Should I just get a Glock 19???

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OhioGuy

New member
For the last year, my primary gun has been an XD Subcompact. Nice gun, really. I've learned well with it.

But I shoot other guns better. I'm not sure what it is. Even going up to a full size...and even the 5" "Tactical" model, I shoot other guns better. I was going to get the long slide for competition. But I got a Walther Q5 instead, and freaking love it.

However, it lacks the ability to prevent (loosely speaking) the trigger from being pulled when holstering. The XD lets me stay off the grip safety. The Walther has that beautiful, wonderful trigger, but there's absolutely no margin there. Yes, I know it's a training issue, and I know all about booger hooks and bang switches. But I'm not a robot, and at some point that extra margin just might come in useful. So after really considering getting a PPQ for my main gun (and carry...but really, it's a tad large for me to carry), I ditched the idea of using a PPQ as my carry gun.

I really like the M2.0, but it shares a "cocked and unlocked" design. I tried the one with manual safeties, and I just really, really dislike them. So I started to think about hammers. I actually kinda like DA/SA, though I've never seriously trained with one. I looked at a few. I really liked the P07 from CZ. But after comparing to a G19, it was apparent that it's kind of chunky with the extra bits hanging off the slide, and the beavertail pokes me in the gut when I try it AIWB. Plus there are precious few aftermarket items for it, even sights! Really liked the Beretta PX4 Compact, but the placement of the decocker levers just pisses me off.

I'm beginning to see the benefits of that ugly, boxy, 110% utilitarian Glock design. Nothing to snag, no unnecessary bulk, lightweight, low bore, billions of aftermarket everything.

And then, yesterday, I discovered "The Gadget" on a bunch of forums and videos, that apparently replaces the plate on the back of a Glock slide and allows you to "ride the striker" similar to a hammer, using thumb pressure to detect resistance against the trigger, and prevent the trigger from being pulled. I have a Walther PPS with an exposed striker indicator, and I can ride that with my thumb. I always did think that was a simple and brilliant feature. Apparently, for about $80 I can do the same with a Glock....which scratches that one big itch I really still have.

And the G19 is so light. And so ugly :D ...but so practical...

I have this feeling that, after a long process of searching for guns that "are the same size as a Glock 19," I'm going to end up with...a Glock 19???

Oh, and I can shoot with them pretty well. I can't say I really noticed the "awkward grip angle" some complain a lot about. I think I got over that after the 5th round.

I guess in short, I can say I "like" almost every gun I've tried better (in some way) than the Glock, but when I roll them all into one package that's 100% about training, carrying and self-defense with no time to worry about what I like better on a range, the Glock seems to beat them all simply by being mundane and absolutely reliable. They all do "that one thing" better, but the Glock does them all "well enough" and at the same time.

Maybe that's why nobody can ever beat Glock?

Am I already as good as beaten? I'll bet others have been down this path...
 
And....

Does anyone have experience with "The Gadget?" It seems to have consistently positive reviews.

Does such a thing exist for any other prominent striker guns? Since many of the others have fully cocked strikers, I'm guessing the principle of operation (preventing the striker from moving rearward when the trigger is pulled) wouldn't apply anyway.
 
I gather that your concern is experiencing a negligent discharge while reholstering. I think there a simpler solution that a "gadget".

Visually verify that the holster is clear of clothing or obstructions before inserting the pistol. Its that simple.
 
I have no experience with The Gadget. If I've said it once, I'm sure I've said it a hundred times: there are plenty of pistols that do something or another better than a G19, but there ain't many (if any) that do the jack-of-all-trades role better. Perhaps you'll feel a little better after reading A Grudging Review of the Glock 19.
 
While the G19 is by no means my favorite pistol, it is what I carry every day. It's size, weight, capacity, simplicity, general shootability, huge aftermarket, it's just awesome for me. Add to the fact that my 34, 17, and 26 all have the same manual of arms, can fit in the same holsters (besides the 34), and can all use the same larger mags, it just makes sense. For me at least.

Also, Glocks have no soul so I don't care as much if I sweat on them or scuff them up
 
What's killing me right now is I always preferred Gen 2 Glocks without the finger grooves. So I was actually able to talk myself out of purchasing Gen 3 and Gen 4 very easily.

Gen 5 darn it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am very annoyed. Hopefully I can avoid getting a Glock!!
 
I've wondering about exactly the same thing lately. I started out looking for a double action G19 sized gun. But the more I compared other guns to it, the more I liked the G19, for the same reasons you mentioned. Virtually everything is either bulkier or has less capacity, or in some cases, both. Or, they have some dangerous "safety" feature that could cause the gun to not work unexpectedly when you need it to.

I came to the conclusion that the CZ-P07 is the G19 of the double action world. But there's no doubt it's a little bulkier. I still plan to snap up the first good deal I see on one though. I just cannot bring myself to carry striker fired pistol in the appendix position.
 
Get the new Gen 5 Glock (cause you don't have a gen 3 or 4.) I can say the Glocks work and work excellently from many years of experience.

Deaf
 
It is hard to argue against the Glock 19 if it works well for a shooter and IMO the Glock 19 Gen 5 has closed the gap on some complaints compared to the competition. Reports are that it is a very accurate pistol as Glock had promised. I actually liked the trigger on the Glock Gen 5 as I found it pretty decent and in no way was it affecting my accuracy shooting the pistol. I found the grip on the Gen 5 Glock 19 to be comfortable and in no way 2x4 like.

I often CCW my Gen 2 Glock 19 that I bought new in the early 90s and it has never given me an issue.

