Should You Choose This 40 Year Old Pistol Design As Your Everyday Carry?

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There’s an interesting aspect to human nature that causes many people (maybe most) to value newness over tried and true in some areas of life.

Certainly, there are exceptions to that rule. After all, you have that friend who would rather drive his 1968 electric blue Ford Mustang (though, you have to admit that it does look good in that color) than his wife’s brand new Toyota Camry even though the Camry is newer and has all of the bells and whistles.

But when it comes to something that you have in order to save a life (yours or other people’s), do you want the newest and flashiest or do you want what is reliable, dependable, and does the job consistently?

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I know which of those options that I prefer in my everyday carry firearm, and there certainly seem to be quite a few firearms enthusiasts who feel the same way: They want to know that the gun can do the job if you find yourself in that incredibly rare and horrible situation in which you have to use it.

Now, it can be argued that several models by several manufacturers meet that qualification, and it’s common to see manufacturers issue new models which are, basically, variations on tried and true designs. For example, the popular Canik TP9 Elite SC has been called a “clone” of a Walther P99. And several pistol models out there are said to be clones of one particular manufacturer who has a reputation for reliability: Glock.

So, should you consider a forty year old gun design like the Glock 17 for your everyday carry?

Well, consider what Kenzie Fitzpatrick has to say in a review of the Glock 17. Fitzpatrick writes,


The Glock 17 was my very first handgun and one I still cherish today. It was my first 3 Gun competition handgun, the first handgun I shot in a GSSF match, and my first home defense gun and travel gun.

I have shot probably over 100,000 rounds through my Glock 17 and loved it so much that I bought a second one that I tricked out for competitions. If you want a reliable handgun for concealed carry, competition, home defense, or just to learn how to shoot, you can’t go wrong with a Glock 17.

100,000 rounds is hard to argue with.

There are lot of great pistols out there from a lot of great manufacturers, and if you’re looking for one especially for the reliability, it may be worth considering if a Glock 17 is the right choice for you even if the design is 40 years old.

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10 COMMENTS

    • Great Point. When our P.D “converted” to the Glock-17 from the S.&W. Model 10, we spent three days on a Conversion Class. The majority of the time was spent practicing what to do when you pulled the Glock trigger, and it did Not go Bang. However, Glock still has 70% of the Police Market. It really can take a lot of abuse.

  1. Each person must decide for themselves what will work best for them. Personally, I’ve no problem with you choosing a 40 year old design, for I myself, when it comes to semi-autos, well choose a 1911 over anything else. In my hands, it is highly accurate, deadly if need be, highly reliable, and the 1911 is older in design than a schlock . . . . Er…. I mean glock. . . . 😆 🤣
    Seriously though, you have to discover for your own self, what handgun is best for you.

    • Had to carry a 1911 since ’64, when I went into the Service. Still carry an Officer’s Model in the old ’11 style, as a EDC. Got away from the old 1911’s for 40 years, then shot one at the range a couple years ago and “Fell Back In LOVE” with them (have 5 in the safe now, plus parts). Yes, I DO have the “Plastic Pistols too (around 13 of them in different calibers), but always go back to something that works for me (and that’s what counts!).

  2. Surprising how many “obsolete” designs are still viable even today. I cannot think of a better example than the 1911 or the old double action police revolvers (Colt or S&W). How many times the .357/125 gr HP round has been pointed to as the standard for a defensive round? How many first-time shooters would be better off with a .357 medium frame size revolver, loaded with a modern .38 defensive round? YES – A double action or semi .22LR handgun would be better first gun, but how many of the current crop of first-time shooters would understand starting this way?

  3. FWIW my primary EDC is based on nearly 200 year old technology. It is of course wearing much more modern technology and materials but the basics are still the same. I speak of course of a revolver. Mine is a Ruger LCRx in .327Federal. A time traveler who knew how to load and shoot a Paterson Colt would have little trouble figuring out how to use it effectively. Times change but good ideas remain timeless.

  4. It comes down to a matter of personal choice, and there are Pros and Cons to just about any gun one can choose. There are many who continue to carry the 1911 platform, even though it has its limitations as well. A good friend of mine, who’s a LEO, darn near lost his life when his Colt 1911 failed. If it hadn’t been for his S&W Model 36 he carried as backup in an ankle rig, he wouldn’t be here today. I would note he no longer carries a 1911 as his main duty weapon anymore either.
    Reliability is at the top of the list in what one needs for a carry weapon in my humble opinion. Without reliability, the other factors are just check marks on a page.

    • I also had a firearm failure – with my S&W model 638. Reloaded and the cylinder wouldn’t close. A small flake of unburnt powder lodged between the frame and the cylinder. Point being – any mechanical device can fail, so that is why a BUG (Back Up Gun) or two is always a good idea for anyone, even if you are not a LEO.

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