Davethegundoctor
Member
I would go with Glock 19X.
Glock 19 Gen 5 and make NO changes. Buy 6 extra mags and a couple of cases of 9mm ammo and you are good to go.So I've owned two Glocks since I started shooting sometime in the very early 1960's. I couldn't shoot them worth a damn (when I was shooting everything else just fine) and sold them almost immediately (Glock 19 and 17).
I'm tempted to try one last time, strictly for range use.
I figure on fitting it out with a bunch of Apex stuff, new sights, and whatever else will improve it.
And I'm wondering which one to buy: 17? 19? Another number. And which version: 1, 2, 3, what's to choose from and why?
There's plenty to read about how to upgrade, so I won't be asking that here...just what one I can get for the least price, invest a couple of bucks making it better, and be able to say I got one (as I have 'bout everything else I need or want, except a Walther P88 which I can't afford, a S&W 1911 which is also out of my current price range & I have a decent 1911 anyway, and a 4053 or 43 which I'm sure I'll find soon.)
I'm thinking of a gen 1 19 or 17, as they are probably not-so-rare and cheaper than anything later..but any and all advice is appreciated.
Only reason I carry is to protect me and mine, I want the most reliable gun on the planet I can stake my life on. Beauty and exciting is not part of my criteria.Glock...who wants a gun from a brand that when they all sit on the counter they all look alike. They may be reliable but they sure are ugly and boring.
Only reason I carry is to protect me and mine, I want the most reliable gun on the planet I can stake my life on. Beauty and exciting is not part of my criteria.
+1 to this. When I was an investigator in Colorado I carried a G23 and G27. Still have them. I still have the 9mm conversion barrels for each. I was all over the state, in some pretty rural areas. We weren't allowed to have AR-15 ir similar rifles. It had to be .40 cal and take Glock mags. I eventually chose the Ruger PC Carbine f0r the same reasons; take-down/packable.My own $.02…
I have both a 27 and 35, both in .40 S&W
…BUT…
I also have match-grade 9mm conversion barrels for both of them. In fact, I carry them with the conversion barrels installed as SOP. No further tweaking necessary with the 27 but you DO need a 34 recoil spring in the 35 due to the extra mass of its slide in relation to the lesser recoil of 9mm compared to the.40. But both are reliability machines. Note: for max reliability, you need 9mm mags to use with the conversions.
I A/B’ed mine with the conversion barrels with a friend’s actual 26 and 34, both factory 9mm.
Reliability was identical and I shot them all equally badly.
ETA - I forgot to mention that in keeping with my propensity for having carbines chambered for my pistols’ calibers AND sharing mags in this instance, the Glocks facilitated having KelTek Sub2k’s (I know, I know) in 9 and .40 that take my pistol mags. Practically speaking, a Sub2k folded up in my get-home backpack with a few 35-rnd candy bars that’ll go in either my carbine or EDC pistol just makes sense in my world. I also love the ability to be able to use both calibers by switching barrels and in the case of the 35, the recoil spring. Only takes a second.
Why spend more money on the gun to make the gun right if you can just buy a gun that is right and spend the about the same? I learned early enough the a $400 dollar gun with $250 worth of upgrades is still only a $400 gun and you might get something more for the upgrades. But if you just buy $650 gun from the factory which has all you need and want you will still have a $650 gun. Make sense?So I've owned two Glocks since I started shooting sometime in the very early 1960's. I couldn't shoot them worth a damn (when I was shooting everything else just fine) and sold them almost immediately (Glock 19 and 17).
I'm tempted to try one last time, strictly for range use.
I figure on fitting it out with a bunch of Apex stuff, new sights, and whatever else will improve it.
And I'm wondering which one to buy: 17? 19? Another number. And which version: 1, 2, 3, what's to choose from and why?
There's plenty to read about how to upgrade, so I won't be asking that here...just what one I can get for the least price, invest a couple of bucks making it better, and be able to say I got one (as I have 'bout everything else I need or want, except a Walther P88 which I can't afford, a S&W 1911 which is also out of my current price range & I have a decent 1911 anyway, and a 4053 or 43 which I'm sure I'll find soon.)
I'm thinking of a gen 1 19 or 17, as they are probably not-so-rare and cheaper than anything later..but any and all advice is appreciated.
Bought my Gen3 Glock 19 in early 2000's during a LGS Glock Days sale. Replaced the polymer sights with steel, changed the trigger spring to non-coil, changed the recoil spring guide rod from polymer to steel, and it has served us very well ever since as our house gun - actually shot NRA Expert with it, so the accuracy is fine, at least with this one. I wouldn't suggest CCW this size of pistol, or my 1911 for that matter; can we get past the idea that full size and slightly smaller pistols are good candidates for CCW for smaller women and men? We generally CCW S & W J-frames since 1974 with good success, and you can't beat 50 years with the same platform for familiarity and confidence. BTW, for the guy on this forum that was wanting a S & W J-Frame, but an older model, I agree, but be advised that these older guns are NOT supported by S&W with spare parts availability; turns out that if you want a spare part (like the cylinder stop stud screw #052780000 for example) you can't buy one for love or money. They told me that they will support these older revolvers with parts that are broken, if you send it in and are willing to wait while they make the part that is needed; then again, I got two different answers from the same customer service guy, distinctive voice, three weeks apart. Dear S$W, spare parts are 100% necessary, despite what S&W believes. So if you do hold out for an older used J-frame, be very sure that you are getting a good one, otherwise you will absolutely be sending it in for warranty work at the very least. My new Centennial J-frame went back to S&W twice fifteen years ago to bring it up to spec, and the tech that fixed it called me to say that the internals on the newer ones are not what you think they are, or words that suggest MIM parts. As I have always kept spare parts for all my firearms with the exception of the J-frames; the good news is that ours don't need work - the bad news is "per S&W" no one can be trusted with spare parts, and the really bad news is that some of these parts were physically changed dimensionally for various years of manufacturing of the same model number, like my Chief Spl Model 36, so pls be aware! Oh, and also BTW, our J-frames will never be for sale in our lifetimes, period. You always dance with them who brung ya!So true these days.
Yes ... Perfect sense right up until you add up the cost of all the ammo you will use in it.Why spend more money on the gun to make the gun right if you can just buy a gun that is right and spend the about the same? I learned early enough the a $400 dollar gun with $250 worth of upgrades is still only a $400 gun and you might get something more for the upgrades. But if you just buy $650 gun from the factory which has all you need and want you will still have a $650 gun. Make sense?
So I've owned two Glocks since I started shooting sometime in the very early 1960's. I couldn't shoot them worth a damn (when I was shooting everything else just fine) and sold them almost immediately (Glock 19 and 17).
I'm tempted to try one last time, strictly for range use.
I figure on fitting it out with a bunch of Apex stuff, new sights, and whatever else will improve it.
And I'm wondering which one to buy: 17? 19? Another number. And which version: 1, 2, 3, what's to choose from and why?
There's plenty to read about how to upgrade, so I won't be asking that here...just what one I can get for the least price, invest a couple of bucks making it better, and be able to say I got one (as I have 'bout everything else I need or want, except a Walther P88 which I can't afford, a S&W 1911 which is also out of my current price range & I have a decent 1911 anyway, and a 4053 or 43 which I'm sure I'll find soon.)
I'm thinking of a gen 1 19 or 17, as they are probably not-so-rare and cheaper than anything later..but any and all advice is appreciated.
How about the new Ruger/Magpul RXM? Plenty of aftermarket parts and the modular fire control module. I’ve been tempted.