Glock pistols accuracy
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Some Glock owners suffer from SIG Sauer and/or Beretta envy. To compensate they lie about the size of their...er...groups.
My G19 will get the job done, but when putting holes in paper for measurement my SIG Sauer P225, P228 and P226 will all out shoot it. (Though not by enough to warrant all the rancor.)
My G19 will get the job done, but when putting holes in paper for measurement my SIG Sauer P225, P228 and P226 will all out shoot it. (Though not by enough to warrant all the rancor.)
I personally think its harder to get tighter groups shooting a DAO pistol instead of shooting a pistol in SA mode. Lighter trigger pull tends to keep groups tighter since the less travel required for the hammer to fall reduces the chances of pulling the sight off target. I truely had to concentrate on trigger pull with the Glock in order to tighten up my groups. I was so used to shooting my other pistols in SA mode. Maybe thats why people tend to change the weight pull on the Glocks from 5.5 to 3.5 lbs. Anyone care to comment on this statement?
Blue Duck357
New member
It is funny how Glocks have gotten more accurate as time has gone by, and very oddly not just the newer models either 
Glocks do seem to have a few quirks that people have figured out over time. When they were first introduced to writers and the public people went out and fired a few boxes of ammo with them and pronounced them "Combat accurate" (writers term) or "accuracy sucks" (civillian terms).
I think the light frame that is very succeptible to any change in grip or grip pressure and a trigger that was different than anything people had tried gave the Glock an undesearved reputation for inaccuarcy. Now that people have learned to deal with that your seeing that reputation fade. Chuck Taylor shooting some really nice 100 yard groups in front of Glock haters may have helped too.
To me the 40's still likely have some accuracy issues and I'd tend to think that the Sigs are the most accurate out of the box defensive handgun made. But I honestly believe that a 9mm, 357, or 45 Glock can genereally hold thier own against any other non pure target gun made.
Glocks do seem to have a few quirks that people have figured out over time. When they were first introduced to writers and the public people went out and fired a few boxes of ammo with them and pronounced them "Combat accurate" (writers term) or "accuracy sucks" (civillian terms).
I think the light frame that is very succeptible to any change in grip or grip pressure and a trigger that was different than anything people had tried gave the Glock an undesearved reputation for inaccuarcy. Now that people have learned to deal with that your seeing that reputation fade. Chuck Taylor shooting some really nice 100 yard groups in front of Glock haters may have helped too.
To me the 40's still likely have some accuracy issues and I'd tend to think that the Sigs are the most accurate out of the box defensive handgun made. But I honestly believe that a 9mm, 357, or 45 Glock can genereally hold thier own against any other non pure target gun made.
I think some people replace the stock connector with a 3.5# connector because they're looking for a mechanical correction for lack of ability. Some of the shooters I know that have made this change don't shoot any better because of it. Instead they come up with other things that need to be "adjusted" for the gun to be more accurate rather than admit it is they who have the problem, not the gun.
Blue Duck357
New member
Connector wise I do shoot long strings measureably better with a 3.5# connector as compared to stock or (lord forbid) the NY1 trigger. I often can shoot the same size groups with the stock as the 3.5# unit but it's much harder to do and I can't consitently do it.
I've got two Glocks now, my 17 has a GCR 3.5# connector and I shoot it as well as any centerfire pistol I've owned with the sole exception of a 6" 586 with a really sweet trigger. My 19 has the stock connector but the previous owner did a super job polishing the whole trigger system so it's a really sweet pull and I have not messed with it at all. 19's just a little less accurate than the 17 in my hands.
Both my Glocks are far more accurate than a number of other guns I've owned including 2 1991A1's, Taurus PT-92, Beretta 92, and S/W Model 65. Both my G-22 and G-23 would fall in the lower middle of this group at best accuracy wise, but part of that could have just been me.
In short I think there is a lot to like about Glocks and freely admit some things to not like about them, but poor accuracy just isn't one of them in my opinion.
