Ron Grobman of Tactical Fitness writes:
I’m always surprised by the number of gun owners who don’t have the slightest idea how to take apart their gun. It’s an essential skill; critical for proper cleaning, maintenance and inspection for wear and tear. That’s why I teach new students how to field strip their handgun before we fire a single round. It’s also one of the main reasons I use GLOCKs for beginning shooters.
You may know this already, but all you have to do to field strip a GLOCK is check that the weapon’s unloaded, press the trigger, pull the slide slightly back, pull down on the takedown levers and push the slide forward. You then remove the slide, spring assembly and barrel. While a GLOCK pistol consists of 34 parts, new students handle just four of them. Not a unique feature, but important nonetheless.
For teaching new students, what GLOCKs don’t have is equally important: an external safety, de-cocker or large takedown levers. These are mechanical devices that can confuse a beginner. And what GLOCKs do have is a good trigger.
I know: GLOCK triggers aren’t as crisp and clean as many of their competitors’ guns (e.g., FNS-9 and Walther PPQ). But GLOCK triggers perform reliably, offering new shooters a well-judged 5.5lbs. of pull and a highly tactile reset.
I consider the GLOCK 19 the best starter gun for new shooters. In addition to the advantages above, the brand has the largest aftermarket parts selection available. My students can easily find new sights, mag release extension, magazines, and holsters at affordable prices, just about anywhere they go. But the main reason remains their simplicity. For clarity of instruction, GLOCKs are perfection.
Yes
The army thinks otherwise.
The Army treats weapons in ways that most user do not.
Heck, the Army treats weapons in ways you wouldn’t treat your worst enemy.
That said, the Sig 320 is not a bad starter weapon either.
Tell that to MARSOC, Delta, SEALS, ect…….they seem to be happy with their 19s/23s
I was a contractor for the US army for several years. It comes down to the contract and dollars. Sigs are great weapons. But my gut (based on my experience) tells me their bid was just a bit lower then Glock’s.
Reports state $200 per unit. They beat Glock at their own game.
There are a lot of good options in the same price point, size, same reliability, and feature set.
So I don’t agree. This isn’t like the old days when the only quality option in the striker market was Glock.
Sure, he has a point.
But Glock is naturally the first to get recommended.
And why not? It is ubiquitous and popular.
Doesn’t mean it’s a good choice.
Doesn’t mean it’s bad. Sometimes it’s okay to go with the “popular” choice. I am not a fanboy of any firearms(except pre 1930 designed revolvers in small calibers, yes I know I am weird) but as the writer points out if you add together reliabilty, availability, customizability, ease of use and accuracy it’s hard to beat glock
Doesn’t make it a bad choice either. Depends on the new shooter and what they want it for. This is why I tell the people that come to me (the campus gun nut) for info that opinions (especially mine) are like assholes. Everyone has one.
Glock has been and remains the most size/weight efficient pistol on the market. Until a company comes out with something the same size/weight or smaller/lighter while packing the same amount of firepower or better, I’ll stick with Glocks.
Does every person who lauds the lack of a safety on their pistol simply never engage it on their rifle?
Apparently, there are some gun owners (and probably more trainers) for whom any extra moving part leads to a great and certain confusion.
I actually like the lack of a safety on the Glock pistols and I don’t like carrying other guns with the safety engaged. This applies to pistols only.
Carrying a rifle loaded and with the safety off is dumb and asking for trouble. Rifles are a completely different animal for a number of reasons the most notable being that when on your person they don’t reside in a holster.
Do you find that you forget to take the safety off your AR when you intend to fire?
No, but I fail to see the relevance of the question. In fact I would say it’s a non sequitur.
Actually I have seen people fail to disengage the safety all the time. its a muscle memory drill that even experienced people mess up.
“No, but I fail to see the relevance of the question.”
My point, and the relevance of the question, is that people don’t think a pistol needs to have one because “in the heat of the moment you will forget it”, and yet those same people don’t seem to have a problem drilling to switch the safety off on their AR.
But some people do. Those people haven’t drilled their weapon system enough.
A rifle or shotgun carried in a holster wouldn’t need a manual safety. The holster serves that purpose.
Great minds. ..
When I find a holster that covers the trigger of my rifle, I’ll stop using the safety.
I just want to be clear, the second you take it out of the case, load it, and put it in your hands, you put the weapon on fire?
And let me be clear. My AR15 is beside my bed, full mag, loaded chamber, safety on.
When needed, I grab said rifle, enter sling, grab grip and disengage safety.
Can you do the same safety manipulation with a handgun? Sure. But there is no need with a holstered handgun. It’s not good to schlep around or fumble in the dark with a long gun loaded without a safety. But handguns are a different animal. They fit in holsters or have a heavy DA pull.
Glocks are not fully cocked when loaded.
Many rifles are fully cocked when loaded.
