Posted on 11/30/2005 10:33:30 AM PST by kiriath_jearim
Charleston, North Charleston police to stick with Glock 21 for service pistol
Officials say they've had few problems with gun, despite misfirings reported in other areas
BY GLENN SMITH The Post and Courier
The Charleston area's two largest police departments say their officers will continue to carry a popular brand of .45-caliber pistol, despite reports of the guns misfiring in other parts of the country.
Police in Los Angeles and Portland, Ore., have barred officers from carrying the Glock Model 21 pistol amid concerns about the weapon's safety. But the pistol remains the standard duty weapon for hundreds of police officers in Charleston and North Charleston.
Police officials in the two Lowcountry cities said they have used these pistols for years without problems and see no reason to make a change.
"We haven't had a bit of problem with it," said interim Charleston police Chief Ned Hethington. "It's a great weapon."
Glock Inc.'s pistols have become the weapon of choice for many Lowcountry law enforcement agencies, most of which use the company's .40-caliber pistols. None of the departments contacted Monday reported problems with Glock guns in their arsenals.
Glock's pistols, made of polymer plastic and steel components, have proven popular with police across the nation because the guns combine power with a lightweight, durable design. More than 7,500 law enforcement agencies, or about 65 percent of the market, use Glocks, according to the company's Web site.
Los Angeles police, however, ordered officers to stop using the Model 21 last week after reports that the .45-caliber weapons misfired dozens of times during training and firearm-qualification sessions, the Los Angeles Times reported. By October, the department had received more than 40 reports of "light strikes," which occur when a firing pin hits a loaded cartridge with insufficient force to discharge a bullet, the newspaper reported.
Last year, Portland's police chief ordered an immediate recall of Model 21 pistols after two separate incidents in which the guns exploded in the hands of officers. Two officers received minor injuries in the incidents, which occurred on the firing range, said Sgt. Brian Schmautz, a spokesman for the department.
Portland police surveyed law enforcement agencies across the country and learned of others that had experienced problems with .45-caliber Glocks, Schmautz said. Portland police stayed with Glock but switched to the company's 9 mm pistols, he said.
Some observers have questioned whether the incidents point to a defect in the guns, while others have suggested that low-quality ammunition or poor maintenance could be to blame.
Representatives from the Austrian arms company, which has U.S. offices in Smyrna, Ga., did not return a call Monday seeking comment on the matter.
North Charleston police started using Glock Model 21 pistols in 1997, and all of the department's nearly 200 uniformed officers carry the weapon, said Spencer Pryor, spokesman for the department. Misfires have not been an issue, he said.
Charleston police use two types of .45-caliber Glocks, the Model 21 and the smaller Model 30. The department has used these pistols since 1993 and now has about 400 of the guns in its arsenal, Hethington said.
"I can't say we haven't had a light strike in there some place, but we really haven't had a problem with it," said Cpl. Craig Farr, range master and a firearms instructor for the department. "It's been a reliable weapon for us."
YES!!!! 1911's rule.
Probably using cheap ammo. Had a friend with a .40 Glock. The cheap Mexican ammo stovepiped with annoying regularity. The armorer though that the issue was how he was holding it, until he did it for himself. Changed to a different brand and it worked fine.
I already posted that link. There are a lot of reasons for KB's and they also do happen in other types of firearms, i'll admit. I'm an avid shooter and have been since i was very young and have never seen a firearm KB up until a guy three lanes down from me had his glock 19 blow up on him. That incident is the main basis for my dislike for glocks considering the owner was using brand new ammo, and the firearm had less than 500 rounds fired through it. Most of all, it was super clean... much how i keep my weapons. So that rules out two of the "causes other than a chamber which is not fully supported".
I also dislike glocks because they have terrible ergonomics. They just don't feel right to me. My Springfield XD and HK USP 9mm are far more comfortable in my hands in every single way, and the triggers also are excellent for a poly pistol.
Perhaps i'm biased... but only due to experience. If I had to pick a 'work horse' pistol for carry which i had to put enough faith in for the protection of my life and of others... it definitely wouldn't be a glock. I'd pick Sig, HK, or Springfield XD. (for a 9mm poly pistol).
If it were a 1911, i'd pick an Ed Brown if I could afford one. I'm not a big fan of .357 sig, .40, or 10mm calibers. While a .45 ACP has a very heavy bullet and tons of punch, if you work out the physics... the kinetic energy of a 9mm is roughly around the same as a .45. Plus you can carry more 9mm in a magazine than .45 acp.
But in the end.... my main firearm for home protection is my 12ga Benelli M-4 semi-auto... the main shotgun used by the USMC. You can fire off 8 shells before the first shell hits the ground it shoots so fast and reliably. hoo-RAH!!!
Nothing finer! http://www.benelliusa.com/firearms/m4.tpl
http://www.benelliusa.com/firearms/images/m4-pistolgrip-large.jpg
Honestly, I have heard all this stuff before...but when you break down the actual weapon the chamber does properly support the round.
I think this may be a myth or, indeed, an "atypical" manufacturing defect that has been spread around about the weapon buy competitors. (Wouldnt be the first time.)
It's a reliable firearm. Moreso than my 1911A, which though an accurate weapon, is tempermental and needs constant care.
At the end of the day nothing's better at defending your life than a good ole S&W .357.
I've heard about glocks going full auto. I have no idea what the cause is but i'm sure your experience was definitely a very scary suprise considering how fast pistols cycle. I've fired a Glock 18 before, which is fully automatic with a selector (courtesy of the USMC) and it was NUTS. The pistol was empty in a matter of a couple seconds. http://www.glock.com/g18.htm
Right. Mexican ammo has to stop, climb the wire fence, then proceed on to its destination.
Actually, it was more about the cartridge length. We mixed 'em in the same ammo holder and you could sort 'em with your eyes closed by running your fingers across the ammo.
The unsupported chamber is not a myth. At least its not on the .40, .45, .357, and 10mm. I've personally checked out my fiends .40 and 9mm myself and while it was a dream to tear down (super easy), the chamber is not 100% supported on all sides at the rear of the cartirage where the ramp is. Maybe i'm paranoid because of the KB i witnessed and what i've read about them since then... but being an owner of more firearms than I am years old (i'm 27)... i've never seen a weapon that didn't fully support the cartirage. Brass is a very soft metal and I personally don't feel safe putting my life in danger by trusting that an ammunition manufacturer to be 100% flawless in every single brass casing to ensure its perfect integrity where its not supported by a glock.
I'm not saying glocks are garbage, so please don't get me wrong. There are always fluke accidents with anything made by the human hand, it's just that when i see a risk which is clear and present... i avoid it.
I hope glock changes their design and am quite suprised they were even able to get the design past the ATF due to the chamber design.
Anyways.... arguing aside. I do agree 100% with you on a good ole Smith & Wesson .357 magnum. I am the proud owner of a 6" Model 66-2 .357 magnum made in the early 70's and its an amazing pistol. Tons of power, super accurate (i have new sights and a trigger job), and has been 'almost' flawless in its 30+ years of use. I had to recently re-barrel it due to decades of shooting too many .357 mags through it when I knew that they were very hard on the K-Frame and the barrel slightly overturned. But replacing barrels on most pistols after that much time and use is expected.
The verdict now seems to be high or soft primers.
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