Everything crappy about ...the Glock

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Greg Bell

New member
Guys,

Remember, no flames neccessary. This is a friendly thread to bring together all of the honest criticisms of a popular type of handgun.This time its the Glock (I've already got the P7 and SIG).

1. Saftey. Many people who are familiar with handguns have a hard time getting used to the Glock safe-action trigger. The gun is very close to a single action pistol that is cocked and unlocked. Many Glockers claim that this is like a revolver--but this is only half true. While a revolver can always be fired with a pull of the trigger, you must pull the hammer back to get anything close to the Glock's factory (fairly light) trigger-pull. This trigger, which makes the gun one of the fastest in the world to put into action, makes extra saftey precautions a must with the Glock. Rigid hosters are the only way to go and stuffing a Glock in a pocket or waistband is only for the bravest :) among us.

2. Reliabilty. Glocks have to be some of the most praised and hated guns of all time. Many say their guns are flawless (leading some Glocksters to go to strange, stupid,lengths to prove their guns reliability (see frozen in ice, mud, etc)). My experience has been mixed. I have shot over a dozen different Glocks and have only had two reliabity related problems. A G19 my buddy John had would always, ALWAYS, throw brass into my face (and it happened to everyone else who used it too). That sucked. A G21 I used to shoot was a jam-o-matic. After being shiped back to the factory for the early nineties "update" the gun functioned fine. Limp writsing is often used as an excuse--but some Glocks are more sensitive than others. Here we might mention Kb's and slam-firing but I have no experience with these malfunctions and would really rather not speculate myself.

3. Ugly/Cool! The first generation Glock (Slick grip) was UGUAHLEEE! That said, the new accessory rail/finger groove models look killer. The gun screems functionality/cool.

4. Odd trigger. For a Squeeze-cocking SA, DA/SA guy the Glock treigger feels creepy. Trigger feel, however, is one of the few areas more subjective than looks.

5. So reasonably priced people tend to develop Glock addiction! ;)

care to add anything?



[This message has been edited by Greg Bell (edited October 28, 2000).]
 
E

ether

New member
I think the grip angle is a bit extreme, and I wish the grip was a little more coarse. Other than that, I've never found any real faults with Glocks.
 
M

Mom T

New member
I have a Glock 27 that I love. It has had one failure to feed properly out of about 2500 rounds. This occured in the first 200 rounds and while somebody else was firing the gun.

My only real complaint with the glocks is with their grips. First, I wish they would get rid of the finger grooves. Finger grooves are great IF they fit the shooters hand properly. However, not everyone has the same size hand. It would probably be alright to leave the top finger groove but they should definitely get rid of the others. Glock should also do something to round of the edges of the front strap a bit more. As it is, the front edges are too blocky for my smallish hands.

If Glock weree to improve upon the grip, I'd go out and buy one or two more immediately. I've had my eye on the model 23 for about two or three years now but have been unable to make myself spend the money on a gun that doesn't fit my hand well.

Good shooting
 
B

BB

Moderator
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Greg Bell:
1. Saftey. Many people who are familiar with handguns have a hard time getting used to the Glock safe-action trigger. The gun is very close to a single action pistol that is cocked and unlocked. Many Glockers claim that this is like a revolver--but this is only half true. While a revolver can always be fired with a pull of the trigger, you must pull the hammer back to get anything close to the Glock's factory (fairly light) trigger-pull. This trigger, which makes the gun one of the fastest in the world to put into action, makes extra-saftey prcautions a muct with the Glock. Rigid hosters are the only way to go and stuffing a Glock in a pocket or waistband is only for the bravest :) among us.[/quote]

Or you can use a trigger block. Personally I like the lack of a manual safety, so this is a plus.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>2. Reliabilty.[/quote]

I have never had a reliability problem of any kind with any of my Glocks. A plus.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>3. Ugly/Cool! The first generation Glock (Slick grip) was UGUAHLEEE! That said, the new accessory rail/finger groove models look killer. The gun screems functionality/cool.[/quote]

They look about the same for me. I think they look ok, but really, why would looks be an issue in a handgun? Do you want to shoot it or make love to it? That said, if looks are an issue, I suppose you could find a more attractive firearm.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>4. Odd trigger. For a Squeeze-cocking SA, DA/SA guy the Glock treigger feels creepy. Trigger feel, however, is one of the few areas more subjective than looks.[/quote]

I see the trigger as a plus, the short reset of the Glock trigger makes it one of the fastest pistols out there.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>5. So reasonably priced people tend to develop Glock addiction! ;)[/quote]

Again we disagree. I think ever since the price increase of about a year ago has made them overpriced, not to mention the hi-cap mags.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>care to add anything?[/quote]

Yes.

