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First Handgun - Glock 17

wolfgangmob

Regular Member
Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
90
Location
St. Louis, MO / Rolla, MO
Police choose a gun based on how easy it is to carry, qualify with, and clean. Combat military units, on the other hand, choose a sidearm based on dependability and effectiveness. Military units that have the option to choose their sidearm overwhelmingly choose the 1911 .45APC. After all, the average policeman will draw his weapon far fewer times than a Navy SEAL will use his.

And a civilian will draw their weapon MUCH less than a cop. You cannot compare military to civilian applications, military uses FMJ so bigger and slower is ideal, civilians can use a hollow point where you want more speed. .40 S&W can generate more energy than a .45 ACP as well as fit more rounds in a smaller gun. If you use a .45 but don't like the gun you're wasting time and money, if you shoot a 9mm with great placement don't change a thing.
 

MainelyGlock

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
615
Location
Portland, ME
You really can't go wrong with a Glock. I think the biggest reason shooters dislike them are because of the ergonomics, but they'll grow on you if you're not used to them.

My first one was a Gen 3 Glock 22, chambered in .40S&W. I'd never shot a .40, but I figured that if I could become proficient with a larger caliber then shooting a smaller one would be easier more or less. I still have it (my former OC gun) and it now lives on my nightstand, with a 31-round magazine and a light/laser combo attached to the rail.

A good thing about Glocks is that not only are they reliable right out of the box, but there is a plethora of aftermarket parts and accessories you can use with and on them. I've come across a lot of people with the "the best Glock is a stock Glock" mentality, but I'm not one of them. For example, a few things I have on my Gen 4 Glock 22 are a LaserMax laser, 3.5LB trigger, night sights, Pachmayr rubber grip and magpul speed plates on each of the three magazines. Not necessary, but each helps in their own way and serves a useful purpose, especially when I carry it. (everyday)

If you're set on a Glock, or particularly the G17, I'd recommend trying out both the Gen 3 and the Gen 4 models. I am not at all a fan of the grip texture on the Gen 4 Glocks, and if you've been using an older one for awhile the re-designed recoil spring can take some getting used to. Aside from the spring, and the ability to switch the mag release for a left hand shooter, there's not a huge difference between the last two generations. You can buy a police trade-in Gen 3 Glock for as low as $300 on some websites, and those mostly include night sites from what I've seen which is a huge plus. I bought my Gen 3 for about $350 via a private sale, and my Gen 4 for $400 online because it was a police trade in (SPP?).

Sorry for the novel! Hope that helps in some way.
 

MainelyGlock

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
615
Location
Portland, ME
Which is yet another reason NOT to. The 9 has systematically failed them, more often than not, on the street. Hence the switch-by all but about 2 dept.s , as of now, to .40. Which itself turned about to almost as dismal a failure as the 9.
If given their choice-(as opposed to what a dept. mandates) most would prefer to be carrying a .357 sig or .45
There's also a reason the Military wants very much to go back to .45 the next time they replace their pistols. Most SF/ SOCCOM units already have, as have many Marine units.

Mind giving some evidence as to why the 9 and .40 calibers are so catastrophic?
 

ryan7068

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2011
Messages
185
Location
Chesapeake, VA
Glock 23

IMO: Glocks are great guns. I also like Sigs but they are quite heavy compared to a glock. I personally dont quite have large enough hands to carry a full sized ones so I opted to go with the compact. This also makes it more reasonable as a CC gun. Glocks are super reliable out of the box. I have heard estimates of 200,000 rounds through rental guns at range with not failures whatsoever. In any case, Glocks are realatively easy to completely disassemble and clean or to swap parts. I also have put on the marine firing pin cups and shot a full magazine underwater with no failures. As far as caliber, I would tend to agree with many posts on here, bigger is better for self defense. You get more punch effect and less pierce. Ideally you don't want the round to pass through you target if you can help it. Id hate to injure or kill some poor fella down the street or in the next room. But as you can tell, I use the .40 cal and for self defense rounds I use the lower weight critical defense rounds that are rated quite highly by multiple ballistics testers on the net. In anycase, to each his own. Ones well placed shot from a .22 can stop a person as quickly as a .50 cal can. Just be sure to hit what you aim at and always know whats beyound your target.
 

hjmoosejaw

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Messages
406
Location
N.W. Pa.
Howdy Zach! There has been a lot of very good advice given to you here. All I can add is, you have taken a very responsible step, as far as asking for advice and trying to learn as much as you can. However, don't ever forget that as fun, interesting, and even sexy as guns can be, they are still guns. Along with having them and handling them, they are a very huge responsibility. Routinely carrying them in everyday life is another huge decision. Always keep in mind, what is hanging on your hip. You will have to apply a lot of common sense and self discipline. If your friends are at a bonfire drinking beer, that's probably not the place to where it. You don't want to blow away a friend cause he's drunk and thinks he could kick your ass. You don't take it out at a party to show everybody how cool you are, that kind of stuff. Remember, you are representing every responsible gun owner out there. One drawback, is your age. While you may be responsible, not everybody else is. Especially a bunch of young bucks out there to prove themselves. Sounds like you have a good start. Ask questions, learn, and enjoy every aspect of gun ownership, glad to have ya! Above all, be SMART, be RESPONSIBLE, and be SAFE !
 

MainelyGlock

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
615
Location
Portland, ME
IMO: Glocks are great guns. I also like Sigs but they are quite heavy compared to a glock. I personally dont quite have large enough hands to carry a full sized ones so I opted to go with the compact. This also makes it more reasonable as a CC gun. Glocks are super reliable out of the box. I have heard estimates of 200,000 rounds through rental guns at range with not failures whatsoever. In any case, Glocks are realatively easy to completely disassemble and clean or to swap parts. I also have put on the marine firing pin cups and shot a full magazine underwater with no failures. As far as caliber, I would tend to agree with many posts on here, bigger is better for self defense. You get more punch effect and less pierce. Ideally you don't want the round to pass through you target if you can help it. Id hate to injure or kill some poor fella down the street or in the next room. But as you can tell, I use the .40 cal and for self defense rounds I use the lower weight critical defense rounds that are rated quite highly by multiple ballistics testers on the net. In anycase, to each his own. Ones well placed shot from a .22 can stop a person as quickly as a .50 cal can. Just be sure to hit what you aim at and always know whats beyound your target.

Which .40S&W rounds do you use for SD?
 

wolfgangmob

Regular Member
Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
90
Location
St. Louis, MO / Rolla, MO
I currently carry a Glock 17 Gen 3, as long as you train to watch the trigger on draw AND always be aware of the trigger when holstering. If you have a negligent discharge with a Glock you have to of had a finger on the trigger, not heard of one going off otherwise without being somehow compromised. As far as 9mm v .40 v .45 you can sit and look at statistics all you want and all will have some different opinion, ones based on actual cases including police shootings tend to have them all scoring above 90% for stopping the threat and there is all of a 6% spread from 9mm to .40 S&W to .45 ACP, but sitting and looking at statistics does you no good if you can't effectively draw, aim and rapid fire on target. I trust 9mm but I also know to have no expectations of one shot stops, if you can't do rapid fire with 2, preferably 3, shots you might need the .500 S&W, even then you'll need to be able to hit the target where it matters the first time as well. Ammo is another consideration though, if you compare FMJ, anything low velocity and high weight will be better for stopping power, but two holes is more blood loss and more lethal. Be sure to use good hollow points, unless they aren't legal to carry, and practice with them and be prepared to need to spend $100 or even $200 to get enough to run a few mags through the gun and have enough to carry when done testing.
 
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