GLOCK

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
OK, lets go there.

Just the word “Glock” brings out strong emotions. Some people love to hate Glocks, some people defend the brand with great vigor, some people are sort of ambivalent.

Most people know the basic history but here’s a brief summary. The basic pistol was designed in the early 1980’s in response the Austrian military looking for a new pistol. Gaston Glock was not a “gun guy” and his design was rather novel. In 1982 the Glock 17 was accepted by Austria and production started. By 2021 more than 20 million Glocks had been produced.

Glock wasn’t the first to use a polymer frame, that was the H&K VP70. There are some other unique features, such as the striker that is only partially tensioned when the gun is at rest. A lot of the design is rather conventional. The pistols utilize a Browning short recoil tilting barrel locking system and a very common double stack magazine style.

The features that seem to generate the most commentary are the polymer frame, the trigger system, the grip angle and the overall appearance. Some people love them, others love to hate them.

There’s no denying the incredible reliability and durability of the design. They’re not pretty in the traditional sense but their functionality has an undeniable beauty all to its own.

I never hated the Glock but I must admit that it took several years for me to warm up to them. If you look at them as tools and keep an open mind; there’s a lot to like there.

The trigger action of a Glock will never be the equal of a crisp single action but it not as horrible as some folks claim. You can do good work with a Glock if you want to.

The passive safety systems are a departure from the paradigm, but the systems work as designed.

The misinformation and down-right lies about the polymer frame were rampant all during the 1980’s and well into the 1990’s. Now that polymer frames have become common, the rumors have finally subsided.

The Glock is not for everyone and……..THAT’S OK. There is no decree that you must love it.

There’s no dispute the Glock was revolutionary. It wasn’t groundbreaking because of any single feature but Gaston Glock did manage to put a lot of non-traditional features in one package. 20 million plus examples later is proof that there was a historical marker back in 1982. We are 40 years into the world with the Glock.
 
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Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I view my Glock as being a tool and nothing else. It is the ultimate knock around gun. Scratches, scuffs, and such won’t hurt the aesthetics of a Glock but would be forever bemoaned on a fine 1911. Trigger isn’t the best but it works.
Want a gun that always goes bang when needed? A Glock fits the bill.
Reliable, efficient, and homely- the Glock is the girl nobody wanted to date but somehow always ended up married.
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
I don't "hate" Glocks, they're just not right for me. To be honest, I really tried to adapt to their idiosyncrasies over a string of perhaps ten different Glocks, encompassing every frame size and type. I think that's a pretty darn good try, but I'm not willing to change my shooting style to accommodate their grip angle. I nearly bought #11 with the intent of a grip reduction, but in the end I decided against it because there are plenty of pistols out there that do work well for me, and have excellent reputations for reliability and durability. I'm not a fan of polygonal type rifling anyway. At least not for my purposes. And yes, I'm aware it is possible to make cast bullets work just fine in Glocks.
 

Rushcreek

Well-Known Member
If my S&W Shield 40 owes its existence to Glock- thanks Glock.
I like that little boomer.
I've owned a G22 .40 and a G40 10mm. Great pistols for someone else now.
 

Walks

Well-Known Member
Have had 4, G17 was sold to buy the G23. G19 was sold to buy the G21.
Still shooting 40S&W and .45ACP in Glocks.

Nuff said
 

hporter

Active Member
I bought a model 19 the year it came out.

Never could shoot it well, so sent it down the road years later after giving it one more chance again and again. The sad part of that story was that I traded in my beloved Ruger Super Blackhawk to buy it.

But I have a Glock model 27 subcompact in my bedside nightstand safe. For some reason we get along great, and I shoot it better than most of my handguns. It is a small, powerful package and best of all I have no emotional attachment to it. It's a Glock - after all.
 

Missionary

Well-Known Member
Looks like a box and no "show" at all..
But they are for sure all "Go" and accurate out of the box. Robust, reliable.
Fastest slide to frame and fire pistol I ever owned. In a state where a loaded firearm in a car was a felony, a 3 second up and running pistol was rather usefull.
And today a computer bag, a Glock 22, a Kel-tec 2000, 2 12 round mags and 3 28 round mags in 40 SW with 200 grain FN cast brings alot of rediness to or daily travels.
 
