I never thought I'd say this... Glock.

[BrianK]

Glock... When they first came out they felt like a 2x4 in my hand. I'm sure I wasn't alone in thinking that.  That turned me off immediately and for decades I wouldn't even handle one, why waste my time? Maybe a year ago a gent at my LGS handed me one and I had to admit that it no longer felt like a 2x4, it felt pretty good and I was surprised. But that was years after me shooting an M&P competitively and buying an M&P 9c for EDC. Then I bought a Walther PPQ and it was even better with a really nice trigger. That was something I couldn't like about any Glock, the triggers just suck. But if I was going to buy a Glock it probably would never be a Glock, it'd be a Shadow Systems "Glock". I still don't have a Glock and probably never will. Other than the M&Ps and the PPQ, in semi-autos I've always been a fan of John Browning, to include the P-35, designs. If I do buy another semi-auto, and that's highly unlikely, it'll probably be a double stack 1911 in 9mm flavor. Why screw with trigger perfection? Yeah, I'm a trigger snob and I want that trigger to break like a glass rod and not feel like I'm bending a plastic straw. Full disclosure, the M&Ps did NOT come through with what I'd call acceptable triggers either, it took $ and work on my part to get them where I wanted them. Like 98Z I'm heavy into Kimber and I'll add heavy into the 1911 grip angle.  Ideally, Kimber would redesign the BP 10 II in 9mm and add provisions for a red dot and they'd sell at least one (to me). I'd buy an Ultra 10 II in 9mm at the same time if it was similarly designed and make it my new EDC. The Ultra 10 II is smaller all over with a 3" barrel. Unlike many other DS 1911s the BP 10 II fits my hand.

https://www.genitron.com/Handgun/Kimber/Pistol/Pro-BP-Ten-II/45-Auto/Variant-1

[Madhouse]

2 hours ago, BrianK said:

https://www.genitron.com/Handgun/Kimber/Pistol/Pro-BP-Ten-II/45-Auto/Variant-1

 

I had one of those, sold it.  And I'm a big Kimber fan, but did not care for my Ten II.

[BrianK]

Yeah, for whatever reason Kimber stopped production. I had to search the country for my Ultra 10 II and found one in PA. Maybe it was too non traditional those years ago? IDK.

I had problems with mine at first. I failed to read the manual. It stated to use ammo with highly polished cases, that pretty much means the really good stuff. But I'm a cheapskate and don't use the good stuff for practice. so I used lesser ammo and got jams where the DS funnels down to single stack. I tried the good stuff and it worked 100%. Then I tried even worse ammo, steel cased Russian and it jammed every time. So I got out the secret weapon, carnauba paste wax. I waxed each round of Russian ammo, wiped off the excess,  and it fed them 100% because now they were slick enough to work in the magazine. Now I wax any ammo that might be an issue in the 10 II. 

I like it because I have smallish hands (stubby fingers?) and even a SS 1911 doesn't fit me 100%, made worse with the long triggers manufacturers insist on using. But the 10 II fits me OK despite being a DS. No panels on the frame is the difference. What I need to do is get all of my 1911 triggers swapped out. But it's a low priority so I live with them.

[98Z5V]

Still have mine, going away present when I left Ft Lewis.  I love that pistol. 

[StarWolf]

Kimber's got a chunk of my dough as well, but not on double stacks.

I've got a Para Ord P14-45 when they changed over from their early limited production tricked out guns to the production ones. I think it was Limited to Signature but mine still had mostly Limited parts before the somewhat more clunky sights. Extended ambi safety, match ramped barrel/fitted bushing, front serrations, BoMar style rear sight, dovetailed front sight, extended beavertail w/speedbump, flat mainspring housing, flared and lowered ejection port, long (plastic) trigger w/ overtravel adjustment. Basically all the stuff that Kimber started doing around the same time and while Springfield was still sending out guns without the extractors tensioned or any real deburring.

When Remington was blowing out the Paras I got another P14-45 for my father. I think they were calling them 'Elite' at the time. Decent but not quite as nice as the one I got back in the day.

More recently picked up one of the Armscor/Rock Island double stacks that takes the same mags. No bells and whistles but it seems to work.

Took a chance on a P12-45 a few years ago and it seems ok although I'm not wild about the Colt reverse plug system.

Always sort of wanted to get or to put together a P16-10.

I LIKE the flat mainspring housing and the long trigger on a single stack 1911. Works ok on the double stack as well. The large frame Glocks are pushing my limit. The SF short frame helps that but they are still a little thick compared to the Para or even the CZ-97.

Edited March 20, 2023 by StarWolf

[AngelDeVille]

Unfortunately I came of age in the great state of Kommiefornicateyourself, with 10 round limits on civilian magazines, despite the fact that police are civilians and were not restricted.

