Absolute Noob Question

[disturbed13]

what makes a glock so good?
everytime i see one or hear something about a glock
its that they are just so darn good
why? what am i missing here?

[Pistolenschutze]

First off, welcome to TFF hedoe. Glad to have you with us. :)

I have moved your thread to the Centerfire Pistols & Revolvers Forum where you are much more likely to get some comment.

Now, in response to your question, the pistol designs of Gaston Glock are among the most controversial you are likely to find if past comments around TFF and elsewhere are any indicator. What it boils down to, I think, is that folks seem either love them or hate them with very little middle ground. I happen to be one of those who likes them a great deal and who shoots and carries them frequently. I see the Glocks as highly reliable and accurate handguns since that has been my experience with them. They are much lighter than traditional steel weapons, a decided plus if the weapon is to be carried daily. I also happen to like the trigger setup on the Glocks, though this is perhaps the single factor that turns some folks against them. It does take some getting used to, but the fact that the weapon may be carried safely without a separate lever-type safety or heavy, double action trigger pull on the first round discharged is a great innovation in my mind, at least in a pistol intended for self-defense use. It is true that the polymer frames of these pistols had some problems when they first came out many years ago, but those problems seem to have been solved in the newer Glocks. I think much of the controversy over the Glocks is simply that some folks are very traditionalist in their view that pistols should be made of steel. They forget that progress does get made and new materials are often better than older ones. Just my $.02 worth.

[disturbed13]

interesting
and sorry for not posting in the correct thread
i didnt see it
ill have to look around some more
before i ask another question
that way
it'll be in the right place the first time
and thanks for the welcome

[Pistolenschutze]

interesting
and sorry for not posting in the correct thread
i didnt see it
ill have to look around some more
before i ask another question
that way
it'll be in the right place the first time
and thanks for the welcome

No problem on the post, hedoe. It always takes new members a little while to see how things are organized on TFF. Do browse around. You'll find a great deal of information here and a great many fine folks to talk with. Please feel free to enjoin in the conversations. :D

[FranklyTodd]

Them being "good" is obviously subjective.

They are extremely reliable, and all the safeties are "passive" meaning they just work, so you don't have to think about what to do. Point, pull the trigger, repeat.

Most people also think they are very, very ugly! For firearms connoisseurs, many prefer pieces that are more like works of art, or have a great history, like 1911 pistols.

I have some beautiful weapons that I treasure, and I also just bought a Glock G-27 in olive drab, which I also love. I can see both sides of Glock loving/hating. Don't buy one because of what others have said. There are lots of great guns out there, do more research than just reading forums like these. For any type of gun, you can find a post loving on it, and bashing it...

[358 winchester]

as a fan of the 1911 I don't see all that much greatness in a Glock but then I am from the south so that could be it :D

[Pistolenschutze]

as a fan of the 1911 I don't see all that much greatness in a Glock but then I am from the south so that could be it :D

But Ron, John M. Browning was not even born in the South! He was born in Ogden, Utah in 1855! :eek::D;) It is true though that Southrons tend to be a bit traditionalist. I mean, after all, they reload and build gun rooms in their garages. :D:D:D

Just kidding ya! ;) I like the 1911 too, but I think Glock still had some good ideas with his pistol designs. If you think about it, the 1911 pattern pistol was itself a "wild new invention" when Browning designed it. The whole idea of a self-loader was new then, and many folks rejected it figuring the 1873 SAA Colt was the ultimate development in handguns. ;)

[disturbed13]

i think that glocks are beautyful myself
and my dad has a reloading/gun room in the house
its not the garage
but its the house
he has a camaro and a mustang to keep lookin good

[berto64]

I believe most of you know where I stand on this topic.

1911's Rule!

