Let me be clear on this point: Glock makes excellent guns! They are rugged, reliable, durable, accurate, easy to maintain, easy to shoot and reasonably priced. But, marketing slogans notwithstanding, there is always room for improvement. The first real indication of this, as far as I'm concerned, was when Glock deviated from their set formula of Standard, Compact, and Sub-Compact in the various established calibers and brought out the Slimline Sub-Compact Glock 36. It was during the reduced capacity magazine period (1994-2004) and small, single stack pistols were making a comeback. Glock responded to their customer's desire for a slimmer, smaller version of their popular .45 Auto models, the 21 and the 30.
What Glock did, in retrospect, was to fuel the fire for those who wanted a Glock pistol with a smaller grip and a different feel. Glock proved it could be done with the 36. Then aficionados dared to hope for a scaled up version of the 36, specifically a full size, single stack magazine, same thickness version in, of course, 45 ACP. Well, Glock has yet to build that gun. They charged off in an entirely different direction with the .45 GAP models 37, 38 and 39. They certainly have a smaller grip, but that wasn't the only thing that users wanted. To say that the GAP cartridge has gotten off to a slow start would be putting it as kindly as I can. Also, changing the grip size wasn't the only thing that users have been seeking.
Glock has pretty much always resisted any type of external, manually operated safety. Their position has been that it isn't necessary, although they have made a few Glocks with manual safeties to satisfy certain clients. The other feature they have resisted, until recently, is an ambidextrous, or at least reversible, magazine release. When it looked like there might be a military contract for a .45 caliber pistol in the offing, Glock brought out the Glock 21 SF, in order to accommodate more hand sizes and the anticipated requirement for an ambidextrous magazine release. Well, the new military pistol proposal fell through the cracks, but Glock realized they had something in the short frame "SF" and added that option to the Glock 30. According to the Glock representatives at the SHOT Show, however, they are discontinuing the ambidextrous magazine releases in the model 21 and are not offering it in the model 30.
So, as the dust clears, Glock has added two SF models in their .45 Auto guns, but not much else has changed. I mention all of this because, while Glock has been pursuing their ideas of how to improve on perfection, others have been working feverishly at their drawing boards, and at least two companies are beginning to gain ground on Glock, both in the law enforcement market and in civilian sales. Currently, Glock claims (depending on who you talk to) about 70 percent of the law enforcement market. They have been the 800 pound gorilla for a while - but they should be hearing footsteps.
The Springfield Armory XD
The Springfield XD has been around for a while and they have been building a very respectable polymer framed Glock-inspired pistol that is really starting to gain some traction. I think this is because the people who are designing the XD have also been improving it step by step. It isn't just a Glock imitator. I've had the chance to shoot several models of the XD lately, and here are some things I think will make people fans of the XD.
First of all, like the basic Glock models, the grip is not "adjustable." It is what it is, but it is incredibly comfortable to people with a variety of hand sizes. It reminds me of the first time I handled a Browning Hi Power back in the late 1960s. It was a large capacity pistol, compared to the 1911 style autos and the Smith & Wesson Model 39, both of which had single stack magazines. But, in spite of holding more ammo, it just felt good in the hand. The XD has full capacity, staggered (or "double stack") magazines and the grip also just feels right, regardless of the caliber or capacity. The XD is also available in all the usual law enforcement calibers and, at least for a little while, they even produced them in the .45 GAP. I understand that they have discontinued those, but frankly, their various models of .45 ACP pistols are sized right to begin with, so they don't really need the GAP .45 in their lineup.
Another thing that the XD has not shied away from is manual safeties. It has the same trigger safety lever as the Glock, although I've never been much of a fan of the trigger dingus. On the Glocks, it rubs a blister on my trigger finger somewhere in the 50 to 100 rounds fired range. The one on the XD, at least, does not. Anyway, the XD has had a grip safety since the beginning; another feature I could do without, but at least it doesn't get in the way. Now, the XD will also be optionally available with a manual thumb safety, similar in style to the 1911 design. It will be ambidextrous. You can make a valid case for or against manual safeties, and I'm not going there right now. What I am saying is that the XD gives you the option, wherever you stand on the issue. The other thing it gives you is an ambidextrous magazine release. That I like. It is not just useful for lefties, but can also give you the option of dropping the magazine with your trigger finger or, better yet, the middle finger of your strong hand. Once you get used to doing that, you find that it is faster, especially for those of us who have to shift our grip on the gun slightly in order to reach the release with the strong hand thumb. I should point out that the release button is easily accessible, but still doesn't protrude excessively, so it is less likely to get accidentally pushed while carried in a holster. So, score some points for the XD over the Glock. The XD gives you choices. You just have to know what you want when you order it.
The Smith and Wesson M&P
If you like the idea of choices, then the Smith and Wesson M&P also deserves a test drive. It is available in all the usual LE calibers and all the usual sizes. In fact, the S&W reps at the SHOT Show had the two latest sizes in the .45 ACP available for inspection. I say inspection, because although they did have the mid-sized version available on the firing line at their product testing event, the newest version, the compact, was just out of the prototype stage and thus only available for handling at the display table. Naturally, I would have preferred to test fire the compact, but we'll get one in here soon, I am sure. From the get-go, the M&P auto pistols have been all about choices. For one thing, the grip panels are interchangeable, and all three sizes are furnished with each gun. It takes about 30 seconds to change them out and it can be done by the user; no armorer needed. Although the magazine release isn't truly ambidextrous, it is reversible, and thus can be customized for whichever hand you want to use to activate it. Safeties? Yes, indeed. Again, your choice: no external safety, magazine disconnect only, manual thumb safety (also similar to the 1911 style) only, or both magazine and thumb safeties. There is also an internal lock available, for those who like such things. Again, safeties may or may not be your cup of tea, but some officers are alive today because of them and others, sadly, are not.
S&W is making a pistol that allows you to decide how you want it to work. I have found in test guns that the M&P trigger, which does not have the safety dingus, may need some break-in time to smooth out. Some guns I have tried have been great right out of the box and a couple of them needed to wear in a bit. It is not a problem but it is worth mentioning because my first impression wasn't positive. I am glad, however, that I came back for more. I think the M&P will be picking up more and more of the LE market. It has already begun to do so.
Others
Are there others? You bet. Keep an eye out for the SIG Sauer P250. Billed as a completely "modular" pistol, the guts, called the "fire control unit" is the serial numbered part, allowing everything else to be interchanged around it. It is intended to be a "one gun fits all" pistol. It has interchangeable grip frames; interchangeable barrels; user selected controls and it has a very impressive double action only trigger. The trigger is also interchangeable in standard and short reach versions. Early testing has been positive. It will be a while before all the components are available, but SIG is very serious about their involvement in the polymer-framed, choice oriented pistol market. By the way, even Ruger, with their new SR9 polymer auto loader, is joining in the hunt. It is just hitting the market, so it will need some testing time, but Ruger has always made rugged, reliable pistols, so the SR9 should not be any different. Watch for it.
This is going to be an interesting time for gun people in general and LE firearms programs in particular. Glock has had the lions share of the auto pistol market for a long time. But others have learned the lessons and are now charging ahead with the kinds of features we, the users, have been asking for over the past decade. I hope this also inspires Glock to new efforts by their engineers and designers. As I said, they make excellent guns. But their competitors are charging hard and we will be the ones to benefit. Now, if we can just continue to afford the ammunition to shoot the darn things...
