EXPERIENCED A 12 POUND GLOCK TRIGGER ON SATURDAY

[chief38]

I went to the Range last Saturday with one of my NYPD friends who brought his Duty Gun. It was a 9mm Glock with the NYPD standard and mandatory 12 POUND TRIGGER PULL.

I took the opportunity to shoot a few Mag's worth of ammo through it and it was just awful! I did manage to shoot fairly well with it but shooting it one handed, especially with my off-hand was a real pain in the butt. Now I know why I see so many shots fired by NYPD officers to hit a perp only once or twice. I was told that they basically dumbed down the guns to the lowest recruits ability to not have an AD. The NYPD had a few AD's when they were issued standard Glocks, so that is how they solved the problem - instead of proper and more extensive training. So once again all the Officers who do train and practice now must suffer with this absurd 12 pound pull.

 

[Stevie]

I have a new G20 with a supposed 5.5 pound trigger....hmmmm it really measures like 7 pounds...

Once you get used to the heavy triggers...a decent trigger-pull feels like a hair trigger..

 

[jbull380]

Now think about that 15 or 20 yard head shot you may have to make to save a hostage.

 

[TTSH]

Sounds like Massachusetts where 10.5+ pound trigger pulls are mandated by our Attorney General under her sick interpretation of our consumer protection laws.

 

[Philadelphia Patriot]

My friends with the Philadelphia Police Dept have 8 or 10 lbs trigger in their duty Glocks. I've only ever shot their Glocks once, and the trigger is the reason. It honestly was not a pleasant experience at all. I had a Glock 19 and put a 3.5 lbs connector in it. That was a very nice, accurate gun.

 

[Arik]

Now think about that 15 or 20 yard head shot you may have to make to save a hostage.

Only in the movies.

 

[Doug M.]

The lack of training, and poor quality of what is provided, should be a discipline issue for senior management level staff. Never happen, but it should be.

 

[Harrison]

I recently bought a NIB Gen III G-17 with the standard trigger. The pull measured 5# on my trigger gauge. Light enough you could shoot it accurately, and coupled with a moderately long pull, I don't see how any thinking person with any training at all would have an AD. Several Nato countries have adopted the G-17 or G-19 as their standard side arm and I have not heard of any that thought they needed more than a 5-6# pull for safety. I cannot imagine trying to shoot a lightweight pistol with a 12# pull.

 

[Hellraiser]

EXPERIENCED A 12 POUND GLOCK TRIGGER ON SATURDAY

A 12 pound Glock, huh? I experienced the trigger on a 27 ounce Glock this past weekend, myself. That pistola must be loaded down with some sizable aftermarket stuff.

(joshin' withya)

If you clean that Glock... chances are that a mouse has done clumb up in it and died. A lil' Balistol will squirt that dead mouse plumb out of it.

 

[brucev]

Have been shooting Glocks since 1995, most w/ just the standard triggers. Had a 17L that was a little different... maybe. They have all been very easy to shoot. Just don't see why anyone would have a problem with the standard factory trigger. The 12 lb. setup is in my opinion about as useful as the proverbial mammary glands on a boar. But, those who insist on such triggers are themselves usually about as useful as those mammary glands. However, given that double-action revolvers routinely have DA pulls of over 10 lbs., such folks may consider that it is not to much to expect that a policeman would be able to manage a 12 lb. trigger.

 

[Straightshooter2]

The three and a quarter pound pull on my Combat Commander would most likely freak out them NY rule makers. Of course they probably eat salsa made right there in New York City anyway.

CW

 

[chief38]

I forgot to mention that my Glock friend (NYPD Officer) shot my Series 70 Gold Cup with a 3 1/4 lb. crisp trigger and just couldn't get over the difference. All he could do is shake his head the rest of the afternoon.

 

[LVSteve]

Make them practice with the DA pull on an 1895 Nagant revolver. After that the New York trigger won't seem so bad.

 

[adwjc]

I went to the Range last Saturday with one of my NYPD friends who brought his Duty Gun. It was a 9mm Glock with the NYPD standard and mandatory 12 POUND TRIGGER PULL.

I took the opportunity to shoot a few Mag's worth of ammo through it and it was just awful! I did manage to shoot fairly well with it but shooting it one handed, especially with my off-hand was a real pain in the butt. Now I know why I see so many shots fired by NYPD officers to hit a perp only once or twice. I was told that they basically dumbed down the guns to the lowest recruits ability to not have an AD. The NYPD had a few AD's when they were issued standard Glocks, so that is how they solved the problem - instead of proper and more extensive training. So once again all the Officers who do train and practice now must suffer with this absurd 12 pound pull.

Lets face it, what the city administration really wants is to lock all those pistols so no one can shoot them at all.

 

[jbull380]

Only in the movies.

That's great news! I can stop training from beyond the 7 yard line. Should make qualifications much easier.

 

[Arik]

So your department doesn't see the liability of shooting at a hostage taker with a handgun from 20 yards (60 feet)?

 

[jbull380]

There is no set distance on what shot you can or can't take in our policy. We are to identify the target and check the background. We are responsible for every round we fire. It is left to the officers discretion and his ability as to whether or not he pulls the trigger. I practice head shots at 25 yards. Sometimes I'll run the entire qualification course of fire with head shots only with the exception of the close quarters stage. Doesn't mean I would take one in real life but it better prepares me to take one at shorter distances. A 20 yard shot may be all you have. A 12 pound trigger would have a profound impact on any decision for engaging a threat under those circumstances at any distance. That was all I meant. The Glock trigger was hard for me to master in the first place, cant imagine a 12 pound wrestling match every time I want to send a round down range.

 

[chief38]

This pretty much spells it out:

NYPD: A Dangerous Philosophy - Bearing Arms

 

[JohnSW]

Apparently, the Washington D.C. police department had problems transitioning to the Glock. (1998 article.)

"In the 10 years since D.C. police adopted the Glock 9mm to combat the growing firepower of drug dealers, there have been more than 120 accidental discharges of the handgun. Police officers have killed at least one citizen they didn't intend to kill and have wounded at least nine citizens they didn't intend to wound. Nineteen officers have shot themselves or other officers accidentally."

"Officials chose not to modify the Glock trigger, as New York City police did in 1990, to require a more forceful tug to fire the gun."

"D.C. police officials repeatedly studied the phenomenon of accidental discharges, invariably concluding that there was no fundamental problem with the Glock itself – as long as users were properly trained."

Washingtonpost.com: Deadly Force

 

[LVSteve]

So your department doesn't see the liability of shooting at a hostage taker with a handgun from 20 yards (60 feet)?

I don't think that any jurisdiction would go for that with anybody other than a SWAT officer. I reckon most departments are well aware of the, ahem, variable level of marksmanship amongst their officers.