I get asked a lot of questions all the time, but many of them are actually the same question, just worded a little differently. I have been asked this question literally hundreds of times in my life: What’s your favorite weapon… ? Or if you only had one gun, which one would it be? and similar questions from those seeking the truth or the truth about guns. And I can’t answer those questions, and no one else can. I can only answer based on my own experiences, facts and knowledge during my life as a gun owner.
I don’t have a favorite weapon, if I had one, it would be the one I carry now. And when it comes to owning a gun, what’s your argument? I see things differently than most people, and heaven forbid we make the decision to own only one weapon. Of course, it also depends on where you are. If I lived in Alaska, in the bush, I’d choose some kind of .44 Magnum revolver – because dangerous quadrupeds live there. I’d rather choose a pistol than a rifle because it’s easier to carry on a regular basis than some kind of rifle.
There are so many different scenarios you can play out in their minds that it will drive you crazy trying to pick one weapon for all your needs. I tend to look at things with the eyes of a preparer and the end of the world of scenarios and make my decisions based on that. For many years, my choice for the same gun was a .357 Magnum revolver with a 4-inch stainless steel barrel – to prevent rust and weather from getting the best of the gun. And of course, you can load the .357 Magnum with a variety of cartridges, including the .38 Special or the heavier .357 Mag for dangerous weather or extra penetration. Add a good holster and a couple of quick chargers, and you’re good to go. However, today’s world is very different from when I made that decision.
I am a longtime fan of the good old 1911 .45 ACP pistol, and it has served our military for many years, and even now some special operations units still carry a government .45 ACP for some missions. There is no doubt that the .45 CPA does the job – very quickly. Not long ago, however, I had to reconsider that decision. I feel like a 7 or 8 bullet magazine in a stack doesn’t hold enough ammo to get things done these days.
This is an automatic pistol.
Which brings us to the point that my choice would be the same gun, which for various reasons would be an automatic. First on the list is concealing a handgun, next to a long gun. The second reason is to have lots of ammo on board, so a 9mm pistol with a chamber – the more ammo on board, the better. Now any 9mm double stack pistol can fill the bill, but after writing hundreds of articles on guns, and firing hundreds of thousands of rounds – maybe even a million rounds, per gun, my first choice would be the Glock 19X – stick with me for a while while while I advocate this gun, and feel free to disagree, but it’s my choice based on experience and facts.
For those unfamiliar with the Glock series of pistols, they are the most common pistols in the world, with military and law enforcement units, and for good reason: Glocks tend to go off every time you pull the trigger, and they hold up under all conditions – and they don’t require much maintenance either. Plus, the 9mm is still the most popular caliber in the world, and chances are you’ll still find a few even if things go wrong. Right now, because of all the unrest that has taken place in the country recently and the understandable fear of Joe Biden’s election, guns and ammunition are being stretched to the limit. But you can always find 9mm ammo if you look around – of course you have to pay more than you normally would, but you can find it.
View of a Glock 19X
Just look at the Glock 19X in order. It only exists in FDE – Flat Dark Earth – color – and I have no problem with that. It has a barrel of length Glock 19, with a handle of length Glock 17. It can be loaded with 17, 19, 33 or even 40 long magazines – and the more ammo you have, the better. I have a few models of Glock 19X because I really like them. The 19X also comes standard with a night vision system and an ambidextrous slide. The magazine outlet can be folded on both sides of the frame.
With the Glock, we finally learned that most shooters don’t like the grooves in the front strap. (See photo at left for an older model.) There are protruding pyramid points instead of controls on the frame for a secure grip in the most difficult weather conditions. And to top it off, you have multiple back straps to make sure one size fits all. There is also a strap ring (removable) on the back of the handle frame. We have a Picatinny guide on the cover if you use a laser and/or light on the weapon. In addition, there are thousands of replacement products that you can add or replace if the factory gun kit is not enough for you.
The Glock 19X comes with three loaders, one with 17 ground bales and two with 19 bales. So you have plenty of ammo with all three bullets loaded and ready to go. In addition, you can usually find Glock retailing for $20 to $24 each. So there’s no reason why you can’t buy a lot of extra magazines for this weapon. The best part is that the Glock always goes off when you pull the trigger – and I’ve run several 9mm bullets through several Glocks of this caliber, and no matter what they were, they were always loaded and working – 100% of the time.
I haven’t met many people who have said Glock pistols fit their hands as well as they would like – I’m one of them. But over the years, my hand has gotten used to the feel of these guns, and it’s the muscle memory that makes them feel like old friends. After 35 years of martial arts, I have always taught my students that they must perform a movement correctly at least 5,000 times before it becomes ingrained in their muscle memory.
I could also live with my old Glock 19 if I didn’t have a Glock 19X, same gun, but shorter in the buttstock and it would have a few less shots – my particular Glock 19 has night sights and nothing else. I have two magazines of 15 pictures with base plates plus two that give me two more pictures. There would also be the 17, 19, 33 and 40 rpm mags, but they would be a bit out of handle frame. I love the little 19, and have been wearing one as an EDC piece for years.
Proven Glock 17
Next, the Glock 17, a full-size model with a longer barrel and the same longer chassis that requires 17, 19, 33 or even 40 rpm mags – a little harder to hide than the 19 or the 19X. Many police departments still produce this pistol, and it was the very first Glock pistol produced.
If I only had a Glock 22, I could live with this – it’s in .40 S&W and the same size as a Glock 17. Many police departments still use this weapon, and there is nothing wrong with that. Next up is my Glock 35, an expanded version of the Model 22, making it a weapon of choice for hunting game – even big game can be taken with the right ammo.
patterns
I just wanted to make a quick comment about ammo, there are many options that can be made in 9mm and even .40 S & W and .45 ACP. I keep my Glocks in 9mm, with Black Hills 100gr HoneyBadger ammo, and its +P load rating is very suitable for self defense. If I lived in the wild and all I had was a 9mm pistol, I would at least keep a magazine loaded with a 9mm Buffalo Bore 147-gr +P hard cast, it will go deep and that is what you need for large and dangerous creatures. And, there are still some 9mm downloads that you can surely find that will meet your needs.
I admit I own more Glock pistols than anyone else, but I love them for many reasons, and the first is that they always work, even with very little maintenance. My wife and oldest daughter have a Glock 19 with a spare set of magazines. My youngest daughter still doesn’t have one, and I may have to give her one someday.
Well, if that was all I had, I’d definitely take a 1911 in any form, but my favorite is the Commander version in .45 ACP 4.25 barrel – I wouldn’t feel very handicapped with only 7 or 8 cartridges in the magazine, with a few spare magazines on the hip ready for use. Still, after years of consideration, I prefer the Glock 19X to all the others.
I’ve played the What If game tens of thousands of times in my head, and I’m sure you all do the same: What if? What if? – What kind of gun do you need on the hip, as far as you know? It’s not an easy decision – it never will be, and I’ve changed my mind several times over the years, and right now I’m very happy to have chosen the Glock 19X as my weapon of choice – let’s hope it doesn’t come down to owning a single weapon for the rest of your life.
