GLOCK 19 upgrades are practically an industry of their own. It’s one of the most popular self-defense tools in the world and they’ve become a big part (and some of the fun) of owning the gun for some owners. It’s like having a muscle car back in the day; you can modify them and upgrade them in so many ways it makes the head spin.
We aren’t going to get too deep into specific makes and models of products; the Paradox of Choice sets in hard when it comes to aftermarket GLOCK upgrades. (That’s where you can’t make a choice because you too many things to choose from.) Instead, we will be concentrating on the general stuff that you might want to upgrade on your GLOCK.
The best type of GLOCK 19 upgrades, of course, is to sell your GLOCK and buy a 1911.
Ha! Just kidding. (Maybe.) You can leave an angry note in the comments if you want.
Here are 6 items to start with when upgrading your GLOCK 19 pistol, whether you use yours for concealed carry or home defense. Part of why some people love to own GLOCKs is because of all the things you can upgrade on them, and these are the places where many people start. Be careful before buying however; you need to make sure it’s compatible with your GLOCK pistol.
First is ditching the standard GLOCK trigger, because it’s nothing special. I know; how dare he suggest that something made by GLOCK isn’t PERFECTION DEFINED? But we all know the factory GLOCK trigger is, well, lackluster. It’s plastic, it’s numb and improving the gun’s trigger pull is one of the first things that G19 owners focus on.
You can easily find a trigger system which includes the trigger blade and tab, trigger connector and trigger bar. This is easily one of the most common GLOCK upgrades, with popular options being trigger groups from ZEV, CMC, and the TangoDown Vickers trigger and many more. A crisper, cleaner trigger with less creep will actually enhance your trigger control and make the gun more pleasurable to shoot. That will mean you’ll shoot better!
The other most common of GLOCK upgrades is new sights. Standard GLOCK sights, especially the polymer sights, are not always thought of highly. Some folks will opt for the night sights from the factory, but others prefer to get a pair they really like instead.
Naturally, sets of black rear sight ramps and fiber optic front sights are quite popular, but there are SO MANY different options. Night sights. Express sights. Target sights…it’s a buyer’s market out there. If you want to get a better set of sights, there is a veritable ocean of them out there. Additionally, upgrading the sights will mean better shooting with
Another common class of GLOCK 19 upgrades is to change the controls, including the magazine release button, slide stop lever and takedown lever. GLOCK’s standard controls are low-profile, which makes them a little awkward to operate at times. The Glockstore website is a great resource for these parts, but there are plenty of places to shop for them.
Another incredibly basic GLOCK upgrade – and in fact for ANY pistol – is to upgrade the springs. Factory spring kits aren’t always of the highest quality, so picking up a kit from a proven provider (Wolff, for instance) is a decent investment. If you upgrade the recoil spring, an upgraded guide rod is a good idea too.
Now for some juicier stuff. You can upgrade the small bits, but what will make your GLOCK 19 more fun?
Red dot sights are a BIG one. How you go about that…is up to you, as there are a few different ways to do so.
You could always have a gunsmith mill your existing slide, but the easiest way is to buy one of the GLOCK 19 MOS models to begin with. There are two, with the GLOCK 19 Gen 4 and Gen 5 models both coming with their MOS package. These come with four mounting plates for installing various red dot optics, as designs do vary.
Another method is to purchase an aftermarket slide that has the adapter plate cut. You’ll have to drop in the relevant parts (the striker/firing pin, firing pin spring, firing pin block, extractor and so on) but once you’ve installed the relevant bits, you put the slide on the frame and you’re done.
You would think GLOCK could do us a solid and just sell you an MOS slide…but no dice.
Lastly, you can send your gun to a smith, who then machines the red dot cut into the slide.
From there, you pick a red dot optic (Trijicon RMR, Burris FastFire, etc.) and install it.
Another fun GLOCK 19 upgrade is that of conversion kits. Now, the 23 is actually a bit better in this regard as you can get a drop-in conversion barrel for 9mm and you can therefore shoot the smaller stuff when you want and go back to .40 S&W if you so chose. That said, the 19 can be converted to .22 LR.
A conversion slide, complete with barrel and all parts, can be dropped right onto the frame. All you need is a special magazine and presto! You can do a heck of a lot of shooting for dirt cheap. Advantage Arms is the most widespread maker of these.
Any other GLOCK upgrades you can think of for a GLOCK 19? Sound off in the comments!
With all those “upgrades”….what was the point of buying the Glock in the first place? You change out the: trigger, the sights, recoil spring, the slide release and then convert it to 22. This makes no sense.
