soon to purchase .40 handgun.reliability question

dojpros said:

Multi glock owner here to include 2 gen 3 G34s.Re the hinky G34. Send it back to Glock. If it it not digesting mainstream factory ammo like 115 g Winchester White Box and certainly 147 American Eagle along with 124 Speer Lawman, the problem is the gun not the ammo. You might put in a new recoil spring and a fresh, latest gen 17 round 9mm mag and give it one last try with the factory ammo mentioned above.

Now reloaded ammo unreliability is an entirely diffrent kettle of fish...

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I am pretty sure it is not the ammo, but the gun or the mags. Ammo works flawless in other guns, either the factory or the reloads.
Might send it in to them. There was some rumor with the mag being the problem, but the spring could be also a problem. In NJ, I can only get 10 round mags, the 17 round mags are not legal here in my state.

dojpros said:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:I would buy Glock or SW M&P for reliabilty, price, avail. of OEM magazines, spare parts and quality holsters and accesories. Unless .40 cal is going to be issued or otherwise subsidized, I would strongly join the chorus and go with 9mm. Used pistols can be had under 400.00 with a sharp pencil.

FULL RECCOMENDATION: If it was me, and knowing everything I know now having first started shooting in 1991, I would buy:
1. A Smith and Wesson M & P 9 mm or a Glock 9mm (Model 19 or 17) and six magazines per gun. Arguably, the M&P fits a wider variety of hands with its adjustable back straps v. the Glock ( though not so much with the Gen 4 guns) and can be had with a frame mounted safety lever. The Glock has a longer track record and is the number one pistol in the world for MIL/LEO/GOVT use. It is also a bit easier to get holsters and accessories for a Glock. It really is a bit of Ford v. Chevy/Nike v. Adidas
2. Buy a Blade Tech Kydex Injection Molded OWB (outside the waistband) holster/magpouch set as my unconcealed range/training holster set. These holsters are made of a stiff plastic like material that make wearing, drawing and re-holstering much easier and safer. A holster is to a pistol what a sling is to a hunting rifle carried in the field.
3. Make sure the gun had night sights. This type of sight glows in the dark without having to be recharged by light v. a watch dial.
4. Buy a 1.5 inch 5 stitch Wilderness Brand AFrequent Flyers@ belt. A quality, purpose designed gun belt is key to supporting the weight of the gun,extra magazines etc. The buckles of these belts are infinitely adjustable
5. Buy some electronic hearing protection. These allow you to hear your coach,training partner and sounds around you but Ablock@ the report of gunfire and other loudnoises.
6. Buy some quality eye protection i.e. Oakley, Rudy Project, ESS, Smith Optics-Tactical Division or Revision Eyewear.
7. Buy 3000 rounds of 9mm ammo.
8.T ake a good 2 day class and start shooting some IPSC in a tactically sound manner (which means you will never come close to "winning" anything) to become consciously competent with the gun.
9. After that, I would buy a quality IWB (Inside the Waistband) holster.
10. Finish off my 3000 rounds doing what I was taught to do in the first class.
11. Buy 3000 rounds more of 9mm.
12. Take another class or perhaps even the same class again, this time running concealed.
13. Apply what I learned in both classes andstart shooting some IDPA in a tactically sound manner ( same caveat re "winning") until I was unconsciously competent with the platform.
14. Buy a second gun just like the first one and six magazines, shoot it about 500 rounds to make sure it was reliable and then make it my dedicated carry pistol and my first gun with the 6k thru it would be my dedicated training pistol.


If someone had outlined this for me above, I would be a better shooter now, I would have become a better shooter, faster and I would have saved a ton of time, talent and treasure. YMMV

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I appreciate the information, however, I don't want to be a navy seal or a professional killer. Just want to point and shoot the bad guy intruding in my home if necessary. I do plan on shooting thousands of rounds over a period of time to become very familiar with the firearm.
I think I have settled on the Beretta Px4 .40. I like the SA/DA and the manual safety. In the future I am sure I will add a few different guns to the arsenal as I do love shooting. Thanks for all of your help. It is greatly appreciated.

diehardmason said:

I appreciate the information, however, I don't want to be a navy seal or a professional killer.

