What makes a Glock so shootable

[Obelisk]

I used to absolutely hate Glocks. But it was for a whole host of reasons, some valid and some because I needed training and practice. So some of the blame was I associated my poor handgun skills with the Glock instead of getting instruction and practicing. My duty weapon of 22 years has been a Glock 17. My gen 2 was a worn out weapon by the time I got it. Probably 15+ years old and I didn’t like the feel of it. But I shot decent with it. Then we got the gen 3s. I actually liked the gen 3 and I shot great with it. But honestly I didn’t train or practice. Then I got issued the gen 4. I don’t know what trigger is on it but it feels heavy like snapping a tree branch. I’m not the only one, I’ll go to the range and pass it around and other shooters are like “dude this sucks”. Even with 8k through it, it still has a meh trigger. Due to policy I can’t modify it or take it apart.

So I got training from a competition shooter. I asked him to train me like I’ve never shot a gun before. Before long the faults of the Glock faded. The trigger could still be better, but it doesn’t really matter. I go shoot my other handguns and I just can’t get as high as a grip or as good a grip. Maybe it’s the fact I’ve shot Glocks more, but I’m used to the grip now. Trigger aside it’s the shooting characteristics. After really practicing with around 4K rounds with the gen 4 I don’t get slide bite anymore as I have large hands.

I was considering buying another plastic wonder pistol with a better trigger, but this forum convinced me to buy a gen 5. There are as you know tons of other plastic wonder pistols out there with better grips and triggers. Deficiencies aside that I can modify, I can really get a great grip on it. My supporting hand thumb has a nice home on the side. My goal is shooting steel plates fast and I want a gun that shoots fast thus getting a 34. It won’t have the ability to get like a cocked striker fired gun, but it’s more than just the trigger. Nicer plastic wonder pistols do not mean they're going to run fast. Does the gun feel great in the gun store and shooting it is not conductive to speed? Personal preference I guess. I might go buy a Shadow 2 in 2020 or the DWX. Maybe for some the Glock just hits all boxes for speed. But I’m still learning.

[Surf]

Me too. I really don't find a conflict with the two. BTW one of the best illustrations and explanations of GJM's point about using the grip angle and wrist leverage with a Glock was @Surf 's youtube video of some years back focused on this aspect specifically. I don't think that vid is available anymore.

Thanks for the @ quote or I would not see this. You are correct that I spent quite a bit of time on this topic when it came to the Glock. As some older enough to remember I was a big steel frame 1911, P226 DA/SA guy prior to my acceptance of the Glock.

Circa early 2000's, my research found that top shooters in competition were killing it, and the Glock became a tool of choice. The Mid 2000's was a revelation for me and my early days of fusing "competition meets tactical." As a farily recoginized guy from the tactical world, I got more shit for having a timer on the range and implementing "competition" types of drills/stages of fire in tactical training circles. Around the late 200X time frame, I was pretty much shunned in the tactical community for my choices of drills and timers, get ya kilt yak now. Right up until the point where our shooters were crushing the "tactical" world. Now we are much more educated and many outlier techniques and training methodologies are standard fares these days. It just progress.

We were doing things with Glocks that were unheard of, pioneering trigger jobs, and frame modifications, that have become boxed drop in products or even stock features on modern Gen 5's. It took Glock long enough, but they are catching on, ever so slowly. Glock still can't do it as well as the top aftermarket guys, but progress none-the-less. Hell, we were making Gen 7 Glocks 10 years ago, and Glock is only at Gen 5. If you look at the Gen 5, where did you first hear about, and see these types of upgrades?

Yes, I had more than extensive discussions on youtube about the Glock, including the grip angle, wrist cam benefits, etc, etc. I appreciate that almost a decade later people still remember the channel and videos. There were only a few of us talking about these things back then, and only until some of the more well-known competition shooters started supporting these ideas, did they gain credibility and have become mainstream and accepted as best practice with the Glock.