Lol. Shoulda just bought a PPQ
yea right maybe they should buy all the parts from them and install would be better
As a multiple Glock ownerI agree. Especially if you start dorking around with a carry piece. I’d rather keep my carry piece (any carry piece) stock. Just my .02
I don’t think he’s implying that you need to do all of them. These are just some of the more common mods that people do. Jesus, get a clue.
First, I am not Jesus, but I appreciate your confusion, my son. Second, This is the PERFECT Glocktard article; buy a Glock (the perfect gun) then fix all of the things wrong with it to make it the perfect gun.
true guns today should be good from the start if there that many up grade then do it from the start
clearly you can’t be Jesus… you called Glock the perfect gun. it’s forgiven… to err is well… you.
I love all the talk bashing Glocks and Glock owners for buying a gun “that needs upgrades in the first place.” Have you seen all the aftermarket parts available for your precious 1911? Before you bash me, I have many of both types of guns. It’s fun to build them; that’s why we do it.
Making ‘Glock perfection’ more perfectified. While I’m not a big fan of the 1911, I agree, you could do worse, Glock is proof of that.
Because fuck you, that’s why.
My first and only glock brand glock is a bone stock 19 I got a few months ago. Thanks to a fed judge I had the chance to upgrade to standard cap mags and I took it.
The only other change I want to make will wait til I move to Utah. A threaded barrel and a can.
First and only upgrade you need to complete – leave the Glock at the store and purchase a CZ or 1911.
🙂
Funny, the Agency that issued me a Glock did not have a sense of humour as you were naturally endowed with.
They insisted it was Glock way or the
Highway, my choice, guess what I chose ?
First off, nothing made by human hands is perfect, and less Messr Gaston Glock.
However, people more knowledgeable than I from the Federal Bureau of Investigation
And N.Y.P.D. chose Glock, and I had a tiny say, less than 1% in the decision making process, suffices to say Glock passed every test including getting fastened to a buoy in Graves End Bay for a Month guarded by Harbor Patrol and it still shot.
Many were tested, few were chosen, and after the smoke cleared, Glock, the only yboy wearing a dress at the party won, and that surprised us all myself included wondering why I had voted GLOCK, making me also wonder what drugs had been added to the punch.
Is a 1911 superior to a Glock ?
A resounding YES !
Would I issue a 1911 to Police Officers under my command ?
A resounding NO !
Just does not work given the average Police Officer is not Audey Murphy that grew up around firearms.
The Rank & File law enforcement officer is not a firearms fan, and a Glock is just the ticket for anyone that does not spend much time in classes and on the Range.
Sights and a 25¢ trigger job is it for me.
To each his/her own though.
Just source a G 19,perhaps night sights and shoot the damn thing,problem solved.
A Men to that. They shoot fine for their intended purpose. They Work. They work over and over again. That’s called reliability. Any other problems are with you the shooter.
But I thought they were already perfection.
Very close to perfection. I’m a Glock armorer of 20 yrs. and never had an issue w any Glock. I have a gen 2 and 4 G19 and they both rock. My gen 2 has an extended mag release and night sights. All else is stock. Gen 4 is perfect the way it came.
Or, learn how a Glock pistol works, don’t “upgrade” anything internal, and get some training.
Aftermarket Glock triggers are overpriced and often have issues. Some have outright safety issues. Some have reliability issues.
An extended magazine release button can cause an accidental release of the magazine, because you engaged it while shooting. An extended slide stop lever can cause the slide accidentally to lock open on a non-empty magazine, because you engaged it while shooting. An extended slide lock is just irritating as your thumb touches it while shooting.
An aftermarket recoil spring assembly is the most idiotic “upgrade” ever. You do know that you are supposed to replace the recoil spring assembly every 5,000 rounds, right? That interval is shorter on 10mm Glocks.
To each his own. I have been carrying a G19 for 8 years. It has multiple upgrades include, a grip reduction, RMR milled in, suppressor night sights, Vickers extended slide stop, Vickers extended mag release, Silencerco threaded barrel, Zev Fulcrum duty trigger, Surefire X300U, Titanium guide rod (just because), flat recoil spring, etc. LOL. It a lot of stuff now that I write it out and I probably forgot something. That said, most of the enhancements have made it a better functioning tool for ME. As far as those who are quick to claim unreliability when you mess with Glock perfection, complete nonsense. This firearm has over 40K rounds down range, has endured rigorous defensive and tactical training classes, as well as shot USPSA with 100% reliability. Never even a hiccup. All I have ever done was replace all the springs from time to time as a preventative maintenance measure. Those who prefer stock, more power to you. I respect that. Your choices work for you, my choices are working well for me. There is no right and no wrong in this debate. I also have many other handguns, Sigs, HKs, Wilson Combat, Kahrs, CZ, Walther, S&W and have shot others that I don’t own. My G19 is my favorite and I am quite proficient with it.
