Why the Glock Became America’s Handgun

[Liberty]

An interesting article in Popular Mechanics, While some of us might not be Glock fans, it has been influential in modern gun design. My favorite quote although controversial;

Rather than six rounds, the Glock has 17 rounds in the magazine. Instead of a 12-pound trigger pull, like the traditional revolver, it has a trigger pull of slightly more than 5 pounds. That means that someone who is a mediocre shooter or a bad shooter—as many police officers who don’t practice often enough are—will suddenly become more accurate and be more effective.

[AEA]

Not to mention they are more easily able to shoot themselves (or partners) than the intended individual.

[OldCannon]

An interesting article in Popular Mechanics, While some of us might not be Glock fans, it has been influential in modern gun design. My favorite quote although controversial;

Rather than six rounds, the Glock has 17 rounds in the magazine. Instead of a 12-pound trigger pull, like the traditional revolver, it has a trigger pull of slightly more than 5 pounds. That means that someone who is a mediocre shooter or a bad shooter—as many police officers who don’t practice often enough are—will suddenly become more accurate and be more effective.

Trigger pull seems an odd argument. Same could be said of a 1911.

And NYC forces all Glocks back to a 12lb trigger pull, so I guess they like their cops to be less effective.

[Jumping Frog]

I still want to get one of those Glock 7's . . . .

[Liberty]

An interesting article in Popular Mechanics, While some of us might not be Glock fans, it has been influential in modern gun design. My favorite quote although controversial;

Rather than six rounds, the Glock has 17 rounds in the magazine. Instead of a 12-pound trigger pull, like the traditional revolver, it has a trigger pull of slightly more than 5 pounds. That means that someone who is a mediocre shooter or a bad shooter—as many police officers who don’t practice often enough are—will suddenly become more accurate and be more effective.

Trigger pull seems an odd argument. Same could be said of a 1911.

And NYC forces all Glocks back to a 12lb trigger pull, so I guess they like their cops to be less effective.

Taken in the context the context of replacing Glocks replacing the traditional S&W revolvers it makes more sense. The older 1911s weren't particularly popular with Law enforcement at the time. I believe the acceptance of the Glock by law enforcement led to renewed interest in the 1911. Lots of cops people back then felt that a semi-auto was to complicated and unreliable. The Glock caused us to look this differently.

[Jumping Frog]

The older 1911s weren't particularly popular with Law enforcement at the time. I believe the acceptance of the Glock by law enforcement led to renewed interest in the 1911. Lots of cops people back then felt that a semi-auto was to complicated and unreliable. The Glock caused us to look this differently.

Remember that this was back in the days when 1911 meant Colt, and everyone "knew" that you had to take your brand new Colt to a good 1911 gunsmith for a reliability package before you could ever rely upon it. Tuning up the old Colt 1911's, as well as S&W .38 trigger jobs, were a gunsmith's bread and butter.

[Heartland Patriot]

The older 1911s weren't particularly popular with Law enforcement at the time. I believe the acceptance of the Glock by law enforcement led to renewed interest in the 1911. Lots of cops people back then felt that a semi-auto was to complicated and unreliable. The Glock caused us to look this differently.

Remember that this was back in the days when 1911 meant Colt, and everyone "knew" that you had to take your brand new Colt to a good 1911 gunsmith for a reliability package before you could ever rely upon it. Tuning up the old Colt 1911's, as well as S&W .38 trigger jobs, were a gunsmith's bread and butter.

I have read Patrick Sweeney's 1911 books and he said the same stuff about Colts from a certain period of time. Today's 1911s are made much better than SOME of those older Colts (I don't want to imply that ALL older Colts have issues, I'm sure there were a LOT of them that were/are fantastic pistols). For example, the metal hardness and quality is better today, even on "cheap" 1911s like my Brazilian-made Springfield GI Model, than on many of the 1911s churned out for WWII...they didn't expect those to have to last, plus they didn't have the alloys that are in use today. It is a testament to John Browning's design that the 1911 is still going so strong. Gaston Glock's design is obviously no flash in the pan, but let's see how Glocks are doing in another 70 years, or so.

[stroguy]

The Cowboys are not Americas team.

[OldCannon]

The Cowboys are not Americas team.

Can somebody explain how that is not a non-sequitur?

[speedsix]

...I love a good DAO revolver...but that doesn't make a man who's unsafe with a 1911 safer...
...I love a bobbed hammer...a decocker, an ambi safety...but none of these do either...

...safety happens in the software...not the hardware...
...bureaucrats have never understood this...

[The Annoyed Man]

An interesting article in Popular Mechanics, While some of us might not be Glock fans, it has been influential in modern gun design. My favorite quote although controversial;

Rather than six rounds, the Glock has 17 rounds in the magazine. Instead of a 12-pound trigger pull, like the traditional revolver, it has a trigger pull of slightly more than 5 pounds. That means that someone who is a mediocre shooter or a bad shooter—as many police officers who don’t practice often enough are—will suddenly become more accurate and be more effective.

I would say that the main influence of Glock on gun design is the trigger safety mechanism, which a number of manufacturers have tried to emulate in some form or other. But other than that, it is hard to see how Glock has become "America's gun." That's just plain silliness. Did anybody tell JMB?

We have exactly one Glock in the safe—a G19. It is a very good gun, and I have carried it a few times. However, it is not substantially better than any of the other guns in either my or my wife's carry rotations. Neither is it substantially safer to carry than any of the other guns, nor is it more accurate, lighter, etc., etc. If I had to divest myself of all but one pistol, the G19 would be on the short list of keepers, but it doesn't win out by default. If it came to that, the Glock would have to earn its place against some stiff competition.

[OldCannon]

But other than that, it is hard to see how Glock has become "America's gun." That's just plain silliness. Did anybody tell JMB?

I've read enough excerpts out of that book to realize the author is an idiot.

[C-dub]

When does "cost" become a factor? I don't do much shopping, but most of the 1911's I come across are a great deal more than most Glocks. A gun that is as good or nearly as good, but costs substantially less can be a big influence.

[The Annoyed Man]

When does "cost" become a factor? I don't do much shopping, but most of the 1911's I come across are a great deal more than most Glocks. A gun that is as good or nearly as good, but costs substantially less can be a big influence.

I bought a Kahr CW45 a little over a week ago from Cheaper Than Dirt in Fort Worth. As a single stack polymer framed 6+1 .45, the CW45's natural competitor is the Glock 36. The CW45 is every bit as good of a gun as the G36, plus it has a stainless steel slide which the G36 doesn't. CTD sold me the CW45 for $399.00. They were asking $550.00 for a G36.

Glocks are good guns, but they aren't always the cheapest gun in their particular class.

[C-dub]

When does "cost" become a factor? I don't do much shopping, but most of the 1911's I come across are a great deal more than most Glocks. A gun that is as good or nearly as good, but costs substantially less can be a big influence.

I bought a Kahr CW45 a little over a week ago from Cheaper Than Dirt in Fort Worth. As a single stack polymer framed 6+1 .45, the CW45's natural competitor is the Glock 36. The CW45 is every bit as good of a gun as the G36, plus it has a stainless steel slide which the G36 doesn't. CTD sold me the CW45 for $399.00. They were asking $550.00 for a G36.

Glocks are good guns, but they aren't always the cheapest gun in their particular class.

That's cool. I also realize that many of the 1911's are some really fine guns and I can't argue with anyone who says they are better looking than a Glock.