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At the risk of starting a religious war and being banned forever...

I read an interesting article on the safety (or lack thereof) of striker fired pistols (specifically Glocks) for LEO use. I've always felt more comfortable carrying DA/SA pistols or revolvers for concealed carry. My current most common carry is a DA/SA Walther PPK/s w/ thumb safety on. I've heard some LEO opinion that a service weapon should not be carried with safety on, as it results in longer reaction time. Also was told that the current military practice is to carry sidearm with safety off. Perhaps this is less critical for "civilian CCW". Just personally I've never been comfortable carrying a Glock due to the lighter trigger pull than a DA pistol. No doubt they are quite good guns and I enjoy shooting them. I could consider carrying a DA with safety off, as I also sometimes carry a revolver.

What do you all think about the premise of the article?

-Scott

http://bearingarms.com/cops-glocks/

The list of sa/da guns is small. You basically have sig, cz and there clones. Ppk's in .380 is a minimum caliber. I have an interarms in .32 acp great gun, great history but underpowered in today's world.
Dao gun's are also far and few between.
Imo learn and get comfortable with every platform there is. Pick what you are most comfortable with and carry on.

Bob Owens is an idiot who has always had a bias against glocks.
IIRC he is also the idiot that is trying to convince people that if they have a CHL they can carry in any state because of the recent Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage. That's working out really well for the girl from Texas who was just arrested in NY.

jmra wrote:Bob Owens is an idiot who has always had a bias against glocks.

If you don't like the 5lb trigger pull install an 8lb trigger and you have a revolver. As said above carry what you are comfortable with.

ScottDLS wrote:At the risk of starting a religious war and being banned forever...

I read an interesting article on the safety (or lack thereof) of striker fired pistols (specifically Glocks) for LEO use. I've always felt more comfortable carrying DA/SA pistols or revolvers for concealed carry. My current most common carry is a DA/SA Walther PPK/s w/ thumb safety on. I've heard some LEO opinion that a service weapon should not be carried with safety on, as it results in longer reaction time. Also was told that the current military practice is to carry sidearm with safety off. Perhaps this is less critical for "civilian CCW". Just personally I've never been comfortable carrying a Glock due to the lighter trigger pull than a DA pistol. No doubt they are quite good guns and I enjoy shooting them. I could consider carrying a DA with safety off, as I also sometimes carry a revolver.

What do you all think about the premise of the article?

-Scott

http://bearingarms.com/cops-glocks/

Scott youre braver than me!

When I become infallible I will start carrying a Glock.

Somebody on this board coined the phrase, "keep your booger hook off the bang switch." I don't care what one carries, if you can't maintain that discipline bad things will happen.

The absolute favorite in my livery is my 1911 that my uncle competed with. But she is a safe queen and only comes out to play when I take guests to the range. I never considered a Glock until I started shopping for a CCW and had fired one. Then the first Texas CHL involved shooting satisfied me as to the effectiveness of the .40 S&W. A used G23 came up for sale at a great price and there you go.

I said all of that to say this. I practiced deploying with a cleared weapon until it was second nature to draw, get a sight picture, THEN drop the finger inside the guard and fire. I practiced at the range until I could put everything in the trunk of a silhouette using front sight acquisition. Then it became my primary carry weapon. I like the even trigger pull as it makes for a more consistent 1st shot/2nd shot placement in my opinion.

If you carry any weapon and don't understand it, don't practice with it and don't pay attention to how you handle it; then you are bound to have problems. Glocks are no more dangerous than any other handgun. But if you pull the trigger it will go bang every time.

P.S. To my 1911 brethren, when I ever get the discretionary budget, I will definitely obtain a 1911 for carry. I love 1911's, carried one in the military and love to shoot my safe queen every chance I can. But I like my Glock. It's just not an all or nothing discussion for me.

I found an interesting article about the changes in the various generations of Glocks.

http://reducerecoil.com/2015/03/differe ... lock-gen4/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't carry a glock - i don't care for the grip angle - but my striker handguns (S&W M&P's with no manual or mag safety's) haven't shot me or anyone else since I started carrying. the safety between the ears and having good discipline when holstering have served me well for over 5 years of carrying concealed. Am i perfect and have I never had "a close one" - No - I have gotten careless and snagged my shirt reholstering, but I noticed and fixed it before anything bad happened.

Some people just have a bias over one type of handgun over another, I will eventually get a 1911, but for carry I like having more rounds than a 1911 typically has, that's my bias. Safety is practiced and being complacent with anything that can hurt you or others (like driving a car/truck or carrying a handgun).

double post

ScottDLS wrote:At the risk of starting a religious war and being banned forever...