I am sure that you understand why a safety would be prudent on a fully cocked firearm but redundant on one that it not fully cocked.
This is very true
Cocked or uncocked doesn’t matter at all. Weight and travel distance of the trigger do.
Why do people criticize the lack of an external safety on the Glock? It’s exceedingly rare to find one on a revolver, yet revolvers are not considered inherently dangerous because of that.
Pretty much. The way I trained on the C-7 we really did use the safety much. It’s just not part of my regimen.
I have no thumb safety on my M&P edc, but I utilize the safety on all of my hunting firearms. But I train/practice differently with each, so the muscle memory and action (and overall behavior, really) are completely different. Different tools for different jobs.
Pfah.
I can field strip a 1911 without any tools as well.
The difference is, I can detail strip a 1911 (per the original plans) down to nothing with no tools either.
Including the mainspring housing? Not sure how I would do that without a punch or two.
Yes. Complete disassembly including the mainspring housing. The 1911 is its own toolbox.
That’s why you pull the firing pin from the slide as step, oh, three. You need a punch, and John Moses included one for you, right there in the firing pin hole.
You need a small screwdriver to pull the magazine release with the screw-looking head on the pin on the right side of the grip, yes? Well, John Moses included a screwdriver for that too – in the sear spring.
You need a screwdriver to pull the grip screws. The original screws had slots wide enough to accept the rim of the .45 ACP case.
As JWT just said, the 1911 is its own toolbox. The man tells no lies.
So were some other guns of the era – eg, the Mauser 98K.
With the Glock, I need to obtain a 3/32nds punch somewhere as if by magic to pull the pins and the sleeve for the striker so I can open up the back end of the slide. The Glock is a “low-tool” gun design, but not a “no tool” design, as the 1911 is. A “high tool” design is, oh, the M-9 or Beretta 92. I need all manner of metric pin punches, crochet hooks and other tools to take it apart and get it back together.
The best pistol for any shooter is the one that fits their hand best and that they can shoot best–this all assumes that the gun is 100% reliable. These days there are lots of options that offer the same reliability as Glock.
I am one who finds the Glock grip’s shape and size to be a hinderance.
See, that’s it right there.
Glocks don’t fit me well either. Nor do they fit many of my customers. I have no problem taking one out of the case to show to anyone but you can bet it will be followed closely by a Springfield, Smith&Wesson M&P, Ruger SR9 or 9E, Remington R9, Sig Sauer p320 or any other striker- fired plastic fantastic just to find the one she can handle best.
GLOCK IS NOT THE FINAL WORD IN COMBAT HANDGUNS.
“GLOCK IS NOT THE FINAL WORD IN COMBAT HANDGUNS.” Damn right it isn’t. Don’t care for them even a little. I find it a totally overrated product that is far surpassed by other brands.
I think you’re reading to deep. I don’t think the point of the article is to say the Glock is the best pistol for a beginner. The writer was expressing his opinion on what he thinks the best pistol to train a beginner on is. I don’t think he is saying this is the pistol the beginner will settle on as their firearm. I am fairly new to shooting, however my choice of a 9mm is a Glock 19. However one day I may try out another pistol that I just think feels better. Clearly no one can predict that. I am also willing to be everyone posting bought a gun (or multiple) that they realized later wasn’t the best choice for them even though they wanted it to be.
So I think this guy is just pointing out that the simplicity of the Glock allows the beginner to focus more on the basics of proper grip, trigger pull, recoil management, etc.
I’ve always agreed with this assessment, and I’ll continue to maintain this assessment.
We all know that proficiency with a handgun is a physical skill that requires practice, practice and more practice to become proficient.
People who own guns that don’t fit them, that hurt their hands, or require ergonomic discomfort on the part of the user, will typically not practice with them, so they won’t become proficient.
Agreed. Also, they will not progress as fast with a gun that does not fit well, compared to a gun that fits their hand properly.
I have a simple test to help pick a gun: Fill a magazine and shoot as fast as you can pull the trigger and get the muzzle back down at a target 15 feet away. The gun that groups smaller fits your hand better.
I tried this with a Glock 19 and an XD9. I shot 12″ with the Glock and 8″ with the XD.
Exactly so.
I do something similar with people (esp. women) who buy revolvers in order to diagnose issues with grip sizes. The size of grips and how they fill your hand on revolvers can (and does in many people) changes point of impact, esp. when firing in DA mode.
I don’t think this will be effective for someone just starting out as they have no idea of the basics yet. The article is referring to teaching beginners.
When it comes to safeties on my rifles or shotguns, I do use them……when I remember to use them. If I forget, who cares? Gun safety is between my ears, not a feature of my gun.
Is pulling the trigger to take down your weapon an ideal practice for novices?
Sig 320 maybe. No fancy internal levers or trigger pulls to take take down your handgun. No decockers or safeties either. An easy to use take down lever that stays put. Costs the same or less with a pic rail.
