Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Looking for home defense pistol, Glock???

Same. But I can actually say the same thing regarding a Kahr P9. The trigger pulls on those feel very much like that on a good double action revolver. Glocks are a different matter, though. Lousy triggers. Like a cheap staple-gun. I suppose, with enough effort and range time, you could eventually master even a lousy staple-gun trigger, but why bother when there are so many guns out there with nice, easy to master, triggers?

The personification of YMMV eh?

For whatever reason, even though some people dislike (and others outright HATE Glock triggers) I've never had much of an issue with mine. A lot of it is I, on the other hand, HATE long trigger pulls. After shooting my Glocks and picking up my Kahr P40 and trying to shoot I find myself thinking "When the hell is this thing going to fire?!!". I settle down after awhile and it's a smooth enough trigger in it's travel but man it seems like a long squeeze. (or, more accurately, longER)

Maybe I've just shot enough Glocks (that .22 conversion is wonderful BTW) to get jaded?

Man, seems everyone is picking on my age as of late; and I�m no where near that old, just a touch over 40.

I think I eluded to that

Depending on who we�re talking about and the circumstance, we both could make a very successful defense of our positions. My position was from the standpoint of someone who has never owned a gun before (I really don�t know if the OP has any experience at all). There are many who, when trouble comes they buy a handgun and leave it at that. Often, they never even fire the thing until something goes bump in the night. Now in some cases, everything works out, but in other cases their lack of familiarity, or lack of mental conditioning can mean that they can find their own weapon turned on them.

And for those who get lucky and everything works out during the shooting; what about the aftermath? How many of those said something stupid to the responding officers? How many of those were sued in a civil court for everything the have and will ever have? No one keeps such statistics. My point was to try to stress the need for education.

Wadcutter at 800 fps,..center of mass,..repeat as necessary.

He was alluding to the fact that your efforts at education eluded them.

OK, I'm being a dick.

I hate the Glock trigger. But it really isn't that hard to get proficient with it. But if you shoot anything else and switch to the Glock, it can take a little shooting to get tuned into it. I don't recommend Glocks to anyone - unless they will agree to get a .22lr conversion for training. That puts the Glock into the realm of practical as starting with a good 38/357 revolver and "downloading" it for practice. I would recommend a used G17 to keep the price down and because it is the easiest Glock to shoot well.

BUT - I don't generally advise Glocks - or any semi-auto - for beginners or those who will not practice enough to be familiar with the pistol and it's operation. One could be just as well off with one of the revolvers mentioned above - and no, it is not any harder to learn a good DA revolver trigger than that of the Glock.

So - if you want a Glock, by all means get one. But make sure it fits the wife too, and make sure you will be able to practice with it (ideally, using the .22 conversion), and do get some education in defense and legal issues.

But the most important thing is to sit down, you and the wife, and really think over and decide....when the bad guy enters the room - should you shoot? Can you shoot? Will you shoot? Any "no" answers might indicate your gun may be more dangerous to you than to the housebreaker.

I know, but you're 85 in shooter years. As for the rest, we disagree on maybe the 1% where you're wrong and I'm right.

If you get a Glock and have the NY-1 trigger installed. It's a bit heavier than the stock model, but the pull is much more like a revolver than the funky factory 'light switch' trigger. If you want the lighter trigger pull, use a 3.5# connector with the NY-1 trigger spring. It will give you the same pull weight as the factory trigger, but with a more uniform pull. Ghost has a nice 3.5 connector that help reduce take up and over-travel.

Revolvers do have a simpler manual of arms, and it's much easier for a beginner to understand loaded/unloaded with a revolver - no checking the chamber. Something like a 640 or other hammerless model is the safest bet.

Practice keeping the finger off the trigger until ready to shoot!

If you see my other thread, I just purchased my first Sig. I carried Glocks the entire time I was a LEO, and love them. They are 100% reliabale and more than combat accurate. With that said, I've never been comfortable recommending them to anyone that won't committ to ALOT of training. The standard trigger is like 5 1/5 lbs, and a SHORT SHORT pull, and the only real safety is your finger. If you are getting an auto, look at weapons with longer trigger pulls and safeties. Sig, Smith, Beretta etc.