FYI: I have used the Vickers extended stuff before. They will eject your magazine and will lock your slide open. I have experienced it personally in a training class. After that, I removed all that shit from my Glocks. As I said, train and practice with that gun and you will see what works and what doesn’t. There is a reason why the stock Glock doesn’t have that extended stuff. It is to make sure that you do not accidentally engage it. Use it at your own risk. It is OK for a safe queen though.
Charlie Foxtrot, a blanket statement of fact that Vicker’s extended controls will lock your slide back, etc. is completely false if you are ensuring that those things will happen to everyone. As I mentioned, I have 40K + rounds through my G19 and have taking it through many, many, extensive training classes and I have never had an issue. Many others use Vicker’s controls and have no issues. If everybody had your same experience, then Vicker’s controls would no longer be on the market, because no one would purchase them. It’s not the controls, it comes down to your hand size and how you grip the firearm. They don’t work for everyone, anymore than every firearm’s ergonomics work for every hand size and shape.
Many buy the Vickers (no apostrophe) Tactical extended controls and have no problems with them, because they never went to a single serious training class and they shoot at a square range. You can either learn from the experience from others, such as mine, or ignore it. Your choice!
And, no, this has zero to do with hand size. You say you have taken extensive training classes, then you also should know that you can never guarantee that you get a 100% perfect grip on that gun in all shooting positions with both hands or either hand. The Vickers Tactical extended controls don’t engage when I am shooting the gun with a perfect grip. One slightly incorrect grip and that magazine drops out of the gun or the slide will lock open, because the controls are simply too large.
I have about 40,000 rounds through my Glock 19 as well, 20,000 rounds through my Glock 26 and 20,000 rounds (mostly hot loads) through my Glock 20, if this is supposed to matter. The magazine dropped out of my Glock 19 and 20 while shooting with the Vickers Tactical extended magazine release, which actually can permanently damage the magazine when it is forced out while shooting with the magazine release pressed just enough to not fully hold it. The slide locked open with all three guns on a non-empty magazine with the Vickers Tactical extended slide stop lever. Again, you can either learn from the experience from others, such as mine, or ignore it. Your choice!
L.V. is the real deal, a true shootist. While his ideas and products are all good stuff and work just fine. I personally only replace the polymer sights with steel sights. I do have an L.V. Glock 34. It’s not a carry weapon for me, it’s a fun gun and I enjoy playing with it. If you find you have issues with it doesn’t carry it. It’s that simple. If a pare of shoes don’t fit don’t buy them no matter how cool they look. My 2 EDC weapons are a Gen 5 Glock 19 or a compact Sig 320 9mm. It’s nice to have a choice. Depends on what I feel like that day. Both are box stock. I shoot both just as well so there’s no difference in the 2 of them. Of all the 60+ handguns I’
own for the past 45 years these 2 are my working weapons. I fully enjoy all of my handguns. I could carry any of them if I wanted too but these 2 are what I use every day. My cellphone, a good folding knife and a pistol are the 3 basic items nobody should ever be without when out and about. My cellphone has a really bright light so on my own time I no longer carry a flashlight. Sence I don’t live in the Green zone or south central L.A. that’s all I really need to get me through my day/night.
Man, there are some arrogant pricks on these threads…!
And just how many heathens have all you missionaries converted? Every article on the internet concludes with the rantings of the educated about the plague we call Glock. With every breath it is denounced and yet it prevails yet another day. If you are happy with what you carry and shoot then go forth and be happy. With all your grumblings of how this or that is better you just make yourselves look discontented with what you have. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
ya just buy a frame and put what you want on it.
My Glock is stock and I like it that way.
I like stock Glock’s and I cannot lie?
And the other brothers can’t deny
My Glock don’t want none unless designed by Gas ton!
Why I thought that glock was the perfect gun. Seems not so much. Still feels like a sharp edged brick to my hand. And, no, I’m not green with envy. My Sig is the better firearm. Or even a stock 1911. But fan boys will be fan boys.
Especially the Sig and 1911 fan boys. 🙂
*mic drop*
Well played, sir.
