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[Swingshiftworker]

taltyman previously said:

Thanks for that info FJDave. I'm still trying to determine which handgun to purchase and have been leaning towards the Glock but now maybe not. The local Academy Sports store here sells pretty much all their Glock models for about $500. Do you (or anyone else) have any recommendations for a semi-auto in that same price range?

No other recommendations here in that price range.

Like I said, I think that Glocks are great guns! They are accurate (I can group shots in the black on a bullseye target at 25 yards w/my M17); they are virtually indestructible (durability tests included burying them in mud, dropping from heights, freezing, dumping in water, etc. and, they always fire afterwards); they don't rust; they continue to fire even if you don't clean them for over 1000 rounds (I'm a lazy at gun cleaning); and, they are easy to fix. There are also lots of aftermarket parts and accessories for them, which make them even better. I've got Trijicon sights, a "minus" connector to lower trigger pull weight, a stronger recoil spring and a lighter/stronger firing pin and a Pachmayr sleeve grip on my M17. I've even got a LaserMax laser sight in my M26. Now, those are MODS!

So, don't let the Chief turn you off on Glocks. Any moron can shoot himself in the foot (or was it the ankle?) with a gun, if he doesn't exercise proper gun safety.

BTW, I remember several years ago when the Oakland PD tried Glocks but switched to Berettas (I think) because all the officers kept shooting themselves in the foot because they didn't know enough to keep their fingers off the the trigger. There's a trigger "safety" (a little lever on the trigger) that keeps a Glock from firing if it's engaged (ie., not depressed) but if you pull on the trigger that releases that safety and allows the gun to be fired. Every deputy in the SFSD, where I worked, was issued a Glock M17 and, as far as I know, there has never been a self-induced injury due to improper gun handling in our department.

Good gun safety training dictates NOT putting you finger on the trigger until you identify your target and intend to fire. So, any accident due to shooting yourself with a Glock is not the fault of the gun but is solely due to OPERATOR ERROR!!!