“How the Glock became America’s weapon of choice” | Fresh Air (24 January 2012)

[Stan]

Curtain rods, huh. Who would of thunk. I'm a Glock guy - I've been carrying one for about 20 years. My agency went away from issuing 9mm handguns to the 40 cal around 2000/2001. The 40 cal definitively packs a bigger wallop.

Hey Gute,
Did you ever hear about a 2006 report from the PA PD during a shooting incident where the findings concluded it was impossible for .40 S&W 180 gr. JHP ammunition to expand with only 1" or less penetration in a human body?

LEOs were using Glock 22s and M4s and the assailant a .45.

Got to find that pdf... really strange Sierra.

I guess if I had to decide between a wimpy 9mm, I'd go with the 40 too

[gute]

Hey Gute,
Did you ever hear about a 2006 report from the PA PD during a shooting incident where the findings concluded it was impossible for .40 S&W 180 gr. JHP ammunition to expand with only 1" or less penetration in a human body?

LEOs were using Glock 22s and M4s and the assailant a .45.

Got to find that pdf... really strange Sierra.

I guess if I had to decide between a wimpy 9mm, I'd go with the 40 too

Sure have. The report on the shooting was distributed throughout my agency and if I remember right the fire arms unit at Quantico felt the .40 failed to stop the threat because of shot placement. I am not surprised that it took so many rounds to take him down. The guy was a bad dude and wanted to go out in a blaze of glory.

[selil]

When I had the option 25 years ago I went with the competitor to the G-Lock. I bought the Ruger P-85. It's still a pretty wimpy 9mm, but we still had the 38cal rule. Not long after I left they decided anything went, and they bought Sig Sauer in 40 and 45 cal. Before I was at that department I was at another department that had the opposite to the 38cal rule and we were required to ONLY carry 45cal and up. My first issue weapon was a Lar Grizzly in 45 win magnum. Then a k-frame S&W 44mag. No wonder I've got arthritis.

[jmm99]

I doubt that either of us has "Arthur" from shooting the 44mag (gotta love that cartridge - mine in early 1970s Ruger Super Blackhawk, totally factory); but I'll yield to your superior knowledge of your own body as to your arthritis.

On pistol, I'd have to go with the 45 Combat Commander (out of the Colt box with a "little" tweaking).

Yeh, I'm just an old-fashioned SA gunner.

Regards

Mike

[slapout9]

1- The Glock is a good weapon but it is not a miracle weapon and it is certainly not the only good weapon out there.

2-Have spent a lot of time in Emergemcy Rooms collecting evidence and talking to ER Docs and they always ask two questions WHERE was the victim hit and how large was the calibre. Shot placement is the real question to ask.

3- I met a Deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's department who shot a subject at almost point blank range through the heart!!!! with a .45 and the subject still managed to turn go back to his car and put it in gear and attempt to drive away before he became uncouncious.

4-The greatest advance IMO is the ability to buy handguns that have light mounts already built into the handgun. Laser sights and TAC lights on handguns are the real advances in Combat shooting.

5-The return of Point Shooting even to a limited degree is also good, which just goes to the old saying that good equipment is important but good training is everything.

[ganulv]

3- I met a Deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's department who shot a subject at almost point blank range through the heart!!!! with a .45 and the subject still managed to turn go back to his car and put it in gear and attempt to drive away before he became uncouncious.

I did a search on Google Scholar and discovered that this situation is apparently less freakish than I would have assumed! ’Course Floridians are a different breed in general…

[AnalyticType]

There was a time when I adhered to the philosophy "why sting 'em with a BB when you can smack 'em with a brick!" To that end, like jmm99, I had a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44mag -- with the 10.5" barrel -- and it did a bang-up job of changing the minds of a crew of intruders who were breaking into my house one night -- fortunately before I had to cause any of them to lay on the ground saying "ow" a bunch.

But after a while the mule-kick got old. I acquired a S&W 9mm (model 915) and fell as much "in love" with a gun as a girl can be without raisin' eyebrows. I also learned what y'all already know: larger caliber doesn't guarantee stopping power but placement and type of projectile does. So, in the interest of economical range practice without compromising my ability to inflict maximum trauma damage on intruders, I have stayed with 9mm -- and am seriously happy with my new Springfield XD(m) -- and go through 400-500rds of FMJ a couple times a month at the range, but keep the mags loaded with Federal Hydra-Shoks when not at the range.

I do like the XD(m) for the twin safeties, easy field strip, the fit of the grip and balance, and those 19rd magazines!

I've shot the Glock .40, and also in 9mm, but just wasn't much of a fan.....

[slapout9]

I did a search on Google Scholar and discovered that this situation is apparently less freakish than I would have assumed! ’Course Floridians are a different breed in general…

1-I was shot with a .44 magnum and didn't even no it for almost 2 hours and(it did knock me to the ground) by the way that happened AFTER my Glock .40 jammed.

2-Spent a lot of time talking to ME (Medical Examiners) sometimes called Coroners and bulletts done 2 things. Exactly what you think they would do and some of the most incedible unbelieveable things I have ever seen. I actually recovered a bullet on a stretcher in the ER that had worked it's way out of a suspect.

3-If you want true stopping power or true knock down power.....use the Patrol Vehicle