Glock questions
Allen Householder
A little over a month ago, I posted to rec.guns that I was considering
the purchase of a handgun (Questions from a Neophyte, for those of you
keeping score). First off, I'd like to thank everyone who responded so
promptly to my post, your advice was very influential in my decision.
After doing some homework, I decided to buy a Glock 19. Last week I
called around and found a used one at a local gun shop. I stopped in and
checked it out, and it appeared to be in excellent condition. I'm
picking it up today or tomorrow.
I have a few questions though.
1.) There is no manual with this gun. Should there be, and where can I
get one (how much)?
2.) I've seen mention of a Glock book (by Kasler [sp?]?). What is the
title, where is it available, and how much?
3.) What is a good, yet low cost ammo for practice use?
4.) Is there still a warranty on this used gun?
5.) With the 'safe action' trigger, is it safe to use a trigger lock on
the gun? (The gun will be kept unloaded, but it would be possible to
insert a mag and chamber a round with the lock in place, right?)
6.) Any recommendations, tips, or other valuable tidbits of information
that those of you in net.land can offer?
See ya,
Allen
Andrew Wharton
#Hi everybody,
#A little over a month ago, I posted to rec.guns that I was considering
#the purchase of a handgun (Questions from a Neophyte, for those of you
#keeping score). First off, I'd like to thank everyone who responded so
#promptly to my post, your advice was very influential in my decision.
#After doing some homework, I decided to buy a Glock 19. Last week I
#called around and found a used one at a local gun shop. I stopped in and
#checked it out, and it appeared to be in excellent condition. I'm
#picking it up today or tomorrow.
#I have a few questions though.
#1.) There is no manual with this gun. Should there be, and where can I
#get one (how much)?
I think I got *some* literature with the gun, can't recall. Couldn't have
been that useful, though, 'cause I don't have it now.
#2.) I've seen mention of a Glock book (by Kasler [sp?]?). What is the
#title, where is it available, and how much?
Peter Allen Kasler wrote the definitive book on the use and care of the
Glocks. (damn, gotta get that book)
#3.) What is a good, yet low cost ammo for practice use?
You can buy reloads, but be sure to realize that they will *void your
warrantee, such as it is*. I like the Winchester USA brand for low cost
ammo. 9-10 bucks will get you a box of 124 gr.
#4.) Is there still a warranty on this used gun?
Dunno.
#5.) With the 'safe action' trigger, is it safe to use a trigger lock on
#the gun? (The gun will be kept unloaded, but it would be possible to
#insert a mag and chamber a round with the lock in place, right?)
Be sure to realize that when the trigger is in the rearward position (as
would be with a trigger lock), the gun cannot have a round in the chamber
as it is in the "uncocked" position. I usually have the gun by my bed,
with a mag in the handle and the round *unchambered*. Hopefully this will
prevent me from shooting my alarm clock in the morning :-).
#6.) Any recommendations, tips, or other valuable tidbits of information
#that those of you in net.land can offer?
Get a couple of magazine extenders (while you can) to make the mags "+2".
In addition to giving you two more rounds, it extends the length of the
grip, making it fit in your hand better. It also helps you to control
muzzle jump. If you want a different feel to the grip, look into the
Hogue grips for the Glocks (about $9). Not bad, but you have to trim them
down. Consider getting a recoil spring guide to replace the plastic one
that comes stock. You can get them in aluminum, titanium and steel. They
even have some that have ball bearings that float in mercury to dampen
recoil. [note: I have nothing against the plastic spring guide, I just
like things that are made out of metal and can be lubricated better --
thi is *not* an invitation to flame. I have been down that road before.].
Also, get some good leather. I recommend the Strong belt holster. Fits
great *from the beginning* and keeps getting better. Makes the Glock a
wonder to draw and shoot. All of this is, of course, IMHO. Take it for
what it is worth.
#See ya,
#Allen
andrew
--
...andrew (ender)
Doug Gwyn (ACISD/MCSB) <gwyn>
#1.) There is no manual with this gun. Should there be, and where can I
#get one (how much)?
Yes! In fact you should have received along with the gun itself, two
magazines, a loading tool, a cleaning rod with nylon brush attachment,
an owner's manual, and a plastic box to carry it all (except the manual).
If you call Glock, Inc. at Smyrna, GA, I am sure they will be happy to
mail you the manual. If you're missing anything else you should ask
about obtaining it (may cost some small amount of $$).
#2.) I've seen mention of a Glock book (by Kasler [sp?]?). What is the
#title, where is it available, and how much?
"Glock -- the New Wave in Combat Handguns" (approximately). It's
advertised sometimes in the newsstand gun magazines, generally along
with other books and/or videos. I recall the price was typical for
hardcover books these days. It is *very* useful for a Glock owner.