RBH:

Glock 17 is a great choice.

The trigger is fine as it comes from the factory. Leave it alone, and you'll be fine, too.

It was designed from the get-go for issue to European soldiers who, for the most part, are young men and women who did not grow up around firearms and mostly likely never held a handgun until they were issued their Glock 17s. Hence, it's not difficult to learn how to use it.

Buy lots of practice ammo.

And if you ever have to use it, get close.

- Tom

The Glock 19 is an excellent choice in a self stuffer and the trigger is easy to get acclimatized to IMHO. The K frame S&W or D frame Colt are also hard to beat and will serve you well.

Terry,

I don't understand it, but I've seen more than a few women have trouble with D-frames. There must be some mystical convergence of hand strength and trigger reach that cause some women problems. I thought I had solved the world's problems when I bought my wife a Diamondback - she couldn't manage the trigger.

Their triggers stack up near the end of the stroke, which causes some people problems. That's why, in fact, when police departments started training cops to shoot double action, instead of single action (target shooting style), they started switching in droves to the Smith & Wesson, the double action of which doesn't stack near the end, but actually lightens near the end. Colt lost a lot of cop contracts after that paradigm shift. The Smith & Wesson double action stroke makes becoming proficient with double action shooting a good bit easier. Personally, however, I've been shooting double action revolvers so long, since 1980, that I can shoot them both almost exactly as well, and that's very well indeed.

I refuse have anything called a quick access safe. Even with kids around. If you need it, you'll need it right now.
I'd buy whatever both of you can shoot well. That's first. Had a girl friend once that put a 5 hardball rds. into the black at 25 yds. with my .45 Colt Gold Cup the first time she ever shot a handgun. Had a wife that couldn't handle anything more than a .22 Kit Gun. So people vary alot.
What I do is take it out of it's safe place at night and stick it near me where it's handy but out of sight. In the morning, the first thing I do is put it away. You might consider that.
I've seen what happens when people use guns to protect themselves and their loved ones. Many times.
It must be readily accessable and you must be able to use it easily. You must be willing to use it. Otherwise, you are creating more problems for yourself and others.
So find something both of you like and make sure it's always where it needs to be for you. E

I agree. Mine is either in my holster inside my waistband, or on my night stand while I sleep.

Yep, Hawk handled that one well. BTW, my daughter carried a Police Positive as a duty weapon for years before they went semi-auto, all depends on the person, Like Hawk, I shoot either one equally.

I like Glocks and think the G19 would be a great choice for what you're after. They're easy to operate, reliable and plenty accurate.

FWIW, before I went with a laser, I'd consider trying a Streamlight TLR-1 light (~$80). They're a pretty good ROI for a self-defense handgun IMO.....

Yes and no...

I am convinced that these grips will get a person killed. I am also convinced that if you wander into my house in the middle of the night that my wife will drill your azz dead center using these things.

They serve a purpose and it takes a person with a strong mind to determine when they should be looking for that red light or when they should be looking for the front dot.

Based on your circumstance I would choose an easily accessible 12 gauge nearby and load it "hot standby". Meaning: Mag full, chamber empty, firing pin dropped. All you have to do is pick it up, rack it, and go to work.

But if you want a pistol...I'd say buy whatever you are comfortable with. Make sure it has night sights, and buy a handheld Surefire. All this talk about triggers is BS. You know or learn how to shoot a handgun or you don't. Doesn't matter the make or model. I've seen so many shooters blame the design of a handgun for their schitty shooting. Put their "great" handgun in their hands and they still shoot like schit.


Travis

Why isn't your first choice of a weapon a good solid shotgun? Even in a 20 gauge pump like a M870 or M500?

The backup weapon would then be the handgun. Which in a 9mm my first choice is indeed a G19, if not a G23 in .40S&W.

Don't overlook a lightweight Remington M870 in 20 gauge! Its actually what I did, followed by the G19 loaded with 124grn +P+ Speer GoldDots.