Thoughts on the Gen4 GLOCK 26?

**Wounded Ronin** · Posted On: 6/02/2012 9:55am

Originally Posted by Robstafarian

No worries man, I'm just hoping a torrent of the usual Glock guys will arrive to give me some perspective. I think I remember Cassius and Wounded Ronin both have Gen4 Glocks, and Wounded Ronin can definitely help me by contrasting his Glock with his 1911.

Maybe I'll get off my ass and send a few PMs.

Well, the 1911 is a pleasure to shoot. Follow up shots are a breeze, and .45 ACP has long been regarded as an excellent defensive round.

However, Glocks are also accurate and reliable. I found that I need to practice specifically with the Glock to get used to shooting it as opposed to shooting a 1911, to get that same level of comfort.

Probably the biggest thing the Glock has going for it if you're thinking defense is the reliability. I can't say I'm totally satisfied with the reliability of my 1911.

Either gun will do the job but perhaps if your life is really really on the line the reliability becomes the most important thing after all. Especially if we're talking shooting in an apartment instead of attempting long range A box shots during a sporting event.

**Wounded Ronin** · Posted On: 6/02/2012 9:59am

Originally Posted by Robstafarian

Pulling arbitrary metrics out of my ass, would you please describe the ease of shooting your GLOCK 26 as it compares to your M1991A1? Say, three aspects (I'm just talking about my M1911A1 clone here, but I'd like you to treat it as the Glock relative to the Colt):

Trigger (overall feel 1 to 5): 5 (short pull, crisp break, light without being too light)
Shooting (getting on target and recoil): 4 (natural aim with arched mainspring housing, and the "push" recoil is almost pleasant compared to "snap")
Follow-up Shots (trigger reset and getting back on target): 3 (unless I really work hard at it, I don't get back on target well)

This is a bit silly, I know, but I'd like to learn from the experience of someone who's made a similar transition.

In terms of the "feel" of shooting, at this time, I still prefer the 1911. However, the Gen 4 Glock does have a nice crisp trigger, which makes it a bit closer to the "feel" of shooting a 1911 compared to earlier Glocks that had a mushier trigger.

As far as the recoil and follow up shots, the 1911 recoil is more pleasant. It's steady, soothing, almost relaxing as the sights drop back on target almost of their own volition. I prefer the 1911 recoil to the Glock recoil, which I feel is "spikier". This is probably because the 1911 is all steel and heavy whereas the Glock has a lot of polymer with a steel barrel. Also probably because you can't ride the safety on the Glock. But it's all a question of training in the end isn't it? You just have to train with that Glock until you're comfortable as you are with your other weapon. That's the bottom line whenever you have a weapon for self defense.

**Robstafarian** · Posted On: 6/02/2012 11:20am

Originally Posted by Wounded Ronin

As far as the recoil and follow up shots, the 1911 recoil is more pleasant. It's steady, soothing, almost relaxing as the sights drop back on target almost of their own volition. I prefer the 1911 recoil to the Glock recoil, which I feel is "spikier". This is probably because the 1911 is all steel and heavy whereas the Glock has a lot of polymer with a steel barrel. Also probably because you can't ride the safety on the Glock. But it's all a question of training in the end isn't it? You just have to train with that Glock until you're comfortable as you are with your other weapon. That's the bottom line whenever you have a weapon for self defense.

Thanks for chiming in; I was actually going to PM you today to request your participation.

The first automatic I ever fired was a rental GLOCK 19 (115gr American Eagle), and I didn't like it much at all. For one thing, I knew so little about technique that I didn't have a very good grip at all when firing (I mean in terms of actual grip, not quality of mechanics). This allowed the gun to fly up in the air and throw hot brass on my head.

Having learned the ropes with my 1911, I'm confident my improved technique could overcome every problem I had with the GLOCK 19—though I'm somewhat apprehensive about the same ammo in a smaller and lighter platform (notably the reduced grip size). I don't ride the safety on my 1911, by the way. I am now thinking I'll do 50 rounds each in my 1911, a rental GLOCK 26, and a rental .38 Special Smith & Wesson J frame—in that order—to get a good feel for the differences.

IWB carry is entering my mind again as I keep reading that the Baby Glock is too "big, heavy, and brick-like" for pocket carry. Pocket carry is very high on my list because of how inconspicuous it can be, and I don't really understand why people say that about the Baby Glocks when they're roughly the same size and weight as J frame revolvers which have been pocket carried for decades. It would be nice if the range management would let me put an unloaded rental gun in my pocket for reference, but I know that's a hell of a request ("we can go in the classroom and the range officer can block the only method of egress; I don't mind").

**IMightBeWrong** · Posted On: 6/02/2012 3:26pm

Originally Posted by Robstafarian

Pulling arbitrary metrics out of my ass, would you please describe the ease of shooting your GLOCK 26 as it compares to your M1991A1? Say, three aspects (I'm just talking about my M1911A1 clone here, but I'd like you to treat it as the Glock relative to the Colt):

Trigger (overall feel 1 to 5): 5 (short pull, crisp break, light without being too light)
Shooting (getting on target and recoil): 4 (natural aim with arched mainspring housing, and the "push" recoil is almost pleasant compared to "snap")
Follow-up Shots (trigger reset and getting back on target): 3 (unless I really work hard at it, I don't get back on target well)

This is a bit silly, I know, but I'd like to learn from the experience of someone who's made a similar transition.

1991 Trigger: 4. Not quite as crisp on mine as on the Springers I had before. But it's also older.

Glock trigger: 3. Not as smooth by any stretch of the imagination, but the snap on reset makes follow up shots quick and easy.

Shooting 1991: 4. Mine is a Combat Commander and is a bit tougher to shoot than a Govt. It also isn't as easy to realign the sights on as the Glock which I attribute to the Glock sights being larger.

Shooting Glock 26: 4. Not perfect, but for it's size I don't know of anything that lands back on target as quickly and easily.

Trigger Reset 1911: 5. No surprises here. Anybody that shoots a 1911 knows the reset is practically king.

Trigger Reset Glock: 5 also. Not as short, but the snap that I mentioned earlier makes for a very easy followup shot. You won't miss it, you'll definitely feel it, and you can instantly pull the trigger again as soon as you feel it. You'll never have a Ghost Reset with a Glock.