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22 Comments

1. There can be some significant differences in the accuracy of Glock factory barrels from batch to batch. One G19 consistently shot one 2.5” group from 20 yards only to turn around and shoot the exact same model G19 and get routine 4” groups and yet another was something crazy like 5”. That said I prefer the simplicity and reliability of the Glock over most other manufacturers and have been watching for a Gen 4 G17 MOS to hit the used market locally. They are probably the simplest handgun to operate and maintain and are incredibly reliable, and they are easy to customize. Also a great option for a group standard if you are part of a MAG. Can’t say I don’t like other stuff out there but if I had to choose a group standard my vote would be a Glock 17 or 19.

2. I would venture to say that most readers of this blog own at least one Glock. I could be wrong.

   1. I’ve read about them, but that is as far as it goes ( my son is in love with his glock ), I still shoot the 1911 that my uncle sam tried to teach me to shoot back in the late 60’s ( couldn’t the broad side of a barn ) although I carry and shoot a S.A roc9 now.

3. Thank you Pat for this review. I love my Gen 1!

   It’s worth mentioning that you cannot use cast lead or unplated lead bullets in Glock Pistols as the polygonal rifling is not compatible.

   Unsafe operating pressures will result of you use cast lead ammo.

   That’s about the only drawback to these pistols I can think of.

4. Good review of a very good pistol. A State Senator from Missouri has introduced a bill REQUIRING all men over 21 years of age to own an AR-15 and all persons at least a pistol. My guess is that Glock sales there will go crazy if this is passed into law.

5. I almost completely agree with your assessment of the G-17. My only disagreement was the original Glock felt like a 2X4 when I held it. My brother had one and much as I tried I could never get comfortable with it. My first Glock was the G-36 in .45 and that was my everyday carry/duty gun when I worked as a PI in Illinois. Bought it in the late 2000’s and still have and shoot it to this day. However my everyday, go to gun is my G-22, Gen 4. To me it fits like no other gun I’ve ever used and I grew up as a 1911 fan. I still don’t understand why the military went with first the Beretta and then the SIG when the Glock was available and proven. To me it’s the best gun on the market today.

   1. KAS,
      I don’t understand why the U.S. military changed from the 1911 when there were sooo many new and upcoming varieties of clone weapon systems out there. Like, Wilson combat, Les Bear, Kimber, just to name a few. If I remember right both Wilson combat and Les Bear had guns in the tryouts and they’re made in the U. S. …

      1. Perhaps they did have models in the competition, but they weren’t rejected for being American made. As to why we abandoned the 1911, there were several reasons given. But mostly it was to gat higher capacity and a weapon system that was easier to use and maintain in the field by the average G.I. But another consideration was we had to do some PR repairs with our European allies after we caused them to switch first to the .308 caliber and then a few short years later switch again to the 5.56. Those two moves cost the allies, and us, a lot of money and time. So choosing a European made handgun was almost a given. My question wasn’t about why we switched from the .45 ACP to 9MM, it concerned why the Glock wasn’t picked in the first place. Especially when you remember all the problems we had, first with the Baretta frame cracking and now with the SIG malfunctions.

         1. I know, I just wish they had continued with a pat to a high capacity 1911. But that wasn’t the path of history.

            1. I know what you mean, but hi-cap .45’s don’t work well with people who have small hands. That doesn’t make a lot of sense when you consider the large grips on most wonder 9’s, but then you have less recoil for those small handed people to handle. I also take issue with the thought that the 9MM has become a much better man stopper with the new bullet designs and better powders, my answer is that you’d get similar results when those new designs and powders were applied to the .45. But what do I know?

            2. Oops KAS,
               My meaning was there could’ve been a high capacity 9mm in a 1911 clone gun and everything would’ve been fine.

         2. The number one reason Glock was not selected in the 1980/1984/1988 tests by DoD was because Glock did not enter the bidding war. (Glock wasn’t born until 1982). S&W, Beretta, H&K, Steyr, Walther, and FN were the competitors, with even Star entering the first round. By most accounts Beretta did not cleanly win the competition, which was challenged and rechallenged until Beretta was the ‘clear’ winner…. Many indications of other political chicanery followed the trials; shortly after Beretta ‘won’ the bid, the U.S. was allowed to place some fancy land-based missiles in Italy. Coincidence?