19s are great starter pistols. There are some other good ones out there and everyone doesn’t have the same needs or wants. But the 19 ranks high.
Frankly, I prize the lack of a safety. In the old days, I was taught to never trust one. It’s not just me. I know bullseye shooters who cannot recall the last time they used their thumb safety. I also know ones whose fathers had their grip safeties pinned off. And, revolvers don’t have one anyway. It’s better spending time getting beginners to keep their finger off the trigger until it’s time than to do a chapter and verse on safeties, when to engage/ disengage, etc.
Generally perhaps they’re a good intro pistol for a lot of, and maybe even most, people. However, I question the wisdom of shoehorning people into a specific platform while claiming it to be “the best”.
For some people it won’t be the best and might even be far from the best.
Reasons why it’s not ideal for beginners include:
* non-standard grip angle
* takedown requires trigger pull
* slide lock/release is quirky
* grips can’t be changed
* sights are dreadful
Glock might be the worst choice of them all from major brands actually.
so many other plastic guns for those who want striker-fire pistols.
I agree
Initially gripping a Glock, and I’m pointed at the ceiling.
And what’s with the trigger ?
Glad I read down before posting since you posted exactly what I would have.
If you were to blindfold an experience shooter and hand him a Glock and virtually every other striker fired polymer pistol 9-10 of the experienced shooter would pick the non-Glock. Glock has very poor ergonomics. Glock fanboys even say this. As far as the ease of takedown a Beretta 92/M-9 is just as easy and you don’t have to pull the trigger.
Ever look at the grip angle on Olympic target pistols? Ever wonder why they are the way they are?
Because they are meant to be shot one handed, which changes your grip angle completely?
Or did you actually not know this?
The M1911 and the Luger were also developed for one handed shooting. In fact, Browning’s entry into the Army pistol competition had a very Tokarev-like grip angle. It too was developed for one handed shooting.
http://www.coltautos.com/images/1907_72a.jpg
All handguns are meant to be shot one handed.
“Glock might be the worst choice of them all from major brands actually.” Couldn’t agree more.
A semi-auto with no manual safety is the last gun I’d recommend.
There’s no difference between that and a double action revolver.
SIG P226
And I don’t have to shoot the wall to field strip it.
The SIG trigger actually has a wall also.
I bought a S&W SD9VE because I couldn’t bring myself to spend another $200 for a gun the same size, weight and looks (only better) than a Glock 19. It breaks down exactly like a Glock and a novice couldn’t tell them apart if they didn’t see the name. I figured a SD9VE and $200 of ammo to learn to shoot with was better.
When Lee Trevino was asked by a novice which clubs to buy, Trevino recommended the cheapest clubs available–and hit 600 balls a day.
My Tanfoglio is clear chamber, pull back slide about 1/4″ and push slide lever. No trigger to touch. Breaks into five parts.
I never use safety on rifle while hunting. Just chamber round then lift bolt. But everyone’s personal preference is different
One advantage of the army was you were taught to field strip and clean before we fired anything
No.
The best handgun for a new shooter is a Springfield XD in its various forms. The grip safety prevents the newbie from gripping it too low. I’ve watched more than one new shooter try unsuccessfully to fire their Springfield while gripping it wrong.
The Springfield XD variants, like most modern pistols, really aren’t difficult to field strip, either.
Before I bought my first gun, G19, I watched a couple videos on strip and clean. The day I bought it and was driving home with it, I field stripped it and reassembled it one handed while driving.
Even a cave man can do it.
Well that sounds like a totally safe and rational thing to do… trying to reassemble a firearm while driving down the highway.
Yeah that’s the best part. It’s so easy to break down and reassemble the Glock that not only can I do it one handed. I can do it without taking my eyes off the road.
Come on. There is no one best handgun. It’s all about what fits comfortably in a users hand, trigger pull, type of ammo, etc. As for yay or nay on manual safeties, same thing. It’s all about training. Train to flick down the safety on a 1911? Great, that’s what you’ll always do then. I find myself unconsciously doing that on Glocks. Don’t like a manual safety, great, train that way. As for arguments that a manual safety might be inadvertently left on in the heat of the moment, you can also argue that in the heat of the moment you can also forget to unholster your firearm, keep your finger off the trigger while unholstering, forget to pull the trigger when on target, forget where the target is, forget where your holster is when attempting to reholster, forget to take your finger off the trigger when attempting to reholster, etc. etc. etc. The way you ensure that you don’t forget is, of course, by training.
The people who fret that you are likely to not disengage the safety in the heat of the moment generally do not understand why the thumb safety on a 1911 is so big. You are supposed to ride the safety off when you draw. That is how the Army trained for it, I actually agree with the critics that those who think it is the last thing you do are very likely to forget to disengage the safety because at that point it isn’t a natural thing to do. And seeing that the pistol is a holster and has grip safety you can safely walk around with thumb safety disengaged if you feel it warranted.