The Gadget, by all accounts I have read, is a quality and highly tested device. IMO if the owner of a Glock 19 wants that extra level of safety it provides by disabling the striker from moving while activated then go for it.
 
Deaf Smith said:
Get the new Gen 5 Glock (cause you don't have a gen 3 or 4.) I can say the Glocks work and work excellently from many years of experience.

Deaf
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I liked the Gen 5. I haven't shot the 4 since two years ago but I actually like the finger groove feel. It seems to fit my hands nicely. I can't imagine the "target barrel" makes much of a difference in actual defensive training or application? I have a gun for target shooting already :)

I'd just get the latest model, but I see 4s for quite a bit less and the design has been around for a long time and is pretty well proven.
 
divil said:
I came to the conclusion that the CZ-P07 is the G19 of the double action world. But there's no doubt it's a little bulkier. I still plan to snap up the first good deal I see on one though. I just cannot bring myself to carry striker fired pistol in the appendix position.
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I've seen videos where someone whacks a striker gun with a mallet and eventually causes the striker to release. I saw a PPQ video to that effect and some other model too. But in each case the released striker hit the striker block safety and never hit a primer. Those videos actually made me feel better about it, because they show that the designs function as they should. And I don't intend to whack my gun with a hammer while I'm carrying it :)

My big concern is that 1 in a million time when I get distracted holstering it, and there's nothing but a short 5 lb trigger between me and an extra hole somewhere. That's why The Gadget got me thinking that a Glock 19 AIWB can work for me. I'd honestly rather have the M2.0 Compact, but I really don't like that thumb safety at all. Way too easy to hit unintentionally
 
OhioGuy said:
My big concern is that 1 in a million time when I get distracted holstering it, and there's nothing but a short 5 lb trigger between me and an extra hole somewhere. That's why The Gadget got me thinking that a Glock 19 AIWB can work for me. I'd honestly rather have the M2.0 Compact, but I really don't like that thumb safety at all. Way too easy to hit unintentionally
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This scares me more than anything. However as long as you treat the holster as an integral part of the security system and use a kydex clip holster that you can easily put on and take off with the pistol in it, that should mitigate any problems you might have.

I had a good scare while reholstering in my car when I used to carry my block with a fixed belt loop IWB holster at about 4:30. My inside tshirt took too much of a liking to the trigger. Nowadays when I do carry it, I carry at 2:30. And its not my primary carry anymore.
 
I answered my own question today. Rented two guns.

No, I should not get a Glock 19.

I should get a CZ P07 and look extra hard for accessories. That gun is beautiful. I was keeping 3" easily at 50' where the target was obscured by the front sight. I couldn't touch that with the Glock. Clearly, FOR ME, this is the right gun!
 
Get what works for you. I know it is an overly simple answer, but it is also the one that makes the most sense. I tried to like the XDs in .45 ACP, but I ended up hating it. I don't like the trigger so I got the Powder River Precision kit for it. It helped a little, but I still ended up selling it. I carried a Glock 26 for about 7 years, then switched to a Kahr PM9 for about 3 years. I switched to a Glock 43 last year. I carry the 43 with the Techna Clip. I had the Safe-T block, but it kept popping out. I clip the gun onto my waistband, and then button my pants. Much less chance of accidental discharges that way. There is nothing slimmer than carrying it this way.
 
This scares me more than anything. However as long as you treat the holster as an integral part of the security system and use a kydex clip holster that you can easily put on and take off with the pistol in it, that should mitigate any problems you might have.
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I agree about the holster. This is what I CCW my Glock 19 in, an Ozark single clip kydex holster. I put the holster on and off my belt with the Glock 19 in it and put it in the pistol safe under my bed the same way.

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Just get the Glock 19. I've used them since the early 90's and they are still the one everyone is chasing. All the polymer followers since have tried to emulate the Glock but Glock is still just as technologically advanced as other manufacturers that use bullet, powder, case and primer.

In all those years I've always kept my finger away from the trigger when holstering...no problems holstering.:confused:

For me it's 1911's and Glocks, no problems switching between them.
 
Just get the Glock 19. I've used them since the early 90's and they are still the one everyone is chasing. All the polymer followers since have tried to emulate the Glock but Glock is still just as technologically advanced as other manufacturers that use bullet, powder, case and primer.
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I got my sister the Walther PPQ and the trigger is better than Glock's. I do carry a Glock 43 though. Competition spurs innovation and constant improvement.
 
I've moved on from the G19 to the M&P 2.0 Compact as my primary CCW... however the Glock 19 I have isn't going anywhere and I may still get a Gen5, too... The Glock is admittedly a great gun. There are some things I need to change on them to make it fit my hands(trigger guard undercut being the most important)... but after that, I like them a lot.

I still carry the G26 quite a lot. I love that thing and no one has been able to make a comparable gun. I have the G43 for occasional carry, I really wanted to like the VP9SK, but it's significantly larger than the G26 for the same capacity... the old M&P Compact is a strong contender in this area, but still larger and heavier than the G26, though you do get 2 more rounds. If they re-release that size in the 2.0 platform, I'll be looking at it very closely. The XD sub-compact(and all XD's) is a joke, to me. It's fat and blocky and they have some of the worst track records for performance in training classes among what is supposed to be the main duty/carry type pistols(Glock, S&W, Springfield, CZ, Walther, Sig, HK).

So... yes. You should get a Glock 19. I think that's one of those guns that EVERYONE should have. It may not be your favorite overall, but it does so many things right, that it's a great platform to use for comparison with other guns.
 
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