Before I purchased my first firearm, I did a lot of research. I went to a few gun stores and held them to make sure I liked the feel. Doing these two things helped me narrow down the list of guns I was interested in. I then found a range that rented guns and rented my top three choices. I chose the Glock 19. I thought I would share some of the reasons I bought a Glock.
Specifications
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 4.02 inches
Overall length: 6.85 inches
Weight: 20.99 ounces empty
Grip: polymer
Action: Glock Safe Action
Capacity: 15+1
Price: $599-$699
Trustworthiness and Reliability
As I mentioned, I did plenty of research before I decided on a Glock 19. What I found was that Glock is the most commonly issued pistol in law enforcement (most law enforcement carry a .40 rather than the 9mm Glock 19). I also found that the Glock 19 is used by Israeli special forces. Glock, in general, and the Glock 19 specifically, is used by countless police and security organizations around the world. These agencies have strict standards and put potential firearms through stress tests. Knowing this and knowing that they use Glock speaks volumes to me. In the complete Book of Autopistols, August 2010 edition, the author called the Glock 19 the “Quintessential combat handgun”. James Yeager, the CEO of Tactical Response, a firearm training company that provides tactical training worldwide, has a saying that goes something like; “All handguns should be Glocks, all Glocks should be 9mm and all 9mm should be Glock 19’s.” I do understand that some of the above is due to personal preference, but that preference is developed from shooting hundreds of thousands of rounds.
Concealment
I carry concealed for a reason; I don’t want anyone to know I am carrying, especially Joe Dirtbag. For this reason, I chose the compact Glock 19. With the polymer GLOCK Sport Combat Holster you cannot easily tell I’m carrying. Depending on what I am wearing you might be able to tell from behind me, but you would have to be looking for it.
Stopping Power
Some might say a 9mm doesn’t have enough stopping power. If you are trained and can hit what your aiming at, and are using self-defense loads that dump their kinetic energy into the target so the round does maximum damage and stays in the target, then a 9mm has plenty of stopping power.
Maintenance
The Glock is, by far, the easiest handgun I have disassembled, cleaned and reassembled. We own a Walther .22 handgun and, while it’s a decent gun to shoot, it requires a special tool to disassemble. Once you learn how to take the Glock apart, you can do so in seconds. Once apart cleaning and greasing it are also very easy.
My Take:
I really like this firearm. I have put thousands of rounds down range and have not had a single failure. My wife also has a Glock 19 and has only had one failure. Liking them is one thing, but we and so many others trust them with our lives. That might sound a little dramatic, but I mean it. If I am ever in a situation where I need to use a firearm to defend myself, I will be glad that I have my Glock 19.
If you don’t like the feel of the polymer grip, you can fix that with a bicycle inner-tube placed over it. I was shown this by a firearms instructor and have since done it to all my handguns as it really helps.
I happily give the Glock 19 four stars.
If you liked this article please think about sharing it on the social media listed below, thanks!