I don’t think most people “fret”. They simply see it as an unnecessary step which makes the process more complicated and therefore introduces more chance for user error.
It’s also something worth noting that the designer of the 1911, John Moses Browning himself, didn’t originally include a manual safety and believed it to be redundant and useless given the 1911’s grip safety. The safety was added because the Army wouldn’t accept the pistol otherwise. JMB added it under protest.
It wasn’t the Ordinance Department that demanded the manual safety, it was the Cavalry Board. They felt that controlling a horse in one hand and holding a single action pistol in the other was unsafe. The Army cannot have seperate cavalry and infantry pistols; and imust have a common manual of arms. The Cavalry hand the more stringent requirement so “cocked and locked” became SOP. At the risk of inciting a certain individual there is actually no need to use the thumb safety on a holstered 1911. And there are many situations where I don’t.
Which makes me wonder what a 1911 without a thumb safety would feel like. Obviously, the XD has shown that people will buy a pistol with a grip safety only, but would customers go for the same concept in a hammer fired single action? Would people be comfortable carrying it?
It’s interesting to me that I’m not totally sure that I would be. I’m comfortable carrying my XDm, which is almost single action, since the trigger completes the last 10% of the cocking process, then trips the sear. It’s not that different from having a having a pistol with the hammer back, which the trigger allows to drop. Yet somehow, taking away the thumb safety from the 1911 seems to make it different from the XD-type, which just never had it.
Weird.
tdii:
Interesting extension of the history.
Personally, I don’t care how people choose to carry their handgun with/without a safety or with/without the safety engaged matters not to me. It’s all personal preference. Personally, I don’t carry with the safety engaged.
What bothers me are the “safety Nazis” who say that carrying without the safety is unsafe and everyone should carry the way they do, with the safety engaged and everyone should train, train, train that way.
fret sounds like the right word. it’s the “most people” that i find doubtful. it is a minority of individuals that fret about not disengaging a manual safety.
i don’t disagree with your assessment, but it is a minority (for now) opinion that is quickly replacing the old school.
i like my maual safety. it’s fun to exercise while dry firing.
19+11=1911. Simple as that.
Two “trainer” articles by two Glock fanbois in two days?!? Puleez!
1. Ease of break down. Really? I mean, really? On a Springfield XD, you just throw the lever onthe side, pull the trigger, and the slide comes off. This is even simpler that a Glock.
2. What trainer allows anyone to touch a gun i8f they haven’t fully explained the gun or, better yet, have their student read the owner’s manual? I have read the owner’s manual for every gun I have purchased except two, one because it was old and didn’t have one, and the other I built, so it didn’t have one either.
3. Lack of an external safety is a GOOD thing for a novice? Really? What is the first thing most novices will do when they pick up a gun? Put their finger on the trigger. Of course. so here is this trainer handing a noob a loaded firearm ready to fire, and the noob’s finger is on the trigger. Nice!
4. JMBrowning didn’t believe in manual safeties, but he did design a gun with a grip safety. A Springfield XD doesn’t have an manual safety, but it does have a grip safety. Who am I to argue with St. Browning?
5. Revolver’s don’t have external safeties–but they do have 10-12 lb double action triggers, whose weight reduces the risk of an unintentional discharge of the firearm. My Kahr doesn’t have an external safety either, but it does have a double action trigger.
6. The first centerfire handgun I ever shot was a Glock. I hated the way it shot, hated the grip, hated the way it looked. I bought a Springfield.
7. Conversely, I don’t think a .45 cal 1911 is a particularly good starter gun either, not only due to the need to understand recoil management to achieve accuracy, which is easier with 9 mm, and because of the difficulty–initially–of breaking one down, especially for many of the new, very tight tolerance 1911s where the take down pin doesn’t want to come out and due to the need for assistance in learning the technique for anyone unfamiliar with firearms–which is most new shooters.
With noobs, accidents are much more likely to happen. Why take the risk by handing them an accident waiting to happen?
(Not a Glock fanboi. Don’t own one, don’t expect I ever will.)
“so here is this trainer handing a noob a loaded firearm ready to fire, and the noob’s finger is on the trigger. Nice!”
Wut? Who the hell hands anyone, let alone a novice, a gun with one in the pipe?
The standard procedure is to remove the mag (if inserted), check the chamber, then hand the pistol over, usually with the slide locked to the rear while handing over the magazine separately.
People who have only shot polymer pistols think 45 ACP has a lot of recoil. Shot out of steel frame 1911 45 is probably more benign than many compact 9mm pistols. I agree that it today’s market the 1911 is probably not a good gun for first timers but second time out should be fine. I have introduced several new shooters to guns with a 1911 because it was all I had at the time. I am old enough that the first time you shot a pistol it was a 1911.
