The Problem with Glock Pistols

I have enjoyed your site for many years. I started reading it when you were still in Argentina.  We here in the U.S. are still headed down that same self destructive path but maybe a little slower that one would expect.
Even though I am a Sig fan ,(P226, P228, P290), I must agree with your article on the Sig P320.  I strongly disagree with your assessment of Glocks.  Many professionals and truly experienced gunners here in the U.S. are dropping the Glocks in favor of a safer designed pistols.   The Glock is 90% cocked with NO safety.  Anything coming in contact with the very light trigger will fire the weapon as has been demonstrated by and ever increasing number of accidental discharges.  These are referred to as "Being Glocked".   The Springfield XD series pistols and Heckler & Koch both are much better weapons.  The XD has the grip safety, (similar to 1911), and a drop safety.  It is in my opinion, and many experts agree, that it is also of higher build quality than Glock.  The Military did make a mistake by going with the P320 but the Glock would not have been the right choice. In fact they should stick with a proven gun such as the Sig p226, FN, or HK.  But then opinions are like A-holes, we all have one.
-Jack

Hello Jack,
Thanks for your message.
If you read my book “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse”, you know that I’ve had accidental discharges before. If you shoot thousands and thousands of rounds, it’s not a matter of it but when. When it eventually happens, you better hope the other safety rules aren’t broken as well (be sure of your backstop, always point your gun in a safe direction)
Some people prefer to use ND, negligent discharge, but I don’t think they are the same thing. Negligence involves a certain incompetence and purposeful misuse of the firearm (playing with it, knowingly leaving it loaded, in dangerous positions or pointing it in unsafe directions). Accidental discharges are just that, accidents which can and will eventually happen to all of us, simply because we are imperfect humans. The only difference is that those that remember the safety rules will have a hole in a dresser, floor or wall. Those that don’t will get someone killed. I’ve have an AD with a Glock and with a revolver, which perfectly illustrates what I have to say about this topic: If a gun fires when you pull the trigger that’s not the guns fault, that’s on you. A gun is supposed to fire when you pull the trigger. A gun with safety makes no difference if you disengage the safety and pull the trigger. A manual safety lever isn’t some magical insurance, it won’t avoid the tragedy if you fire a round you don’t intend to.

The Glock is basically as safe as a revolver, and no one ever complained about revolvers not having enough manual safeties nor did It ever occur to anyone to put one in them(although there is such model). Like the revolver, part of the safety of the Glock is its sheath, which should be rigid, made of hard polymer and completely cover the trigger guard.
Never use leather holsters. Leather softens when wet (rain, sweat) and can deform enough to get caught inside the trigger guard when reholstering. Use polymer. I’ve used and strongly recommend this IWB holster, the Blatech Phanton. It’s affordable and extremely safe and reliable.

Blade Tech Industries Phantom Inside the Waistband Fits Glock 17/22/31 Holster,  $21.78

 

The Glock with a round in the chamber is on a half cocked position so to speak. The striker isnt fully pulled back which is done when pulling the trigger, therefore the loaded Glock is perfectly safe and even if dropped it will not fire. What will cause it to fire is something actually pulling the trigger, which is why you should never try to “catch” any gun when dropped.

Most serious professionals that I know of carry Glock. I’m sure that if Glocks were that bad, over 60% of the PD in USA wouldn’t be issuing them. The famous “Glock leg” or as you say “being Glocked”, is simply a consequence of two things. First, AD simply being a fact of life. They do happen and sometimes people end up shooting themselves. Second, the prevalence of Glock, especially among law enforcement. Put these two together and you see why so many AD include Glocks.

I don’t think the Glock trigger is that light. There’s far lighter triggers and again, something actually has to pull it for it to fire. If Glocks were that dangerous, they wouldn’t be in the holsters of most pros, used by more LE than any other gun.
As you say, everyone has an opinion and I sure respect yours and appreciate your email.
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”