I've got two Glocks now, my 17 has a GCR 3.5# connector and I shoot it as well as any centerfire pistol I've owned with the sole exception of a 6" 586 with a really sweet trigger. My 19 has the stock connector but the previous owner did a super job polishing the whole trigger system so it's a really sweet pull and I have not messed with it at all. 19's just a little less accurate than the 17 in my hands.
Both my Glocks are far more accurate than a number of other guns I've owned including 2 1991A1's, Taurus PT-92, Beretta 92, and S/W Model 65. Both my G-22 and G-23 would fall in the lower middle of this group at best accuracy wise, but part of that could have just been me.
In short I think there is a lot to like about Glocks and freely admit some things to not like about them, but poor accuracy just isn't one of them in my opinion.
jack_the_sailor
New member
I shoot a second gen G-17 with 3.5 # trigger. My problem is he grip is too wide for my hands. The proper grip lines the front sight up to the back sight so a line can be drawn down the big bone of the forarm. I can't pick up/draw my G-17 with the proper grip. I have to adjust the pistol by moving the front muzzle to left. I shoot controled pairs. when doing so I pull the trigger to the rear after the shot breaks I hold the trigger in until the pistol comes out of recoil. Then I line up the sights for the second shot then I let out the trigger until it resets (you can both hear click & feel it reset) then I pull the trigger. Sometimes the shots are right next to each other times they are far apart which is inconsistant. becaus the grips are too wide for my hand the pistol move slightly enough to throw off shots. out of 100 rds the best I can do is a big hole from the right half of the X-ring through the 10 ring & a few strays out to the #9 of the 9-ring & down to the right of that big hole. Now if I were to shoot a revolver with long hard double action pull my shots would be all around the target with out a grouping. The 1 time I shot a Colt 91A1 all shots were in a big hole in the 10 ring. Now when shooting a DA/SA pistol I'll have a big hole in the x-ring & a few shots down & to the right. What happens is the first DA shot is off & all the other SA shots are grouped well. The test is to fire controled pairs, first DA second SA now see how the group is. I'll bet not so tight. In a gunfight the first 2 shots are the most important. With a DA/SA pistol the shooter might miss with the first DA shot & hit with the second SA shot. That shooter might not get a third & fourth SA shot. A lot of shooters get fooled by DA/SA pistols only counting the SA grouping & forgetting about the first DA shot. There shooters that can group well with the first DA & second SA shot also. Some shooters can shoot a Tight group well with a revolver. there are a lot of factors that are involved in good marksmanship. The right pistol/hand fit along with the right type of action give the shooter the best odds for good marksmanship. 1 size don't fit all.
Cornbread2
Moderator
The Glock pistol is more accurate than 90% of their owners can shoot them.
The Glock is not a target gun. It is not made for punching tiny one hole groups on paper.
If the Glock is capable of shooting a two inch group at 25 yards off the bench and brand X is capable of one inch groups is brand X a better gun for self defense if it is not reliable?
The Glock is a combat handgun. It is more than accurate enough for its purpose.
A combat handgun has to be reliable more than anything else.
A pistol that is 100% reliable that shoots a 12 inch group is is much better than a tricked out 1911 that shoots one hole groups but jams when its gets slightly dirty.
When the day comes that you have to pull your carry gun all the fine motor skills that you have spent hours on the range learning will go to hell very quickly.
You will have the shooting ability of a novice. You will be shaking and you will be scared ****less. Anyone that says this is not true has never been there.
You lose all of your fine shooting ability. Your trigger finger will not be able to control a fine light SA trigger. You will most likely fire a shot accidently before you even point the gun at the bad guy if you have a extremly light trigger.
All you will be able to see and hear is the bad guy. You could have a Paris Island drill sargent screaming in your ear and a dozen naked super models standing beside you and you would never know it.
Even if the day before on the range you could shoot tiny one hole groups you will not do it now. You may not even be able to speak much less be able to shoot groups.
If you fire your weapon you will most likely point it at center mass and fire it untill the slide locks back.
Anyone that has ever been in this kind of mess will all tell you the same thing. Some cops or others that have been through this several times may react differently but the average man will be lucky to even hit center of mass.
You can say and think it will be different but untill you have been there you do not know.
