Outdoor Adventure USA

Everyone knows I am a glock fan and it is the gun I stake my life on. ( Though 1911's are my favorite handgun ) Regarding the glock, I have been packing, shooting and competing with them for over 16 years. I have seen just about every type of malfunction and parts breakage as well as kabooms. I do not like the 40 glocks, though I have them--just never had one that was reliable enough to carry. I will use them in competition sometimes. Today I saw, for the second time in almost 18 years, a glock slide rupture, separate at the breech face. Metal fatigue I suspect. The only common denominator is that the owners were almost obsessive with dryfiring-100's to 1,000's of dryfiring day after day. It is safe to dryfire the glock. My point is not to scare anyone, just an observation. If you will dryfire in the above manner, perhaps snapcaps are in order. Most people will never dry fire more than 100 times in the life of a gun. In my heavy competition days it was not unusual to dry fire 100 times a day for weeks on end, plus shoot 1000 rounds a week. I never had a problem. Just find it interesting.

Regards, Steve

Which model is that or does it happen to all of them? I am about to purchase either a glock 30 (standard not SF) or a SA XD. I am going to shoot the XD on Monday then make a decision. I really like the glock but the XD has some nice features so we'll see.

And while I have you, what is your opinion on the glock 30 and the SA XD 45?

Hi Eric,
The above slide issue is very rare. I have only seen it on the 9mm and have no information as to this issue on the .45. I also have the glock 30. I prefer it to the SF. The 30 is a very accurate gun and, to me, soft shooting. I find it to be a very reliable gun and I have had two of them. The only issue is that the ten round mag is hard to load the last round. Mag loaders are your friend. One the rare occasions when I have carried the 30, my backup mag is a 21 mag with a base extention-18 rounds.

Regarding the SA XD, I do not have near the experience with them as compared to the glocks. My personal observations based on my limited time with them is that they are reliable. I do not like the trigger as much as the glock, or I am just used to the glock. My main dislike is the grip safety. I do not like them and have used many 1911's with them. It is possible to not get the grip right on the gun and it will not fire. This is not what I want on a self defense gun. If just for plinking, then no problem. In speaking with people whose opinion I trust, I have received reports that they are having some parts breakage in just regular use. The aftermarket support is much better with the glock.

Cheers, Steve

Ok,

I'll ask ... what is dry fire?

Dry Fire is practicing with an unloaded gun. Cocking and then "pulling/squeezing/working" the trigger. It is to get familiar to the trigger pull, practice manipulation of the trigger with as little movement of the sights as the trigger breaks. It helps to learn the take-up and, in some guns to work the reset. It helps with accuracy and fundamentals in the long run.

Cheers, Steve

When being "retaught" to shoot in the Marines we sat in a circle dry firing at a 55 gallon drum in the middle of the circle that had "dog" targets painted all over it. We did that from every shooting position for hours on end everyday for nearly two weeks before ever firing a live round. At night we sat with our flashlight ("moon-beams") and worked finger strengthening drills by activating the push button without shaking the flashlight. The lights we used had a spring loaded push button and a switch. The switch turned the light on and left it on. If you used the push button it only stayed on if you held the button in. Oh how I miss those days... Heaven forbid if the DI saw your light shaking when that light turned on.

Shot the XD today. Nice gun, but I liked the glock better. The nice features of the XD (grip safety and chamber/firing pin indicator) weren't enough to change my mind. Plus the glock is a half a pound lighter

Any opinion on the standard vs. SF? I'm pretty set on the model 30.

Hi Eric,
I prefer the standard, as it just feels better to me. For what it's worth, I think you have done well.

Cheers and good shooting, Steve