1. If you own one, you will constantly be ridiculed for it by someone.

2. The slide is two darn flat and wide. Needs to be rounded IMO.

3. Can't shoot lead or reloads in the .40S&W or .45ACP without running a greater risk of a case failure.

4. Plastic recoil rod and captured spring suck, they wear quicker and prevent the slide from being "pressed" into battery. The orginal steel rod and spring were better.

5. Hard to get used to. New shooters to Glock usually suffer one or more of the following:

Limp wrist related failures to eject/feed.

Anticipation and the unique trigger system causes low-left stringing of shots.

[This message has been edited by BB (edited October 28, 2000).]
 
D

DarkStar

New member
I'd have to agree with Ether. My biggest complaint was the grip angle and grip 'dimentions'. It just felt fat and awkward and exhibited the pointability of a shovel. That 2x12 I was sighting down didn't help either. I was never to this day able to get past that 'plastic' frame and with looks that would turn Medusa to stone, I've never owned a Glock. Handled many, never owned. My 'addiction' and affection in handguns belongs to Beretta.

Darryl
 
7

7th Fleet

New member
I own 4 Glocks and have shot dozens of them, since I am a LEO and a Glock Armorer. I like them a lot and I am a 1911 man and have been so for decades. To those who say Glocks are ugly, I say pretty is as pretty does and Glocks do pretty damned well. They are accurate, reliable, completely rust free and they are just about the toughest SOB, to come down the pike since the 1911.

7th

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SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL POLICE, KEEP THEM INDEPENDENT.
 
T

Tamara

Moderator Emeritus
Honestly have never had a reliability issue, probably their main attraction to me. Otherwise:

1) A bit chunky through the slide. More thought required to conceal well than most competing pistols.

2) Although the 9mm/.357/.40 models have pretty reasonable grip diameters for double column pistols, the 10mm/.45's are challenging for the small of hand/short of finger.

3) Extremely proprietary trigger pull. Until a new user gets the hang of it, newglockitis rears its ugly head- "Low and Left".

4) "Safe Action" system not kind to gunhandling faux pas. If the trigger is pulled it will go off. The upside to this, at least in my experience, is that after 6 years of Glocks, I am hyperconscious of trigger-finger placement on all my guns.

5) Limited mag sources. You can't just get a Mec-Gar for cheaper than factory. I've never had good results with non-factory mags.

I may think of more...

PS: Regarding reliability, my SIG P-228 never jammed on me, and the only reliability problems I've had with any SIG were with an almost fossilized BDA/220 and a lot of ball with particularly hard primers. My P7M8 has never jammed on me, nor has any other HK pistol while I've been using it. I had a USP break while shooting, but that was due to the new owner having problems with his little "key locking thingie". No 92-type Beretta has ever choked while I was firing it. Nor has any Glock. I just have shot the Glocks a lot more than the others and still have zero malfunctions. I trust them all implicitly, but my reptile hindbrain just has more faith in what I have more hands-on experience with.
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"..but never ever Fear. Fear is for the enemy. Fear and Bullets."
10mm: It's not the size of the Dawg in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog!

[This message has been edited by Tamara (edited October 28, 2000).]
 
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Marko Kloos

New member
The worst thing about the Glock is that is makes all other guns seem inadequate as carry guns. Also, they have a wicked tendency to breed, which in turn hurts the wallet.

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"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice." -- Albert Einstein
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Glock/Benelli/Enfield -- the all-purpose threat management system.
 
J

J. Parker

New member
Safety; Glock's are as safe as any other pistol when sound handling techniques are practiced. With a round in the chamber it's a holstered gun, period. That's a negative with me because I frequently carry my Beretta Centurion in my waistband or in my back pocket of my jeans. I live in the country and the shed/pumphouse is about 50 feet away and the garage probably twice that. I don't want to strap on a holster every time. Reliability; Glock's are no more or less reliable than Beretta's or Ruger's or H&K USP's (full size) and that's sayin' alot because there're all very reliable pistol's. Ugly? No, just business like. Trigger? I've never had a problem with a Glock trigger. My experiences with Glock's: I've owned three. Two G-22's and a G-21. With the first G-22 I couldn't shoot 2 or 3 rounds without a malfunction. I believe it was bad mags. I didn't let that sour me to much because I turned around and got a third gen G-22. It worked fine but I didn't have it all that long. I traded it not because I didn't like the pistol, I just didn't care for the calibre. Then I got a used G-21. It worked fine for awhile but it started malfunctioning. Weak springs. Instead of replacing the springs why not get a couple of pre-ban mags I thought. Wrong. THE biggest travesty in the pistol business today is the price of Glock pre-ban factory mags. Will I ever own another Glock? Probably not. However, if somebody willed me a G-20 I wouldn't refuse it. :) :) Best Regards, J. Parker
 
