Glock

[Rich Stern]

Spent my lunch at the range today.



Turns out they only rent Glocks at this shop, so I tried the Glock 23 and 27 (.40 cal). I did ok with the 23 (longer barrel). Felt like I couldn't hit anything with the 27 beyond 20 feet. Neither felt comfortable in my hand. Recoil felt ok. I know these are world reknowned handguns, but they felt fussy and uncomfortable to me. And what's with that little extra moving part on the trigger itself? Felt strange.



After the range, I handled couple of smaller Sig models, in .380 and 9mm, and they felt more comfortable. The grip was narrower, and my finger fell across the trigger more naturally. Smooth trigger pull. They were out of Bersa Thunders, so I'll have to wait until my next adventure to handle that one.



Is it typical in a shop to be able to try a pistol before you buy it?

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Hey Rich, Try the Smith/ Walther p-99 Better feel than the Glocks, Though i am a mod. 21 fan

 

[Bob G.]

Rich,



That little extra part on the Glock trigger is the safety. Have you tried the Colt 1911 (45ACP) or clones? They come in full size and compact. I have a fullsize Springfield Arms 1911 with Pachmyer grips and it handles nice.



Bob G.

 

[Michael Snow]

I like my Ruger p-89 in 9mm.

 

[Rich Stern]

Bob, so what exactly does that safety do?

 

[Mark Hofman]

Rich:



Unless your finger is putting pressure on the trigger and depressing that little lever, the gun can't (er..shouldn't) go off. On the Glocks, it's a very reliable safety mechanism - in a way forcing you to pull the trigger to discharge the weapon.



My Beretta Centurion .40 is a LOT more comfortable to hold than the Glock. I always disliked the Glock grip because it feels like I'm holding a brick. But the Beretta's grip (Model 92 and 96) require a big hand to hold them properly. If you can get your hands on one, try the Beretta Cougar in a .40 caliber!



Also, if you want to go with a bigger cartridge than the .380 or 9mm, (.40, 10mm or .45) think about a handgun with a single-stack magazine. The Glocks, Berettas and Sigs use a staggered stack/double stack magazine which makes the grip wider and more difficult to grip properly.



My wife has a hard time holding my Beretta .40, but no problem at all holding my Colt .45 Series 70 MKIV (photo). The single stack magazine makes all the difference for her, which is why her preferred pistol is the Walther PPK/S in .380.

 

[W. R. Deason]

Try the 9mm Glocks, the compact 19 or the long slide 34 (model 35 in .40 caliber). They are the simplest, easiest to clean weapons that I have ever found. They are also very reliable.

Some are put off by the lack of a hammer to cock, I (and my wife, hers is the model 19) are very happy with the Glocks.

Whatever you choose, make sure that it fits you and that you feel very comfortable with it. Shoot at a range several times before you buy to be positive that you have the pistol and caliber that suits you best.



Range shooting is really a kick, enjoy it.



Boilermaker

 

[fatrap]

Rich

Try the Beretta's. I have a Taurus P101 in 4O s&w they are the same as a Beretta. Love the grip. Like it better than my Colt 1911. The 40 is a great round. Fast hard hitting.

fatrap

 

[Teri C.]

Rich, I really like my Glock 26. I had a hard time with the grip at first because it's one of their smaller guns. I added the extension to the handle and it is perfect. Really fun to shoot.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I have a forked branch, carved to fit my hand perfectly, two pieces of innertube and a bag of ball bearings....



TOXIC

 

[Staci Matheis]

Tox? You gave up chewin' tobacco?

 

[Alan Taylor2]

Rich

Take a look at the Sig Sauer P239 model. Its a single stack mag 7 down and 1 in the pipe that comes in 9mm, 40 s&w and my favorite 357sig. I bought one three years ago for conceal carry and havent even looked at another pistol. Its the most accurate semi auto I've ever shot.

 

[Dan J.]

Rich - They may have a 92FS Beretta to try. I've found them to be a very dependable semi-auto 9mm with marginal recoil. Especially with the 30 rd. clip, it has great stability and two hand control (let alone the capacity!) I put a Beamshot on one and wherever the red dot goes, she tracks perfectly, up to about 30yds, round for round. With Pachmyr grips (gun and extended mag) and a ported barrel, my wife, of all people, prefers this setup at the range or home defense. The price per round is range friendly also. IMHO

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Tox,

HAHAH To funny!! Willhave to have you over for a shoot sometime. Is a bit more fun then a slingshot HAHAHAHA

Rich, I have fairly small hands. I have to work at shooting a double stack style pistol. A single stack fits my hand better and I can manage recoil better at the grip is a bit better and that allows me to keep the pistol from "twisting" in my grip. I have a couple of diffrent style pistols and I think my favorite that I own is a Springfield Armory P9, in .40. Fits well, shoot good and is a blast all the way around.



Carlos

 

[Terry Heydt]

Rich, We switched from Beretta 92's to the Glock 22's several years ago. Big mistake, IMO. Aside from the increased stopage issues with the Glocks, the Glock grip seems to be one of those that either fits your hand or it doesn't. I'm one of the latter. In a quick draw, I seldom get a proper purchase which tends to alter my aim significantly if I'm not careful.



I'd also second the comments Alan made about the Sig P239. I have one in .357 SIG for UC/concealed carry. Fits my hand like a glove. Plus, you can have a .357 or a .40 merely by swapping barrels (they make mags that hold either .357 or .40). The .357 SIG round is basically a .40 case necked down to a 9mm-sized head. Some pretty impressive ballistics.