Don’t get me wrong, I love .45s. I just wouldn’t start a noobie on one. And most certainly not on anything other than a full size. A .45 is a pretty intimidating hunk of steel for first timers. The recoil on the compact 1911s is pretty “bright.” Add to that is that a 1911 is more complicated to tear down than the typical polymer wonder9. Which is why when my daughter wanted a .45, and was given her choice, I approved of and bought her an FNX–same basic manual of arms as any other polymer pistol, and easy to clean.
I can’t understand all the negativity about Glocks. Granted, I agree it’s not necessarily the “be-all-end-all” of handguns, but having owned a number of semi-autos, old and new, I have found that my gen 2 Model 19 is the most reliable of all of them. Never a hiccup, no matter what ammo I have put through it. Lack of a safety? Most revolvers don’t have a manual safety either (the one exception I own is my Heritage Rough Rider .22). My only gripe is it can’t be safely shot with cast lead bullets, and I have been tempted to buy an accessory barrel for that purpose (maybe even a threaded one, for in case the HPA gets passed!), though for reliability in a CCW gun I would stick to the factory barrel.
Apples & Oranges. Revolver triggers are totally different from striker fired pistols. I want safeties on striker guns but not on hammer fired guns (decockers on hammer semi autos though)
Well to a lot of us the problem isn’t the gun, it’s the fanaticism. Anymore it feels it’s like most gun review websites have a Glock so far up their own a*s that they taste Polymer 2 when they sneeze.
Yeah, the modern generations of Glock are reliable and lends itself well to CCW. That’s about it. But yet we’re still bombarded with constant propaganda about them like this garbage article we’re being shown here. Let alone this actual claims made here which tripe and rambling about how easy a Glock is to take down. Never mind that fact that I can pop my own Sig 2340 apart faster and easier than any person I’ve ever seen take their Glock apart.
“so here is this trainer handing a noob a loaded firearm ready to fire, and the noob’s finger is on the trigger. Nice!”
Wut? Who the hell hands anyone, let alone a novice, a gun with one in the pipe?
The standard procedure is to remove the mag (if inserted), check the chamber, then hand the pistol over, usually with the slide locked to the rear while handing over the magazine separately.
If simplicity and ease of maintenance are as big as this article makes it sound then (most) revolvers and (most) direct blow back pistols are easier (especially com-block ones).
Two words on this. “Glock Leg”.
End of story.
Add Glock hand, arm, privates, wall, neighbors house, friend, spouse, etc. I know it is negligent handling, but Glock seems to have the bases covered when it comes to unintended discharges. As far as I am concerned, Glock is a flawed design & the term ‘Glock Perfection’ is an oxymoron.
Quite a few striker-fired handguns are just as simple to shoot and field strip as a Glock. Some of them have better triggers. Their ergonomics may work better for some shooters. Glocks are fine if they are what works best for you. But it’s not written in stone that nothing else is as good or better.
One gun to rule them all-NO. Some folks will always want a safety. Some won’t. Simple as thst…
Beretta 92,,, no slide manipulation, no pulling triggers and nonesuch.
IMO the double stacking triggers on glocks promote shot flinching and poor grip management, is offset by reliability and relatively soft recoil.
“You may know this already, but all you have to do to field strip a GLOCK is check that the weapon’s unloaded, press the trigger…”
Yeah, that’s a bug, not a feature.
I started with a Glock 26. Not a perfect handgun but it checks the “good to very good” boxes, generally, and whether I’m shooting my 26, or 19, or 20, or 29, a Glock is a Glock is a Glock, which is something nice for new shooters.
And when you make the move to another type of platform, you recognize how good certain aspects of the other pistols are. I can shoot Glocks very competently, but I really enjoy shooting my XDM and LC9S Pro more comfortably and more accurately than any of my Glocks.
One word-Revolver
I second that. A duty sized .38/.357 is ideal for beginners in my humble opinion. I’ve take many people to the range for the first time and to a man (and woman) everyone has preferred the lowly revolver.
Why not let the noob try out several pistols and then buy the one that fits them and that they can shoot the best?
But no. Many trainers are godlings who know everything. Except, with some of them, the more experience they have, the bigger their egos and the less they understand. They’re like those college professors who become more and more arrogant as time goes by, until they completely lose touch with anything that really matters.
Am I the only person that takes mild umbrage with someone putting “fitness” in their company title and doesn’t outwardly appear all that fit? Tactical Skinny Guy would be a more appropros name.
Yes, next question
The glock is not the best. Nor is the Springfield, s&w, Walther etc.
The best one is the one that works for the shooter in their price range.
I tell everyone when you go to buy your first handgun, try out every single model. See which ones are comfortable. Which of those have the features you want. Then rent and shoot all the remaining ones. Then pick the winner.
As a rule I generally don’t recommend a 1911 to a newbie. Simply because they are more complex to take down for cleaning.