A

ArmySon

Staff Alumnus
Lemme add to the "limp wristing" excuses. If limp wristing is true, why would all the die-hard Glocksters consider Glocks to be one of the most reliable combat handguns? In a defensive shooting situation, limp wristing, firing from all different angles, stances, laying down, etc will be a likely scenerio. If this is the case, would you want a gun that is prone to jamming from limp wristing?

I'm not bashing Glocks or anything, just making an observation. My G30 has been trouble free. I'm probably going to buy a G23 soon. However, by and far, Glocks still are not "perfection".

There aren't any "perfect" gun. If there were, TFL would be very boring.
 
P

PreserveFreedom

Guest
The only thing that I disliked about Glocks at first was the lack of a cockable hammer. The gun grew on me though and I am happy with it how it is. :)
 
B

BerettaElite

New member
I think Glocks are great and if I'd cut my shooting teeth on them, I'd probably have several. My only complaint is that shooting requires the pad of the index finger vs. wrapping your finger and the recoil. The "C" models dampen recoil nicely, but I LOVE my Beretta 96 Border Marshol. At a healthy 35 oz recoil is very mild vs. 21-23oz for a G23 or G22. I've owned 2 Glocks. a G23 and G23c. I don't think they're pretty, but that just me. They ARE reliable, durable, and fast. However, they are just not for me.
 
T

Tecolote

New member
Trigger pull, tough to get used to when coming from other designs.

Trigger safety, hurts the pad of the finger after a while.

Grip, hurts thumb of strong hand.

Grip angle, too steep.

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"Get yourself a Pistolet Makarova and lose that pricey western gadget."
 
E

Elmo

New member
Thickness -- The 26/27/33 almost have the dimensions to be absolutely incredible deep-concealment guns, but the thickness makes for some bulges that not even Rolling Stone could airbrush.

Kudos for the simple revolver-like operation, but the stock trigger pull is quite a bit lighter than a DA revolver. I've never even come close to an ND, but I practice Tamara's aforementioned trigger hypersensitivity.

The trigger pull was a bit confusing for me coming from a fantastic 686 trigger. I've fixed my "low and left", but I had to change my stroke to do it.

At one time, Broken Arrow pointed out you have to pull the trigger on the Glock in order to disassemble it. Good point, I think.


[This message has been edited by Elmo (edited October 29, 2000).]
 
J

Jeff, CA

Guest
Cheap plastic sights. And what the heck was Glock thinking with the "soccer ball and goal" paint scheme on the sights? I mean, "football" is all the rage in Europe, but... ;)

Oh, well, that's what Trijicons are for.

Grooved triggers on the subcompact models. Why?

Thick trigger guard is hard on the inside of my middle finger at the middle knuckle.
 
T

Tamara

Moderator Emeritus
They have to have grooved triggers on the subcompacts so BATF'll give 'em import points for a "Target Trigger".

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"..but never ever Fear. Fear is for the enemy. Fear and Bullets."
10mm: It's not the size of the Dawg in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog!
 
J

jdthaddeus

New member
Glocks are just about perfection for me, but not for everyone.

I can't think of anything I would change on my Glocks, they run just great and I think the whole design is genius.

This is a nice calm discussion here.

Regarding limpwristing, I see that even on the 1911 forums that "limp wristing" is blamed for 1911s jamming, as well as other forums about other brands of guns. Seems limp wristing can affect all pistols.

I have TRIED to get my Glocks to jam. Fired them upside down, sideways, from every angle, holding the handle with only my middle finger and thumb, with a limp wrist and everything else. I just can't get them to jam. Go figure. I don't know about this limp wrist thing, but I don't seem to be able to make it happen. Seems like it would be more prone to happen if the user buys overpowered recoil springs? I tend to stick with stock springs on my carry gun.

I am also a 1911 fan, and I must say that the only thing most people complain about with the Glock is the trigger. I think that if you took a Glock and put a crisp single action trigger in it with a thumb safety, you would have one sweet gun and few people would have anything to hold against them. The nice trigger is the ONLY reason that I am into 1911's and the only reason that I even own any or would consider carrying one. So, even though I perform very well with the Glock trigger, I would think it would be cool to try one with a SA setup.





[This message has been edited by jdthaddeus (edited October 29, 2000).]
 
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