I am considering adding a G21 SF to the pile. This will be used for off duty and on duty carry.
One of the guys at ADCO has been shooting a G21 for many thousands or rounds with no problems.
Larry Vickers, whose opinion I respect, has described the G21 as “the biggest turd Glock makes”. I believe the LA county SD has removed their G21’s from service due to problems with the trigger bar.
My experience with other Glocks has been positive. I have very little trigger time with the 21.
I would value the opinois of those that have run one of these a bit.
My first duty gun was a Glock 19. A few years after we recieved them one of our local neighbors ventalated a bad guy with 15-18 rounds. Shortly after this event we switched over to Glock 23s.
I really like the 23 it is fairly easy to conceal and still holds 13+1 of 40 cal. I think it is hard to beat.
As long as we are talkin, get yourself a Kramer horse hide IWB holster. I have worn mine for the past 12 years and it still never colapses, and is still stiff.
Havent had any issues with any of the couple of 21’s I have owned. My current one has been great, though I dont have an overly high round count through it at present. I really like the 21.
My Glock 21 has +/- 1000rds though it (at least 500 of which was Wolf steel-case), with no complaints thus far. They’re not at all hard to conceal with a simple untucked polo shirt (but bear in mind I’m just over 6’ tall, about 185lbs; your mileage may vary).
The pistol-grip (I guess I could just say ‘grip’) is thicker than anything else Glock makes, so if you don’t wear at least a size 7.5 glove, it may be too much to hold comfortably. I just got my hands on the new Glock 21 slim-frame at the local fun-store, but I couldn’t really tell the difference between it and the standard G21.
I am aware that LAPD pulled their G21’s from service, and I don’t recall exactly why, BUT I remember reading the article and thinking something about ‘finger off trigger until sights are on target’.
PS – if you decide to get a different model for off-duty, I’d recommend the G30 without hesitation. Also, it will use the G21 mags.
I’d stay away from the Glock 36 (single-stack). This nasty little monster has a horrible twisting recoil that feels like a 2.5"-barrelled .44magnum.
The gun laws here really do suck. Conceled carry is almost entirely a LEO activity. No full auto, sbr or sound supressors either. Our govenor and 'Da Mayor" (aka Richie Daley) are vehemently anti gun. They dont want anyone armed other than their body guards, of course.
I shot the 5 inch XD. The grip was quite comfortable, but seemed too long. I didnt care too much for the grip safety either. I will have to check out the 21 sf and , perhaps, the M&P 45.
My standard 21 has been great, I started using it as my sidearm in 3gun, I don’t have a lot of rounds through it yet but I seem to shoot it the most consistent out of all my guns.
Here is a torture test on the gun. I think Glock needs to pay this guy, It helped sell the gun to me, and also helped me to decide on a new gun and not a used one. http://www.theprepared.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=90&Item
I carried a G21 24/7 for two years before finally ditching it and going back to my issue G22. It had flawless reliability and was a great ‘tactical’ gun but it was simply a brick for daily carry.
I’ve been carrying a Glock 21 for around 5 years, and have a little over 10,000 rounds through it. I’ve never had a malfunction, other than those induced for training. It shoots great, and the recoil is very mild, probably because of the wide backstrap.
Having said that, I carry a Glock 23 off duty. It is much easier to conceal, and I have never thought about leaving it at home because it was too bulky, etc. Both have been great handguns, as have the other 4 Glocks I have owned. I guess I’m just lucky, because I haven’t had the problems others have reported.
I have a G21 that I like as well and I just added a G21 SF to the battery.
I haven’t had a chance to take the new 21 SF out yet for true test and evaluation but I can tell the difference in the grip feel and side-by-side I can see where the reductions in the frame are.
It feels good in the hand.
I’m personally not an XD fan but don’t begrudge them to those that like them.
The M&P 45 is also of interest.
None of them will replace my slabside 45s though - can’t beat a 1911. YMMV.
I hope to put real 21 SF details up as soon as I can but I won’t be able to T&E until after July 18.
I’ve only got 200 rounds through my 21SF but so far I like it. It feels pretty similar to my G17, but a little thicker. It’s going to the range with me tomorrow. I’m waiting for High Noon to finish my holster so I can carry it.
My first duty weapon was the G23; I switched to the G21 and carried it for three years and several thousand rounds. No problems other than the 2x4 for a grip. I have since changed over to the MP.45 and will not look back. It is just right for me. S&W will be adding 14 round magazines in the near future as well.
I’ve got a Grock 30 that’s a pretty decent gun. I’m a dyed in the wool 1911 guy, which is reverently called the “Man Gun” around the shop (or at least by Matt E, M4 Guru and myself ), but it hurts a whole lot less to bang my G30 into something during the course of the day than it does my $1200 1911.
I was never a fan of the G20, or 21 for that matter, because they’re so dang big, and I have big hands. The G21 SF, though, solves a lot of the problems with the standard G21. However, the cost of that happening is that the magazines aren’t interchangeable.
There are some pictures floating around of a G21SF with standard rail and non-ambi mag release. Pictures of the label with barcode, as well. I’m not sure if this is an “LEO-only” option. Trying to get my hands on one.
