["Cold Dead Hands" !]

G19 !
All new shooters should start with 9mm, for lots of reasons.
The snappier .40's recoil is irritating to new shooters, and makes many of them develop a flinch.
.40's extra kick feels good, but throws off your accuracy & doesn't give you much more in terms of stopping power.
You really notice this difference when shooting IDPA competition.
Even though the .40 is scored major power factor, which automatically scores you better than 9mm.
Still the accuracy of the 9mm will over take the .40's scoring ability.
As all of our best IDPA shooters use 9mm's.

9mm is much cheaper.

[FnKev]

Get a G19 and get a Gen 4. Youll get an extra mag and the grip texture is much nicer in my opinion.

[firstg19]

bought the gun from cdnn on monday, they shipped it tuesday, I picked it up from my ffl today(thursday). And they did that quick of turn around time while being bombarded with calls due to the panic. The gun is from april 2006 based on its serial number. The night sights still glow as its only 6.5 years old. I will shoot it tomorrow and post back. I believe the put a new recoil spring in it, as it makes the noise my g19 makes that i just replaced the recoil spring in. I bought the 399 one that is in excellent to like new condition. I wouldn't call it like new, but it is definitely excellent.

[SJ 40]

Originally Posted by firstg19

bought the gun from cdnn on monday, they shipped it tuesday, I picked it up from my ffl today(thursday). And they did that quick of turn around time while being bombarded with calls due to the panic. The gun is from april 2006 based on its serial number. The night sights still glow as its only 6.5 years old. I will shoot it tomorrow and post back. I believe the put a new recoil spring in it, as it makes the noise my g19 makes that i just replaced the recoil spring in. I bought the 399 one that is in excellent to like new condition. I wouldn't call it like new, but it is definitely excellent.

Congrats ! You got a Glock that was produced back when Glock Perfection was spelled with a capital P. Shoot it like ya stole it. SJ 40

[Walkertl]

G19

I started with a 17, went to a 19, then a 22, and settled on a 23. I don't have any issues with carrying it concealed, daily.


Walker

[flysubcompact]

OP, I was in your same boat last year. Never having owned a service caliber gun and not having a lot of extra "fun" money to blow buying a bunch of guns.

My first Glock was a G23. Research told me that if I did not like the snap of .40sw that I could always drop in a conversion barrel and shoot the cheaper/softer shooting 9mm. It is also kind of concealable if need be.

Since that original purchase I have aquired another Glock. A G27 that is strictly for CC. I also have 9mm conversion barrels for both pistols.

You are looking for that one first (and maybe only) gun. In hindsight, and if I were in your shoes, at this time, I would recommend you get a G27.

Reasons......

You can "unsnap" it with a conversion barrel and a 9mm mag.

It is small enough to use for CC.

The sometimes problematic short "2 finger" grip can be extended for more comfort and control with various aftermarket doo-dads. Those being "Plus 2", Pearse grip plates, GAP floor plates and (my personal favorite) the Xgrip sleeves on a longer magazine. Love that Xgrip for range plinking.

During the last Obama panic buying episode, one of the only available ammo choices was .40sw because everybody was snapping up 9mm. I found this again last weekend. Nobody had 9mm because of the current Obama scare. I was able to go to the range with some .40 at least.

Last, but not least....I've found that I can shoot the baby Glock almost as accurately as I can shoot the larger compact 23. In either 9mm or .40 modes.

[clarkz71]

If you can't buy both, a G23 will take a 9mm conv barrel
and G19 mags. Also a G32 .357 Sig Glock factory barrel
drops in and uses the same mags (23/32). 3 calibers in one.

[N3tT3chMan]

Hey guys i have posted here a long time ago when i picked up my first G30SF and someone was telling me about this place you can pick them up fairly cheaply I cant remember the name of it for the life of me but I think it was somewhere you may have had to be a member of?

with that being said where is the cheapest place to pickup a new glock?

[Z71bill]

If you want 2 calibers - get the G19 now - then add a G21 or G30 in 45 ACP.

