FBI Selects Glock in 9MM as Next Gen Service Weapon

[ChuckMK23]

Well FBI joins a host of other agencies in realization of the failed .40 S&W experiment - and interesting selected a Glock 17/19 in 9mm as next generation service weapon.

The FBI did specify no finger grooves - and the various gun blogs have all reported that the Glock pistol will be delivered sans finger grooves. Perhaps a new frame version without finger grooves for the rest of us too!

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportu...11f9f7ff35889bf5f46c48ba0ef&tab=core&_cview=1

Interesting comments on Soldier Systems blog!

http://soldiersystems.net/2016/06/29/fbi-selects-glock-pistol/

But it does confirm what the rest of us all knew was that larger handgun calibers don't necessarily mean a more lethal handgun. As a long term USPSA competition shooter and reloader, the load will perhaps be more interesting than the selection of what brand of plastic and steel.

Glock seems to get it right - first NSW. Good omen for next gen pistol for .mil - I'd wager on it.

 

[Gatordev]

Good omen for next gen pistol for .mil - I'd wager on it.

Except a Glock doesn't fit everyone well. I'm pretty handy with my G17, but that's a G4 with the big back strap. Without the back strap, things point left. I'm also used to the "it's like grabbing a brick" feel, and have moved past that a long time ago, but for someone who just stands a watch and has to qual every not so often, I can understand their dislike. I also haven't been able to hit the broad side of a barn past a certain distance with my G19. I'm truly baffled on why, when I can hit a man sized target at 100y with my G17. But that's a whole other story...

Then again, Glocks are cheap, reliable, and poor maintenance doesn't immediately kill it, so I can see why you're saying what you're saying.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Gator I can teach you grip and stance in shooting a Glock successfully regardless of your paws and regardless of the backstrap - to hit center-of-mass inside maybe 25 yards.

 

[ChuckMK23]

By the way, it was always Bureau policy that Special Agents that could not successfully qualify to standards with a G 22 or 23 were instead qualified on 17/19. Thats been policy for years.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Is the min gripe with .40 that it's more difficult to be accurate with, or something else? I've always found it to be a really harsh-shooting round personally.

I've always been a fan of .45, but lately I'm standardizing to the 9mm. It's cheaper, pistols have more capacity (outside of CA, anyway ), and it doesn't weigh as much in bulk.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Is the min gripe with .40 that it's more difficult to be accurate with, or something else?

I've always been a fan of .45, but lately I'm standardizing to the 9mm. It's cheaper, pistols have more capacity (outside of CA, anyway ), and it doesn't weigh as much in bulk.

Recoil on .40 shot from 9mm sized frames borders on unmanageable IMHO.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I have been through shooting classes taught be a variety of instructors, I hate shooting the glock, I can shoot much more accurate with a .40 than a 9mm glock, I am about the same with a 9mm S&W or Springfield.

I have several friends in law enforcement at city/state/federal level and nearly all can't stand the glock and now carry S&W M&P in .40

I also hate the fact that glock is a gun with zero safety features

 

[A7Dave]

I'm in the process of grinding off the finger grooves on my G19 Gen 3. My knuckles rest on the points and jam my middle finger into the trigger guard. And, it points high. I like having a few more rounds, but I shoot the .40 just as well as the 9. Even shooting duty loads in my Walther PPS (very small), 40SW is no big deal. I don't think the 40SW is a failed experiment. I think the 9mm has matured as a round and bullet technology has vastly improved it. I think it is a training dollar decision. People shoot better with only minimal time at the range with the 9mm vs the 40. And the new 9mm bullets do the job just as well with less mass.

 

[sevenhelmet]

I also hate the fact that glock is a gun with zero safety features

Glocks have a trigger safety, a firing pin safety, and a drop safety. Are you made uncomfortable by the fact that it doesn't have a mechanical "thumb" safety like your M&P? One reason why pistols like the Glock are so popular as duty sidearms is that they are simple to operate under pressure. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a big Glock fan either, but it is a reputable, solidly built firearm that won't hurt you if you follow the 4 basic safety rules.

 

[ChuckM]

I'm amazed they did not pick up the Sig 320. It answers the concerns of both camps. The trigger is phenomenal. It's even priced right. This seems to be a lot about the expense of training and reissuing a new firearm to everyone. I doubt they will have the .40s swapped out for some time. They apparently still have some old random Sigs in service.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Glocks have a trigger safety, a firing pin safety, and a drop safety. Are you made uncomfortable by the fact that it doesn't have a mechanical "thumb" safety like your M&P? One reason why pistols like the Glock are so popular as duty sidearms is that they are simple to operate under pressure. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a big Glock fan either, but it is a reputable, solidly built firearm that won't hurt you if you follow the 4 basic safety rules.

I don't count those as safeties, I haven't been to any firearms class where the instructor considered those safeties either, one of them and several people I know (they were all together) were at the shot show? in LV several years ago and asked the glock rep if glock had thought about installing a safety, the reps answer was "it has a safety, your finger, if you don't pull the trigger it won't fire"

There was a kid shot near me that had a glock in his backpack (his dads), he dropped it and it fired, the responding LE said something (don't remember what) had wedged inside the trigger guard and when the backpack was dropped on the ground it depressed the trigger and it fired.

I prefer the grip safety on my Springfield, my LE friends all carry the M&P and several would prefer to carry the Springfield but it isn't allowed as a primary weapon.

 

[Gatordev]

There was a kid shot near me that had a glock in his backpack (his dads), he dropped it and it fired, the responding LE said something (don't remember what) had wedged inside the trigger guard and when the backpack was dropped on the ground it depressed the trigger and it fired.

Putting any handgun into a bag without putting it in a holster/protective cover could have resulted in the same situation. Mechanical safeties can get flipped just like the trigger can get depressed when being jostled around.

Navair issues weapons that have no mechanical safety to people with almost no firearms training. Just food for thought. Sure it's a DA gun, but it still doesn't have a safety.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Exactly, Gatordev.

NavtOffRec, my point was it's more about preference- a Glock isn't any more/less likely to go off unintended than another pistol, and the vast majority of NDs (including the one you mentioned) result from people forgetting one or more of the 4 basic firearm rules. The action that makes me the most nervous? The 1911. If I'm not proficient, I'm constantly checking it before I draw to make sure I didn't forget to engage the thumb safety when it was holstered. That's why training (including dry-fire) with a pistol is important. But I don't think it's a problem with the 1911 action itself, just my personal idiosyncrasy, since I learned to shoot with an XD that doesn't have a thumb safety.

 

[nittany03]

That's why training (including dry-fire) with a pistol is important. But I don't think it's a problem with the 1911 action itself, just my personal idiosyncrasy, since I learned to shoot with an XD that doesn't have a thumb safety.

Muscle memory is huge. If the zombie apocalypse hit tomorrow, I'd take my SIG 229 as a sidearm. Why? Because when I shoot any other pistol, I have to consciously disregard the SIG manual of arms. I've shot that weapon so much more than others that it's drilled into my head. To the point that my thumb sometimes twitches until my conscious brain remembers there's no decocking lever on my 1911.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Yup. "Beware the man with one gun, he probably knows how to use it."