be the common format to never suggest or comment on Glocks real competition, the Springfield XD series, when writing warm and fuzzy articles on Glock. It’s important that all the information is there or suggested. It simply becomes a half accurate, incomplete and unbalanced marketing ploy otherwise. If one is to write, trying to convince others of such an important choice then all sides must be aired as the job, at least in such forums as this, it to inform and educate those who take an interest.
Pete Sends…
BOB CAMPBELL– “plenty of” now, but as the years go by and attrition takes place under a “NO NEW PISTOLS” law that is already being sought– the same way some NFA is limited to those registered before that cut off date I want something that can be passed on for the next five generations.
Glocks rock. I am 83 years old and shoot fist sized groups at 7 yards with my Glock 30 EDC . I have been carrying for approximately 8 years.
Mr Stone
Plenty of relics from 1860 to 1960 in existence- I would not wish to carry one or be issued one.
They are a matter of nostalgia. Modern 1911 handguns are another thing– great guns and there are good revolvers. But hopefully firearms will evolve.
If I could only have one handgun it would be my Glock 17.
The Glock is popular for the same reason the 9mm cartridge is popular. They meet every criteria well enough to be acceptable. Not too hot, not too cold, not too hard, not too soft, they’re the Goldilocks twins.
The Glock is made using a frame that has a lifespan known– not a metal “it will last a few hundred years” and be good to pass down to the next five or ten generations.
That is where I flinch– it is creating a pistol that will not be handed to someone two hundred years from now as an ugly looking but fully functional item.
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