I read an interesting article on the safety (or lack thereof) of striker fired pistols (specifically Glocks) for LEO use. I've always felt more comfortable carrying DA/SA pistols or revolvers for concealed carry. My current most common carry is a DA/SA Walther PPK/s w/ thumb safety on. I've heard some LEO opinion that a service weapon should not be carried with safety on, as it results in longer reaction time. Also was told that the current military practice is to carry sidearm with safety off. Perhaps this is less critical for "civilian CCW". Just personally I've never been comfortable carrying a Glock due to the lighter trigger pull than a DA pistol. No doubt they are quite good guns and I enjoy shooting them. I could consider carrying a DA with safety off, as I also sometimes carry a revolver.

What do you all think about the premise of the article?

-Scott

http://bearingarms.com/cops-glocks/

The article takes a leftists' approach to history - keep doing what didn't work the first time and it'll work eventually. The author of that article either ignores or doesn't know that what he advocates was already tried and failed miserably.

When police departments converted from revolvers to semiautos en masse in the late 80's and early 90's, many agencies adopted DA/SA guns under the exact theory the author espouses. What actually happened was that first shot accuracy was bad to the point that some officers adapted by firing their first shot into the ground during armed engagements to get to the decent SA pull without killing an innocent. That's not the fault of the gun, and the author is correct that a devoted shooter will overcome the heavier pull and the DA/SA transition and shoot very well with a DA/SA gun. The problem is that there are very few devoted shooters on the street in uniform in many agencies, particularly those in large cities.

When agencies figured out that the heavy first shot pull was the problem (by finally listening to the firearms instructors who had been telling them what was wrong), they went with DA all the time (another bad choice for the general police population and a minority today), Glock safe action, or a Springfield XD style single action guns with the last two options being predominant.

There is no viable mechanical substitute for good safety practices, and recreating past failures won't change that in the future.

I've carried a Glock (17 and 30), Springfield (XDM 4.5" 9mm), and Smith & Wesson (M&P 9mm). I prefer the Glock. I enjoy the short reset on the trigger, and that it doesn't have extra stuff I don't care about on it. I hated the trigger on the M&P. The Springfield I didn't like the long reset or the grip safety. Though the Springfield did have the best system for field stripping. I've also owned a Colt 1911, and a little Bersa .380. I say that so you know I have carried a couple different pistols. I've never had a negligent discharge or accidental discharge with any weapon I own. The key to this is not putting my finger on the trigger until I was ready to shoot something. True accidental discharges where the gun just goes off randomly are extremely rare. I have personally never seen one, or heard of one. I'm sure there is a story of one out there somewhere though.

Negligent discharges are what you hear about happening more often. Either someone putting a pistol in their pocket without the trigger guard covered, holstering with their finger on the trigger, and I saw a youtube video of a guy shooting himself in the leg with one of those finger press retention holsters. You also get some where a garment got into the trigger guard while holstering. The key to all of these though is someone not taking care. You are the primary safety on any weapon. If you cut yourself with a knife is it because the knife wasn't safe enough? A Glock is safe enough, the problem with the police specifically is they don't train enough with their pistols (at least on a whole). After talking with a few officers and there are several news stories on it. Once or twice a year doesn't cut it. I have some snap caps and I practice drawing and holstering my pistol several times a month, plus range trips at least once a week. Between personally asking and the stories I've read that is not common practice with officers. I will be honest and say it is probably the same way with a good many chl holders as well. The difference is the police are far more likely to end up drawing and holstering a weapon than a chl holder will be.

In my 60 years of handling firearms, there is one history lesson of which I am absolutely sure: I've never had a gun get mad at me and shoot me - yet. I know some might want to, I hear them whispering to one another in the safe!

If you don't want to get yourself shot, don't put your finger on the trigger. Period. Stupid happens when I get careless or complacent. I can't text and draw my weapon from my holster. I can't eat a burger and draw. I can't carry out the trash and draw. The drill is this: Stop whatever you are doing and put 100% of your concentration on keeping your finger off the trigger. At that point any gun is safe. Even a cocked and unlocked 1911 - provided you don't drop it.

If you add a drop test, I want a Glock. Regardless of whether they like me or not.

Worried about Glock safety? Just carry one of the many Springfield XD models. They are Glocks with multiple safeties. Excellent shooters and very,very dependable. Did I mention easy to clean, and high capacity magazines?

Another follow up to the earlier article:

http://bearingarms.com/wrong-gun-popula ... t-mistake/

I think his point about the length of the pull has some merit. He may be an idiot, he may be blindly anti-Glock, but the trigger pull length argument makes sense to me.

A split trigger is no safeguard against operator negligence and a short pull doesn't leave much of a chance for second thoughts.

Of course, a negligent shooter should stay away from guns until such time as he remedies his ways.