[TTUshooter]

I personally do like the Glocks. I carry one very very frequently. They are reliable guns and are very accurate out of the box. They are lighter weight than all steel guns and carry quite a few rounds. I also like 1911's very much. I carry mine quite frequently as well. They both have their ups and downs. For a shooter on a budget I would give a golck in 9mm the edge. The guns are normally cheaper. 9mm ammo is cheaper and if you plan on using it for concealed carry, there are much less pointy things like a grip safetly or hammer to poke you. Now are the Glocks works of art? probably not. But are they utilitarian? Yes. But to each their own. I love both. Find out which is best for you... or get both. Shoot as many different guns as you can and find what you like best.

[thunderstruck507]

I hate them, the feel...the blockiness, they're butt ugly...the trigger pull takes forever, and I just don't like a gun without a hammer much anyway.

[shrk08]

i think that glocks are beautyful myself
and my dad has a reloading/gun room in the house
its not the garage
but its the house
he has a camaro and a mustang to keep lookin good

first, they don't just have special rooms for reloading in the south!!;) i have an entire building for reloading and very little else; and i live in Montana!

second, long live the camaro!!!!!!! i own one, wouldn't trade it for any car!

third, i'm not sure(no personal experience) but i have heard that a glock can be thrown in the mud and still shoot. but i've heard the same about the 1911 so...
i think it's more a matter of personal tastes: 1911=traditional; glock=modern

[Bruce FLinch]

Welcome hedoe & shrk08!

Too each his own. I prefer the grip on a doublestack 1911. & a crisp trigger. There are some real good Glock shooters out there. :)

[disturbed13]

the mustang is my step moms
and IMHO its the only thing that ford can make good
but thats just me
and i really like modern stuff
curse cell phones
i dont have enough money to keep up with them

[Tomygun]

Responses are just amazing. Won't anyone say what they do or do not like about these? Myself; I like the trigger mec., I hate the feel that I am pointing a 2X4. I can shoot a Sig .45cal quickly better than the rest at a timed shoot, and beyond what you would expect single action at a distance. If my life depended on it this is what I would choose. My son is a police lieutenant and I recently gave him my favorite pistol. A Dan Wesson Razor Back. 10mm with hot loads that supercedes all others and has the same trajectory as a .22mag to 150yds. If you can master this combo for offence and defence then it seems to be the best. Heavier than some but quick, short, or long range accuracy, and heavy enough and sometimes legal for Elk. After my chrony and penetration and distance tests my best choice for a one only handgun is this 10mm. Thats just me. Tomygun

[LDBennett]

Metal is forever!

Plastic eventually gets brittle and breaks. I expect my guns to be handed down in the family, generation to generation, and I expect if they are metal they will survive. I expect plastic guns will not survive one lifetime let alone multiple.

I also don't like striker fired handguns as the triggers are not to my liking. The Glock is the worst in that respect as it feels like no other trigger (except some of the newer plastic guns).

I do not own and will not ever own plastic handguns. That includes all plastic guns not just the Glock. Since I get to choose, I will!

LDBennett

[Pistolenschutze]

Just curious LDB, what do you think of the newer pistols and revolvers that are coming out in metals other than steel--aluminum alloys and titanium for example? I can appreciate your liking for traditional steel frame handguns, because they may well outlast the polymer frames, though it is also true that the so-called "plastic" handguns are largely steel anyway. The plastic is basically confined only to frames which is where most of the weight savings comes in. Time will tell on that one. I think the trend though is definitely moving more and more towards exotic metals and polymers that offer strength combined with lighter weight in place of heavier all steel designs. The aluminum frame Smith revolvers I have (637s) are rated for +P ammo, and from all I have read, titanium does even better.

[LDBennett]

Pistolenschutze:

Regardless of the number of new plastic guns I still don't like them. The plastic guns are a way for the manufacturers to provide sub $500 semi-autos. The same guns in metal would probably be in the $700 to $800 class. (You can thank the lawyers, unions, and the government for the high cost of guns today.) Manufacturers can buy a set of injection molds and make virtually the whole frame for dollars rather than ten or hundreds of dollars. Look at a modern metal gun and image the machining operations that go into it.