#3.) What is a good, yet low cost ammo for practice use?
If you can afford to buy "budget" new factory ammo by the case, e.g.
"Made in USA", "American Eagle", "UMC", generally in FMJ format, then
I'd recommend that. You can also find reloaded ammo for lower price,
but Glock strongly recommends against its use. In 9mm, one can often
find Norinco and other imported brands, but be careful to get ammo
that observes the SAAMI pressure limit; some military 9mm mean for
machine pistols may produce excessive pressure.
#4.) Is there still a warranty on this used gun?
If you don't have the original bill of sale, it would be doubtful.
Anyway, very little can go wrong with Glock pistols. If it doesn't
have the newer striker assembly (which can be detected by the nickel-
plated trigger bar visible upon field stripping), then I believe
Glock will still perform the parts upgrade free if you return the
gun to their Smyrna, GA plant. (Call first.) They may also offer a
discount on installation of tritium night sights at the same time.
#5.) With the 'safe action' trigger, is it safe to use a trigger lock on
#the gun? (The gun will be kept unloaded, but it would be possible to
#insert a mag and chamber a round with the lock in place, right?)
NO! The "safe" storage condition for a Glock pistol is with empty
chamber, empty magazine (optional), and trigger *pulled*. You can
probably install a trigger lock in *that* condition, but the lock
should be removed *before* attempting to chamber a round. So long
as the trigger is held in the rearmost position, *all* safeties are
disabled!
The plastic storage box supplied by Glock (which they may replace for
free if you send your boxless gun in for striker group upgrading) has
a nice post that fills the trigger guard, and the post is hollow to
accommodate a Mossberg gun cable lock, which renders the boxed gun
secure enough against casual snoopers.
#6.) Any recommendations, tips, or other valuable tidbits of information
#that those of you in net.land can offer?
Sure. You might ask Glock about the Glock Sport Shooting Foundation
which sponsors Glock-only shooting competition around the country.
Be sure to offer firm resistance to the frame via the handle during
slide recoil, to avoid jams resulting from "limp wristing".
Join the NRA and other pro-gun rights outfits.
The Polymath
}1.) There is no manual with this gun. Should there be, and where can I
}get one (how much)?
Glock will be happy to send you one for free.
}5.) With the 'safe action' trigger, is it safe to use a trigger lock on
}the gun? (The gun will be kept unloaded, but it would be possible to
}insert a mag and chamber a round with the lock in place, right?)
_Never_ put anything but your finger in the trigger guard of a loaded
Glock -- and then only when you're ready to shoot.
The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe, M.A., CDP, aka: holl...@polymath.tti.com)
Head Robot Wrangler at Citicorp "Learning about the U.S. from the popular
3100 Ocean Park Blvd. media is like learning about plumbing by
Santa Monica, CA 90405 sitting in a cesspool." -- Michael Phelps
Frank Crary
Allen Householder <al...@icarus.lis.pitt.edu> wrote:
#After doing some homework, I decided to buy a Glock 19. Last week I
#called around and found a used one at a local gun shop. I stopped in and
#checked it out, and it appeared to be in excellent condition. I'm
#picking it up today or tomorrow.
#I have a few questions though.
#1.) There is no manual with this gun. Should there be, and where can I
#get one (how much)?
Yes, a manual should have come with the pistol. I assume you
bought it used, so for your imformation, it should have
come with a manual, two magazines, a reloading tool and
a nylon barrel brush. I suspect Glock will send you a manual
if you call and ask (possibly at no charge or only at the
cost of shipping.)
#2.) I've seen mention of a Glock book (by Kasler [sp?]?). What is the
#title, where is it available, and how much?
It's "Glock: The New Wave in Combat Handguns", by Peter Alan Kasler.
IBSN number 0-87364-649-5. I can't find a price on the cover of
my copy, but as I recall it was about $20. It's published by
Paladin Press here in Boulder, and their phone number is
(303) 443-7250. I'm sure they could help you find a copy.
#3.) What is a good, yet low cost ammo for practice use?
Glocks will fire almost anything. For practice, I'd
just go with the cheapest 9mm you can find.
#4.) Is there still a warranty on this used gun?
I don't think so.
#5.) With the 'safe action' trigger, is it safe to use a trigger lock on
#the gun? (The gun will be kept unloaded, but it would be possible to
#insert a mag and chamber a round with the lock in place, right?)
Yes, but the gun can not fire unless the trigger is released and
then pulled. With a trigger lock in place, this should not be
possible. The only risk I can see would be a trigger lock which
holds the trigger in the "pulled" position. In that case, the
fire-pin block is moved out of the way and if a round were
chambered, it could fire when dropped.
#6.) Any recommendations, tips, or other valuable tidbits of information
#that those of you in net.land can offer?