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This made me lol'd.

diehardmason said:

I think I have settled on the Beretta Px4 .40. I like the SA/DA and the manual safety. In the future I am sure I will add a few different guns to the arsenal as I do love shooting. Thanks for all of your help. It is greatly appreciated.

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I can remember reading about the Storm years ago, and the problems Beretta had at first with their new, 'rotating barrel'. Everything I have read as of late shows Beretta has worked out the kinks and the Storm's rotary locking barrel is good to go.

Have never shot one, but I have held and pointed one on a few occasions, felt really good in the hand. Seemed to point very naturally. let us know how it shoots when you get it.

Dan-O said:

Was always taught to use a flashlight the following way. But what do I know?

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This is what I do. However, I am an old school cop with years of experience searching for Mr. Boogeyman in the wee hours of the night. And I still try not to go alone if I can help it. (scared of the dark)

I think James though, is correct with his assessment for civilians putting a light under their gun and keep their hands free. However, with one caveat. If ya hear a bump in the night that sets your "spidey senses" off and makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck?

Get your gun & family, go to your safe spot and call us, instead of searching your house by yourself. We really don't mind. we're probably close by anyway, sitting at a IHOP, not doing a d@%* thing.

Rudy Vey said:

I am pretty sure it is not the ammo, but the gun or the mags. Ammo works flawless in other guns, either the factory or the reloads.
Might send it in to them. There was some rumor with the mag being the problem, but the spring could be also a problem. In NJ, I can only get 10 round mags, the 17 round mags are not legal here in my state.

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[MENTION=16849]Rudy[/MENTION], I am curious, did you purchase the Glock 34 used or new?

OkieStubble said:

@Rudy, I am curious, did you purchase the Glock 34 used or new?

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New

+1 for the Glock

Good call on being suspicious of the magazines, Rudy. Do you know anyone who has a couple you could borrow to check it out? ALL of the Glocks I have been around, including mine, have been utterly reliable...and that's been a lot of Glocks.

If the different mags. don't work contact Glock customer service. They have built their reputation on reliability...they should be happy to make things right.

https://us.glock.com/customer-service/customer-support

Congrats on your soon to be new Beretta, Mason! May you put many happy rounds down range.

Been a while since I have been on this thread.

diehardmason said:

I appreciate the information, however, I don't want to be a navy seal or a professional killer. Just want to point and shoot the bad guy intruding in my home if necessary. I do plan on shooting thousands of rounds over a period of time to become very familiar with the firearm.
I think I have settled on the Beretta Px4 .40. I like the SA/DA and the manual safety. In the future I am sure I will add a few different guns to the arsenal as I do love shooting. Thanks for all of your help. It is greatly appreciated.

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Good choice on the Beretta, I think you will be happy with it. The basis for the constant training isn't to become a Navy S.E.A.L., but to be proficient. In the instance that you (hopefully never) need your firearm for defending you or your family, the last thing you want to be thinking about is "where is that damn safety!?!?!?!!". You want the function/use of that tool to be instinctive and natural. Lots of practice helps this, and training helps you do it properly.

OkieStubble said:

This is what I do. However, I am an old school cop with years of experience searching for Mr. Boogeyman in the wee hours of the night. And I still try not to go alone if I can help it. (scared of the dark)

I think James though, is correct with his assessment for civilians putting a light under their gun and keep their hands free. However, with one caveat. If ya hear a bump in the night that sets your "spidey senses" off and makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck?

Get your gun & family, go to your safe spot and call us, instead of searching your house by yourself. We really don't mind. we're probably close by anyway, sitting at a IHOP, not doing a d@%* thing.

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If only calling you was feasible. Unfortunately the nearest IHOP is like 4 hours from here, and there is one state patrolman to every 75 square miles in this area. He may be right around the corner, or on the other side of the county. I have waited almost an hour for one to arrive when I stopped to help at an accident scene. Don't get me wrong, I'm not downing police at all or the job you do, I respect the work you do, there just aren't very many of you around in some places.

dionesius3 said:

The Glock will never fail you!
Carried one for 22 years and never had one single failure of any kind.

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I recommend the Glock 23. Awesome handgun!! I had one for years with zero issues.

Eric