Whenever .45 caliber handguns are discussed, the Glock 21 usually isn't the first one mentioned, but maybe it should be. It's not slim, the grip is thick, the slide is like an aircraft carrier, but the G21 just performs.

At the LE academy where I teach, I see 140 new police officers every year. In an average class of 70, I'll see 7-10 Glock 21s in holsters. Over the last 14 years, I'll tell you what I've never seen. A parts breakage with a Glock 21, and try as I might, I actually cannot remember a single stoppage with a student's G21. I may have missed one or two, but I sure don't remember them.

Last semester, we had a small-statured female with a G21. She had micro-hands, fingers the size of baby carrots, and I was worried she'd have problems. I was wrong. She drove that G21 like a champ because it's so easy to shoot and the recoil is soft. She finished near the top during qualifications.

About 2 years ago, I went to the range with the local sheriff and a fellow academy instructor. I had my now-sold W. German P220, the instructor had his HK45, and the sheriff had his Gen 3 G21. We shot all three .45s side by side. Compared to the P220 and the HK 45, the G21 recoiled much more softly, and each of us thought the consistent trigger gave the G21 a significant advantage. Egos were shattered. My fellow instructor and I still talk about that range trip because it made such an impression on us.

The Arkansas State Police carried the G21 for about 20 years. Their duty load was the 230 grain Remington Golden Saber. The ASP has won gunfight after gunfight with the G21. RogueJSK can likely attest to this. The troopers love the G21 and there was some pushback when the recent decision was made for the ASP to go with the Gen 5 Glock 17 9mm.

One trooper that I debriefed, Cpl. Pete Penney, was shot in the gut with a .357 Magnum by a very large parolee on a traffic stop after a long fight. Pete's body armor stopped the Magnum round, and Pete retreated about 75 yards away and took cover under his cruiser. He took aim with his G21 and shot the felon in the head with the G21...from 75 yards away.

Pete told me that he took careful aim, could see his night sights, and knew when he touched the round off that it was going to hit its target.

http://www.magnoliareporter.co...3e-0019bb2963f4.html

I have some .45 ammo rat-holed, but didn't have a .45 handgun, so I had a decision to make. It was an easy one. What does the forum community think about the Glock 21?

Currently, the only 45 acp I have is a 1st generation Sig P220ST. I decided. A few months ago my next purchase will be G21.

Good post. I've flirted with the idea of a G21 for years, but have always ended up spending the money on something else. Now you've got me thinking I need one.

I don't know what you mean by "under appreciated", because I appreciate the hell out of mine!

I'm a big .45 fan, I carried a P220 for years until my Dept allowed Glocks. I had one waiting.

I've carried one for over 15 years now, and haven't looked back. It's one of the softer shooting .45's out there. Yeah, it's not a small gun, not really made to conceal, but it just works.

15 + years, duty carry and thousands of rounds...all Glock parts, except for the stainless recoil rod and spring. Preventive maintenance- I've replaced mag springs and firing pin spring, firing pin cups and trigger spring.

I trust it every day I'm at work.

I love my Gen4 21. When my department approved Gen5 17s, I was one of maybe three or four out of 80 plus to stay with a 21. I’m retired now, and it’s the only duty weapon I wanted to keep. In part because it was my last, but also because it’s such a great shooter.

I'm a G21 and G30 fan, they just don't do enough different or better for me anymore to get any holster time. I would really like to see a Gen 5 21.

My G21 was the last pistol I sold when leaving my commie run home state. Its among the full size pistols I am considering buying next. The G21 out shot my USP Expert from the bench, at 25 yards with 3 brands of ball ammo. I keep my eye on the 21 and a 20 which has a great price just now. The H&K 45 is also a contender. I feel the Gen 4 would serve me well as my Gen 3 would pound my trigger finger right where it meets my hand. Knew it was coming everytime I broke its trigger. The SF gun I've not yet handled. All that said, its a great defense gun. Ads used to call it Americas 45. How anyone can make a precision head shot @75 yards with night sights is beyond my knowledge. I think the night sights are great in close proximity for low light but 75 yards?

My home defense pistol is a G21 with a surefire light.

I also quite like the G41, a slightly longer G21.

My first three Glocks were all .45s. A G36 my dad gave me that I sold or traded not long after getting it from him, for the same reason I got it from him, it just didn't appeal to me or fit my hand well.