We’ll agree to disagree. If we are talking about a NEW shooter, *I* would feel safer if they had the *option* for a safety and/or decocker. A NEW shooter does not possess the number one safety for a Glock–trigger control. They don’t even have to use the manual safety or decocker, but at least they have the option.
For full disclosure I must say that I am not a striker-fired, polymer fan. I prefer a decocker myself. But I have no problem recommending guns to people that I personally would never use. I recommend the gun baed on *their* needs, not my personal likes and dislikes.
I would have a hard time recommending a firearm for a NEW shooter that has a light trigger pull and absolutely nothing impeding them from pulling that trigger.
If I were recommending a firearm to someone who had been shooting for at least a few years, sure, a Glock would be in the mix. A *NEW* shooter? Nope, I would not recommend it.
I was a new shooter in 2012. So was my wife. I started with the Glock 19 and her first gun was the Beretta Nano.
There are idiots and there are people with the ability to understand instructions.
An idiot with 30 years of firearms training is still an idiot. I trust any newbie with any gun as long as she’s not an idiot.
As a relatively new shooter, I tried a lot of rental guns before I purchased. The person who first trained me started me on a Glock 17, although he carried an S&W M&P. He said the G17 was the easiest for a newbie to learn. He was right. It was easy and I shot much better than I expected. Next I rented a Glock 19. Hated it. Couldn’t group at all. Tried a bunch of others. Liked Shield and XD9 as well as G17. Hated G19, full size M&P, and some sort of Sig 9mm. Purchased a Ruger SR9C. Prefer it with a grip sleeve. All about how each gun fits in the individual hand. I also have a Taurus 738 TCP which gives me really good groups out to 10 yards. Other people who have 1911’s and full size XD 45’s cringe at the idea of shooting the TCP, but I have smaller hands and with a Pearce mag extension I get a good 3 finger hold. All about how each gun fits in the hand. And I like having a safety on the Ruger with its light short trigger.
“Purchased a Ruger SR9c”
Ach, ye made me very proud, boyo!
Now go buy a GP100.
If anyone is too lazy, too uncoordinated, too clueless to learn to use a pistol with a manual safety, then they most likely shouldn’t have one. That’s my opinion. The “experts” can pound sand.
If you have functioning gray matter, a manual safety is redundant and unneeded.
Beginning to think this site is paid by clock, the best first timer hand gun should be a revolver, unless there’s going to be constant training other wise there’s going to be self shootings, 2nd choice should be da/sa no manual safety
It’s likley because glock fanboidom has recently reached its all time high. Carrying has surged in recent years, and glock has marketed effectively. So, now, you have all these glockheads who have to justify their glock ownership by despising every other gun in the world, meanwhile declaring glock the best weapon ever invented by humanity ever. We’ve seen this before, with ARs, AKs, and calibers, such as .45, and now 9mm. It will probably subside soon, especially since the army went a different route. But people have this inherent need to degrade the things others chose in order to justify their own things. And they attach themselves to these objects as a measure of their own self worth.
Sounds like you’re using the pistol that you’re most comfortable with…and that’s ok.
The Glock is an ok choice for lots of people. Kind of like a model 10 Smith was 40 years ago. It is a little thicker and folks with small hands do have some trouble with it.
I prefer the PPX for introducing newbs to shooting. Better trigger and a takedown lever instead of the frame slider on the Glock.
Revolvers are easier still since they gave no magazine or takedown at all. Once people understand the shooting process they are usually interested in looking at several handguns to find what they like.
If they are interested in a paricular model, safety levers, magazine releases and takedown levers are no big deal.
Trigger reach and hand fit seem to be much more important to people selecting a handgun. Weight comes next.
Glockatarians always seem to make the jump that the Glock is what they like best so it’s the best for everyone. Perfection Kool-Ade
“GLOCK 19: The Best Handgun for New Self-Defense Shooters?”
You can make a good argument that it is. You can also make an equally compelling argument that it isn’t. Ultimately, it is the wrong question.
What matters is the quality of instruction on the implement chosen.
Even more important than firearm handling and safety, however, are the legal and social aspects of carry and the concept of Use of Force.
Lhstr, I have 4 Glocks and 6 Rugers and M&P’s. The Ruger SS 45 I can disassemble it 100%, Glock too. Glock takes me less then ten seconds the Ruger takes me 5 minutes +- a couple minutes. I love all my weapons. Sometimes speed is needed I carry all of them and sometimes my 5.7. Now of course not all at one time. So in short be able to clean all of them and especially the one you carry. I mostly shoot with my Glock 26 and 19. Be safe out there.
Oh piss right off. Yeah great plan. Train new shooters on a gun that doesn’t shoot like any other very common firearm. That’s a great idea… if you’re trying to once again listen to people trying to sell you on Glocks as being magical plastic bricks of tactical fairy dust that makes them ‘Perfection’… just as soon as you refit the trigger or another half dozen other after market parts.
