Best Pistol?

Glock3540 · 07-25-2009, 17:38

Hello Everyone,
I felt I needed to tell you all about my G19.
I'm 47 years old and have owned many Pistols,Revolvers,Rifles and
Shotguns in my life.
I'm known as the "Gun Guy" and people come to me for advice when
they are in the market for a weapon.
In handguns,I now own a .22,.25,.380,38SW,.357's,9mm,.40's,.45ACP,.454,etc,etc.
I have not shot or owned a S&W .500 yet but may in the future (massive
recoil and report and not sure what I would use it for. Ha Ha).

I'm at a point financially in my life that I can go out and buy just about any weapon
that I want. I have a wonderful wife (she's the envy of my friends) that
just wants me to be happy and never even questions what guns,TV's,Or any other big boy toys that I want to buy.
Presently I have about 20 or so weapons and my newest weapon in a Beretta Xtrema 2 with kick off.
I say all of that to say this, I really think my G19 may be the one pistol that I would keep if I could only have one handgun.
Handguns that are of a reasonable size are a compromise in how powerful they can be.
They are really not that powerful but are weapons of convenience. They
"keep them off of you until you can get to your .308/.223/12 guage in the trunk. Ha Ha.
I have been caught up in the "caliber debate" for almost 30 years now.
I am convinced that a properly placed 9 mm is not that much different
in effectiveness than most other handgun calibers (.454 and .500 possible exceptions). And I have been enomored with the10MM since Jeff Coopers endorsement of it, and production of the Bren Ten!
With that said, I have carried a G27 loaded with Cor Bon's, daily, for over
10 years now. I also love my G35. As well as the Stainless Sig P220 .45 and
my P90. .357's are nice and I even looked at the 45GAP but did not want to add yet another caliber to add to my collection. I also like the .357 SIG but seems to have more muzzle blast and sharpness to the recoil than even the 10MM....

I modify almost all of my weapons only where I think improvement can be made. Usually trigger jobs,feed ramp polishing and rounding of sharp edges where necessary. My life's goal was to be a gunsmith and gun store owner until I found out that most of them starve to death due to lack of funds! Ha Ha...

The G19 is close to being a perfect pistol. It has to compromise in all areas but at the same time it does everything pretty well. It reminds me of the "Honda Accord" of pistols. It really isn't the best at anything (except reliability and durability, again like the Accord), but at the end of the day, there is not a better all around pistol in the world. It is the one pistol that I would gladly pay twice the present price (if I had to) and still think I got a great deal.

My wife says not to own any "toys" (understand I do not think any weapon is a toy, it is a tool, but being gun guys, we appreciate weapons more than the average person) that you really don't like just because everyone else says "That is the only one to get!" Only get what makes you smile when you look at it. THE G19 MAKES ME SMILE!

I mean to offend no one and after 30 years around "Gun Guys", I know that it is very rare to tell your opinion with out making someone upset.
Again, no offence but I do my best to base my opinions on personal experience and good research and opinions from people that "have been there and done that" without using too much emotion to influence me (other than smiling).
Sorry for the long post but hope it helps someone.
God Bless,
Brian

iRenegade · 07-26-2009, 15:38

Nice post! Thanks for sharing! You're not trying to push anyone's buttons and stated why you like the G19, although I'm sure you like your other weapons and they have their attributes as well!
I appreciate an on-topic, well reasoned voice of experience.

Rigormootis · 08-07-2009, 23:42

I agree - so much so that the G19 ( I have 2) is now my only centerfire semi-auto. I have previously owned literally dozens of pistols - now, my stable is filled with lots of revolvers, 2 glocks (with AA kits), and a few .22 pistols. The G19 is my "do-all" handgun.

jjgi5150 · 08-25-2009, 12:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glock3540

Hello Everyone,
I felt I needed to tell you all about my G19.
I'm 47 years old and have owned many Pistols,Revolvers,Rifles and
Shotguns in my life.
I'm known as the "Gun Guy" and people come to me for advice when
they are in the market for a weapon.
In handguns,I now own a .22,.25,.380,38SW,.357's,9mm,.40's,.45ACP,.454,etc,etc.
I have not shot or owned a S&W .500 yet but may in the future (massive
recoil and report and not sure what I would use it for. Ha Ha).