            One detail that struck a chord was the fact that the Beretta slide crack issue was already a known fault when the weapon was accepted for service by the USMC. When the USMC first fielded the M9 in 1989, I was fresh off a WestPac and working in the 1st Marine Division armory. We had to follow a strict round count on the M9 pistols, and when they reached 1,000 we had to deadline the pistol. The fix was a new left handgrip with a brass pin atop, and a new slide which was notched on the left rail to allow for the pin. That way WHEN the slide cracked, the pin would direct the slide up and over the shooter’s head to minimize getting bit in the head. I remember reading USMC contract documents that accompanied our first batch of M9 pistols and it was like $400 per pistol and an additional $192 for the retro slide/grip which was included with each pistol. For $592 they could have ended up with far superior weapons to be sure.

            The saddest part of the transition was sorting through the hundreds of M1911s and boxing them up to ship to MCLB Barstow. Some of the weapons were Colt of course, but included were samples from Remington Rand, Ithaca, and Singer. It was amazing to handle those slices of history, but I am certain many never made it past the receiving line at Barstow and instead ended up in collections.

6. My CCW is a Gen3 26 and my bedside gun is a Gen3 34 with a light, so I’m a Glock Kool-Aid drinker for sure.

   Neither is sexy, and I didn’t call all my friends to come shooting with me when I bought them, but they simply work and I won’t miss them much if they end up in a police evidence locker for years.

7. if anyone here hasn’t shot a gen 5 yet, it’s not bad at all…i have a gen 5 G17 and love it…also own a G22, G21, and a G42…can you tell i’m a glock guy?

   1. I recently purchased a Gen 5 G-45. I must tell you this is the best feeling handgun I’ve ever owned. I am a 1911 guy too. I have no qualms when carrying this pistol. Now I’m just searching for the perfect round. I’m thinking the Hornady critical duty 135gr +p.

8. My second handgun was/still is a G23, bought in 1999 right after a HK USP. I’m a Sig shooter now but still have both the Glock and HK. Runs flawless.

9. Pat,

   You would not recognize the Springs now. Approaching 500,000 people (700,000 in El Paso County) and at 195 sq miles it has a bigger footprint than Denver now. What used to be Banning-Lewis Ranch and farm pastures all the way up Route 24 from Peterson AFB to the north are all half-million dollar town-homes and pricier single family residences. Fort Carson is not a sleepy little post anymore and has 24,000 soldiers. The East side of the Springs is totally developed all the way to Black Forest and anyone under the rank of Colonel, or Senior Tech Engineers are priced out of the market for homes north of Templeton Gap.
   They did finally get a Les Schwab in 2016, so that was a plus!
   My family received a calling to come back home and save what is left of Oregon so we have relocated back to Lane County just an hour south of you now. Nice to be back in the Willamette Valley again,

10. Excellent review. I’m not a 9mm fan, preferring the .45 and the .357 of my youth. I have a Gen 4, model 41 Glock and love it. I can palm a basketball so finding a pistol that fits was hard. By putting the largest backstrap addition on it dit my hand wonderfully. I also EDC with it and because of my size have no problem concealed carry. When in the mood I go retro and carry my Ruger GP 100 six inch. My duty gun from ’79 – ’93 was an S&W model 686 with a breakfront holster. Oh, those were the days my friend!

11. I am a big fan of Pat’s gun reviews. I read almost everyone and always enjoy immensely. I have several hand guns, but no Glock. My most recent purchase is a new model 19 S& W . It is very accurate and was the gun that Mr. Bill Jordan advocated that Smith and Wesson manufacture. Production started in 1952. I think it is more reliable than a Glock. It does not jam. I know, it only holds 6 and is slow on the reload. What can I say, I am old school to the core. Thanks for the great articles.

    1. If I were to buy a .357 these days, it would probably be a seven-shot S&W stainless steel Model 686. Just my Pre-1965 10 Cents worth.

12. Great review. I bought a G19 back in the mid 90’s. Thing is awesome. Of all the 1000’s of rounds fired, only had one problem. No it was not mechanical or anything to do with design. It was cleaning. Usually fire 115 gr but one time I got some 150 gr 9mm Chinese ammo. Ohhh my gosh, talk about carbon. Fired about 300 or 400 rounds one day and spent hours cleaning. I would clean and clean and when done, run a swab around and it was like I never cleaned it. That Chinese stuff was really cheap and now I know why. Never fired the rest of the supply. I think I gave it away or something. Don’t know what Gen the Glock is, but it is awesome. It has been my EDC for many years. Only time I don’t carry it is when I want more concealment and then it is the LCP II.

13. Carried the Glock 22 for 10 years and bought Glock 27 as a off duty carry piece. Was officially known as a Glock goober. That is until talking my sister into buying a Glock 42.

    That thing was a jam-a-matic. The factory did nothing to address the issue and before anyone starts about “proper grip” she shot my Kel-Tec 380 with absolutely no problem.

    I’m sure the New Gen 5 17 is a great gun, but they’ll never get another dime of my money or my family’s.

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