But hey, I guess has to keep the Glock parts market rolling alone somehow. Might as well start by training people only to be good at shooting your product.
And you know what… Honestly… What the HELL does it matter that a gun is easy to filed strip for a new shooter?? Do you take a new driver to the freakin’ auto shop first?
With all the glock articles recently I’m surprised we haven’t seen more asinine shit like, “should all guns be like glocks?” “Should even the mighty AR become more glock like?” “Should the navy replace all their remaining naval artillery with glocks?” And, “Since glocks are so perfect, should we ban all other guns and only have glocks?”
Some of us prefer either the complete safety & simplicity of revolvers like the many S&Ws (mine’s a 642), or their equivalent in semi-autos. For the latter, that means hammer fired pistols with no safety (simply because none is needed) like the SIG 320’s older cousin, the P-250. I have one in 2 configurations, and I can disassemble and reassemble it blindfolded…with no need to pull the trigger. It’s reliable in other ways too. I’ve put more than 2000 rounds through it, some real junk at times, and never had a single failure of any kind. I believe hammer fired handguns are inherently safer and more reliable than their striker-fired stable mates. The only problematic pistol I own is a striker-fired Walther CCP. It has given me constant headaches, is very choosy about ammo, and has been back to Arkansas three times for repairs and/or (finally) replacement. Do I really want that thing in a holster with its muzzle pointing at my leg, even with its manual safety engaged? Are you kidding me?
Please note that every single word said here about a glock, applies doubly so to a DA/SA revolver. Simple? Yup, but much more so. Stuff to manipulate on the outside that might confuse the newbie? Yup, much less on a revolver. Ease of field stripping and cleaning? Yup, except that in this area its the revolver in spades. NO stripping required. Cleaning consists of brushing and swabbing the bore and chambers, and a few drops of oil.
And ever so much easier for a newbie to understand. But today’s shooters consider autos ‘sexier’, and sex sells. That is why instructor’s don’t mention any of this. Vested interests.
I love my Ruger SR9c. It is affordable, it is flexible with 10 and 17 round magazines, easy to break down and has both trigger and slide safeties.
I don’t use the slide safety and I disengaged the stupid mag safety. I rely on a holster and the trigger safety while carrying. If I had to “drop” the pistol, the slide safety is very easily engaged.
A single pin is pushed out with an index finger to take the pistol down – WITHOUT THE NEED TO PULL THE TRIGGER! The rest is standard.
The whole setup costs less than $400 and that includes a mag adapter for the 17 round mag, a pinky extender for the 10 round mag, and a reversible back strap. So not only is it extremely affordable, but it actually fits most people’s hands very well making it extremely easy to shoot accurately.
Speaking of shooting, the SR9c eats any ammo you throw at it. Seriously, it’s not picky. The only ammo I’ve had any issues with was some cheap Egyptian garbage with bad primers. It just refused to go bang about every other round. Emptying a magazine was like playing Egyptian roulette!
The SR9c has an outstanding trigger! ‘Nuff said
There aren’t a ton of aftermarket parts…but what else do you need on a carry pistol? It has a rail for lights/lasers, removable/adjustable front/rear sites, and a great trigger.
I would recommend the SR9c to any beginner. Yes it’s a few years old now, but it’s fun, affordable, flexible, comfortable, light, and most importantly, reliable.
Well that was exactly my logic when I purchased a Glock 19 as my first ever gun, coming from a non-gun family in a non-gun region of our country.
Yes there were more exciting options and I tried almost every single one of them. Prior to purchasing, I either borrowed or rented the XD-M, VP9, PPQ, M&P, and maybe 1 or 2 more, which is nearly the entire field of polymer double stack strikers. But in the end, none of their advantages outweighed the unique ways that the Glock worked for me as a new shooter: the best online community to answer questions, the best third party accessory support typically at the best prices, and the the flexibility of being just about the smallest and lightest gun of its caliber, barrel length, and capacity, making it more realistically carryable than some of the others in the same category.
When I have a bigger gun collection I’m excited to diversify into more exciting guns, but the Glock is just like an Apple computer: for the most part it “just works” and when it doesn’t, there are about 3 million other people in america that have the EXACT same model down to the specific parts numbers of internal components, who know exactly what is wrong and can tell you how to fix it, and there are plenty of options to fix it at good prices because of aforementioned massive installed user base. So to me, its like I have my “Apple laptop” (glock 19) for reliable productivity, and maybe in a little while I’ll buy some “gaming PCs” (cooler guns) for performance and cool factor.
I have a similar story. I came from a non-gun background. When it was time for me to get serious about protecting my family, I determined a Glock 19 was the best pistol for me at the time. Even with many guns that do many things better now, I still like my G19; my first pistol.
Perhaps the grip angle didn’t bother me because I had nothing else to which I might compare it.
“Perhaps the grip angle didn’t bother me because I had nothing else to which I might compare it.”
