Book Review "Glock: The Rise of America's Gun,"

[rtk]

I would never own a Glock!

[PaulBarrett]

Terrific review of new GLOCK book by NRA's Mark Keefe IV --

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertain ... story.html

[grousemaster]

I didn't know there was a grip angle problem.

Neither does Gaston.

I liken the glock's popularity to the reason my hollywood friends started driving priuii... they're trendy and popular, thus they sell even for being vastly inferior to other market options.

Apple folks think their "stuff" is better too, and they have a whole 5% market share to prove it.


Glock is a functional weapon (unless you get one in a .40 and it KABOOM's on you), at a lower price point, and they serve a purpose. But, a gun that goes bang every time isn't that high of a standard to meet anymore, and lots of other guns do it as well or better for the same money today.

[MrVvrroomm]

Terrific review of new GLOCK book ...

Kinda neat having the author show up in our little corner of the internet, even though it's just a plug for his book

[grousemaster]

Terrific review of new GLOCK book ...

Kinda neat having the author show up in our little corner of the internet, even though it's just a plug for his book

+1

[QuercusMax]

I read a pre-publication copy of this book a month or so ago. At least now I know what the Glock mania is all about. There really isn't much admirable about Gaston Glock or his company. If the book is correct, Gaston is a hedonistic and arrogant guy who found a way to make a buck building inexpensive firearms, and then was lucky enough to have his product picked up and publicized in our country by some pretty clever but unscrupulous salesmen, while causing the decline of S&W (who probably needed some prodding).

The story of how Glock invaded the US is much like how Toyota invaded this country, shocking and nearly destroying the established but complacent domestic manufacturers with products that work OK but are certainly unexciting.

I've never been a Glock fan, and am even less of one now after reading the book. They really do seem like Toyotas: a basic but very bland product that many people choose because they just want the safe and inexpensive choice, doing what "everyone else" is doing. Your choices might be different. but I don't own any Toyotas, and same for Glocks.

[gyrfalcon]

I read a pre-publication copy of this book a month or so ago... They really do seem like Toyotas: a basic but very bland product that many people choose because they just want the safe and inexpensive choice, doing what "everyone else" is doing. Your choices might be different. but I don't own any Toyotas, and same for Glocks.

With the Toyota analogy they weren't just successful because they were inexpensive. Reliability and efficiency also played a major factory in Toyota's success.

Smith & Wesson is also not a great company if you look at them in depth: http://www.chuckhawks.com/smith-wesson_dark.htm

[engnerdan]

Ok so with jury duty (sitting around doing nothing) of unknown length this week I caved and bought this book. Even thought I despise the guns I don't mind knowing the history behind them. I have not made it very far in the book yet because once I buy a book for the purpose of jury duty free time I got put on call in (I knew this would happen).

-Dan

[gyrfalcon]

...Even thought I despise the guns I don't mind knowing the history behind them...

Do you despise all the other modern semi-auto firearms that have adopted the same features as the Glock too?

[engnerdan]

...Even thought I despise the guns I don't mind knowing the history behind them...

Do you despise all the other modern semi-auto firearms that have adopted the same features as the Glock too?

Nope, I am a very big fan of the XDM series of guns and the S&W M&P are nice too. I just do not care for the grip feel of the GLOCK, and from an engineering standpoint it is indeed creative and simple but crude and unrefined at the same time. I still own one right now. I by far have put more rounds down range with a GLOCK in the past year then anything else. I just switched platforms out of personal taste.

[gyrfalcon]

I just do not care for the grip feel of the GLOCK...

Have you ever tried the Hogue rubber sleeve or the Gen4's with the changeable back-strap? I've never been very picky about grips on most modern firearms, now there are quite a few C&R that bug me.

[grousemaster]

I just do not care for the grip feel of the GLOCK...

Have you ever tried the Hogue rubber sleeve or the Gen4's with the changeable back-strap? I've never been very picky about grips on most modern firearms, now there are quite a few C&R that bug me.

You gotta love how all the Glock haters on here ignore the fact that nearly every other pistol manufacturer has copied them in some way (new XD-S went to a glock clone striker system)

I've never seen another pistol slide with a finish as tough as a Glocks. I take a screwdriver and hammer to my slide for my buddies to get a kick out of and we cannot scratch it. With my Xd's and Rugers.....not so much.

I guess the best question would be, what features do other striker fired polymer pistols have that Glocks lack (and needs)?

[John S.]

Saw an episode of "Sons of Guns" a while back. Dude brought in a Luger that needed a firing pin.

It was taken from a dead German officer, who shot an American soldier after is 1911 jammed.

His buddy then killed the German officer with his REVOLVER!

Why take a chance, revolvers for me!

[grousemaster]

Saw an episode of "Sons of Guns" a while back. Dude brought in a Luger that needed a firing pin.

It was taken from a dead German officer, who shot an American soldier after is 1911 jammed.

His buddy then killed the German officer with his REVOLVER!

Why take a chance, revolvers for me!

Who carried revolvers in W2? This sounds like a wise tale from someone with an axe to grind against the legendary 19121

[John S.]

Saw an episode of "Sons of Guns" a while back. Dude brought in a Luger that needed a firing pin.

It was taken from a dead German officer, who shot an American soldier after is 1911 jammed.

His buddy then killed the German officer with his REVOLVER!

Why take a chance, revolvers for me!

Who carried revolvers in W2? This sounds like a wise tale from someone with an axe to grind against the legendary 19121

A soldier who knew semi autos could FTF?