The point I am trying to make is as your carry gun has to be reliable and simple. It has to be carried in the same place on your body in the same holster at all times.
It has to work when it is clean or dirty. It needs large easy to see night sights.
It needs to be in a decent centerfire caliber at least a 9mm.
You have to practice drawing your pistol and hitting the target very fast rather than practice shooting tiny groups.
The Glock is not a target gun. It is not made for punching tiny one hole groups on paper.
If the Glock is capable of shooting a two inch group at 25 yards off the bench and brand X is capable of one inch groups is brand X a better gun for self defense if it is not reliable?
The Glock is a combat handgun. It is more than accurate enough for its purpose.
A combat handgun has to be reliable more than anything else.
A pistol that is 100% reliable that shoots a 12 inch group is is much better than a tricked out 1911 that shoots one hole groups but jams when its gets slightly dirty.
When the day comes that you have to pull your carry gun all the fine motor skills that you have spent hours on the range learning will go to hell very quickly.
You will have the shooting ability of a novice. You will be shaking and you will be scared ****less. Anyone that says this is not true has never been there.
You lose all of your fine shooting ability. Your trigger finger will not be able to control a fine light SA trigger. You will most likely fire a shot accidently before you even point the gun at the bad guy if you have a extremly light trigger.
All you will be able to see and hear is the bad guy. You could have a Paris Island drill sargent screaming in your ear and a dozen naked super models standing beside you and you would never know it.
Even if the day before on the range you could shoot tiny one hole groups you will not do it now. You may not even be able to speak much less be able to shoot groups.
If you fire your weapon you will most likely point it at center mass and fire it untill the slide locks back.
Anyone that has ever been in this kind of mess will all tell you the same thing. Some cops or others that have been through this several times may react differently but the average man will be lucky to even hit center of mass.
You can say and think it will be different but untill you have been there you do not know.
The point I am trying to make is as your carry gun has to be reliable and simple. It has to be carried in the same place on your body in the same holster at all times.
It has to work when it is clean or dirty. It needs large easy to see night sights.
It needs to be in a decent centerfire caliber at least a 9mm.
You have to practice drawing your pistol and hitting the target very fast rather than practice shooting tiny groups.
Jody Hudson
New member
My experience has been that the 9mm Glock is somewhat ammo sensitive but that with the favored ammo; that polygon barell will shoot competition groups.
My experience has been that the octagon barell of the .45s is less ammo sensitive and more accurate than the other polygonal barells.
Several years ago I sold my Sigs and other 9mm and .45 pistols after I got a Glock 19 and Glock 21. I did NOT want to like the Glocks and didn't even touch one until several had been sold and after several months of them being in the gun shop where I visited daily. After I shot the Glock 19, I decided to sell every other 9mm I owned (about 2 dozen) as it was the most accurate and most reliable of all. Later, I got a Glock 21 and it was more accurate for ME than any of the several custom .45s I had. I sold all the other .45s and kept the Glock 21. I was NOT impressed with the looks of the Glock compared to any other pistol -- but I was impressed with the accuracy and reliability.
Others have different experiences from what I've read...
The Glocks just suit me. I am not trigger sensitive so light smooth triggers are not as important to me as they are to most other people for some reason.
My experience has been that the octagon barell of the .45s is less ammo sensitive and more accurate than the other polygonal barells.
Several years ago I sold my Sigs and other 9mm and .45 pistols after I got a Glock 19 and Glock 21. I did NOT want to like the Glocks and didn't even touch one until several had been sold and after several months of them being in the gun shop where I visited daily. After I shot the Glock 19, I decided to sell every other 9mm I owned (about 2 dozen) as it was the most accurate and most reliable of all. Later, I got a Glock 21 and it was more accurate for ME than any of the several custom .45s I had. I sold all the other .45s and kept the Glock 21. I was NOT impressed with the looks of the Glock compared to any other pistol -- but I was impressed with the accuracy and reliability.
Others have different experiences from what I've read...
The Glocks just suit me. I am not trigger sensitive so light smooth triggers are not as important to me as they are to most other people for some reason.