That ¿joke? about the 1911 is really getting old and it was always rather pedestrian. According to a documentary I watched a few nights past, even John Moses Browning didn’t consider the 1911 his best handgun design. Some people these days just can’t keep up.
Best enhancement to Glock is an M&P M2
My Gen 2 Glock 19 that I bought in the early 90s is unmodified since leaving the factory other than a Grip Force adapter. For me it is perfect that way and no other striker fired pistol has tempted me to replace it but glad there are options for those who wish to do some mods as long as safety of the pistol is maintained.
Hi. I know this thread is a bit old but…. I have a new to me gen2 G19. I know that Glock has free safety upgrades to this gun due to a drop hazard. Not sure if I want them to mess with my gun. Initially it seems like a good idea but will it be as good.
Necroing this (15 months late) but … if your Gen2 has the ‘black’ parts they’re still under a recall. ->> Keep the old parts <<- as some people consider them collectable … but new factory parts will be a boon. 30 year old 19.2, behaves like brand new.
I change the trigger from the grooved to the OEM smooth from the 17. Glock extended mag release and extended slide lock. It is barely 20 bucks in parts.
An extended magazine release button can cause an accidental release of the magazine, because you engaged it while shooting. An extended slide stop lever can cause the slide accidentally to lock open on a non-empty magazine, because you engaged it while shooting. I have experienced it personally in a training class. After that, I removed all that shit from my Glocks.
Do you mean to imply, Sir, that Glock put a SMALL magazine-release button on the gun to maybe prevent inadvertent magazine releases in combat, as the gun was intended as a ‘combat’ pistol? Are you heretically saying, here in front of God and everybody, that Glock fits a SMALL slide stop lever head because it makes it difficult to accidentally lock the slide open with your big fat thumb before the magazine is empty? Are you enough of a Philistine to claim that that thing they call the ‘slide stop lever’ is NOT intended for use as a ‘slide release,’ but that the idea is to pull the slide back just a tad when chambering a round after running the gun empty and locking the slide back, and that using the tiny little ‘slide stop’ as a ‘slide release’ is just being lazy?
Egad!
Can it cause possible inadvertent action, yes. It is more ergonomic for me because of tendonitis in both hands a wrists. You can profile down the extended mag release to soften the edges and height if that is an issue.
My first Glock replacement is inevitably the sights. Not that they are plastic, but rather that the basket in the back is big enough to handle several front sights at the same time. Never could understand how anyone could accurately shoot Glocks with those sights. My view is that when I am shooting fast and close, I am not using the sights anyway, and when I am shooting from a longer distance, it is hard to center the front sight with that huge basket that you are supposed to put the ball in the center of. So, I put nice night sights on all of my Glocks. Next is a replacement spring. Also, colored magazine bottoms so that I can easily tell them apart. Luckily we don’t live that far from the Lone Wolf facility in N ID, and they have everything that you could possibly want for a Glock, going so far as to sell a 100% non-Glock Glock.
If it ain’t made in Glockistan how can it be a Glock?
“The best type of GLOCK 19 upgrades, of course, is to sell your GLOCK and buy a 1911.”
No thanks, I think I’d rather just lie around in the streets of San Francisco and let homeless druggies crap all over me rather than buy a 1911.
What if I gave you a 1911? Would you have to throw yourself off a cliff? Use a gutter in Seattle instead?
Not a single aftermarket upgrade you mentioned will improve the stock pistols performance. The money you spent could have been used for ammo to improve your shooting proficiency. Glock makes a fine pistol.
I promise you: any self-defense job that needs doing a stock Glock 19 will do, unfailingly. In the hands of a trained shooter, sighted fire and a $200 dollar trigger won’t even figure into the equation. In the hands of an untrained shooter, sighted fire and a $200 dollar trigger won’t matter, unless, of course, the gun goes bang when all you meant to do was take up slack. Spend your money on ammo and shoot, shoot, shoot.
Trying to sell a Glock 19 Gen 4. Want a Sphinx SDP. No upgrades needed. I believe the Glock is the best pistol ever issued. Yep. It is not made to punch holes in paper. Stop whining. It is made to kill people. Anywhere, any time, every time. If you need a good pistol and intend to treat it like a shovel or a hoe, fine, get one. It will never let you down.
Glock is PERFECTION.
Just look at all the aftermarket parts including frames and slides and everything.
You can make a Glock any way and spend about as much as you like.