I am a target shooter. I have never appreciated light guns. Without some mass the gun sights will wander all over the target regardless of what I do to try to hold it still. I like my guns at 40 ounces without ammo. Guns like steel 1911's, S&W Model 41's and many other guns fit that weight profile. Aluminum framed guns usally are closer to 30 ounces and plastic guns are closer to 20 ounces. If I were to carry a gun all day then I may have a preference for a lighter gun but I don't.

When it comes to semi-auto centerfires I like 1911's and especially the CZ metal gun line. For 22's I like my S&W Model 42, my Colt Match Target, my Browning Challenger and especially my Marvel Precision Conversion Unit #1 on my fully customized Rock Island 1911 frame. Also on my list of favorites is my CZ Kadet (CZ75B frame with Kadet 22 conversion unit) and my Beretta 87T after much trigger work and the added mass of a red dot to get the weight up from the stock 30 ounces.

I suppose the plastic guns have a place for carry or COP's but not for me and target shooting. But remember, this is my opinion and people should buy whatever they want, keeping in mind that plastic guns are not forever.

LDBennett

[Little Rooster]

No dogs here

[disturbed13]

id use my glock and fix the problem

[Pistolenschutze]

I suppose the plastic guns have a place for carry or COP's but not for me and target shooting. But remember, this is my opinion and people should buy whatever they want, keeping in mind that plastic guns are not forever.

LDBennett

I think you make a very good point there, LDB. My interest in handguns is primarily for carry, I must admit, though I do target shoot quite a lot as well, mostly to stay in practice because I do carry. To me, a handgun has only one real purpose and that is as a weapon. For target pistols, I completely agree with you, steel is far better. For carry, where weight is a practical consideration, I think polymer and titanium definitely have their place. When it comes to rifles though, ALL of mine are steel and wood.

[Shooter45]

Accuracy means different things to different people.

The Glock is a good duty weapon and that's all. Glock and accurate should never be used in the same sentence. Glock is reliable.

If you chose to carry a Glock, make sure to master your handgun retention skills to avoid being shot with your own weapon.

I'm not putting down Glock, just stating fact.

[user]

At the time when I was looking to buy a gun, I happened to look at the big plastic box full of hammers I've got in my garage. Different sizes of ball-pein, carpenters', rubber, & sledge hammers; a welder's hammer, etc. etc. And I thought, "all hammers, but different tools for different jobs."

Glock was a success, and that's why there's so many that have bought into the plastic DAO model. But I think there's been improvements, so I got a SIG P226 DAK, mainly because of the trigger thing, and a Kahr PM9, 'cause it's light and easy to carry. Part of why the Glock has the reputation for reliability is also one reason why people don't like it: loose parts that will work even when it's been in the dirt, but not conducive to accurate shooting. Kahr is just the opposite, they say it takes at least two hundred rounds through it before the high-precision parts have worn together enough to break it in for reliable shooting - and don't let it drop into the sandbox. But I found it to be incredibly accurate, right out of the box with standard factory sights.

I've got a S&W .357 revolver on my belt right now, 'cause it's effective, a medium size and weight, and probably adequate for defending me from my computer.

[disturbed13]

now those are the answers that ive been looking for
and a .22 would defend you from your pc just as well
but it wouldnt be as fun now would it :D
does anyone know the glock website? or the Kahr?
and isnt Kahr based out of country? im guessing iserial? (my spelling of other countries sucks)

[user]

Have a look at:

http://www.glock.com/english/index_pistols.htm

http://www.kahr.com/

http://www.sigsauer.com/Default.aspx

http://www.smith-wesson.com/

http://www.berettausa.com/ and

http://www.ruger.com/

and have a look at the handgun selector database at:

http://www.genitron.com/

[user]