I'm at a point financially in my life that I can go out and buy just about any weapon
that I want. I have a wonderful wife (she's the envy of my friends) that
just wants me to be happy and never even questions what guns,TV's,Or any other big boy toys that I want to buy.
Presently I have about 20 or so weapons and my newest weapon in a Beretta Xtrema 2 with kick off.
I say all of that to say this, I really think my G19 may be the one pistol that I would keep if I could only have one handgun.
Handguns that are of a reasonable size are a compromise in how powerful they can be.
They are really not that powerful but are weapons of convenience. They
"keep them off of you until you can get to your .308/.223/12 guage in the trunk. Ha Ha.
I have been caught up in the "caliber debate" for almost 30 years now.
I am convinced that a properly placed 9 mm is not that much different
in effectiveness than most other handgun calibers (.454 and .500 possible exceptions). And I have been enomored with the10MM since Jeff Coopers endorsement of it, and production of the Bren Ten!
With that said, I have carried a G27 loaded with Cor Bon's, daily, for over
10 years now. I also love my G35. As well as the Stainless Sig P220 .45 and
my P90. .357's are nice and I even looked at the 45GAP but did not want to add yet another caliber to add to my collection. I also like the .357 SIG but seems to have more muzzle blast and sharpness to the recoil than even the 10MM....

I modify almost all of my weapons only where I think improvement can be made. Usually trigger jobs,feed ramp polishing and rounding of sharp edges where necessary. My life's goal was to be a gunsmith and gun store owner until I found out that most of them starve to death due to lack of funds! Ha Ha...

The G19 is close to being a perfect pistol. It has to compromise in all areas but at the same time it does everything pretty well. It reminds me of the "Honda Accord" of pistols. It really isn't the best at anything (except reliability and durability, again like the Accord), but at the end of the day, there is not a better all around pistol in the world. It is the one pistol that I would gladly pay twice the present price (if I had to) and still think I got a great deal.

My wife says not to own any "toys" (understand I do not think any weapon is a toy, it is a tool, but being gun guys, we appreciate weapons more than the average person) that you really don't like just because everyone else says "That is the only one to get!" Only get what makes you smile when you look at it. THE G19 MAKES ME SMILE!

I mean to offend no one and after 30 years around "Gun Guys", I know that it is very rare to tell your opinion with out making someone upset.
Again, no offence but I do my best to base my opinions on personal experience and good research and opinions from people that "have been there and done that" without using too much emotion to influence me (other than smiling).
Sorry for the long post but hope it helps someone.
God Bless,
Brian

Brian,

Nice post, and I have to say I pretty much agree with what you've said. I also have been around every kind of handgun, rifle and shotgun made. I am a 20+ year LEO and until about six years ago, I also hunted North American big game with a variety of weapons. I also feel that handguns are a stop-gap tool to get to a rifle or shotgun.....when seroius combat is at hand.

Anyway, I carry a G-23 or a G-19 daily as my plain clothes duty weapon. I am very confident both will do what is needed as a duty weapon. I have been carrying the G-23 more often, because I had the G-23's slide done in Robar's NP-3 (which is a great duty/carry finish) and I like the .40 load a bit better than our issued 9mm load. I believe the caliber debate is a lot of comedy and entertainment, especially on this site. I don't believe there is a single person who professes that one caliber is vastly superior to another who would stand up and volunteer to get shot with one of their named 'inferior' calibers (My apologies in advance to all the 'caliber is everything' members...carry on with your caliber quests and ignore my thoughts...just my free expressions....).