Grips. I got the stick-on talon grips and it feels perfect. Of course you can do stippling or a sleeve or a cut piece of tire tube, but if it doesn’t feel good it’s not gonna feel good to shoot. And if your hands get sweaty it can be downright dangerous. I didn’t like feel of the stock grip so $20 changed that. Easy as can be. “Perfection” is subjective. Shoot what you like. If you don’t like it, change it. If you can’t change it get something else.
You clearly need more training and practice with your Talon grips, because they will start moving with heat, moisture and enough shooting. Yes, they are “downright dangerous” when your hands get sweaty.
Then you didn’t install the correctly
Or, maybe I just used them in adverse conditions that proved that they are junk. Those that train and practice with their gear know what works and what doesn’t. It’s your choice. I certainly made mine.
Then you didn’t install them correctly
Night sights and quality training!
I have an original Glock 19. The only thing I changed was replaced the original recoil spring assembly with the one that was a single unit. I added a rubber grip for comfort. I tried the 2 round extinction but was not satisfied. I also added the plug for the open area at the but of the grip. It shoots. That’s all I ask.
How many rounds have you shot through it? The Glock recoil spring assembly should be replaced every 5,000 rounds.
Rubber sleeves are dangerous as they tend to walk over time over the magazine release. Talon grips move and peel off in heat and humidity.
Only upgrade I made was the sights. I put Meprolight on mine. With practice I shoot pretty good. At self defense ranges I think it does fine. The trigger is a bit crunchy. I think I’d upgrade that, get a new spring and guide rod with a laser, but that would probably be it. I think the Glock is a great gun and extremely reliable. I shot over 1,000 rounds, one issue, but that was me limp wristing firing with one hand.
It seems funny and hypocritical of 1911 guys to mock how a 2019 Glock looks just like a 1986 Glock. Not much difference in what a 1911 looked like in 1911 either huh?
Jack up everything else and keep just the glock magazine. The ungainly polymer hi-point. Built on consumer subsidized police sales. Glock. Biggest, dumbest safety in the world, a fat holster.
Love the magazine design though.
Want the best sights? Hienie Straight 8. Even a layman with a few tools can install them on a Glock. A little machine work required on others. Pro-Slant for deep concealment.
What Glock sights require machine work?
Things like a RMR…
All seem like really compelling upgrades, but there is one critical upgrade I don’t see mentioned. A laser sight. A red laser sight makes a huge difference in low light conditions, and a green laser sight is visible in almost all daylight conditions as the human eye resonse for a 5mw green laser is about 10 times better than a 650nm 5mw red laser. It makes aiming so much easier – especially in high stress conditions when you want to focus on the target – not the sights or which eye your using.
All I ever did was replace the factory slide lock with an extended one and called it good, with my callous fingers I can’t tell if I’m even touching the factory one or not.
I bought a Toyota Corolla because I wanted basic, reliable, low-cost transportation. It was perfect.
Then I replaced the radio, upgraded the brakes, put in Recaro seats, installed a high-flow air-cleaner, put on big, fat high-performance tires and a Tokyo Tune stainless-steel muffler, added three-blade wipers, put in LED headlamps, had it repainted, had curb-feelers placed on every corner, and now there’s a raccoon tail on the antenna that I had to install as the original wasn’t long enough.
I now have a Toyota Corolla that doesn’t go any faster, stop appreciably faster, feel more comfortable, steer more accurately, or anything else substantially better than it did when it was stock, but I feel a whole lot better about it, and the stereo is really cool.
I’m now thinking about upgrading my toaster.
This is the best combat hand gun available when you consider the amount of firepower it can carry while weighing only 30 ounces fully loaded. Give me this pistol any day over a heavy 1911… I can shoot more and travel faster with the G19… not to mention I can field strip and clean it in less that 5 minutes. Then you can give me a few 33 round magazines and I’m just as lethal as someone carrying a rifle for CQB.
If you actually think any handgun is more leatheal than a rifle or shotgun in any type of fight you watch to much T.V. Even SBR, SBS, SMG’s are to heavy and bulky to carry around during our day to day. Just like being up on the line during war time, your weapon is a pain in the aas. It’s an appendage that you have to have strapped too you 24/7. You constantly have to keep it clean and ready to use. It catches and bumps on everything. It does absolutely nothing for you until you actually have contact with the enemy, then you hold onto it for dear life because it’s the only thing between you and the all mighty. A handgun is a lot easier to carry around all day but no ware as effective as a rifle/shotgun/ smg. There is that old saying “A pistol is what you use to fight your way to a long gun”
Case of ammo is the best trigger upgrade.
