Glock 19 for newbie

T

t45

New member
What are your thoughts of a brand new shooter with no experience with a semi and very little experience with a revolver buying a Glock 19 for his CCW. I'm not bashing the Glock by no means but I think there are other options for a newbie. I think a Glock 19 is a very good option for a CCW if your an experienced handgunner. What are your thoughts?
 
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and will dedicate time for training as you should with any handgun.
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That is the key for safety with any handgun. Training includes understanding the pistol and safety protocols. Without it the person will be a danger to himself and others with any loaded handgun.

There are pros and cons to each type of trigger action. There will never be a consensus on which is best or "safest". Remember safety includes hitting the designated target/threat, especially on that all important first shot. Missed shots also pose extreme danger to others in the vicinity.
 
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Personally I would have rather seen him start out with a DAO with a long trigger pull so he can master the basics. But that's just me.
 
My neighbor who never owned a gun or shot a gun bought a Glock 19 for his first gun and now owns 4 Glocks. I gave him some advice after he bought the gun to always treat it as if it were loaded, never point it at anything he didn't want to shoot. He does not conceal carry he just shoots at the club. He picked up on handling and shooting the Glock just fine, so fine he has bought 3 more of them. He now has a 21,19, 36 and 30.
 
Not sure how a long DAO means you master the basics whereas a Glock does not. They're called basics for a reason.

I did learn to shoot on a revolver and I do think it helps with developing trigger control. That said in owning Glocks they're easier to learn to shoot well IMO than a DA revolver or similar. I still like DA/SA and I practice with it twice a month, but then I go back to my Glocks or any shorter travel striker fired pistol and it's just easier overall.

You can argue that the greater effort is worth something and I agree to a point. In the end though what really matters is you become good with your pistol, whatever it is, and striker fired pistols can involve less effort and time and that also translates to ammo money. If someone is limited on any of those factors I'd rather they go with the easier option and become proficient sooner.


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I've got no problem with the newbie and his G19. The important thing is, as with any handgun, that you don't just stick in in your pocket and think you're good to go. Every newbie needs good training and practice. With that, in my opinion, there is no one handgun that is any safer than any other.
 
TunnelRat, I guess my thinking is that with a beginner learning to keep finger away from the trigger or out of the trigger guard, a long trigger pull helps eliminate an AD.
 
On the other hand, if you keep your trigger finger off the trigger until ready to actually shoot, then the trigger design is of no consequence.
Now that you obviously know what not to do, the trick then is how to learn to do that.
Er, I mean not to do that.
A neighbor used the following method.
He bought hisself a full sized Water pistol.
He practiced messing with it using the usual practice methods, while avoiding putting his finger on the trigger.
Unless he pointed it at a target he had on the wall and actually pulled the trigger.
Any other time - no finger on the trigger.
Lots of mistakes at first, of course, but it proved to be effective.
(It wasn't loaded either - not a drop of water. :) )
Picking it up, putting it down, walking around with it, taking it out of a holster, putting it back, and on and on.
Sounds simplistic, but after a few weeks of daily practice, it worked.
I've never seen him do the nasty with any gun.
Just a thought.
 
In my opinion, if a shooter is inexperienced enough that he puts his finger on the trigger at the wrong time so he needs a heavy DA pull (or a safety) to prevent an AD, then he shouldn't be carrying a gun at all, period.

If you can keep your finger off the trigger until you're aimed in and ready to shoot, then a Glock 19 is fine. And if you can't keep your finger off the trigger until you're aimed in and ready to shoot, then you shouldn't be carrying -- or even handling -- a loaded gun until you get more training and practice time.
 
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A G19 was the first center fire pistol I bought when I was old enough to purchase a pistol. It was a pistol I put many, many thousands of rounds through and is a great gun to learn on. The action/trigger pull is consistent and is large enough to making it good for CCW/home and range work.

As far as the basics, that is just what they are basics. They can be applied to any firearm and regardless of what your friend gets will work if followed.
 
Well guys I stand corrected. I only hope he gets a lot of training in and is extremely proficient and comfortable with it before he starts wearing it on his hip. That goes for any firearm he chooses.