I have seen the results of our duty loads in all calibers, as well as a variety of other calibers used by crooks against each other and the public. All can fail, all will kill, all will maim and all may cause bleed-out. But not one single one will guarantee a miracle one-shot stop, unless perhaps...very close in head shots with shotguns/rifles, or that perfect M/O shot that might 'sever the cord.' My current training routine has shifted to a 'shoot until the threat ceases,' with all my weapons. With all the 'internet experts,' many of whom have never shot even a game animal, much less been in a real gun battle, it has become very interesting to read some of 'their' recommendations and advice about caliber and weapon choices [A quick aside to RECOGNIZE and THANK all the men and women U.S Military vets who have been/are involved in combat in the Milddle East....God Bless, and aim true!!].

The G-19/G-23 are great combat weapons IMO, because of firepower, balance, concealability, grip angle, size and for me, overall fit to my hand. Both mine have been solid enough performers to bet my life on and although I do use my Sig 229R for tactical entries, there are very specific reasons for that choice.

Good luck and good shooting with all your weapons...

Take care,

JJ

trigger45 · 08-31-2009, 22:43

It is the best pistol, for me. ive had or got to use almost all of the big name pistols.the g19 ,23 grip frame fits me the best.

dkochan · 09-25-2009, 14:53

The Glock 19 is my favorite handgun. I shoot IDPA with it and carry as often I can depending on whether or not I can conceal it with the clothes that I am wearing.

Marky Mark · 09-28-2009, 16:36

I've never thought any gun is "best", period, but the G19 probably the best all-around compromise of shootability and convenient carry in a nearly indestructible package. It's the Roman short sword of the present day.

trigger45 · 09-29-2009, 07:15

Quote:

I've never thought any gun is "best", period, but the G19 probably the best all-around compromise of shootability and convenient carry in a nearly indestructible package. It's the Roman short sword of the present day

And better than all the 1911a1's that i used to own.

zeke66 · 09-30-2009, 20:25

I could have come close to writing the same post as the O.P., although I am a year older and had never owned or fired a Glock until last week. Now I own 2 G19's, a gen 2 that I got for $350 and a NIB gen 3 that I picked up for the GSSF price.

I resisted the "mystique" for years, partly because I always thought Glocks were over priced for what they were. I've always liked Rugers and 15 years ago, a Ruger could be had for a lot less than a Glock. That gap has shrunk a lot and I guess I've had a lot of years to warm up to the idea of plastic pistols.

It all started with a Kel-Tec P11 that I bought almost 10 years ago. Now let me tell you, I've "messed with" that gun a lot over the years and it is now stone cold reliable. It DID take a big learning curve to learn to shoot it well though.I still prefer it to the feel and size of a G26 (too fat for how small it is), but like has already been said, the G19 fills a very, very versitile role. I was amazed at how easy it was to shoot the G19 well (at least for me) right from the get-go. I'm thinking my G19's are keepers.

montrose1911 · 01-31-2010, 08:32

.....

packinaglock · 01-31-2010, 12:59

I'm 47 also and I totaly agree, I have 5 Glocks and the one I carry everyday is the G19.

Alden2 · 01-31-2010, 13:08

I'm in the mode to buy a Glock in the next week or so. I was thinking the new Gen 4 22 (.40), but I am strongly pulled to the big 20 (10mm). My third (but equal) choice is the 19, I'm very scattered on this. I need someone to slap me and say "Just buy a ___ for this one reason: _______________".

Someone help me out here?

packinaglock · 01-31-2010, 14:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alden2

I'm in the mode to buy a Glock in the next week or so. I was thinking the new Gen 4 22 (.40), but I am strongly pulled to the big 20 (10mm). My third (but equal) choice is the 19, I'm very scattered on this. I need someone to slap me and say "Just buy a ___ for this one reason: _______________".

Someone help me out here?

I have the G20 and it is great for hunting hogs, I don't have a G22 so no comment, but the G19 is a work of art!

Alden2 · 01-31-2010, 15:26

I think for now I will probably get the Gen 4 22. I have another .40 (SA XD-40) that I like a lot, so it makes it easier buying ammo if you only have to get one caliber anyway. I have heard a hot .40 HP works pretty good on hogs too, if you're close enough.

I might get a 19 or a 20 later though. I'd really like to have all three.