None of that stuff is the least bit necessary. Glock pistols work just fine as they come out of the box. Steel sights are more durable than the polymer sights, and can be had when you buy it or changed out. Better to use the money for ammo. Some people get the idea in thire head that their very survival depends on $200 bucks worth of after market parts. Non sence. There are many more choices around today then when I was a young man. Back in the 70’s it was actually nessary to make some basic modifications to even the best of them new out of the box. Colt 1911, Browning Hi Power, S&W 39/59 were the top pistols on the market back in the day. 1 in 3 would work perfectly out of the box. The other 2 needed at least a 300 round break in and or some tweaking. Even S&W, Colt and Ruger revolvers had thire share of duds.That’s how far manufacturing has advanced today.
It’s like having a
muscle carVW bug back in….can modify them and upgrade them in so many wayFixed it. muscle car my ass
An adult male that wears a bike helmet is a candidate for a Gluck.
http://www.thedailyrash.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/600b09201e1.jpg
Glock pistols are in use all over the world today. This speaks for itself. No idiot remarks will change that.
This must be one of the silliest comments I have seen on a gun forum
So, you buy an already overpriced Glock, chuck the sights and trigger adding $200 to the price. There are a lot of nicer guns you could get for that extra $200, but people always forget about what they spend on upgrades.
Glock perfection? The grip is not good – not just the angle but the shape is poor. Reliability? I have a Glock21 SF and it has feeding problems frequently, the only pistol I have a problem with. Maybe it’s the incredibly stiff mag springs in the 10 round mags. You can barely top them off with a mag loader. I read that the standard capacity 13 round mags don’t have that problem. WTF?
I’ve never understood the burning desire of some gunnies to “upgrade” Glocks. Some of the stuff I’ve been asked to do:
– mill slots into the slide (and then sometimes drill holes into the barrel under these)
– fiddle with the trigger (not replace the trigger – fiddle with the existing trigger)
– stipple the grip (I could have more fun picking up cow pies with a trowel)
– change the chamber in a Glock barrel (no, just no – go buy a new barrel)
I’ve refused most of these sorts of jobs, recommending instead that the owner go buy a pistol (or revolver) that they like better than a Glock.
Folks, there’s is nothing in law, convention, treaty or policy that says “you have to own a Glock” any more than there is some policy or received bit of wisdom that “you have to own a Trabant” to appreciate “Teutonic engineering.”
They’re both cheaply made products with the slavish German devotion to using the power and imprimatur of government (police departments, LEO’s and the Feds for Glocks, and the DDR’s government for the Trabant) as a marketing device.
Want a better handgun? Then go buy a better handgun. If you use a criterion other than price to choose your handgun(s), there are plenty of them available in the market. Government agencies use lowest bidders, so that’s how they end up with Glocks. Why people have such a slavish devotion to the cheapest product in a product space is beyond me. This Glock fanboi stuff is exactly like listening to people rave about yet another bit of low-price Teutonic marketing, the VW Beetle. Anyone who has worked on cars knows a VW ain’t like a Benz, ain’t never gonna be like a Benz, and anyone who thinks that the rep Benz has gained over the decades applies, in any way to VW, is nuts.
Do the Germans and Austrians produce some quality products? Of course they do. But they very cleverly use the reputation they’ve gained at the high end of markets to sell their POS crap in low-end markets. Mercedes -> VW. Walther/Mauser/etc -> Glock. Don’t fall for this.