This.
I have carried my Glock 19 for only four years but my wife and I used shooting as a recreational activity. I was surprised at how much she enjoys it. Good for me so I can shoot all I want and she doesn’t complain about all the ammo purchases.
I’ve gotten so used to pressing out the Glock where the sights are automatically on target. Maybe this changes with other guns but I have shot them and getting the sights on target doesn’t cause wrist and hand discomfort like so many Ghators complain. If I point shot a 1911 after so much time behind a G19, what, I would be a half inch low from 7 yards?
File this under: #NotAnIssue.
A Beretta PX4 and a Springfield XD both come apart easier than a Glock.
Not on purpose.
All handguns should be Glocks. All Glocks should be Glock 19’s.
2010 called, they want their article back.
bro all service 9’s check nearly all of these boxes. And what exactly is a new shooter going to inspect on their gun?
Further – you’re going to inculcate a culture of over cleaning a gun that will run without lubrication or encouragement. There is a good chance they will damage the gun with all that cleaning. Not going to play the anecdotes game, but I cannot remember the last time I cleaned my practice gun. Service 9’s are not 1911s with hand fit mated surfaces… As long as they’re lubed they will run, generally.
Light trigger.
Short trigger pull.
No safety. (No, “safe action trigger” is not a safety!)
All this in the hands of novice shooters with a higher probability of human error?
Bad idea.
Bring on the hate from Glock lovers 🙂
WOW many opinions.Saturdays coming, My opinion is stop talking so much and lets take our favorite handgun ,no matter which we prefer.(hopefully the one we carry everyday) and go to the range and do some shootin not talkin. All stay safe and have fun.
Talking is teaching. It’s important to have opposing views posted so the curious reader can evaluate the worth of each opinion and feel educated enough to make up their own mind.
There’s satisfaction in making your own choice rather than having one source spoon feed the “truth”.
My PX4 storm fullsize type C is easier to take down then a Glock is. The only thing is that you need to put a bit of rifle grease, not oil, on the nub where the barrel rotates. Oil the rest of the gun as normal.
By pulling down the takedowns and pulling the whole slide forward, the whole gun comes apart as long as the magazine is pulled out. Using an inert training round, I found that a loaded chamber doesn’t impede this at all. Of course all guns should be unloaded first.
You could do a lot worse then a Glock 19, but among Glocks there are better alternatives for a simple defensive gun. The Glock 17 has a greater capacity and qualifying on the ICE course, if one chooses to become an armed professional, is much easier with the standard 50 round/3 magazine combination.
This is the opinion of one Instructor and in regards to new shooters.
Simply his opinion.
I disagree with it though.
GLOCK is not the simplest weapon to disassemble.
Many new firearms are easier to disassemble and just as reliable.
They are like Honda Accord, been around along time.
Nothing special, but they run.
The cognitive dissonance involved with recommending to newbies a pistol that needs to have the trigger pulled to disassemble it, is mind-blowing.
Yes, I would describe glock as one of the WORST choices for newbies, period.
So do you GLOCK haters think newbies shouldn’t dry fire either? I mean don’t they have to pull the trigger to do that just like when taking down the pistol? Oh I bet dry firing is safer on handguns that have manual safeties!
GLOCK haters are the liberals of the gun community, you hate my weapon of choice for the same reason the “feel the bern” crowd hates my freedom…because you just can’t stand someone/thing that dares fall outside your notion of the world.
I shoot GLOCK’s. After 30 + years of shooting/teaching experience I’ve found them to be the best for me. I shoot them, carry them, teach with them. I don’t hate you or your gun. I have owned hundreds over the years. I’ve been issued 1911’s and 92’s. I’ve even fired a couple in anger. I know what I’m doing so try and lose the ” you know all” attitude. I’m glad you have found what works for you and I pray that if called upon to use it God is watching over you and all your hits are clean.
Forgot to post this…maybe you have heard of the guy that wrote it? Can’t wait to hear the haters try and dispute his words
http://www.tactical-life.com/firearms/massad-ayoob-glock-19-gen-4/#g19-gen4-ayoob-aim
For every expert opinion, there is a contrary opinion.
Of course Glock makes a great pistol.
But a high speed low drag Instructor can’t just say that it is the best for new shooters.
“New shooters” decide what is best.
Might be a revolver.
Might be a lower caliber because of hand strnegth.
But the decision is not some guy that probably gets free pistols from Glock.
It’s just his opinion.
According to every Glock hater on the internet, new shooters like me don’t have the ability to decide what gun is best for me or anything.
New shooter: “I want a Glock 19”
Internet expert: “There are better guns than Glocks. Don’t believe the marketing scheme. You need a safety and a grip safety. You need to put 10,000 rounds downrange like I have before you can even start to know what is best.”
New shooter: “I want a Glock 19”
Internet expert: “You’ll shoot your eye out kid”
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