 

It made zero sense to buy a plastic wündergun with a 17 round capacity limited to 10 rounds

 

so I stuck to 1911’s and wheel guns until I moved

 

I have always known Glocks are idiot proof, and have owned a few.

 

my current plastic fantastic wündergun carries 21 and be carried cocked and locked like I’m used to. 

[StarWolf]

I moved to CA a year or two before they passed the Kali-ban and the mag limitations.
CA is the definition of incrementalism or moving the goal posts or death of a thousand cuts or creeping communism or whatever else you want to call it.
When the mag ban was passed there was a period before it went into effect. The Fed importation and manufacture ban was already in place but just like when that was voted in everyone bought everything they could get their hands on before it went into effect. You were supposed to be grandfathered. Most folks who couldn't find or afford the guns they wanted just bought the mags. THEN CA decided that unless you owned the gun with the mags as a pre-ban package you weren't allowed to put the high cap mag in the post ban firearm. Apparently this applied to handguns and not non-assault weapon longarms for at least a while. THEN they decided grandfathered or not your property was contraban and subject to seizure by the authorities. They've spent just about 25 years fighting to kill the 2nd amendment in California and when they are told they screwed up there's no consequence so they literally pass the same exact unconstitutional crap over and over and judge shop for the illiterate or dishonest fellow travelers on the bench to confirm their wish lists.

[MtnMike]

I always laugh at myself when it comes to Glocks.  Just never liked the way a Glock looked or felt in my hand.  Reminded me of the wooden blocks I'd played with as a kid. When I was first getting into pistols, I only wanted metal guns, no plastic.  Browning Hi-power was my choice. Easy pointing pistol, decent capacity.  Later, after downtown Asheville (where I work) became a truly dangerous place and I felt I needed to EDC, I went with a Sig P938, small, still metal, and I was already comfortable with the single action. Still later, when they started coming out with the higher capacity micro-compacts, I picked up a Hellcat and a Sig P365xl.  Like them both. I carry the Sig, my wife carries the Hellcat.  That being said, every time I go to the pistol range with my LE son-in-law, who carries a Glock, I'll be damned if I don't shoot that thing as accurate or more accurate than anything that I own.  

[98Z5V]

7 hours ago, MtnMike said:

Just never liked the way a Glock looked or felt in my hand.

This is what got me, for decades.  Shot a Gen 1 17 back in the 1989-1991 timeframe, friend owned it.  I hated it, and "they ALL suck!" for decades after that.   Right after SIG paid off the Army and underbid that MHS contract, and won it, I looked at the Glock that got beat.  The 19X.  Bought that thing right away.

7 hours ago, MtnMike said:

I'll be damned if I don't shoot that thing as accurate or more accurate than anything that I own.

This is what got me about that 19X.  I shoot right hand and left hand.  Train like you might need to do that someday, my mantra.  Sonofabitch, I shot that brand new 19X better left-handed than any of the Kimbers that I own, or any other pistol I've trained that with.  I shot the living piss out of it right handed...   Gen 5, I was sold.  Shortly thereafter, a 43X followed me home as a carry gun, once it would pass my carry test.  It did, flying colors. 

[StarWolf]

Any suggestions or preferences for aftermarket Glock barrels?

Yeah, I know but I've got a reason, or three...

[98Z5V]

1 hour ago, StarWolf said:

Any suggestions or preferences for aftermarket Glock barrels?

Yeah, I know but I've got a reason, or three...

Gen 5 barrels, if they'll fit the earlier Gen that you have.  The Gen 5 barrels are a big improvement over previous factory barrels.

Back in the day, I'd recommend Storm Lake Barrels, but I don't know where they're at now.  They got gobbled up by Remington, that bigass company got smashed and spread out, and I think Storm Lake brand went to PSA. 

Yep, PSA bought them.  PSA also owns DC Machine, from way back in the day, and they've made PSA's gun barrels for a long time.  I'm not sure, can't prove it, but PSA DID buy Storm Lake Barrels, and I'd wager a very hefty sum that DC Machine is who is making all the Storm Lake barrels now, but just to the Storm Lake prints and proofs. 

Not sure if I'd go that route, but here's the info on who owns what now.

https://www.guns.com/news/2021/08/05/bushmaster-dpms-panther-arms-black-rifle-brands-revived

[StarWolf]

It's a Gen 3, all us peon civilians are allowed in CA, at least for now.

 

[StarWolf]

Looks like I can get barrels from:
Lone Wolf (if they come back in stock) ~$135 each, nitride finish for slide length, stainless for extended extra length.
KKM Precision stainless only ~$185.
Bar Sto (if they'll do a custom length longer than they list on their website) ~$250.
Glock, for the 10mm barrel, maybe for a .45 ACP barrel ~$175.
No name ebay offers from unknown manufacturers of uncertain quality.

I'm leaning toward KKM, especially for the .45 ACP.

Edited March 31, 2023 by StarWolf