One cannot argue the fact that Glocks work, bottom line. Some Lawenforcement agencies have a limited budget that everything from boot polish to vehicles has to come out of. They can equip 3 people with a Glock for every 2 they can with a lot of other weapons. One factor that they look to is what do the bigger agencies ( LAPD, CPD, NYPD.) for example, that have the budget to do a years worth of testing and budget to choose what they want. They figure if the big kids use it It’s good enough for us. Private citizens do the same. Criminals tend to use this same logic. If the cops use it, they will too. Contrary to what many people believe, the Government (military) has no budget restrictions. They can spend our money on what ever they want and as much of it as they want. The off the shelf acquisition policy that’s been standard for special warfare groups is a good example of this. Government’s waste our money like it’s free. They are penny wise and pound foolish. Marketing is one of the many things Glock & Sig do very well. Their weapons work bottom line. Like anything produced ever there is a 2% failure rate. Nothing can fix this. During the 70’s I purchased several new Colt Government model pistols. None of them would get through the first magazine without a stoppage until they got through the first 200 rounds. I still own them, they worked out the hick ups some needed a little tweeking but they were are top shelf. The Colt and Remington Rand 1943 pistols I got that were brand new still in the wax paper worked first time and still do. A cheep magazine is the only reason they will stop shooting. That’s how the standard advice came to be about how many rounds are needed for a break in before you trust your life with it came to be. Of the dozen Glocks I own, one full magazine is enough to convince me out of the box. I’ve carried the Glock as a cop a high risk, high pay contractor for most of the time they’ve been available, no complaints. Of all the handguns I own a Glock gen 5 19 that I’ve put 100 rounds through is my EDC. I’ve been playing around with the Sig 320 lately as well just for a choice now and then. Just because they can out market most of the compition don’t make them second shelf. Germans are famous for this as well. Post WW2 the Japanese learned this too. They make some of the best cameras on the market now.Glock pistols like the 1911, AR15 can be put together any way your hart desires, that’s a big part of the attraction. None of the modifications have to be done to make them actually work. Firearms are like shoes if they don’t fit there not for you. That’s why they come in different sizes and styles. Unlike shoes you really can’t live on the difference between any of them. Gun people tend to be snobs. If they don’t like it or can’t shoot it, It’s junk.
“One cannot argue the fact that Glocks work, bottom line.”
We could say the same of Hi Points, too.
I’ve seen most Hi Points don’t work. The price is why they sell. The Glock is in the same price range as all the rest. Glocks, AK47, Toothbrush and a good knife and rock all work 99.9% of the time. That’s just a fact of life. If a Glock doesn’t work for you go-ahead and by that waste of material Hi Point or one of the many other well made pistols available today. I wouldn’t except any KIA car as a gift, but they work most of the time. It’s also a fact of life that there is a 2% failure rate in any manufacture product and devices. Sometimes you get a turd. Simplel solution, fix it or return it and get another one.Those remind me of the Raven and Jennings pistols I saw a lot of the time in LAPD’s South central and Rampart divisions when I was a driving a black&white in those days of my career. They were cheap and as common as a turd. They would fire most of the time until they broke. They were the most common weapon of choice for a chunky or wanna be gangsta. Real gang bangers and mid level dealers could afford a well made piece that what bang every time. Bottom line is a Glock works, what else do you think you need from a weapon?
As a person not required or forced to choose any particular pistol type, brand or caliber, I have to base my opinions or possible choices on what I read or am told by others. Logic suggests that historical events and compiled, collected data from various agencies, individuals, and organizations would help provide relevant information that would prove and support which firearms are reliable, ergonomic, durable and so on.
Problem is that in regards to choices made by buyers for the military and government agencies, it is true that testing is often required and it is also true that politics and personal feelings can result in either good or stupid decisions. Price is also a factor.
For the everyday buyer or individual looking to purchase and use a pistol, the most relevant and trustworthy voice is really your own. You have to trust your research and what others have documented and said or written about the performance of any handgun. The way it feels and what style , shape, caliber, etc., works for you is the only thing you can really verify or trust. Seems to me that to make a choice and then modify your chosen pistol only complicates matters. And I am referring to internal mods, not sights or a little cosmetic recoloring or light polishing of components. For me, and those of us who are not able or interested in spending more and more on anything, it makes more sense to choose from the hundreds of off the shelf guns for what fits and not get into a life long project piece and have to retrain with it after every change.
I like Glocks and 1911’s. I love my Taurus 99. Kimber makes beautiful pistols, but there are cheaper models that are sound working pieces. This doesn’t detract from the pricier pistols, but some of us need a cheaper product that provides good value. And if I spend for “higher” quality then it should damn well work as well of better than the budget models, right out of the box. Why pay to “make it work”.
Don’t mess with Perfection.
WTF. A Glock works…. Unless you have to carry what’s issued on the job then don’t buy one. One of the cool things about the Glock is it’s like the 1911, AR15. You can build it any way you like it. Just like a sandwich, mulligans stue, hot fudge Sunday. How is that a problem? The only thing I change out on my edc Glocks is steel sights and flat spring steel guide rod. Not really nessisaery but that’s how I like it. The steel site’s aren’t likely to break when you knock them on the computer or door frame of your black&white rolling office, or roling around on the side walk of a cop fighter. The steel guide rod gives me better balance. Like the underwear and shoes I pick it works for me. I know why the Glock is made the way it is, but like I said you have the options that you don’t have with 95% of the rest of them. They fit my hand as do the S&W K frame revolver, 1911A1, S&W 39&59 and Browning Hi Power. I own and have carried all of these fine weapons all of my adult life. I took to the Glock like a duck to water. To sum up, don’t like one don’t buy one. Stop flushing that toilet under your nose, bad mouthing a weapon you can’t shoot well or like. You sound like an idiot pontificating on something you actually know nothing about. If your so brilliant than design and build something better. If you work for an agency that makes you carry it, think about finding a new job that issues something you can live with. Unless what ever weapon & ammunition has a significant failure rate do your 25 take your 40% and get on with your life. That’s what I did.