My 2nd and 3rd were a G21SF and G30SF. Both had the dreaded_failure_to return_to_battery issue (the G30SF worse than the G21SF). The G30SF became 100% unreliable, and the G20SF about 50% unreliable, with no fix at the time working. That's how I got into Sigs, trading them both for my first Sig, a P220 Carry. I swore off Glocks altogether, before I changed my mind, figuring there must be something to all the good things I'd been hearing but never experienced to that point. So I bought another, a G19. Then another. Then another. And eventually acquired a G30 (standard) and a G21 (standard). Both have been perfectly reliable. Of the pistols I carry, the G30 is up there. I rarely carry the G21, if only due to size. But I have carried it in my truck just to get it into the rotation. Of all my 10 glocks, its among the softest shooting, and the most accurate. I don't see myself without one in the future.

I have a G21SF. For years I would try my friends standard G21 at the range and the grip was yuge for me. The G21SF is just enough smaller that my paws can get around it and control it.

Honestly, the G21 is probably one of the last 45s I’d part with. The combination of reliability, accuracy and price is excellent. I appreciate the hell out of mine!

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
Good post. I've flirted with the idea of a G21 for years, but have always ended up spending the money on something else. Now you've got me thinking I need one.

Same here. G21 was the first Glock I ever shot. Don’t know how I’ve never owned one.

I've considered a 21 at times but I think I have a hard time running a 45 that isn't a 1911. Thats not an underhanded swipe or anything, I think that's just how my mind works and I've had the same issue with the 220 HK45 and similar guns. I have a G20 and like it quite a bit so I imagine I would likely love the 21 if I could get over that mental hurdle.

Although I love my Sigs, my G21 with light/Laser is my bedside go to weapon----

I thought about the 21 but got a 30 instead. Smaller, a little harder to shoot but not that hard.

Nice gun.

My second gen 21 was my first .45, purchased on my 21st birthday. I still have it and it won't be going anywhere. Went through an academy and carried it a good bit. My agency issued the 21's for about 25 years, before giving in and going to the 22's to accommodate everyones hand/etc. Now we're trying to move to 17's, since Glock is screwing up the 22's and can't get enough ammo for either. Guess we'll be dusting off those 21s....

Superb pistols - if Glock would come out with a Gen 5 21, I'd be first in line.

My wife bought a G21 when they were first available for sale as a surprise birthday gift for me. Still have both.

^Shown with its little AOW friend^

Truth be told, I'm not much of a Glock guy, but I joined the GSSF because I want to take an Armorers Course. Well, that discount coupon has been burning a hole in my pocket for about 6 months, so last Thursday I decided to get either a 21 or a .40 cal 23. After looking at rather slim availability's, I ended up walking out with a G30. I shot it Sunday, and I'm just not all that thrilled with it.

Looks like the G21 and G23 are still in my future.

quote:

Originally posted by jbourneidentity:
At the LE academy where I teach, I see 140 new police officers every year. In an average class of 70, I'll see 7-10 Glock 21s in holsters.

jlbourneidentity and I teach at academies at opposite ends of the state. What's interesting is that G21s are actually pretty uncommon on this side of the state. I may see 1 in a class, and then go 3-4 classes before seeing another random one.

This is likely because none of the major departments in this area use the G21, other than one agency that normally issues the G22 but has a handful of G21s that they allow some of their guys to choose when available. But I believe even they are doing away with those few G21s, since they're in the process of fully transitioning to the Gen 5 G17.

(As noted, the Arkansas State Police have issued the G21 for many years, but they run their own in-house academy so we don't see any of their recruits come through ours.)

So really the only cadets that I see with G21s in their holsters are the occasional cadets from smaller agencies who had to provide their own guns, and chose the G21.

Off the top of my head, I usually see about 95% of cadets with G22/G23 or G17/G19 (with a big swing towards the 9mms lately as many .40 agencies transition to 9mm), then 4% M&P/P320, then 1% Other, including the occasional G21, one particular small agency that issues 1911s, and very rarely something else a bit more exotic like a Beretta or FN.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
I thought about the 21 but got a 30 instead. Smaller, a little harder to shoot but not that hard.

quote:

Originally posted by T.Webb:
I ended up walking out with a G30. I shot it Sunday, and I'm just not all that thrilled with it.

I find the G30 to be noticeably harder to shoot well than the G21. It actually feel bigger/girthier in my hands, likely due to the different positioning of the "hump" on the backstrap. Whereas the G21 just feels right.

I'm issued a G17, but I have fairly large hands, and the G21 actually feels better than the G17 in my hands. However, I tend to shoot the G17 a bit better in live fire. But if I had to provide my own duty weapon, the G21 would certainly be in the running.

Pennsylvania State Police issued Gen 4 Glock 21's for a year or two (replacing the Glock 37 in .45GAP). They had issues with parts breaking and ditched them for the Sig P227.

That's the only department I've heard about having G21 issues.