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Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Never owned one. Mostly, due to unavailability at LGS, frequented. Only one, ever fired, was a subcompact in 40 S&W. I forget which model :headscratch: Model 23 seems to ring a bell. Anyways, frend rented one at a LGS indoor range. It shot fine, for me. Didn't think the recoil of the 40 S&W was much different than a 9mm. He ended up with a S&W subcompact in 40 S&W. I wouldn't be put off with a Baby Glock in 9mm. None of the other models pique my interest.
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
We are 40 years into this Glock thing. A lot of water has flowed under the bridge.

358156hp brings up the polygonal rifling issue. That style of rifling was one of Glock’s departures from traditional pistols. They weren’t the only company to use that rifling but they certainly were one of the most prolific.

The “Marksman” barrel in the Gen 5 models is sort of a cross between the old polygonal rifling used by Glock and the more traditional land & groove rifling. I think Glock was trying to move towards the land & groove style without giving up the benefits of polygonal rifling.

Glock unquestionably launched copies and spin-offs. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
P&P,
You reflect my Glock feelings nearly perfectly.

"I never hated the Glock but I must admit that it took several years for me to warm up to them. If you look at them as tools and keep an open mind; there’s a lot to like there."

I did buy a G20 10mm as soon as I could get one. But my first was a first genG23 that I have since sold. Being a fan of the 40 I have all sizes Glock makes and enjoy them. I carried and would again carry the G23 as about as perfect for Me pistol as I have used.

I know there limitations and draw backs as all
Firearms have. They are a tool purpose built.

I haven't carried one for a few years and my current carry is a direct result from a Glock design.

I like them but I also like most firearms. There is room and purpose for all.

CW
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
We have several Glocks here at the house. It took me some time to accept their mud-fence aesthetics, but once I started working with the critters in 1994 at the shop they quickly overwhelmed the agency's choice guidelines. Their functionality is first-rate, but they are also affordable and readily available (barring supply chain issues that affect everything).

Glock's factory-trained armorer cadre throughout the country might be the maker's best consumer-friendly attribute. Glocks seldom need an armorer's attention, but there are LOTS of them around.
 

Tom

Well-Known Member
I've never liked the feel of a glock in my hand. It feels like a chunk of 2x4. Nothing says "Hello old friend" like a 1911. It's like a warm handshake.
Having said that, a few years ago I bought a g17c. Mag dumps have never been my thing, but after a few hundred rounds I gave that a try. Bangity bangity bangity as fast as I could acquire the sight picture, (amazingly quick with this pistol). My club doesn't allow this type of shooting, so it was done out back in a pit. At 25 feet, I was able to put all rounds on a sheet of paper at probably 3/4 second a shot. I'll never be Jerry Miculeck, but I found it incredibly easy to shoot in that fashion.
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
If you followed the history of Glock, you might recall the intense resistance the pistols received in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.

Critics attacked the polymer frame and some of the less informed claimed the gun was undetectable by X-ray machines or metal detectors. This is totally false, but those stories were everywhere in those days.

Critics claimed the polymer frame would crack in cold weather or distort beyond use in heat. Decades of use in some of the worst climates in the world have put those claims to rest.

There were other bizarre claims but as the pistols became more and more common, they became more and more accepted.

There are still people that don’t like Glocks …..AND THAT IS OK, …you don’t have to like it.

The Glock has become far more accepted, and the misinformation has steadily decreased over the years.
 

hporter

Active Member
if it ends up in the evidence locker for a while you don't care cuz you can get another one
That's funny, because I almost posted the same thing. That is the main reason mine is by my bedside, I wouldn't lose a single tear over my black Tupperware gun if it were detained in an unfortunate circumstance.... :)
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
If you are forced to fire a gun to defend yourself or to defend someone else, you will have a lot of concerns. The absolute, rock bottom, least of your concerns – will be what happens to that gun. The temporary seizure of a firearm wouldn’t even register on my worry meter.

If a fighter pilot ejects from a damaged aircraft, parachutes safely into enemy territory and avoids becoming a POW, I don’t think he will be overly concerned about getting his “lucky ejection seat” back.

A gun carried for self-defense is a tool. Like a fire extinguisher or a parachute.

A far greater concern would be the general wear that an EDC firearm is subjected to. Just the daily abuse alone is enough to prevent most folks from carrying that family heirloom 1960 Colt Python with a 100% original finish.