Oh, and as to the Kahr thing. The owner's real name is "Moon" - the American son of the Korean evangelist/industrialist. There is or was a professor of chemistry named "Bart Kahr", an expert in the molecular structure of crystals. I don't know whether there's any definite relationship, but it seems to me that Moon, as an engineer interested in metalurgy, would have reason to be interested in crystalography (as cast metals have a crystalline structure). Anyway, I believe I read that Moon said he liked that name, it sounded German, and he figured Americans would buy guns that had a German-sounding name (SigSauer, Glock, Ruger-Sturm, etc.) rather than a "Moon-pistol". As an engineer working in the family industrial robot factory, and a gun afficianado, Moon thought he could do better than what was already available, got several patents for innovative designs, and put his family's industrial robots to work. The guns are made in Massachussetts. Ruger & S&W are also American-made, I believe. Sig may be, or it may be made in Switzerland, depending on the model, I'm told. Taurus is not, and it's not on my list, although many like them (made in S.America).

[Michael G]

First I'll say that I've never owned one so my opinion is limited.
I have shot glocks (again limited) and didn't like the fit to my hand. One thing I have heard from others who own or have owned Glocks is that as the magazine empties the gun tends to track higher shot after shot.
But Glocks do have the reputation for reliable performance in all kinds of weather and unclean conditions.

[ehughes]

I mean, after all, they reload and build gun rooms in their garages. :D:D:D

;)

Not all of us....









Some of use our basements and bedroom corners:D:D:D

[ehughes]

almost forgot..on subject..Stupid tupperware glocks....ugh...

now reliability, Heckler & Koch is far more reliable IMHO

and i think colt covered style....well...they also hit reliability head on....

C-O-L-T, thats the gun for me....

[RIPBiker13]

Oh, and as to the Kahr thing. The owner's real name is "Moon" - the American son of the Korean evangelist/industrialist. There is or was a professor of chemistry named "Bart Kahr", an expert in the molecular structure of crystals. I don't know whether there's any definite relationship, but it seems to me that Moon, as an engineer interested in metalurgy, would have reason to be interested in crystalography (as cast metals have a crystalline structure). Anyway, I believe I read that Moon said he liked that name, it sounded German, and he figured Americans would buy guns that had a German-sounding name (SigSauer, Glock, Ruger-Sturm, etc.) rather than a "Moon-pistol". As an engineer working in the family industrial robot factory, and a gun afficianado, Moon thought he could do better than what was already available, got several patents for innovative designs, and put his family's industrial robots to work. The guns are made in Massachussetts. Ruger & S&W are also American-made, I believe. Sig may be, or it may be made in Switzerland, depending on the model, I'm told. Taurus is not, and it's not on my list, although many like them (made in S.America).

Yes Kahr is made in the US and Sig Sauer is made in both the US and Germany. Originally in Switzerland in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Sig Sauer is actually one of the oldest firearm manufacturers known.

I had a Kahr MK40 but the reliability was an issue for me. I went through the break-in period but still had problems. The magazine follower wore out after only 150rnds but Kahr was very kind about the issue and sent new followers. Then failed to feed constantly. I carried it a lot but I got to the point I didn't trust it anymore. It's since been sold.

I've had Glocks and I loved them. I had a G23 I sold to buy a Sig and I still have the Sig and love it, I miss my Glock. I've also had a G22 but I didn't like the way it felt, and a G27 I had to sell due to lack of money at the time. But Glocks are great weapons and are reliable, but my Sig is far more accurate. My G23 also shot high and to the left. Even my friend who has it now says the same thing. It's just quirky.

[noslolo]

The glock doesn't fit my hand well, but my brother in the Border Patrol swears by them. He was stationed in Yuma AZ and was always covered in sand, and the Glock always went bang. I hate to say it but he was always a 1911 fan untill he got his Glock.

[DWARREN123]

I at one time said I would never own a plastic pistol but after many calibers and platforms have found the GLOCK 23 and 27 to be what I wanted in concealed carry pistols. They are ugly utility guns and do not fit everyone but they are reliable, accurate and easy to carry in a great caliber (40 S&W).
I do not feel that they make for something to pass along to your children as a work of art but they will protect them.