Knowledge is often circular, and it is not surprising that others are coming to conclusions that have been discussed for many of us years ago. Heck just look at the training community and the modern youtube gun people that are given more serious consideration. They are often speaking about revelations that have been discussed years ago. Training groups and youtube, there is no shortage of hacks out there, and many are hard to digest, but all-in-all the firearms training community is much more knowledgable than a decade ago.

[JTQ]

We were doing things with Glocks that were unheard of, ... and frame modifications, that have become boxed drop in products or even stock features on modern Gen 5's. ... If you look at the Gen 5, where did you first hear about, and see these types of upgrades?

When I first saw the Gen 5 magwell, the first thing that popped into my mind was either a post here or a video I'd seen of you showing how you did your Glock magwells.

Since the thread is the shoot-ability of Glock's...

Knowledge is often circular, ...

Over the years and over a couple of forums I've seen some of your comments concerning the G17 vs G34. I believe some of the older stuff showed your preference for the G34, but I think it is more recent stuff showed a preference for the G17? True?

[TCFD273]

I would say they are not less shootable than other pistols, as opposed to they are more shootable.

It’s pretty disappointing when you can clear a plate rack faster with stock Gen 5 19 than your 6k custom 9mm 1911. [emoji23]



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[spinmove_]

I just listened to a recent podcast and he said the p10 wasn’t as good. Even though he put 10s of thousands of rounds through it, wasn’t as good and he’s back to the shadow 2.

It’s a gun literally built for USPSA/IPSC Production vs a polymer Glock clone. Of course the P-10 isn’t going to be viewed to be “as good as” a Shadow 2. I don’t think anyone is saying that. And if I were Matt, I’d most likely go back to the optimized platform of my sport too. But he also did say that the time spent with the P-10 was a valuable learning experience and how he grew as a shooter by trying something new for a season. So it wasn’t a loss by any stretch. He still shot roughly on par with his ability on a new gun.

[M2CattleCo]

It’s pretty disappointing when you can clear a plate rack faster with stock Gen 5 19 than your 6k custom 9mm 1911. [emoji23]



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Crisp triggers aren't for handguns. At least not people who can shoot.

[pew_pew]

It’s a gun literally built for USPSA/IPSC Production vs a polymer Glock clone. Of course the P-10 isn’t going to be viewed to be “as good as” a Shadow 2. I don’t think anyone is saying that. And if I were Matt, I’d most likely go back to the optimized platform of my sport too. But he also did say that the time spent with the P-10 was a valuable learning experience and how he grew as a shooter by trying something new for a season. So it wasn’t a loss by any stretch. He still shot roughly on par with his ability on a new gun.

He’s literally paid by CZ. He’s careful what he says about any of their products in public.

[JAH 3rd]

So my one and only dalliance into the Glock world has been with the G21. I have had 3 of them over the years. While not uncomfortable, there are other platforms (M&P 45) which I much prefer due to the fact feels so much better in the hand, especially the 2.0's grip texture.

So the other day I purchased a Gen 5 Glock 17 with Glock night sights. I did this after shooting a friend's Gen 5 Glock 19 with Glock night sights. The trigger was great.......much improved over the 21s I have had. The grip texture and overall of things just working together on this pistol. No frills, just the things you need for a shootable pistol and nothing you don't need.

So........if the rain ever lets up and that coincides with a day of nothing planned, then to the range I am headed. Hopefully sometime this weekend. I will shoot Winchester NATO and HST 147 jhp ammo. Eight mags topped off and ready to go. For a 17 round magazine, do I dare say they are compact? But like I said, G21 is my only Glock history, so these G17 mags are a breath of fresh air size wise.

[spinmove_]

He’s literally paid by CZ. He’s careful what he says about any of their products in public.

I get that, but what he’s getting at is the same thing that Ben has said on the podcast in several previous episodes when he goes out and shoots his Glocks. I’m not sure why this concept is difficult to accept.

[pew_pew]

I get that, but what he’s getting at is the same thing that Ben has said on the podcast in several previous episodes when he goes out and shoots his Glocks. I’m not sure why this concept is difficult to accept.

Lol, don’t be a d*** about things and people won’t call you out.