Why Glock? Why 9mm?

[USMC03]

I am often asked "Why a Glock" and "Why 9mm"?

Since 1990 I have carried on duty Beretta, Sig, Smith & Wesson, H&K, Colt, Les Baer, Springfield Armory, Para Ordance, Kimber, and Glock (there may be others that I can't recall right now)

I have had the opportunity to shoot Styer, Taurus, Walther, S&W Sigma, Wilson Combat, Ruger, CZ, Desert / Baby Eagle, STI / SVI, Browning HP, and others that can't remember right now.

Since the late 1990's I've narrowed my handgun choice to 1911's and Glocks....because it's what I shot best and what I felt most comfortable with.

Up until 2001 I had always been a fan of the .45acp, but felt comfortable with a .40cal....And felt that the 9mm was under powered.

I generally carried a 1911, but when it came to stressful shooting (ie. SWAT qual, Firearms Instructor's qual, etc) I would use a Glock because I felt more comfortable with it under stress, and found time and time again that I shot better with a Glock under stress. The Glock had the same trigger pull every time, the grip angle was perfect, no grip safeties to worry about in ackward positions, the size of the grip was just right, no safety levers / decockers, etc.

In 2001 I took a Tactical Response (formerly OPS Southeast) Tactical Pistol class. I shot the first day with my Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special and the second day with my Glock 35. It was after this class of shooting 500 round through each gun, back to back, that I realized that the Glock was much better suited to me.

I have been through other classes, matches, and training, and shot both guns and found that under stress, shooting one handed, shooting in awkward positions, shooting on the move, shooting while trying to perform other tasks other tasks, etc. that the Glock was better suited to me.

"Why the 9mm"? During my first class with Yeager he made the comment "Pistol bullets poke holes, rifle bullets tear shit up".....That quote stuck in my mind. I thought back to the after effects of shooting on both animals, victim's of shootings, and Officer involved shootings that I had seen personally and read about during my career. Not one shooting I could think of would the effects not been the same with a 9mm or a .45acp.

With 9mm being approximately half the price of .45acp, the recoil of 9mm being less than the .45acp, and knowing shot placement is much more important than caliber, it's not hard to understand why I switched over to 9mm. And now that I'm buying only 1 pistol caliber, logistically it's much easier for me when buying ammo.

Me: How many boxed of the 9mm Winchester White Box 100 round value packs do you have in stock?

Wal-Mart employee: 21, how many do you need?

Me: I'll take all of them.

Wal-Mart employee: (cocks head and has a bewildered look on his face) Man you must shoot a lot.

I started to rethink my mentality on pistols and pistol calibers, and after some deep soul searching found that I was an anti - 9mm guy, and loved the 1911 because I had listened to everyone else's hype. Every time I had taken a pistol class, shot in a match, practiced at the range, etc, it solidified that I shot better under stressful conditions with a Glock. But I was carrying a pistol and caliber due to hype, not on what pistol and caliber suited me the best.


Choose what best suits your style, don't believe the hype, and try it before you dismiss it.


All Glocks, All 9mm

Semper Fi,
Jeff

[Sled_Dog]

That's really interesting Jeff. As many "holy war" threads have been started over what pistol is best and why, I think you summed it up best by saying that "the Glock was better suited to me."

So much of it comes down to personal preference. I'm a civilian and don't carry (yet) so my experience is the time I've spent on the range, and my life or someone else's has never depended on my choices, and y tastes have changes several times during my years in the shooting hobby.

The glocks trigger pull always felt erratic and uncomfortable to me and I never liked the lack of an exposed hammer. I also prefer the weight of a steel frame. What does that mean...absolutely nothing...just my preference. Next year I might shoot a different model and love Glocks!

The two most accurate pistols I ever owned were a Browning Hi-Power practical in 40SW (foolishly sold it) and believe it or not an East German Makarov 9x18 made in 1962. I just bought a Sig 229 Equinox in 40SW, but have yet to shoot it so the jury is still out on that one.

I too like the 9MM, learned to shoot with a Beretta 92FS (a much maligned pistol that deserves none of it's criticism) and think it probably would do the job. Hopefully I will never have to find out if the 9MM has adequate stopping power, but you and NATO seem to trust it does. Got a Sig 226 in 9MM on the way.

I appreciate you posting your observations. I wonder how much my opinions would change if I needed to make my choices based on duty and some of the tactical situations you guys end up in.

SD

[Great-Kazoo]

I started to rethink my mentality on pistols and pistol calibers, and after some deep soul searching found that I was an anti - 9mm guy, and loved the 1911 because I had listened to everyone else's hype. Every time I had taken a pistol class, shot in a match, practiced at the range, etc, it solidified that I shot better under stressful conditions with a Glock. But I was carrying a pistol and caliber due to hype, not on what pistol and caliber suited me the best.