Some people consider the Glock 19 to be more comfortable if you
add an after-market "slip on" grip. I don't agree, but you might
want to try it. Also, it you have trouble with the gun jamming,
it is probably the "limp wrist" problem and there are several
of us on rec.guns who could offer lengthy advice to correct this.
Frank Crary
CU Boulder
Robert Allen
#
# After doing some homework, I decided to buy a Glock 19. Last week I
# called around and found a used one at a local gun shop. I stopped in and
# checked it out, and it appeared to be in excellent condition. I'm
# picking it up today or tomorrow.
#
# 1.) There is no manual with this gun. Should there be, and where can I
# get one (how much)?
Yes there should be. I would be surprised if Glock wouldn't send you
one for free. I don't have their number, but they are online. Contact
Steve Tretakis (sp?) at stev...@delphi.com. I don't have his complete
compuserve address, but the user part of it is 76327,2230. You should
have the manual for this firearm.
#
# 2.) I've seen mention of a Glock book (by Kasler [sp?]?). What is the
# title, where is it available, and how much?
The title is "Glock: the New Wave in Combat Handguns". You can order them
from Palladin Press, or from me since I'm a Palladin dealer. The price
is $25.00 plus tax & shipping. IMHO, if you have a Glock, you MUST have
this book. It's a nice hardcover book with dust jacket too.
#
# 3.) What is a good, yet low cost ammo for practice use?
I tend to shoot Winchester or Remington generic ammo. It's not the
cheapest, but I've noticed that the people who complain the most about
the Glock are using the cheapest ammo they can buy.
#
# 4.) Is there still a warranty on this used gun?
I don't know.
# 5.) With the 'safe action' trigger, is it safe to use a trigger lock on
# the gun? (The gun will be kept unloaded, but it would be possible to
# insert a mag and chamber a round with the lock in place, right?)
The gun has 3 safeties: the trigger within a trigger prevents rearward
pressure on the side of the trigger from firing the gun (i.e. you must
have your finger or something else through the trigger guard). The gun
is not cocked until you pull the trigger all the way back. Finally, a
firing pin safety is on until you pull the trigger all the way back.
Note that these three safeties are designed to keep the gun from firing
if you should drop it. There is no manual safety. If you pull the trigger,
the gun goes Bang!
IMPORTANT NOTE: because of the "safe action trigger", you cannot put
the gun back in the tupperware box it comes in (you may not have got
one with your used gun) because the tupperware box has a round projection
that goes through the trigger guard. It is IMPORTANT that you never
put a cocked or loaded Glock in it's box, because the act of pushing
the gun over the projection can cause the gun to fire. ALWAYS store
the glock unloaded in it's tupperware box.
It's because of the unique method the Glock trigger uses that I
recommend you get the Glock book.
# 6.) Any recommendations, tips, or other valuable tidbits of information
# that those of you in net.land can offer?
Lots, but most of it's in the book. Peter Kasler also offers
a Glock training course (covering both shooting and maintenance
of the Glock) in the San Francisco Bay Area periodically; it's
worth taking if you get the chance. I believe he will also travel
to other locations to give the course if you have enough people
signed up.
---
Robert Allen, r...@sun.com
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this posting are mine, and
do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.
Gun Control Is Victim Disarmament
Ehrich L Koch
The Book:
Glock
The New Wave in Combat Handguns
by Peter Alan Kasler
Paladin Press
P.O. Box 1307
Boulder Co 80306
800.835.2246 x21
They take Visa, M/C
It's an interesting book and worth the $25.00.
Ehrich L. Koch koch...@gold.tc.umn.edu
Afton, Minnesota
U.S.A.
Jess Bunshaft
#5.) With the 'safe action' trigger, is it safe to use a trigger lock on
#the gun? (The gun will be kept unloaded, but it would be possible to
#insert a mag and chamber a round with the lock in place, right?)
A trigger lock is an excellent idea, BUT if you have the weapon loaded with a
round chambered and you try to put in a trigger lock, something (or someone)
is going to get shot! You could leave a full magazine in the weapon, if you
feel a need to, but you cannot chamber a round and then put in a trigger lock.
Besides, if you are going to have time to remove the lock before using the
weapon, you are going to have time to work the slide and chamber a round.
As to locks, let me recommed Master Lock's trigger lock. It's a little two-
piece device that locks onto either side of the trigger housing and renders
the weapon unusable to anyone without a key. Also, you can buy multiple
locks with the same code number on them (usually this is no problem if you
buy them all at once or from the company directly), so you can have the same
key for all of yours guns. As I type this, one is locked on my Glock 19,
and I feel confident that it is as secure as can be--and the lock fits
beautifully. Boy, if I'm going to be doing ads for Master Lock like this,
maybe I should buy stock in the company. Anyhow, I hope this helps. Good luck!
--Jess