I respectfully disagree with cornbread with regards to one of his statements specifically
Cornbread states
"You will have the shooting ability of a novice. You will be shaking and you will be scared ****less. Anyone that says this is not true has never been there. "
I would say it’s more a matter of how the individual has been conditioned to deal with this or any life-threatening situation.
It’s been my personal experience that when a life threatening situation has presented itself my skills did not regress to the level of a novice nor was I scared ****less during the event. Now after the conclusion of the event as I was winding down I did go through a sort of withdrawal were shaking did occur but again I repeat that was after the event not during.
Cornbread states
"You will have the shooting ability of a novice. You will be shaking and you will be scared ****less. Anyone that says this is not true has never been there. "
I would say it’s more a matter of how the individual has been conditioned to deal with this or any life-threatening situation.
It’s been my personal experience that when a life threatening situation has presented itself my skills did not regress to the level of a novice nor was I scared ****less during the event. Now after the conclusion of the event as I was winding down I did go through a sort of withdrawal were shaking did occur but again I repeat that was after the event not during.
Cornbread2
Moderator
What you do and how you react when TSHTF depends on how you were trained or how you train yourself.
Some have the ability to handle anything. Most do not.
Most of the people that face something like this do it just as I posted.
Cops in big cities live in a combat zone and may face this kind of threat almost every day.
Us mere mortals dont have that kind of experience and dont care if we ever do.
Some have the ability to handle anything. Most do not.
Most of the people that face something like this do it just as I posted.
Cops in big cities live in a combat zone and may face this kind of threat almost every day.
Us mere mortals dont have that kind of experience and dont care if we ever do.
Cornbread,
Why is it that your deficiencies have to apply to the world in general?
Cornbread states:
“Us mere mortals dont have that kind of experience and dont care if we ever do.”
"Some have the ability to handle anything. Most do not.”
“Most of the people that face something like this do it just as I posted."
“Us mere mortals dont have that kind of experience and dont care if we ever do.”
When you have been in a life threatening situation and mind you it doesn’t have to be gun related then you’d know where I'm coming from.
BTW, this thread was originally asking about Glock Accuracy it was not about “TSHTF”, “cops in big city” or “mere mortals”. I would suggest you stay on the subject matter and stop going off on tangents you definitely know nothing about.
Why is it that your deficiencies have to apply to the world in general?
Cornbread states:
“Us mere mortals dont have that kind of experience and dont care if we ever do.”
"Some have the ability to handle anything. Most do not.”
“Most of the people that face something like this do it just as I posted."
“Us mere mortals dont have that kind of experience and dont care if we ever do.”
When you have been in a life threatening situation and mind you it doesn’t have to be gun related then you’d know where I'm coming from.
BTW, this thread was originally asking about Glock Accuracy it was not about “TSHTF”, “cops in big city” or “mere mortals”. I would suggest you stay on the subject matter and stop going off on tangents you definitely know nothing about.
For me, my Glock 21 is my most accurate Glock. On a good day I can put 10 shots into one ragged hole at seven yards using a Weaver stance. But I have never bench rested my Glocks or my other center fire handguns. The American Rifleman and the other gun rags report bench rested groups at 25 yards. At that distance most service handguns range from 2.5" to 4" groups. Every gun tested seems to have a favorite load.
Few people that post on their handgun's accuracy ever talk about bench resting or trying different loads. I am of the opinion that most statements about accuracy are worthless unless done from a rest and distance is reported.
Few people that post on their handgun's accuracy ever talk about bench resting or trying different loads. I am of the opinion that most statements about accuracy are worthless unless done from a rest and distance is reported.
Some very impressive scores, have and are being turned in using GLOCKS, at shooting contests all over the U.S. There are many where the winners of the event are shooting GLOCKS..Since most competitions are timed events, the dependability , and the handling of the firearms have a great effect on the results..Most of the fail-to-fire guns seem to be the high priced 1911 models..SIGs and BERETTAS don't seem to show up at the meets much..Maybe that's the reason for the GLOCKs reputation as a great shooter abounds..Myself, I shoot best with my HKs,although I enjoy the GSSF GLOCK shoots the best..