Choose what best suits your style, don't believe the hype, and try it before you dismiss it


i had to check who posted this. Echo's my feelings to a T.
its not what everyone else says you should carry. It's what YOU feel the most comfortable with, in all kinds of scenarios.

nice write up.

[copfish]

I agree! I stress how important it is to make the shot count more than miss with a major caliber. Proudly packing my Glock 19. Great thread!

[Colorado Osprey]

I too carried a 1911 tuned for reliability on duty. I was hired on another department that used Glock 22's and bought one to become proficient before I had to trust my life to it.


Took both to in indoor range and dumped the usual 500 rounds... 250 through each.
Targets ranged from 5' to 25 yards. Slow precision aimed fire to timed stress shoots with multiple mag changes.

Long story short my groups in almost all targets were 1/2 the size using a Glock...and it didn't matter what model or caliber. I shot them all the same from the 380 through the 10mm or 45acp.

Soon after that faithful day I sold all of my 1911's and ended up with about a dozen glock in differrent calibers and sizes.

Today I have only one Glock... and no 1911's.
G20 10mm and it is my go to gun.... but I wish I kept 2 and never sold the G26 9mm for it's concealability.

I no longer work where I need to potentially defend my life every day so the handgun inventory has gone waaay down.

[Spinone]

Interesting write up. I have tried to like Glock's but I just can't get used to the grip angle. Every time I pick one up I find that they just don't point naturally for me; they point low and I have to cant my wrist up to line the sights up. The sights on my H&K, Kahr, and 92fs seem to line up perfectly for me. Am i doing something wrong? This issue has always led me to believe that Glocks were all about hype because I doubt that I am the only one with this issue. It sure seems that a lot of first time handgun buyers purchase Glocks.

I don't carry for my job but because I carry daily I have to feel completely comfortable with my choice. Glocks have never given me this comfort. Who knows, maybe it's because I don't shoot enough and I don't shoot in stressfull situations. Thanks for the thought inducing write up!

[275RLTW]

. I shot them all the same from the 380 through the 10mm or 45acp.

Where did you get ahold of a G25/28?

[SA Friday]

I cannot disagree with your conclusion or the validity of your information, but I take a little different view on the matter. Pick a high quality pistol that fits you and shoot the piss out if it till you shoot it like an extension of your body. Don't go below 9mm in caliber and don't go over 45 ACP unless it's a pistol for specialized use. Any high quality pistol will get you there, and Glock does qualify as high quality IMO. If you can put 10,000+ rounds through it without mechanical failure or multiple FTFs or FTEs it quality is good enough.

The key is shooting the piss out if it. I can give you the most pointable, reliable, and shootable pistol in the world, but if you are not practicing it might as well be a saturday night special. Practice is NOT standing at 7 feet slow shooting 50 rounds and then going home. Practice is drawing, shooting multiple rounds on multiple targets, moving, and reloading, and all under stress.

I have to throw this last piece in too. I have a friend who is a thorasic surgen. He has operated on way more shooting victims than I've ever seen. When he says 9mm will do it, but 45's make a mess out of the human body, I listen. Shoot what you shoot accurately first. Placement is key, but if you can shoot the 45 just as accurately, it never hurts to hedge your bets.

[KFinn]

The key is shooting the piss out if it.

+1

Practice is NOT standing at 7 feet slow shooting 50 rounds and then going home. Practice is drawing, shooting multiple rounds on multiple targets, moving, and reloading, and all under stress.

Exactly, which is why I have a hard time paying to go to Firing line or other ranges now adays. I have spent enough initial time at them to build a a decent foundation to make my time at open ranges more valuable to me doing things like draw and rapid fire and rapid multiple targets, etc. I do still like hitting the firing line and such occasional to at least maintain or brush up on basic skills when I have had long gaps between any range type of shooting though.

Shoot what you shoot accurately first. Placement is key, but if you can shoot the 45 just as accurately, it never hurts to hedge your bets.

I couldn't agree more. If you can afford .45, practice with .45. I guess my tips were more for hitting the mind of those that I have seen on the bored that they can't or don't want to afford expensive ranges, can't afford a lot of ammo to practice etc etc etc..... So at least they get some valuable tips for an option that fits their lifestyle.

[Jer]

Bump for a great read and quality first hand information for those who are on the fence or drinking the 1911 koolaid. If nothing else at least use this to realize that you need to consider every make and every caliber other than what one person or even a shop full of people tell you because you might be surprised by what those who really know actually carry. I personally carry 9mm because placement trumps caliber and with a similar size frame and wallet I have more chances at that perfect shot on more targets then shooting .45 which is key. One thing I didn't see mentioned specifically is that multiple hammer shots on target in a panic situation are substantially easier to group tightly and consistently with a 9mm than a .45 do to recoil differences. If it hits the fan and you need to send a lot of lead in a short period of time 9mm is your best bet.

All Glocks, All 9mm

+1

All I own is Glock and the only caliber I own is 9mm and I trust both with my life.