Debates about Glocks are like the age old debates about .45 v .9mm v .357, aimed or point shooting. The reality is they all work and you couldn’t live on the difference between any of them. As a 33 year veteran cop, in the street the most common handgun injuries and deaths are caused by .22LR, .25 ACP .32 ACP .38 SPL with some .9mm thrown in. That’s because these are the weapons of choice by the people doing the shooting. When you’re shot you’re shot. What the bullet(s) hit are what does the damage and what if any medical care if any you received. Reality is far different than TV, Video games and debate on these gun forum’s. Bottom line, if you have the choice and it’s not for you don’t buy one. The other reality is Glocks work, that’s why there in such common use all over the world. What arguments can you make about that and not look like a fool ? The most common complaints if heard about the LVT guns are about the slide stop and magazine release button. No real issue. If these keep happening to you don’t have these two features on you’re weapon. Be careful who you take seriously about shooting for blood. It ain’t anything like IDPA, PPC IPSC or any other of the cool shooting games you can shoot. If you ever have to fight another man for you’re life you’ll understand what I’m saying. I attended many of these high speed shooting training outfits just for fun. If the trainer has never been on a two way range he/she has no clue. Thire trying to teach you something they have never done. As fun as the classes are, you could get the same thing out of a book or YouTube and save yourself $1000+. Choose you teachers carefully. Do you’re home work. Verifying thire resume is important. In a close combat deep shit situation it behooves one to keep their wits about them and fall back on their training. Real instructors all say the something grasshopper. You won’t rise to the top of you’re ability, you fall to the bottom of you’re skills. You will always fight the way you train if you train. If you don’t train you have reduced you likelihood of survival to a very low order of probability. I shit you not.
Jack, I have 27 years of similar experience as you in which alot of it I carried a G17 as a sidearm and the M16/AR15 series as a primary. I have no clue how many hours of training or how much ammunition I have fired in my life and do thank the tax payers for that. I have been trained on every Military firearm used in the World today, I’m also an Armorer on those weapons.
I will always choose a Glock and an AR15 as my weapons just given the fact of how much time I have spent with them. There’s alot of people who make comments who haven’t had to sleep w/ a firearm most of their adult lives, let alone ever had to deploy one. Let them talk because you could never convince them and who really cares anyway?
Glocks run, they’re easy to work on and modify to your style. I’m no longer restricted by Government policy on what modifications I can do to a firearm I choose to use for SD. I have enough experience to know that making something that protects your life .02% better is worth it. Better can mean many things, comfort being one of them and I have always modified my personal gear for that.
Have a good one and let the haters hate, they don’t know any better.
The Glock pistols out of the box are good to go. They work, thire easy too shoot, easy to carry and will put a bullet(s) into anything you point them at. What more do you think you need from it? That being said, like the 1911, there are all kinds of cool parts that you can swap out too make your weapon more perfect in your mind. I like both the Glock and 1911 pistols. I have a couple of tricked out for compition ( Gaming ) because I enjoy them.Gaming isn’t fighting. Both of my carry pistols are stock out of the box. Having had to fire both in situations that went sideways they both ran just fine, and I’m obviously still around. Pick what you like and do with it that’s going to make you sleep better, but remember it won’t actually make a better weapon than the one you took out of the box. The Glock has moved into the place the 1911 and Hi Power occupied for the past 100 years.
A lot of great comments here about a good topic. Shows a bunch of us know what we know. My opinion is we all have a bunch of truly good weapons too choose from. When I first had too start carrying a hand gun for a living all we had too choose from were S&W and Colt revolvers that were standard police issue. Great weapons even today. The pistol started to replace the revolver in the late 80’s as duty weapons. Plain clothes, SWAT and off duty and civilian carry pistols were Colt 1911’s in one form, caliber or another S&W 39 &59, Browning HI Powers were about it. I carry a Gen 5 19 as my EDC. I own just about everything that shoots, but that’s what I carry. I put in a stainless steel guid rod and steel factor sights. That does it for me.
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