As a side note: I do not own a Glock but I was at an outdoor range a few years ago and there was a young couple next to me. She was a new shooter and wasnt comfortable shooting his G19. I loaned her my Sig 22 and he intern let me shoot his 19. It was extremely easy to shoot accurately for never pulling the trigger on one before. I actually shot it better than my long trusted and favorite 1911. Ive seriously thought about adding a G19 to my rotation.
 
TunnelRat, I guess my thinking is that with a beginner learning to keep finger away from the trigger or out of the trigger guard, a long trigger pull helps eliminate an AD.
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I've admitted this before and I'll do so again. I did have a negligent discharge not long after my first semiatuo. I had two mags, one with snap caps, one without, and I thought I grabbed the one when I grabbed the other. I grew up in a house where my parents were afraid of me having a pellet gun (about as anti-gun as it gets) so I didn't really have the firearm safety background I wish I did, but that's frankly no excuse for stupidity.

My point in all this was this ND occurred with a S&W 5903. It has a DA pull, a safety, and even a magazine disconnect. I still had a ND. Why? Because I thought the gun was unloaded when it wasn't. I've read a number of stories of others who had NDs and in almost all of them it was the same situation: a loaded gun was assumed not to be. At that point once you make the decision to press that trigger a DA pull, a manual safety, these really don't matter because you've also trained yourself to get through those when you want to fire. If you haven't trained yourself to click off that safety or don't have the physical strength to pull that DA trigger, then the pistol frankly isn't any help to you.

I have the standard rules in my signature, albeit modified according to instruction I've had, for a reason. The greatest failing point in firearms is frankly the person using the firearm. The rules include redundancies for a reason, and that's to make sure no one gets hurt. Now in my case I did violate some of the rules, but I at least had my muzzle pointed in a safe direction and no one was hurt. Again, redundancy.
 
TunnelRat, I guess my thinking is that with a beginner learning to keep finger away from the trigger or out of the trigger guard, a long trigger pull helps eliminate an AD.
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IMO that is a valid point to a degree. However for whatever reason many (maybe most) find it difficult to next to impossible to shoot accurately with a DA pull and master the DA to SA transition. Even with a lot of practice many just give up on it and hope for the best if they ever need to use it or abandon it all together.

Type of trigger is a big personal preference option with pros and cons to each including forgetting to decock a loaded DA/SA pistol when holstering.

IMO it is potentially safer to holster a DA/SA hammer fired pistol due to the longer/heavier trigger pull and that you can ride the pistol into the holster with your thumb over the hammer while decocked to detect any movement of trigger. In any case great care needs to be taken to holster any loaded pistol and needs not be hurried. As for my striker fired pistols, I will only CCW them in a sturdy all kydex holster that completely covers the trigger guard. With my single clip kydex holsters it is easy to leave pistol inside holster while taking on and off my gun belt including in my car to minimize handling of a loaded weapon.
 
Glocks are great teaching guns.....often leaving your finger on the trigger during reholstering, teaches a valueable lesson!:rolleyes:
 
The Glock 19 has supplanted the S&W Model 10 as the "basic handgun". It's easy to learn and to train others to shoot. That's the biggest reason most trainers recommend it over other (perhaps superior) designs.
 
I tend to agree with a long DAO trigger for CCW. If G19 to be carried I would make sure it has a good holster pocket type or other and the trigger is completely covered. I sometimes carry a G26 this way.

I have seen some folks carry the Glocks but no round chambered. I don't do this or recommend it but an option.

Another option is a Glok-Lock. These are custom polymer pieces that snap into
the trigger guard behind the trigger. Some folks like them some don't. I have read where several police agencies have gone to this. I do have one on a G35
and it woks well and no way to fire till the piece is easily removed with trigger finger as you are getting ready to fire.
 
SDF880 said:
I tend to agree with a long DAO trigger for CCW. If G19 to be carried I would make sure it has a good holster pocket type or other and the trigger is completely covered. I sometimes carry a G26 this way.
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To me a holster that doesn't cover the trigger isn't a very good holster. I see that a lot of minimalist designs have been floating around in the last few years. Frankly I think they're an accident waiting to happen. I know it's isn't always easy for folks to find a perfectly comfortable holster, but I think there are a lot on the market that are pretty good. I also think some folks tend to forget that carrying a handgun is supposed to be comforting more than comfortable. That last comment isn't directed at anyone here.



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