.40 cal is ~$4 more a box / $.08 round VS 9MM

If the G19 costs you $560 - after you shoot 7,000 rounds

You will have SAVED $560 - so you get the G19 for FREE.

[firstg19]

well i shot the gen3 17 trade in today. It ejects strongly, but I do get a few landing on my right shoulder every now and then. I'll do some more shooting over the weekend. May go through and update all the springs in the gun. Overall I'm very happy and glad that i have strong ejection most of which is to the 3-4o'clock posistion.

[TheKingDavis]

I'm going to purchase my first Glock in January when income tax time comes. I'm stuck between the Glock 17 and the Glock 22. I work as a detention officer and feel the need to have a portable firearm for my protection. However I also want to be able to go to the range and fire off a box of rounds and improve my accuracy. Which Glock would you recommend.

[SJ 40]

If you are new to handguns and shooting them My suggestion would be either a G 19 or G 17 in 9 mm.
Learning to shoot a handgun will come along more quickly with the 9 mm than a .40 and I am a .40 fan.Learn how to shoot properly and then branch out,the skies the limit with good fundamentals. SJ 40

[Leper]

17 is the easy choice. Look at your favorite retailer and see how much cheaper it is vs. 40cal for both practice and defensive ammunition. I own Glocks on both calibers and 9mm vs. 40cal, one does not make me feel safer than the other.

[bac1023]

I much prefer 9mm.

[RPVG]

G19. Compact. 15 rounds standard. 17, 19, and 33 rounds available. Cheaper ammo. Good beat and easy to dance to. What's not to love?

FWIW, I don't shoot 9mm, but I think this is is one sweet piece. Especially once I saw the price of ammo -- I shoot .45 and 9mm is way cheaper!

Anyway... one more opinion.

[VinnieG]

I'm a 40 cal guy but the 9 mm will do you fine also. I own a couple of each and like em all just fine.

[Bill Lumberg]

I have never, until recently, even heard of an obsession with brass travel. Circles I've worked and played with only worried about brass particulars for reloading, for telltale marks if there was fine tuning to be done, and for brass to clear the weapon when the round was fired, far enough to prevent a jam or stoppage. Moving and shooting, shooting laying on either side, shooting upside down (yes, part of a qual), and it never once occured to me to obsess about brass travel unless it "didn't" travel sufficiently to make room for the next round and the slide to close, or ended up in my holster and kept me from closing my hood or strap. Being hit about the head and shoulders with my brass, brass bouncing off cover, or my partner's brass just never was seen as a problem unless it got in your collar or trapped inside eye pro. Goodness, I must become more picky and stop focusing so much on the target/threat, and pay more attention to cases.

[llcoolgriff]

I would always recommend the g22 if you're comfortable with it. Having more energy is always a good thing!

[Bruce M]

I would go for the Glock 17 over the Glock 22 and I would also consider the Glock 19 if you were planning on carrrying/concealing it.

[HGxyz]

The gen4 G22 tames recoil pretty well. But are you sure you don't want something that is easier to conceal: a G19/23 (compact 9mm/40) or even better - the subcompact versions - G26/27? The difference in recoil at the subcompact level is more noticeable than in the larger framed guns.

[barth]

My best advise is to rent/borrow some guns and figure it out.
If that's not an option?
G19
Or a G23 with a 40-9mm conversion barrel.

You can have both.

[zorro49]

You state "portable firearm", does that mean concealed carry? If so, sounds like you want high capacity so my recomendation is for the G19/23, since they are more compact than the 17 or 22. I would go with 9mm for cost of ammo for practice and recreation. zorro49

[Castello Dunhill]

A lot of good advice everyone! Thanks


I'm kinda leaning towards a 23 with a LoneWolf 9mm conversion barrel. Would this be a good idea? Are the conversion barrels good/safe enough to leave in pretty much all the time?

[akapennypincher]

Was shopping today, slim pickings, high prives. Any deals around NEW G-19's?

Where?

Price?

[timd]

I bought a brand new Gen 3 G19 yesterday for $529 + tax from Academy in Houston. It was the display, but was "as new". Last G19 in stock. I was glad to find it.