"Way back in 1994, when I made my first leap into law enforcement, I
had the opportunity to select which firearm I was to carry to protect
myself and the lives of those I served. I spoke to numerous “old
timers” who proclaimed the value of the Dirty Harry type of .44 magnum
revolvers and others who saluted the very reliable 9mm semi-autos from a
variety of manufacturers. A gentleman of infinite military repute and
experience gave me sage advice. His words were simple, “Get yourself a
.45 and keep it by your side everywhere you go.”
He further
went on to explain to me that should I have to use it there are three
things I can rely on: first, if you’re in tight space, over penetration
won’t be as much of an issue to people in other rooms. It is a slow,
fat bullet with a lot of muscle. Second, because it is a fat bullet,
almost 0.5” in diameter, it will deliver awesome impact energy, and
third it’s a seriously intimidating piece of weaponry. The cave like
muzzle opening will certainly command and hold a bad guy’s attention.
With this in mind, I selected the Glock 21 in .45ACP. It was a huge,
clunky, black, industrial looking hunk of “plastic” and it drew more
than a few scoffs from my partner and colleagues. Little did we know at
the time, that the Glock would soon become the industry standard for
law enforcement.
I am no small man and I have large hands. The
size of the Glock 21 was not daunting and if anything it fit my hand
quite well. Its 13-round, double-stacked, high capacity magazine made
for a thick grip which suited me just fine. Because of the perceived
power of the .45, I was concerned about recoil, but again, the size of
it was an asset. Recoil was negligible and allowed for fast recovery
for successive shots.
Highly accurate and highly destructive in
its ability, the Glock 21 proved to be a great sidearm for my purposes.
I did purchase one of the integrated laser sights, which added to its
effectiveness. Since that day, I have purchased a number of other
Glocks, including a newer Glock 21, but have yet to take it out of its
case. I still carry that same Glock .45 that I bought 16 years ago.
It is very reliable, never had a malfunction and has successfully
chambered and fired thousands of rounds on the range. It is the handgun
that I will pass on to my son when he comes of age.
The size
of the gun is appropriate for my hand, but it is certainly difficult to
conceal as an off-duty or strictly concealed carry gun. Glock has begun
manufacturing a .45 with a single-stack magazine but it is a subcompact
slimline *Glock 36*. While still a very desirable handgun and caliber,
it has the benefit of a subcompact firearm in a cannon-like caliber.
The .45 is used in numerous special operations units within the law
enforcement community and in the military. Numerous departments allow
their officers to carry this handgun, but unfortunately for those of us
who prefer the .45, the standard for law enforcement is the Glock 22 .40
caliber. While a fabulous firearm in its own right, it is not a .45.
Police Officers and people in combat-type situations need to be able to
share ammunition and magazines if the need arises and the Glock 22 has
fit that bill nicely.
I encourage you to explore the purchase
and use of the .45 ACP caliber, especially in the Glock 21. It is a
safe, high functioning, reliable, and well designed handgun."
http://glock-21.blogspot.com/
